Today is the last day to vote in the final round of our "full Boston" food bracket. And rumor has it the seafood fans have taken a lead. Cast your virtual ballot here to decide what will make up our quintessential Boston plate. Now, to the news: On the market: A new report from Zillow has some good news for people searching for a new apartment this season. By some measures, the national share of affordable rental listings is at its highest mark in years. But in the Boston area, the situation is "still very challenging," especially for lower-income renters, according to Zillow senior economist Orphe Divounguy. The company's May report found Boston remains the fourth-most expensive rental market in the country, behind only New York, San Jose and San Francisco. "Price growth has cooled," Divounguy told WBUR's John Bender. "Renter affordability seems to be improving. But the market is starting from a much higher price point." Here's a closer look at the report's local takeaways: - $3,211: The "typical" rent in the Boston area in May, according to Zillow's Observed Rent Index. That's up 2.5% compared to one year ago. According to the report, the national typical rent was $1,951.
- $128,440: How much a household would have to earn annually to afford the typical rent in Boston without being considered "cost burdened."
- 50%: The rental listings in the Boston area that are affordable to a median-income household. That's compared to 74% nationally, which was the highest percentage Zillow has tracked since the pandemic. However, that may be overstating affordability, Divounguy noted. "It's really important to keep in mind that the typical renter household does not earn the median income household," he said. "The typical income for a renter household tends to fall below that."
- 30%: The share of Boston-area listings offering concessions like a month of free rent, waived fees or other move-in incentives — compared to 40% nationally.
- 0.4%: Boston rental listings priced under $1,000 a month. Meanwhile, that percentage increased to 8.8% across the country, including over 20% in cities like Cleveland and Memphis, according to Zillow. "It's nearly impossible to find that in the Boston metro, meaning that renters with lower budgets have no choice but to find roommates," Divounguy said.
- 150,000: The estimated shortage of housing units in the Boston area. " That's really how much we need to build," Divounguy said, noting the largest increases in affordability nationally were in areas like the South and Sun Belt, which experienced multi-family housing construction booms.
On the pitch: It's another World Cup match day down in Foxborough. Fourth-ranked England (and Tom Brady superfan Harry Kane) will take on Ghana at 4 p.m. — a somewhat earlier start time than previous games here. Organizers are warning that Boston's South Station and Foxborough could get busy as early as 9 a.m. - Where to watch: Boston's FIFA Fan Fest is booked up, but there are other local watch parties planned for the game in Cambridge's Kendall Square and in Worcester, which is home to a large Ghanaian community.
- Meanwhile: Argentina's Lionel Messi needed one goal yesterday to break the all-time World Cup scoring record. For good measure, he scored two.
Primary focus: The proposed 2026 ballot question to implement all-party primary elections in Massachusetts can move forward after all. The state's Supreme Judicial Court slapped down a lawsuit from members of the state's Democratic Party yesterday, all but clearing the way for the question to get on the fall ballot. - If passed, the initiative would eliminate party primaries in state elections — everything from governor and attorney general to State House and county offices. In its place, it would establish a nonpartisan primary system, in which candidates of all parties (Democrats, Republicans, etc.) compete in a single September primary and the top two vote-getters advance to November. It's how states like California and cities like Boston already run their elections.
GiannisWatch: Alas, Giannis Antetokounmpo is not coming to the Celtics. The news broke overnight that the two-time NBA MVP will be traded to the Miami Heat, despite the Celtics reportedly offering Jaylen Brown and draft picks for Antetokounmpo. P.S.— Brockton's own AJ Dybantsa could be picked first in tonight's NBA draft. If you're just learning his name, listen to this 2023 interview between WBUR's Tiziana Dearing and Dybantsa (and his dad, Ace) about being one of the nation's top hoops prospects at just 16 years old. |
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