MBTA Communities was supposed to immunize local electeds from residential resistance by allowing them to say, “Don’t blame us, the state is making us do this.”

But that’s not what’s happening and it’s not fair to ask local leaders to put their careers at risk if we sit on the sidelines. The business community needs to have their backs.

By design, MBTA Communities was supposed to immunize local elected officials from local resistance to new housing. But that’s not happening. Here’s what we need to do next.