In Medford, the Democrat said Massachusetts would slash its environmental review process for new housing projects in an effort to expedite production.
“The vast majority of projects will move from taking as long as a year for review to just a month, 30 days- That's a 90% savings," said Healey. "We also know saving time means saving money at a moment when contractors, builders are struggling out there with things that we can't control in Massachusetts, inflation, tariffs and the like. This is a way that we can help you.”
Healey’s move mirrors that of Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom, who signed similar efforts to streamline housing production in that state into law this summer.
Western Massachusetts State Senator Paul Mark, a fellow Democrat, says he hopes Healey’s plans include considerations for short-staffed rural communities and don’t lose sight of environmental protections.
“I'm hearing from a lot of my towns right now about siting issues- In Becket, in Blandford, in Granville, and siting, it's not about housing," he told WAMC. "It's about the electricity generation and storage that is necessary for infrastructure. And there's some concerns in some of the small towns that without boards that are full time and without professional staff on hand, that we get overrun.”
Healey has made addressing the ongoing Massachusetts housing crisis a focal point. In 2023, she announced a $4 billion plan to create thousands of new homes, and her 2025 comprehensive housing plan calls for 220,000 new units statewide by 2035.
