Economic Development

Successful communities need jobs and commerce, and they should be located in places where people can easily get to them.

However, many businesses find it difficult to build or grow in sensible locations in Massachusetts. Conventional real estate financing coupled with restrictive municipal regulations often work against creating the mixed-use and mixed-income neighborhoods that so many of us now want. Also, many businesses are changing and becoming more collaborative, so they need different kinds of spaces.

To support exciting mixed-use downtowns, we need additional public/private/non-profit partnerships to help manage and fund the extra services and improvements that are essential.

Goals

  1. Sustain funding for public infrastructure. MassWorks is one effective model of the state managing its funding dollars through a portfolio, with clear criteria and targets for the portfolio’s performance.
  2. Continue to have a robust Brownfields Redevelopment Fund that helps municipalities and non-profits convert contaminated properties to new uses that create jobs and housing.
  3. Support the adoption of Business Improvement Districts and Parking Benefit Districts across the state.
  4. Support the development of collaborative workspaces.

Resources