Beyond Urban Renewal: The Potential for Retooling Redevelopment Authorities to Create Social Housing in Massachusetts

This paper assesses the potential of redevelopment authorities to promote social housing in Massachusetts. We define social housing as homes serving a broad range of household incomes in which the public sector has an active role in planning, financing, and ownership, and which are managed to ensure long term affordability. We find that half a century after the end of the federal urban renewal program, there are over thirty active redevelopment authorities across the state. Most have been folded into city departments but maintain significant power in the realms of land assembly and disposition, planning, financing, and development. Their effectiveness in facilitating housing and other development, however, is largely determined by staffing, financial capacity, and sustained local support. We conclude that with targeted reforms, redevelopment authorities are well positioned to promote social housing. Our recommendations include updating redevelopment authorities’ statutory mandate to focus on creating resilient, affordable, and equitable communities instead of combatting blight; providing dedicated funding, technical assistance, and training; and conducting further research on housing affordability as an element of economic growth.