The Supreme Judicial Court on Wednesday upheld a controversial state law that mandates multi-family housing zones for cities and towns serviced by the MBTA — including those that will soon get commuter rail service via South Coast Rail. 

The SJC ruled that the 2021 MBTA Communities Law is constitutional and Attorney General Andrea Campbell had the authority to enforce it. But it also ruled that the guidelines by which the law can be enforced were improperly created, sending enforcement back to the drawing board. 

The court took up the case after the state sued Milton for rejecting proposed zoning rules that would’ve complied with the act.  

Are SouthCoast communities on the new commuter rail route complying with the law? Most are — but some aren’t, leaving them open to legal action or loss of funding. Let’s break it down.

Read more at heraldnews.com.