(The following was a press release issued by United Independent Party Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Evan Falchuk’s campaign.)
Contact: Trinidad Carney
Ph: (857) 239-1433 (617) 360-1396
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BOSTON– Massachusetts has an enormous opportunity to cut the cost of living by overhauling its outdated housing policy, according to an in-depth plan and recommendations shared today by the Falchuk-Jennings independent gubernatorial ticket, designed to kick-start the Commonwealth’s housing market, reduce the cost of living, and drive economic growth.
Evan Falchuk, United Independent Party candidate for Governor of Massachusetts, and his running mate for Lieutenant Governor, Angus Jennings, have released their “Thriving Communities Action Plan: Five State Reforms to Create Jobs and Put Money Back in Taxpayers’ Pockets” (www.Falchuk2014.org/thriving). The Thriving Communities plan attributes Massachusetts’ skyrocketing cost of living in large part to the Commonwealth’s broken housing policy, and makes a detailed call for five pro-growth policy changes that will benefit people of all ages.
“To create sustained economic growth in Massachusetts, we have to cut the cost of living,” Falchuk said. “Economic research shows that if you want growth, you have to make sure lots of housing – of all types – is built. This has been known for decades, but will only be achieved through a true partnership between the State and our cities and towns. Current State policy does not give housing advocates the tools they need to enact local policies to produce more housing.”
Housing is both a jobs issue and a family issue, say the candidates, noting that their plan would benefit communities and the people of Massachusetts. For too many years, they state, housing supply in Massachusetts has failed to meet demand. The end result has meant significant cost increases that freeze many people out of the market. Too many young professionals and families are leaving Massachusetts as a result, they say, with too many seniors unable to “age in place” in their homes or communities.
“Lawmakers know what’s going on with our continued housing shortage and lack of any strategic housing vision; the problem is, they’re just not doing much about it,” said Falchuk, who founded the United Independent Party with a group of Massachusetts supporters in 2013. “By taking the concrete steps we’re calling for, we have a huge opportunity to realize the economic potential of so many cities and towns – and help taxpayers keep more of their hard-earned pay in the process.”
Falchuk said that among the recommendations in the Thriving Communities Action Plan is empowering cities and towns by making it in their financial best interest to develop new housing, and enhancing the profit motive for new private investment in down-market areas while supporting communities affected by gentrification.
Jennings, a recognized housing and land use expert, added that the Falchuk-Jennings Thriving Communities Action Plan also calls for improving inter-agency coordination of planning among State agencies, and expanding professional capacity for municipalities to plan and grow; minimizing frivolous lawsuits that block development of needed housing in designated growth areas; and broadening the existing Safe Harbor from 40B developments for communities that enact significant local zoning reforms.
“The intersection of housing, land use and transportation is one of the most important policy issues of our time. I’m convinced that if we want to truly drive economic growth throughout the Commonwealth, we must address our outdated housing, land use and transportation policies to better reflect our modern times,” Jennings said. “The steps we outline in our Thriving Communities Action Plan provide a common-sense springboard to get started. The question for lawmakers shouldn’t be whether we begin these much-needed actions, but when.”