Massachusetts Misses the Deadline to Comply with Housing Zoning Law, Leaving Towns in Limbo
A dozen Massachusetts towns that failed to comply with a state law requiring multifamily housing through zoning have triggered enforcement threats and lost grant funding. The noncompliant communities are Carver, Dracut, East Bridgewater, Freetown, Halifax, Holden, Marblehead, Middleton, Rehoboth, Tewksbury, Wilmington, and Winthrop.
The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office has warned that it could pursue enforcement action against these towns as early as this year. However, town officials say they have received little information from the state since the deadline passed on December 31, 2025.
In Holden, Dracut, and other noncompliant towns, local leaders are working towards zoning proposals that meet state requirements while addressing resident concerns. However, progress has been slow due to skepticism about the law itself. Residents in both towns have expressed frustration with the state's attempt to take control over local zoning decisions.
Some towns have attempted to pass "paper zoning" districts that technically allow multifamily housing but are unlikely to ever be developed. However, officials say this approach may not be enough, as residents want to know the impacts and costs of such developments before voting on them.
Grant funding has emerged as a key enforcement tool, with towns facing loss of funding if they fail to comply. In Middleton, a town lost $2 million in grant funding that had already been awarded, along with funding for a Council on Aging passenger van. The loss was attributed to the fact that the goalposts kept moving and the consequences were not predictable.
The situation has become a battle between local control and state mandates, leaving towns in uncertainty about what comes next. Town officials say they have received little clarity from the state and are waiting for court rulings over an unfunded mandate appeal.
"It's more about town versus state," said Middleton Town Manager Justin Sultzbach. "We really honestly don’t know what comes next."
A dozen Massachusetts towns that failed to comply with a state law requiring multifamily housing through zoning have triggered enforcement threats and lost grant funding. The noncompliant communities are Carver, Dracut, East Bridgewater, Freetown, Halifax, Holden, Marblehead, Middleton, Rehoboth, Tewksbury, Wilmington, and Winthrop.
The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office has warned that it could pursue enforcement action against these towns as early as this year. However, town officials say they have received little information from the state since the deadline passed on December 31, 2025.
In Holden, Dracut, and other noncompliant towns, local leaders are working towards zoning proposals that meet state requirements while addressing resident concerns. However, progress has been slow due to skepticism about the law itself. Residents in both towns have expressed frustration with the state's attempt to take control over local zoning decisions.
Some towns have attempted to pass "paper zoning" districts that technically allow multifamily housing but are unlikely to ever be developed. However, officials say this approach may not be enough, as residents want to know the impacts and costs of such developments before voting on them.
Grant funding has emerged as a key enforcement tool, with towns facing loss of funding if they fail to comply. In Middleton, a town lost $2 million in grant funding that had already been awarded, along with funding for a Council on Aging passenger van. The loss was attributed to the fact that the goalposts kept moving and the consequences were not predictable.
The situation has become a battle between local control and state mandates, leaving towns in uncertainty about what comes next. Town officials say they have received little clarity from the state and are waiting for court rulings over an unfunded mandate appeal.
"It's more about town versus state," said Middleton Town Manager Justin Sultzbach. "We really honestly don’t know what comes next."
! i mean, i get it, the state wants to make sure there's enough affordable housing, but come on, can't they just give us some guidance or something? 
these towns are already struggling, and now they're worried about losing millions in grant funding? that's like taking a punch to the gut 
. it's like they're trying to find ways to circumvent the law instead of actually dealing with the issue head-on. i mean, if residents are skeptical about the law because they want more information and transparency, shouldn't the state be working with them to address those concerns? 
. one thing's for sure though - these towns deserve some clarity and support from the state, pronto! 
These towns need to figure out how to make zoning work without losing grant funding, it's like trying to solve a puzzle blindfolded 
I feel so frustrated for these towns in Massachusetts right now... They're stuck in this limbo, not knowing if they'll have to comply with a law that's causing them a lot of uncertainty and stress. It's like the state is saying, 'you gotta do it our way,' but then not giving them any clear guidance on how to make it happen. 
they're just trying to figure things out and it seems like the state is being super unclear. Like, come on guys we get it you wanna encourage multifamily housing but can't we have a better plan than "paper zoning" that's basically nothing? 
but towns need to have some say in what happens on their land. It feels like it's becoming this power struggle between local control and state mandates... 
which is a bummer because at the end of the day it's just gonna affect the people living there.
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. Some of the towns are trying to get creative with "paper zoning" districts, but let's be real, it's just gonna lead to more headaches. I mean, who doesn't love a good game of "let's move the goalposts"? 
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. Or maybe just a really good stress ball 
</font> Enforcement threats and lost grant funding are scary, but let's not forget that some towns are already trying to find solutions while keeping resident concerns in mind 
</font> It's like, yeah, local control is important, but so is ensuring that multifamily housing development doesn't harm the community 
. Can we find a happy medium here? Maybe some compromise between town and state officials would be helpful 
I mean, what's the point of even trying to comply if it's just gonna be a formality?
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, imo towns r getting played by the state 
, all this grant funding drama is just a way to strong-arm them into compliance 
, can't even get clear guidance from the AG's office 
, and residents are caught right in the middle 
, hope some court ruling comes through soon to give them some clarity 