The inclusion of the multifamily-near-T-stops mandate at 15 units/acre could actually be quite transformative, potentially much more so than garden-variety Housing Choice. Here's why: https://twitter.com/stephmsolis/status/1346748927861731328

In 2019, @Data_Hopper and his team did a pretty thorough analysis of T stops ( https://www.mhp.net/news/2019/todex-research-brief) and found a density increase to just 10 units/acre w/in 1/2 mile of subway and CR stops would mean another 253K homes.

For comparison, estimates of new units needed range from 135K btw 2018 & 2025 (Baker admin goal), 165K btw 2016 & 2030 (Metro Mayors goal) and 320K btw 2010 & 2025 (2019 Greater BOS Housing Report Card). It is generally acknowledged we aren't there but a long shot.

They key with this is that the growth will largely occur in suburbs where land coats are lower than in hot markets like Boston. Last year @jenny_schuetz and @lucschuster crunched the numbers on what this would look like and who could afford the new units: https://www.tbf.org/news-and-insights/videos/2020/october/zoned-out-recap-20201021

So, depending on how aggressively @MassEOHED writes the guidelines that will determine how much multifamily rezoning is enough per MBTA stop (the bill's language is a bit squishy) and how quickly towns must move, we could be seeing a lot of redevelopment potential.

With the inclusion of $400M in the transpo bond bill to start electrifying the @MBTA_CR, I'm curious just how optimistic TOD-focused developers, regional planners and transit activists are this morning.

ALSO, can we take a minute to thank @stephmsolis, @deehan, @MattPStout, @SHNSMurphy, and all the other reporters (and their editors!) who endured last night's legislative scrambling to keep us informed?