State Revokes Grant Funding for Milton Due to Noncompliance with MBTA Communities Law
Gov. Maura Healey’s Administration Takes Action After Zoning Change Rejected
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey’s administration announced on Wednesday morning that state grant funding has been revoked for the town of Milton. The decision comes as Milton is found to be in violation of the state’s MBTA Communities Law.
Town Rejects Zoning Change for Additional Housing Units
In an important development for Milton, voters delivered a verdict last week, choosing not to accept a zoning change that would have introduced close to 2,500 housing units to the town. The decision had immediate consequences.
Revocation of Grant Funding
Following the outcome of the vote, Massachusetts Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus notified Milton Town Administrator Nicholas Milano in a letter that the town is no longer eligible for a recently granted amount of $140,800. The grant, aimed at supporting seawall and access improvements, was contingent upon the town’s compliance with the MBTA Communities Law. In addition to the revoked grant, other state grants, including MassWorks and HousingWorks, will no longer be accessible to Milton, putting the town at a significant competitive disadvantage in many state grant programs.
In the letter, Secretary Augustus emphasized the mandatory nature of compliance with the MBTA Communities Law, underlining that Milton is currently the only rapid transit community in Massachusetts that is not in compliance. Promoting housing construction is vital to addressing the affordability crisis, and the Secretary urged all communities to fulfill their obligations.
Attorney General Threatens Legal Action
Residents of Milton, alongside the Massachusetts administration, were not the only ones displeased with the outcome of the zoning change refusal. Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, through a social media post, expressed her disappointment and pledged to take legal action against the town. Campbell reinforced the importance of the law and emphasized her office’s responsibility to enforce it.
Town Residents and Milton’s Unique Circumstances
Voting against the zoning plan, Milton residents expressed concerns about the proposed expansion and zoning in relation to the Mattapan Trolley. The proposed housing units were deemed unnecessarily distant from the town’s current transit infrastructure. Locals argued that, unlike other towns served by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Milton lacked accessible high-speed transit.
