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Housing
2004 REPORT MENU >
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GEOGRAPHY AT-A-GLANCE >
HOUSING OVERVIEW
Highlights HIGHLIGHTS
Innovations INNOVATIONS
Civic Agenda CIVIC AGENDA
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HOUSING INDICATORS
At-A-Glance AT-A-GLANCE
6.1 Retaining Boston’s Competitive Advantage in Housing
6.2 Housing Affordable to All Residents
6.3 An Adequate Housing Supply
6.4 Adequate Housing Production
6.5 Homelessness Prevention
6.6 Equitable Distribution of Affordable Housing
6.7 Fair Housing
6.8 Healthy Homes and Neighborhoods
6.9 Public Funding for Housing
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Housing

Metro Boston’s housing costs are among the highest in the United States. In fact, Massachusetts is the second least affordable state, and Boston the eighth least affordable city. A new law formulated by the Commonwealth Housing Task Force encourages 40R zoning overlay districts of high-density, "smart growth" housing in city and town centers and at transit nodes. In Boston, Mayor Menino’s "Leading the Way" initiative spurred $2 billion in public and private investment to produce nearly 8,000 market-rate and affordable housing units between 2001 and 2003 in cooperation with community development corporations and private developers. Boston’s rents have moderated, but are nevertheless 50% higher than in 1995. Housing costs are cited in surveys as a primary reason for leaving the state.

Did you know?

  • The City of Boston has more than 20 nonprofit community development corporations that build affordable housing throughout the city’s neighborhoods.
  • Subsidizing the construction of a single unit of affordable housing in Boston can cost $150,000.
  • A single-family home in Boston sold for almost 40% less than one in a typical suburban community in 1998, but by 2003 the price gap between Boston and its suburbs had shrunk to 19%.
  • More than 20,000 new homes were built in Massachusetts annually during the 1980s, but the number of permits for new housing fell below 10,000 in 2001 and 2002.

 

See Housing Highlights for the sector Context, Key Trends and Findings, Major Accomplishments and Innovation, Remaining Challenges, and Competition.

 
New@Housing
New Housing report Card Released 
Housing Report Card 2005-06 cover
Click the cover to download a PDF version of the latest Greater Boston Housing report Card, 2005-2006, released on September 27, 2006.
 
 
 
