Mass migration: People continue to leave the state (Boston, Brockton: movers, school district)

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by msRB311

What NIMBY policies? The not wanting affordable housing? Or not tearing down woods to build more homes?

The problem is the lack of people wanting to move to the towns that don't already have a tony/stellar reputation. Cramming more people and homes into the nice towns makes them...well less nice after a while.

We've seen some towns gentrify and become more desirable and I'd say we need more of that. Arlington has changed a lot - Natick, needham, Melrose, Burlington as well....I'd prefer to see more of that...not saying I want more towns to become million dollar, unaffordable towns...but it would be great to see other towns get better because nice families chose to move there instead of just leaving the state because they couldnt afford Hingham or Milton.

Go look at parts of NJ as an example. They build housing and have a strong tax base (would be stronger if 1 million people didn't work outside the state), and their communities are vibrant, malls are busy, crime is extremely low and kids return after college. Also, the 'poor' and 'undesirable' towns seemingly mend together with the middle class ones. Its a Win-Win.

Just random stuff like this in the suburbs:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8267...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.9483...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5693...8192?entry=ttu
that give the tax revenue to make average suburban downtowns look like this:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8282...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5689...8192?entry=ttu

Bound Brook Before: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5615...6656?entry=ttu
Bound Brook After: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5614...8192?entry=ttu

Rahway Before: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6073...6656?entry=ttu
Rahway After: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6073...8192?entry=ttu

Bayonne Before: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6703...6656?entry=ttu
Bayonne After: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6703...8192?entry=ttu

Communipaw Before: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7114...6656?entry=ttu
Communipaw After: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7114...8192?entry=ttu

The Sack Before: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8819...8192?entry=ttu
The Sack After: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8819...8192?entry=ttu

All of these before photos, look like Massachusetts does now:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1236...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1645...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1536...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3668...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.4126...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.4086...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2802...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2962...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3302...8192?entry=ttu

Now, I am not saying that Massachusetts is devoid of any projects or development is completely absent, I am saying that a few towns are picking up the slack for the whole region and the towns that aren't doing anything are lifeless, not attractive for young people and a huge waste of tax revenue. Most town centers/main drags are also incredibly dumpy in the Boston Area, bar a few. The more urban cities around Boston should have way more going on for it, a city like Quincy or Everett is a 'development hotspot' which aren't even that impressive. The towns will look a hell of a lot nicer and become much more attractive if you do this.

I hate to be blunt, but Downtown Wellesley, Downtown Hingham and Downtown Malden look rather dumpy and desolute compared to their equivalents in NJ. I will get a lot of slack for it, but by no means can they compare.

The tl;dr- Massachusetts should build more, like I see here in NJ. Towns in NJ are better kept, nicer, more vibrant and overall feel much more attractive. Especially around their downtowns. Massachusetts downtowns look the same as how they did in the 80s, with parking lots everywhere and not enough downtown restaurants/things to do. Building more would increase the supply of housing, increase attractiveness of the area and give new tax revenue to fund beautification projects (Something ALL MA towns SORELY need!)

[Southshorebound]

I often play that Zillow game, where you look how far your budget would go in other metro areas. For the price of a decent house in a Boston suburb you could be living quite well in another part of the country. Grass is always greener I guess, but I understand why people leave.

[redplum33]

People are moving from Massachusetts in droves says new survey


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL-c8WPHows

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by masssachoicetts

Go look at parts of NJ as an example. They build housing and have a strong tax base (would be stronger if 1 million people didn't work outside the state), and their communities are vibrant, malls are busy, crime is extremely low and kids return after college. Also, the 'poor' and 'undesirable' towns seemingly mend together with the middle class ones. Its a Win-Win.

