10 Housing Policies That Created Boston's Segregation (And Why They're Still Legal)

Ten housing policies created Greater Boston's segregation and remain legal today: redlining maps (1930s), minimum lot sizes (1968-1975 'Big Downzone'), single-family-only zoning, exclusionary building codes, restrictive covenants (until 1968), urban renewal (1950s-1970s), highway construction (1950s-1960s), public housing location (1940s-1960s), school district boundaries (1970s-present), and MBTA Communities Act resistance (2024-present). Understanding this history helps buyers recognize which towns maintain exclusion by design versus genuine integration efforts.