Some local lawmakers are pushing back after the Massachusetts Attorney General sued nine towns to ensure compliance with a 2021 law aimed at creating more housing near MBTA public transportation throughout the state. “It is unacceptable that taxpayer dollars are being used to sue our towns while those same towns are forced to use taxpayer funds to defend themselves,” said State Rep. Kenneth Sweezey, a Duxbury Republican. “This amounts to punishment, not support.” Attorney General Andrea Campbell filed a lawsuit last week against nine towns that were out of compliance with the 2021 MBTA Communities Law. The law required communities to create compliant zoning districts to boost housing near MBTA stations by July 14, 2025, and 165 out of 177 communities have met the mandate so far. The towns of Dracut, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Holden, Marblehead, Middleton, Tewksbury, Wilmington and Winthrop were named in Campbell’s lawsuit. In a letter to constituents on why she filed the lawsuit Friday, Campbell said the law follows the “guiding principle that people should be able to afford to live near the communities they work in.” “This lawsuit is not a silver bullet for this important issue, but it is a step toward ensuring everyone in Massachusetts has the chance to build generational wealth, families can remain rooted in their communities, and small businesses can grow and create more jobs,” Campbell said. Campbell previously cited state data showing the law has triggered the creation of over 7,000 homes in 34 communities. Sweezey and State Rep.…
Want more insights? Join Grow With Caliber - our career elevating newsletter and get our take on the future of work delivered weekly.
