Tim Murray: Worcester Must Keep Building Housing While Addressing Downtown Concerns

The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce president discusses housing production, downtown quality of life, business investment, and why economic growth depends on both data and public perception.

By-Hank Stolz

WORCESTER, MA- Housing, economic development, and downtown quality of life remain among the biggest issues facing Worcester, and according to Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce President Tim Murray, those conversations need to stay focused on practical solutions rather than political slogans.

Appearing on Radio Worcester, Murray discussed the recent Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision rejecting a proposed statewide rent control ballot initiative. He pointed to the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce’s longstanding position that expanding housing supply remains the most effective path toward improving affordability.

“Worcester is one of the leaders in the state right now in terms of building new units of housing,” Murray said.

He noted that approximately 1,600 housing units are currently under construction throughout Worcester, with several thousand additional units moving through the development pipeline. Projects include large-scale residential developments as well as office-to-housing conversions like the redevelopment of Chestnut Place.

Murray also highlighted the chamber’s more than $80,000 regional housing study completed in 2019, explaining that reliable market data helps attract private investment.

“The private sector, investors, banks, lenders are only going to give loan money if they know there’s going to be return on investment,” he said.

The conversation also turned to the proposed boycott of Polar Beverages related to Massachusetts bottle bill legislation. Murray questioned whether targeting one of Central Massachusetts’ largest employers is the right approach, noting the company’s longstanding commitment to the local economy, charitable giving, and workforce.

Murray also offered his assessment of the Worcester city manager’s recent State of the City address. While supportive of much of the administration’s direction, he identified several areas where continued progress is needed, including faster and more predictable permitting processes, stronger coordination among social service organizations, and continued work on zoning agreements involving Worcester’s colleges and universities.

Downtown public safety was another major topic. Murray acknowledged that crime statistics generally show Worcester remains a safe city, but argued that numbers alone do not capture the experience of residents, visitors, and business owners.

“Statistics are important and I do think they are an indicator, but perception is also reality,” Murray said.

He stressed that the concerns expressed by downtown businesses should not be dismissed simply because overall crime data remains favorable.

“People trashing other people’s property, defecating in people’s doorways, leaving trash, trespassing.”

Murray said maintaining a vibrant downtown requires addressing both public safety and quality-of-life issues while continuing policies that encourage investment, housing production, and economic growth throughout Worcester and Central Massachusetts.