Burlington Awarded Grant To Support MBTA Communities Zoning

BURLINGTON, MA — The Town of Burlington will receive $74,000 via a state program in part to assist with zoning efforts related to the MBTA Communities law.

The state announced the funding as part of the FY24 Round of the Community One Stop for Growth that presented nearly $164 million in funding to 338 economic development projects in 161 communities this week. Burlington received the funds through the Housing Choice Grant Program.

Burlington was awarded the grant "to conduct efforts to enter into 3A compliance by building consensus, and assisting the Town in preparing a new zoning overlay that is compliant with MBTA Communities and assist in presenting to Town Meeting for a vote of adoption."

The law requires towns with transit stations and communities that abut towns with a station to create new zoning districts that allow for denser housing. About 177 cities and towns across the region are considered MBTA communities because they either host or abut a transit stop.

The law does not require communities to actually build housing, only create zones for potential construction. The law is aimed at increasing the availability of housing statewide to relieve a larger housing shortage.