UMass Donahue Insitute/CHAPA Housing Poll 2006 (02/07) (pdf): Reports that 66% of Massachusetts residents are concerned about the affordability of housing, up from 48% in 2005.
Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Foundations for Future Growth in the Remodeling Industry (02/07) (pdf): Reports that while 2000 to 2005 were the strongest years ever for the home improvement industry, there is a slowdown occurring in this sector. This report predicts a strong future for the industry, however.
Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Comeback Cities or the New England Melting Pots: Explorations into the Changing Large Cities of New England (12/06) (pdf): Combines population change with 4 economic measures to categorize New England cities into 5 categories related to the "comeback" status of a city.
Massachusetts Community & Banking Council,  Borrowing Trouble VII: Higher Cost Mortgage Lending in Boston, Greater Boston and Massachusetts, 2005 (01/07) (pdf): This annual examination of HMDA mortgage data reveals that in 2005, 25% of Massachusetts home purchase loans had high APRs, and that these loans are concentrated in low-income neighborhoods and with non-white borrowers.
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston,  The Lack of Affordable Housing in New England: How Big a Problem? Why Is It Growing? What Are We Doing About It? (01/07) (pdf): This in-depth analysis brings to light the continued unaffordability of homeownership in Southern New England, and suggests that increasing supply is crucial to solving the problem.
National Alliance to End Homelessness, Homelessness Counts (01/07) (pdf): Reports on the number of homeless at the national, state, and community levels, as part of the creation of a national baseline of data for future comparison. Massachusetts had the 17th highest rate of homelessness.
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston,  The New England Rental Market (01/07) (pdf): Reports that while rents are high, they are relatively affordable, given local incomes. The market does not fulfill demand for lower-income renters, however.
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, The Changing Housing Market: A Bang or a Whimper? (12/06) (pdf): Karl Case takes a look at the factors contributing to the recent housing boom, including changes in the mortgage market, the affect of Baby Boomers and supply restrictions. Case concludes that a soft landing of the housing market is likely, though not certain.
U-Mass Boston,  Housing Affordability for Households of Color in Massachusetts (12/06) (pdf): Using a shelter poverty concept, this report looks at differing levels of affordability housing by race/ethnicity. Person of color headed households are twice as likely to be shelter poor than White-headed households.
Center for Responsible Lending, Losing Ground: Foreclosures in the Subprime Market and Their Cost to Homeowners (12/06) (PDF): Reports that subprime mortgages have become a significant part of the mortgage market and their foreclosure rate is significantly higher than prime mortgages. With a softening market, the number of foreclosures is expected to climb.
Pioneer Institute, Housing Programs in Weak Neighborhoods: Developing the Right Tools for Urban Revitalization (12/06) (pdf): Argues that current affordable housing deed restrictions hampers revitalization efforts in weak markets neighborhoods.
Massachusetts Community & Banking Council, Fair Lending Report (10/06) (pdf): Mortgage denial rates continue to be higher for people of color than for whites. This report addresses this issue with concrete recommendations for lenders to improve their performance in underserved markets.
Officer of State Auditor Joseph DeNucci, State Auditor's Report on the Physical Condition and Resources Allocated for the Operation and Upkeep of State-Aided Public Housing in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (pdf) (10/06): Reports that under funding of State sponsored public housing units has resulted in deferred maintenance and poor housing conditions.
Citizens' Housing and Planning Association, Housing Costs Continue to Outpace Incomes in Massachusetts and the US (pdf) (10/06): Analysis of 2005 American Community Survey data indicates that median housing costs have risen steeply in Massachusetts since 2000.
The Brookings Institution,  From Traditional to Reformed: A Review of the Land Use Regulations in the Nation's 50 Largest Metropolitan Areas (pdf) (08/06): Land use regulations have a profound affect on metropolitan housing markets, and this study outlines regulations that are used today--some of which create sprawl and others that serve to increase density and provide opportunities for affordability.
Community Works Services,  Job Retention Factors for Homeless People with Significant Disabilities (2006): Though the homeless with disabilities face obstacles to long-term employment, this longitudinal study reveals successful employment is possible, with intensive case management around housing and job training/placement. CORI records are a chief hinderance to success.
Joint Center for Housing Studies, Guarding the Town Walls: Mechanisms and Motives for Restricting Multifamily Housing in Massachusetts  (pdf) (7/06): Reports on the extent and types of zoning policies used by Massachusetts towns and cities that hamper the development of new housing.

Joint Center for Housing Studies,  State of the Nation's Housing 2006 (6/06): 2005 saw a softening in the housing boom, but long-term forces point to a moderate slowdown. Households (both homebuyers and renters) continue to face affordability problems.

Rappaport Institute,   Housing Supply Restrictions and the Boston Economy (pdf) (5/06): discusses four consequences of Greater Boston's restricted housing supply: population decline; housing price volatility; declines in employment and income; and demographic changes.

Center for Urban and Regional Policy, Sustaining the Mass Economy (pdf) (5/06): statistical analyses show that housing costs are a major factor in economic development.  Suggests that a small increase in housing supply would moderate price increases now, helping prevent large future price declines.

New England Public Policy Center, The Lack of Affordable Housing in New England (5/06): a regional analysis of housing finds that owner-occupied units are especially unaffordable in southern New England. Reviews government strategies and recommends policies to increase housing supply.


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More recent research on housing....

US Census Bureau, State Housing Unit Estimates: 2000 to 2004 (7/05): annual estimates for individual states and the nation, including housing percent change and state rankings.  Massachusetts units grew 1.9% between 2000 and 2004. Press release.

 

Upcoming tenant and landlord events at the  Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership.

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