Donahue Institute Releases Findings from First-Ever Four-County Western Massachusetts Housing Study

The UMass Amherst Donahue Institute recently released findings from the first-ever housing study to cover Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden Counties.

The study, conducted on behalf of the institute's client, Way Finders, found that Western Massachusetts needs 23,000 new housing units to meet current demand and that, even with projected declines in population locally, the gap will still be over 16,700 units by 2035. The study's report, titled "Building Homes. Building Futures.," along with its online interactive data dashboards, provides western Massachusetts communities with information to address this crisis.

"Our research confirms that western Massachusetts is facing a severe housing shortage," says Mark Melnik, director of the Donahue Institute's Economic and Public Policy Research group. "Although the region is more affordable than other parts of the state, incomes are lower and remain out of sync with prevailing home prices, burdening households. This burden is especially acute for low-income, renter and BIPOC households."

"Housing is at the center of our region's economic future," says Keith Fairey, president and CEO of Way Finders, a Springfield-based affordable housing organization that has been dedicated to bringing home stability to people across Western Massachusetts since 1972. "The answer to the housing crisis is clear: we need to build more homes. Housing promotes thriving communities and helps grow businesses and stronger schools. 'Building Homes. Building Futures.' provides the critical information our communities need to understand the housing crisis and to create the solutions we need."

The complete report is available as a downloadable and printable PDF from the Donahue Institute.