WBUR's Morning EditionLocal content from WBUR's Morning Edition broadcastsMass. promised to 'significantly reduce' public housing vacancies. The effort barely made a dentAfter a 2023 WBUR and ProPublica investigation found that almost 2,300 state-funded apartments were sitting empty, the state promised action within 90 days. But it failed to fix key problems,...ResumeInvestigations03:51Mar 7, 2024Mass. fined local housing authorities $4 million for leaving units empty. But most were forgiven, or forgottenThe fines are one of the state's main tools to push local housing agencies to fill empty units, but they were largely meaningless for years because the state failed to...ResumeInvestigations04:20Dec 28, 2023Without a home, a cancer patient on the waitlist for public housing puts off surgeryDeb Libby applied for a place to live in the state's public housing system, which has many empty apartments, according to a WBUR and ProPublica investigation. The state has since...ResumeInvestigations05:21Nov 21, 2023Major organ center in Waltham flagged over low donation numbersMassachusetts may be known for its hospitals and innovation, but its organ donation program is underperforming. A Waltham-based nonprofit called New England Donor Services has been under fire from Congress,...ResumeInvestigations04:41May 4, 2023Aaron Hernandez, infamous ex-Patriots star, sounded upbeat in final prison calls before suicideAttorneys suspect brain disease and illegal drugs could have been factors in the former NFL player's death. But experts warn that suicide is complicated and can rarely be distilled to...ResumeInvestigations04:58Mar 27, 2023AdvertisementAs the T missed safety investigation deadlines, state regulators failed to actFederal officials say the DPU must use its enforcement power to keep the T safe. Public records show the DPU has routinely allowed the T to miss deadlines, and has...ResumeInvestigations03:47Jan 12, 2023Mass. homebuyers pay hidden fees to lawyers for title insurance, with no state oversightIn Massachusetts, WBUR found an unregulated and opaque business where title insurers pay large, hidden commissions to attorneys — and homebuyers often unknowingly foot the bills.ResumeInvestigations06:47Nov 16, 2022Banks saw opportunity during COVID, permanently shuttering 230 branches in Mass.Branch closures hit some customers hard: small businesses that deal in cash, city dwellers reliant on public transit, and older customers. Of the 230 branches closed since the start of...ResumeInvestigations05:45Sep 21, 2022How a Mass. law intended to protect victims became a 'gift to abusers'The state’s unique law, intended to protect the privacy of victims of domestic and sexual violence, has instead protected perpetrators and police, a WBUR investigation found. The law requires police...ResumeInvestigations18:36Aug 27, 2022Bans on outside police chief candidates raise civil rights concerns, officials sayAfter a WBUR and ProPublica investigation of Revere's policy that requires the city to hire a police chief internally, U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins and Sens. Ed Markey and Elisabeth Warren...ResumeInvestigations04:30Aug 26, 2022No outsiders need apply: Why Revere settled for a police chief accused of harassmentRestrictions on hiring police chiefs from outside their departments are common in Massachusetts. In Revere, the mayor wanted the option to look for a top cop externally to clean up...ResumeInvestigations09:42Aug 11, 202225 drivers who still work for the MBTA were suspended at least twice for safety violationsThe citations are numerous, including infractions related to speeding, attention to duty, preventable accidents and the safety of customers or MBTA property.ResumeInvestigations02:39Aug 9, 2022Gun sales hit record levels in Massachusetts over past two yearsA WBUR analysis of state data found that gun dealers in the state sold almost 276,000 firearms from 2020 through 2021. Nearly two-thirds of those were handguns.ResumeInvestigations04:35Aug 3, 2022In a frenzied home-buying market, rushed and unregulated inspections are risingThese “soft” inspections, or “walk-and-talks," are leaving buyers at risk.ResumeInvestigations04:48May 10, 2022'Health care heroes really got the shaft': Some workers with COVID had to fight for payEmployers are required under state law to file workers' compensation claims, but COVID opened up a big gray area. Companies and insurers are taking advantage of the complexity.ResumeInvestigations05:34Jan 19, 2022Boston police bought spy tech with a pot of money hidden from the publicBoston police used a "slush fund" to pay for a surveillance device that can grab cell phone data from suspects — and also from other phones nearby. The department says...ResumeInvestigations08:10Dec 17, 2021Lawmakers Call For Reforms To Civil Forfeiture After WBUR And ProPublica InvestigationAfter a WBUR and ProPublica investigation found possible due process violations, lawmakers are calling for additional reforms to the state's civil asset forfeiture laws. ResumeInvestigations02:21Aug 30, 2021It's Easy For Police To Seize Money. Worcester's District Attorney Makes It Hard To Get It BackUnder Massachusetts' civil forfeiture system, police can confiscate property they suspect is part of a drug crime and prosecutors could hold it indefinitely, even when criminal charges have been dismissed....ResumeInvestigations09:34Aug 18, 2021
