Mayor accepts award from MassINC CEO at Everett City Hall

The award recognizes the City of Everett as one of MassINC’s 2024 Gateway Cities Innovation awardees

Special to The Advocate

Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria recently met with Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth (MassINC) Chief Executive Officer Joe Kriesberg at Everett City Hall to accept the 2024 Gateway Cities Innovation award on behalf of the City of Everett. The Mayor, along with City staff from the Planning & Development Department, welcomed Kriesberg and spoke about the team’s work on key infrastructure projects. Following the discussion, Kriesberg presented the award to Mayor DeMaria and staff in recognition of the City’s forward-thinking, proactive approach to the development of transit-oriented housing.

The City of Everett is one of just six statewide awardees being recognized as part of MassINC’s twelfth annual Gateway Cities Innovation Summit, which took place on November 14 on the campus of Holy Cross in Worcester. Citing Everett’s innovative approach to siting and developing transit-oriented housing, MassINC commended the City’s 2021 Transportation Demand Management Ordinance and the outsized role it has played in facilitating a housing boom in Everett by requiring private developers to balance housing production with transportation impacts, including parking. The points-based system has led to the development of properties that have contributed to priority transportation initiatives, including cycling facilities, improved transit access, and financial contributions to public transportation infrastructure, ensuring that new and current residents are afforded diverse transit options.

“I’d like to thank Joe for visiting us at City Hall to present the Gateway Cities Innovation award,” said Mayor DeMaria. “We recognize the need for affordable housing in not just Everett, but across the Commonwealth, and we are proud to have been able to find an innovative solution to work with developers to balance the transportation impacts that come with new projects as we continue to grow, so it is an honor to be recognized by MassINC.”

MassINC also noted that the City’s streamlined approach to the housing permitting process has helped to bypass red tape and has led to well over a dozen housing development projects in Everett, including the City’s first affordable family development in nearly half a century. The City’s 2016 inclusionary zoning ordinance has compelled developers to commit 15% of the total units in developments of 10 or more residences to be designated as deed-restricted affordable.

“Everett is leading the charge in developing transit-oriented housing amongst Gateway Cities, and it’s important that we highlight the city’s forward-thinking approach to meeting the housing demand while mitigating transportation impacts,” said CEO Kriesberg. “It was a pleasure meeting with Mayor DeMaria and his team at City Hall, and I look forward to seeing how they will continue their work in responding to the economic and social challenges urban communities face.”

The City of Everett has previously been named one of the top spots to live north of Boston and has been declared a “winning bet” by The Boston Globe. With exemplary schools, sound infrastructure, increased housing, expanding transit links, well-maintained parks, world-class entertainment and hospitality venues, low taxes and a low crime rate, Everett is well positioned to remain a hub of innovation and opportunity in the region.