Woburn council adopts resolution seeking credit, clearer rules under MBTA Communities Act

The Woburn City Council voted May 21 to adopt a resolution asking the city’s legislative delegation and the governor’s office to provide an analysis of how the MBTA Communities Act will affect rent levels and to consider giving Woburn credit for housing the city has already approved.

Councilor Joan Campbell, who introduced the resolution, told colleagues she had discussed Woburn’s case with Representative Hagerty and said the council needs information the Commonwealth used to estimate how the Act will reduce rents. “The rollout of the MBTA Communities Act has caused considerable strife in many communities,” Campbell said, framing the request as an effort to get data and to seek changes that would make state requirements more practicable for Woburn.

The resolution cites the city’s permitting record—approved multifamily projects since 2012 and a downtown Transit‑Oriented Development overlay—and asks the state delegation for documentation showing whether and how those approvals were counted in the state’s calculations. It also asks the delegation to file or pursue legislation to revise the timeline and approach of the MBTA Communities Act or to seek executive‑branch remedies that would acknowledge local work.

Debate centered on whether Woburn already received any credit and on how the statewide targets were computed. Councilor D’Amambro criticized the state math, saying, “I call this fuzzy math,” and urged that the city press for clarity and tailored solutions. Other councilors proposed sending the communication to the governor and lieutenant governor as well as the delegation so the executive branch could act more quickly than the legislature.

Council members also flagged related state proposals (including accessory dwelling units and other components of the governor’s housing plan) and asked the city to invite the delegation to explain those elements to the council. After discussion the council approved the resolution and a separate motion to send a communication to Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll requesting credit for Woburn’s prior housing approvals and calling for a more collaborative state‑local process.

The resolution passed on a voice vote; one councilor recused or abstained from a later communication motion. The council said it will follow up with the delegation and requested documentation from the state showing how local approvals were or were not counted under the MBTA Communities Act.

Next steps: the council instructed staff to send the requested communications and to invite the state delegation to appear before the council to discuss specific calculation and credit issues.