Mass. promised to 'significantly reduce' public housing vacancies. The effort barely made a dentAfter a 2023 WBUR and ProPublica investigation found that almost 2,300 state-funded apartments were sitting empty, the state promised action within 90 days. But it failed to fix key problems,...ResumeInvestigations03:51Mar 7, 2024
Mass. fined local housing authorities $4 million for leaving units empty. But most were forgiven, or forgottenThe fines are one of the state's main tools to push local housing agencies to fill empty units, but they were largely meaningless for years because the state failed to...ResumeInvestigations04:20Dec 28, 2023
Without a home, a cancer patient on the waitlist for public housing puts off surgeryDeb Libby applied for a place to live in the state's public housing system, which has many empty apartments, according to a WBUR and ProPublica investigation. The state has since...ResumeInvestigations05:21Nov 21, 2023
Major organ center in Waltham flagged over low donation numbersMassachusetts may be known for its hospitals and innovation, but its organ donation program is underperforming. A Waltham-based nonprofit called New England Donor Services has been under fire from Congress,...ResumeInvestigations04:41May 4, 2023
Aaron Hernandez, infamous ex-Patriots star, sounded upbeat in final prison calls before suicideAttorneys suspect brain disease and illegal drugs could have been factors in the former NFL player's death. But experts warn that suicide is complicated and can rarely be distilled to...ResumeInvestigations04:58Mar 27, 2023
As the T missed safety investigation deadlines, state regulators failed to actFederal officials say the DPU must use its enforcement power to keep the T safe. Public records show the DPU has routinely allowed the T to miss deadlines, and has...ResumeInvestigations03:47Jan 12, 2023
Mass. homebuyers pay hidden fees to lawyers for title insurance, with no state oversightIn Massachusetts, WBUR found an unregulated and opaque business where title insurers pay large, hidden commissions to attorneys — and homebuyers often unknowingly foot the bills.ResumeInvestigations06:47Nov 16, 2022
Banks saw opportunity during COVID, permanently shuttering 230 branches in Mass.Branch closures hit some customers hard: small businesses that deal in cash, city dwellers reliant on public transit, and older customers. Of the 230 branches closed since the start of...ResumeInvestigations05:45Sep 21, 2022
How a Mass. law intended to protect victims became a 'gift to abusers'The state’s unique law, intended to protect the privacy of victims of domestic and sexual violence, has instead protected perpetrators and police, a WBUR investigation found. The law requires police...ResumeInvestigations18:36Aug 27, 2022
Bans on outside police chief candidates raise civil rights concerns, officials sayAfter a WBUR and ProPublica investigation of Revere's policy that requires the city to hire a police chief internally, U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins and Sens. Ed Markey and Elisabeth Warren...ResumeInvestigations04:30Aug 26, 2022
No outsiders need apply: Why Revere settled for a police chief accused of harassmentRestrictions on hiring police chiefs from outside their departments are common in Massachusetts. In Revere, the mayor wanted the option to look for a top cop externally to clean up...ResumeInvestigations09:42Aug 11, 2022
25 drivers who still work for the MBTA were suspended at least twice for safety violationsThe citations are numerous, including infractions related to speeding, attention to duty, preventable accidents and the safety of customers or MBTA property.ResumeInvestigations02:39Aug 9, 2022
Gun sales hit record levels in Massachusetts over past two yearsA WBUR analysis of state data found that gun dealers in the state sold almost 276,000 firearms from 2020 through 2021. Nearly two-thirds of those were handguns.ResumeInvestigations04:35Aug 3, 2022
In a frenzied home-buying market, rushed and unregulated inspections are risingThese “soft” inspections, or “walk-and-talks," are leaving buyers at risk.ResumeInvestigations04:48May 10, 2022
'Health care heroes really got the shaft': Some workers with COVID had to fight for payEmployers are required under state law to file workers' compensation claims, but COVID opened up a big gray area. Companies and insurers are taking advantage of the complexity.ResumeInvestigations05:34Jan 19, 2022
Boston police bought spy tech with a pot of money hidden from the publicBoston police used a "slush fund" to pay for a surveillance device that can grab cell phone data from suspects — and also from other phones nearby. The department says...ResumeInvestigations08:10Dec 17, 2021
Lawmakers Call For Reforms To Civil Forfeiture After WBUR And ProPublica InvestigationAfter a WBUR and ProPublica investigation found possible due process violations, lawmakers are calling for additional reforms to the state's civil asset forfeiture laws. ResumeInvestigations02:21Aug 30, 2021
It's Easy For Police To Seize Money. Worcester's District Attorney Makes It Hard To Get It BackUnder Massachusetts' civil forfeiture system, police can confiscate property they suspect is part of a drug crime and prosecutors could hold it indefinitely, even when criminal charges have been dismissed....ResumeInvestigations09:34Aug 18, 2021