Housing Affordability Initiative (HAI)
Press and News Releases
Study: Mainers' housing expensive
USA Today, 3/19/2009
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A new study finds that thousands of Mainers are struggling with the expenses of home ownership. The study by MIT's Center for Real Estate says more than 200,000 Maine households are paying more than 30 percent of their incomes on housing, including commuting and utility costs. It also says more than 86,000 of those households have low incomes and severe housing affordability problems.
John Anton of the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition says the report released Wednesday not only confirms that many Maine families struggle to find and pay for decent housing, but also highlights the vulnerability of seniors.
To read the "Maine Housing Affordability Study: Taking Stock" report click here
Many Chapter 40B Projects Aren’t Being Built: Center Releases Landmark Study on 40B & Litigation
June 18, 2007
The Housing Affordability Initiative today released the findings of its exhaustive investigation into the Chapter 40B permitting process. Results are surprising, and include evidence that even though a majority of Chapter 40B zoning override cases in the Boston area are approved by town zoning boards in a manner acceptable to developers, many projects are not being built. Read press release. See also research paper.
Other Press
- "Home Economics: While many affordable housing projects lose out to community opposition and a softening market, suburbs northwest of Boston buck the trend," Christine McConville, Boston Globe, June 21, 2007. (pdf, 20K)
- "MIT Report: Many chapter 40B projects aren’t being built," Aglaia Pikounis, Banker & Tradesman, June 18, 2007. (pdf, 27K)
- "Delayed to Death: Dogged opposition, lengthy appeals, and a changing market have conspired to kill at least half of proposed 40B housing projects south of Boston since 1999," Matt Carroll, Boston Sunday Globe, June 17, 2007. (pdf, 21K)
- "Understanding Affordability: A new initiative at MIT's Center for Real Estate is helping to tackle the high cost of homes," Jim Smith, Technology Review, October 2005.
- "Index Spots Rental Housing Weak Points," Aglaia Pikounis, Banker & Tradesman, May 30, 2005. (pdf, 64K)
- "Housing Market," interview with William Wheaton, National Public Radio, May 31, 2005.
- "Taking the Initiative," Editorial, Banker & Tradesman, May 2, 2005. (pdf, 36K)
