Lawrence mayor, city council locked in battle over urban renewal plan

An urban renewal plan in Lawrence has pit the mayor and city council against each other.

The city council wants to stick to the original plan laid out in 2017 to remake several run-down properties into green spaces. However, the mayor aims to create more residential buildings to address the city's housing shortage and says he has the power to forge ahead with that new vision against the council's wishes.

The two sides are now entering a legal battle to decide who has the power to determine the plan's future. WBUR's Simon Rios has reported on the tension in Lawrence and joins Radio Boston to discuss.