The private sector needs more useful and accessible information on the benefits and costs of different locations and types of development.  This is a particular need for the residents and small business owners who do not otherwise have access to such data.  People and businesses periodically decide to relocate for a variety of reasons and with a variety of needs in mind.  The search for a new location requires weighing different options in the absence of good, let alone complete, information.  Factors that might lead to selection of a location and building type advocated by MetroFuture, such as commute time and cost, building energy costs, and nearby amenities such as grocery stores and nature trails, are often important but secondary considerations.  They can fall by the wayside as energy and focus are consumed by factors such as building cost and school quality, that are both more prominent and better addressed by more readily available indicators (such as asking price and MCAS scores).

An easy to use and readily accessed way to obtain clear and comparable information on such factors would help location decision makers, whether a prospective homeowner, renter, or business owner, to choose among locations that may otherwise appear equivalent.  This should lead more people to choose the kinds of locations and building types advocated by MetroFuture more often, since they are more likely to rise to the top when evaluated by these key secondary metrics.

24.a    MAPC and allied organizations should develop a model that quantifies the “jobshed” for housing locations

24.b    MAPC and allied organizations should develop a model that quantifies the “employeeshed” for economic development locations

24.c    MAPC and allied organizations organizations should create a walkability score for different locations and types of development

24.d    MAPC and MassGIS should develop a model to estimate transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions of alternative locations

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