Just random stuff like this in the suburbs:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8267...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.9483...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5693...8192?entry=ttu
that give the tax revenue to make average suburban downtowns look like this:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8282...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5689...8192?entry=ttu

Bound Brook Before: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5615...6656?entry=ttu
Bound Brook After: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5614...8192?entry=ttu

Rahway Before: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6073...6656?entry=ttu
Rahway After: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6073...8192?entry=ttu

Bayonne Before: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6703...6656?entry=ttu
Bayonne After: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6703...8192?entry=ttu

Communipaw Before: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7114...6656?entry=ttu
Communipaw After: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7114...8192?entry=ttu

The Sack Before: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8819...8192?entry=ttu
The Sack After: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8819...8192?entry=ttu

All of these before photos, look like Massachusetts does now:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1236...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1645...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1536...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3668...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.4126...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.4086...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2802...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2962...8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3302...8192?entry=ttu

Now, I am not saying that Massachusetts is devoid of any projects or development is completely absent, I am saying that a few towns are picking up the slack for the whole region and the towns that aren't doing anything are lifeless, not attractive for young people and a huge waste of tax revenue. Most town centers/main drags are also incredibly dumpy in the Boston Area, bar a few. The more urban cities around Boston should have way more going on for it, a city like Quincy or Everett is a 'development hotspot' which aren't even that impressive. The towns will look a hell of a lot nicer and become much more attractive if you do this.

I hate to be blunt, but Downtown Wellesley, Downtown Hingham and Downtown Malden look rather dumpy and desolute compared to their equivalents in NJ. I will get a lot of slack for it, but by no means can they compare.

The tl;dr- Massachusetts should build more, like I see here in NJ. Towns in NJ are better kept, nicer, more vibrant and overall feel much more attractive. Especially around their downtowns. Massachusetts downtowns look the same as how they did in the 80s, with parking lots everywhere and not enough downtown restaurants/things to do. Building more would increase the supply of housing, increase attractiveness of the area and give new tax revenue to fund beautification projects (Something ALL MA towns SORELY need!)

No thanks. People are fleeing NJ at a greater rate than they are leaving Massachusetts.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by CaseyB

No thanks. People are fleeing NJ at a greater rate than they are leaving Massachusetts.

yeah...i mean MA has never been NJ nor does it need to be.

This seems to be a controversial issue here...people WANT to live in the desirable towns in MA...but the people already living there don't necessarily want to make room for more people. I get it...sometimes you just have to wait your turn or move somewhere else. You can't always have it your way and that has become a problem in this world. Entitlement.

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by CaseyB

No thanks. People are fleeing NJ at a greater rate than they are leaving Massachusetts.

actually MA has a lower growth rate than NJ.

Its only been the last 10 years or so when I would say the states converged, but recently MA has been looking like a rust belt state.

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by msRB311

yeah...i mean MA has never been NJ nor does it need to be.

This seems to be a controversial issue here...people WANT to live in the desirable towns in MA...but the people already living there don't necessarily want to make room for more people. I get it...sometimes you just have to wait your turn or move somewhere else. You can't always have it your way and that has become a problem in this world. Entitlement.

I get it. But MA towns are realllllly starting to look weathered. They need to do something. Young people are moving there for jobs, but not planting routes, which will 110% be a problem in 10 years.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by masssachoicetts

I get it. But MA towns are realllllly starting to look weathered. They need to do something.

I would guess the problem is that in the town centers the people who own the shops maybe don't have the funds to update/upgrade? I am not familiar with downtown wellesley...but I don't agree that downtown Hingham looks dumpy.

I was in Cohasset's downtown area not long ago for example and it's very charming. Not everything needs to be brand spanking shiny and new to have appeal.

[BostonMike7]

The temptation to leave is high, but likely I will need to wait until the kids are off to college. I could sell my house here in MA and buy one outright in another part of the country. No mortgage really opens up the possibilities for a less stressful income requirement. Unfortunately we haven't settled on a "where" yet, as each prospective area seems to have some downsides. It's cheap there for a reason.

I like MA and the opportunities it presents. I tend to lean center right, so while I have some complaints about MA politics, I also don't want to go too far in the other direction if i were to go to somewhere like FL.

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I would guess the problem is that in the town centers the people who own the shops maybe don't have the funds to update/upgrade? I am not familiar with downtown wellesley...but I don't agree that downtown Hingham looks dumpy.

I was in Cohasset's downtown area not long ago for example and it's very charming. Not everything needs to be brand spanking shiny and new to have appeal.

you are right, not all do/should. Nowhere is like that. But atleast make half of the parking lot downtowns to be something vibrant, fun and/or attractive.