Opportunities for Attleboro, Being a Gateway City

As newly elected Mayor Paul Heroux mentioned in his inauguration speech, Attleboro is a gateway city, but some people may not understand what exactly that means and why it is important. Massachusetts General Law defines gateway cities as:

• Any city with a population greater than 35,000 but less than 250,000;
• a median household income and a per capita income below the statewide average;
• and a rate of education attainment of a bachelor’s degree or higher that is below the state average;

Currently, 26 cities in Massachusetts including Attleboro are defined as gateway cities.

Many gateway cities were, historically, industrial hubs and are anchors to regional economies around the state. However, tough social and economic times have made it difficult for these cities to transition but these cities still hold an inherent value that other municipalities lack. What makes this appealing especially when it comes to housing developments and small businesses is accessibility throughout the community and to larger cities.

Gateway cities, including Attleboro, need to use their accessibility as a way to attract new small business and new housing to stimulate local economic growth. Attleboro is unique in the fact that not only do we have easy access to our downtown area through multiple means of transportation, but our proximity to larger cities such as Boston and Providence makes it a great place for those who either cannot afford to live in the big cities or for families to raise their children outside of the city while still being able to easily commute to work. By pursuing certain grants, tax credits, and investments in economic and community development that gateway cities qualify for, we can continue the growth and appeal of our city.

With these benefits in mind, developers look to build more housing developments which in turn will attract smaller businesses. What we need to do is use our leverage and negotiate with developers for increased guaranteed affordable housing units to ensure that we are keeping the city affordable for every demographic and not pushing residents away from our community due to a lack of affordability.