Report Releases

The Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston plays a unique role in fostering public discussion in the region. The Institute creates a wide range of research papers to provide a framework for wide-ranging public discussion of the issues facing the region. The report release events target every conceivable policy audience and take place not only at Harvard University, but also at key places in Boston.

2006

Guarding the Town Walls:
Mechanisms and Motives for Restricting Multifamily Housing in Massachusetts
March 22, 2006

Local governments frequently restrict multifamily housing by limiting the districts where it is allowed, creating procedural barriers to development, and mandating large lot sizes or other dimensional standards. Such restrictions are thought to reduce the ability of low- and moderate-income households to afford housing in desirable locations. (More)

Creating an Anti-Growth Regulatory Regime:
A Case from Greater Boston
February 28, 2006

Since the 1970s, like countless other American communities, Arlington , Massachusetts has replaced its informal, pro-development system of approving residential development projects with a complex and increasingly controversial obstacle course of regulations that greatly limited the development of new single- and multi-family buildings. (More)

Land-Use Regulation and Housing Prices:
A Study Based on Data from 187 Communities in Eastern Massachusetts
January 5, 2006  

Housing prices in Eastern Massachusetts are higher than in all but a handful of other areas in the United States. Over the last 25 years, price increases in Eastern Massachusetts have been second only to one other region. (More)

2004

Boston at the Crossroads: Racial Trends in the Metropolitan Region in the 1990s and Beyond
Tuesday, December 14, 2004

The Rappaport Institute held a discussion on the changing racial identity of the metropolitan Boston area. Professor Guy Stuart, released his research paper, entitled "Boston at the Crossroads: Racial Trends in the Metropolitan Region in the 1990s and Beyond. Over 40 participants attended the forum and received copies of the Rappaport Institute paper. (More)

Civic Leadership and the Big Dig
Monday, May 3, 2004

The Rappaport Institute and the Artery Business Committee held a panel discussion on "Civic Leadership and the Big Dig" on Monday, May 3, 2004 to celebrate the release of a case study on the Artery Business Committee. Over 90 participants attended the forum and received copies of the Rappaport Institute case study, "Civic Leadership and the Big Dig," written by David Luberoff of the Taubman Center for State and Local Government. (More)

Dispelling the Myth of Home Rule:
Local Power in Greater Boston
Tuesday, March 16, 2004

A public forum to explore a new study by the Rappaport Institute by David Barron, Gerald Frug, and Rick Su of Harvard Law School was held on March 16, 2004. In addition to the authors, forum participants included Professor Barry Bluestone of Northeastern University, former state senator Patricia McGovern, Geoffrey Beckwith of the Massachusetts Municipal Association and Robert Ritchie of the Attorney General's Office. (More)

2003

Varieties of Regionalism in Greater Boston
Tuesday, July 22, 2003

Currently, there is great ferment in Greater Boston on regionalism and how to best restructure government agencies. The Romney Administration has restructured state government to better coordinate housing, transportation, environmental, and related policies. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council has been developing a sophisticated strategy to pursue regional approaches these issues. The Boston Society of Architects is convening a conference to promote density as a key element of smart growth.

The Varieties of Regionalism in Greater Boston conference provided a framework for this discussion and sorted out some of the approaches that one could take toward issues that are regional in scope. The forum also marked the release of two white papers focusing on key approaches to regional issues. (More)

Getting Home: Overcoming Barriers to Housing in Greater Boston
Thursday, January 30, 2003

On Thursday, January 30, 2003, The Rappaport Institute and Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research hosted a discussion on overcoming barriers to housing in Greater Boston. This discussion presented a the Rappaport Institute-Pioneer Institute study of the impact of regulations on the production of new housing. (More)

2002

The Future of Paid Family Leave in Massachusetts
Wednesday, April 24, 2002

Despite the fiscal crisis and the changed priorities after September 11, Policy makers in Massachusetts are exploring legislation that would provide some form of financial assistance to workers who need to take time off for childbirth, elder care, medical emergencies, and other family matters. The Rappaport Institute and the Center for Women and Enterprise sponsored a conference and Working Paper on the topic on April 24, 2002. (More)

2001

Testing, Testing
Thursday, October 11, 2001

At the center of the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993 was a simple bargain: More state aid for schools in exchange for some means to hold schools accountable for their performance. The major tool of accountability - the MCAS test - has become a topic of heated debate as high school seniors face the prospect of not graduating when the fail the MCAS. The Rappaport Institute and the Program on Education Policy and Governance hosted a major conference and issued a Working Paper on October 11, 2001. (More)