Mall falling out of style? Report finds retail rethink could help tackle Mass. housing crisis

When was the last time you went to the mall?

If it feels like a long time ago, you're not alone. Malls are increasingly empty as the pandemic, e-commerce and even revitalized town centers move in on their territory.

But what if malls could help solve our housing crunch? The Boston-based Metropolitan Area Planning Council says they could, in a new report called "Rethinking the Retail Strip."

Chris Kuschel, who led the report and is a principal planner at the MAPC, joins us to discuss. We also hear from Tina Cassidy, planning board director for the city of Woburn — where the once-declining Woburn Mall is being transformed into a new mixed-use development.