Massachusetts’ Gateway Cities — including Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee and Westfield — are facing a severe affordable housing crunch, according to a comprehensive study released today by MassINC.
The report, “2024 Gateway Cities Housing Monitor,” analyzed data from 26 Gateway Cities. Once home to industry, these gateway cities are midsize urban municipalities that anchor the regional economy. Nonpartisan MassINC is a nonprofit agency focused on inclusive civic vitality.
Gateway Cities require about 36,000 additional homes to meet current resident needs and about 83,000 new homes over the next decade to meet the needs of the near future, the report says. There are about 35,000 more extremely low-income renters than available apartments, and at the same time, there are also 50,000 middle- and upper-income renters seeking housing options.
