Burlington One Of Few MA Communities Building Enough Housing

BURLINGTON, MA —Burlington is one of just 19 communities out of 147 in eastern Massachusetts that are building housing fast enough to address the region's housing needs, according to a report released Wednesday. The Boston Foundation Report said most communities in the region aren't building enough new homes to keep pace with population growth while simultaneously keeping decades-old patterns of segregation in place. The lack of new housing is driving up housing prices and forcing people to move further away from work, driving up commute times.

"By looking at housing affordability alongside an examination of segregation data and tracking how local governments are seeking to address the issues of production, affordability and equity, we can see a more nuanced picture," Alicia Sasser Modestino, Associate Director of the Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University and the lead author of the report, said in a statement. "It shows limited progress, but also a need for a redoubling of local and state efforts to make changes to zoning and development rules that slow progress and result in greater segregation, a lack of affordable housing and an increase in homelessness."

But the analysis found that, based on population, Burlington and a handful of other towns were approving enough new construction to contribute their "fair share" in helping the state meet Gov. Charlie Baker's goal of 135,000 new housing units by 2025. The other 18 towns range in size from tiny Boxborough to the state's biggest city, Boston.

Baker is backing a bill that would make it easier for cities and towns to change zoning rules, making it easier to build new housing. The study, however, says more programs are needed and recommends requiring more affordable housing units in new developments and more programs to help first-time home buyers.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).