"On Dec. 31, 2025, as Massachusetts residents rang in the New Year, a quieter but consequential deadline passed for dozens of cities and towns near public transit. Under the MBTA Communities Act - a 2021 law requiring municipalities served by or adjacent to MBTA transit to allow multifamily housing through zoning - 35 "adjacent small towns" were required to comply by the end of 2025. Twelve, however, did not. The noncompliant communities are: Carver, Dracut, East Bridgewater, Freetown, Halifax, Holden, Marblehead, Middleton, Rehoboth, Tewksbury, Wilmington, and Winthrop."
"Some noncompliant towns say they are still working toward compliance, despite repeated defeats at town meeting. In Holden and Dracut, local leaders are working toward zoning proposals they hope could eventually pass. Both towns have formed a committee or working group to identify areas that meet state requirements while addressing resident concerns. "At a high level, I would say we're continuing to work," said Dracut's assistant town manager Alison Manugian."
Twelve of 35 MBTA-adjacent small towns failed to meet the MBTA Communities Act zoning requirements by the Dec. 31, 2025 deadline. The noncompliant towns are Carver, Dracut, East Bridgewater, Freetown, Halifax, Holden, Marblehead, Middleton, Rehoboth, Tewksbury, Wilmington and Winthrop. Those towns face possible enforcement lawsuits from the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office and loss of some state grant funding. Several towns report ongoing efforts to reach compliance despite repeated defeats at town meetings. Holden and Dracut have formed committees or working groups to craft zoning proposals and identify areas that meet state requirements while addressing resident concerns. Local officials describe the current environment as marked by uncertainty rather than fear.
Read at Boston.com
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