Around New England

Milton Voters Reject Multi-Family Re-Zoning Scheme — Maura Healey’s Side Loses

February 14, 2024

Milton voters have rejected a re-zoning proposal that would have increased density in the town.

The vote was 4,346 for Yes to 5,115 for No – or 46 percent to 54 percent. Milton Town Clerk Susan Galvin announced the results on a live YouTube feed at about 10:20 p.m. Wednesday, February 14.

It’s a defeat for Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, who sent out a mass-email message for the Yes side, attempting to further her administration’s efforts to increase housing stock in the state.

It also sets up a possible legal battle between the town and the state. The MBTA Communities Act, a state statute enacted in 2021, requires 177 cities and towns that benefit from public transportation provided by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to allow multi-family housing.

Voter turnout in Milton was heavy — about 45 percent of the town’s 21,120 voters. The average turnout for a town election between 2006 and 2023 was 29 percent, the town clerk said.

Susan Galvin, Milton’s town clerk, reads election results on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. A zoning referendum proposing higher-density multi-family housing failed. Screenshot of YouTube channel.

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