HOLDEN, Mass. - Holden’s town select board said they are open to multifamily homes, but they are not open to being strong armed by the state.

The Baker Administration implemented the MBTA Community Zoning Law, which mandates cities and towns with access to MBTA routes have zoning for multifamily homes in order to provide affordable and sustainable housing. 

Last week, the attorney general’s office issued a warning to Holden and three other communities who fall under this umbrella to comply with the law. The attorney general’s office did threaten to withhold funding for the community if they do not comply. 

“At the end of the day, regardless of what the attorney general is threatening, the town of Holden is not going to be intimidated by any threats of legal action,” said Town Manager Peter Lukes. “We are going to do what’s best for the residence of Holden and the future of Holden. We will not be bullied into making a decision based on the attorney general’s, I think, faulty interpretation of the law.”

Holden doesn’t have direct access to the MBTA and no bus service either, so Lukes believes the law shouldn’t be one size fits all. They aren’t like most of the towns that fall under this ruling. He said they are however, willing to try and make it work.  

“If we can find a way to create zones that don’t negatively impact the town of Holden, and I’m fairly optimistic that we can, I think the town will ultimately participate in the program,” said Lukes. 

Holden has contacted the Central Mass Regional Planning Commission to help come up with a solution. The select board did decide to continue the discussion at their next meeting in two weeks.