Reimagining Public Land: Municipal Land Use to Ease Housing Crisis in Boston
Name
Murphy-rmurphy-msred-cre-2025-thesis.pdf
Description
Thesis PDF
Size
14.98 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
963c4b7847e44857744c3118eedf3914
Author(s)
Murphy, Ryan
Advisor(s)
Saiz, Albert
Date Issued
September 2025
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
Boston is in the midst of a severe housing crisis, driven by decades of underproduction, rising construction costs, restrictive zoning, and an inelastic real estate market that has resulted in persistent affordability challenges. This thesis explores the untapped potential of city-owned land as a powerful tool to increase housing supply and affordability in Boston. Using Boston’s 2022 Citywide Land Audit and detailed development assumptions, the analysis estimates that between 19,000 and 31,000 new housing units could be constructed across city-controlled parcels, including between 3,200 and 6,100 affordable units under the current Inclusionary Development Policy. The research draws on case studies from peer cities such as Chicago and Atlanta where municipal land has been successfully leveraged through transparent disposition processes, fast-tracked entitlements, and flexible affordability models. It argues for a policy shift in Boston toward a more streamlined, market-aware, and scalable land release strategy that prioritizes speed, cross-subsidization, and financial feasibility. Key recommendations include expanding the Welcome Home, Boston program to include mixed-income and rental housing, implementing predictable RFP cycles, offering tax abatements, and expediting the entitlement process.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Center for Real Estate. Program in Real Estate Development.
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