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Linkage

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During his political career, Ray Flynn had always been in favor of a strong linkage policy.  Linkage, which required developers of large, downtown commercial projects to support construction of affordable housing in Boston’s neighborhoods, was strongly opposed by the real estate industry when Flynn was on the city council and when he was mayor.  During the open mayoral race in 1983 Flynn’s (eventual) opponent, Mel King, also supported a strong linkage policy for the city.  Linkage would provide affordable housing in proportion to downtown development while ensuring those who worked on these projects also lived in the city and weren’t, at the end of the work week, spending their wages in suburban towns.