An Act Establishing the MBTA Ride & Thrive Program

Unpredictable operating deficits hamstring the MBTA, while the region faces severe housing shortages near transit. Although the MBTA owns valuable underutilized parking lots and parcels, its authority to develop housing is legally ambiguous, leaving it reliant on fares and state subsidies to balance its capital budgets.

The MBTA Ride & Thrive Act explicitly authorizes the transit authority to develop multifamily housing within 0.5 miles of any transit station in designated "MBTA communities." Preempting local zoning on its own properties, the MBTA can issue revenue bonds to finance transit-oriented developments. Crucially, these properties remain subject to local municipal taxes, benefiting both cities and transit budgets.

Read the full proposal below

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