Gov. Healey pulls Mass. town’s state grant funding after it rejects MBTA Communities Law

MILTON, Mass. — Gov. Maura Healey on Wednesday told the town of Milton that it’s not in compliance with the MBTA Communities Law and that it will begin losing out on state grant funding as a result.

In a letter sent to Milton Town Administrator Nicholas Milano, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus confirmed that Milton will no longer be eligible for a recent $140,800 grant for seawall and access improvements, which was contingent upon compliance with the law, Healey’s office said in a news release.

“The law is clear – compliance with the MBTA Communities Law is mandatory,” Augustus wrote in his letter to Milano. “At this time, Milton is the only rapid transit community in Massachusetts that is not in compliance. If we do not all come together to build more housing, we will not be able to overcome our affordability crisis. We need every community to do their part.”

The MBTA Communities Law was rolled out to make it easier to build much-needed, multi-family housing in 177 communities that have some form of T service, either in their community or adjacent to it.