CHAPA believes that everyone should have a safe, healthy, accessible, and affordable home in communities they choose.
We have a bold plan to cultivate a stronger housing ecosystem statewide by the end of the decade so that all our people, cities, and towns thrive.
Our plan sets a goal of creating 200,000 homes — including 40,000 affordable and 20,000 deeply affordable homes — by 2030.
Housing News
February 16, 2023
On February 16, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) announced it will make up to $50 million available in grant funding for decarbonization retrofits of existing low- or moderate-income residential buildings.
February 16, 2023
On February 15, the Senate President appointed Senator Lydia Edwards as Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Housing for the 2023–2024 Legislative Session. The following day, the Speaker of the House appointed Representative Jim Arciero as the House Chair of the Housing Committee.
The House and Senate Democratic Leadership also announced the full list of members of the Joint Committee on Housing.
February 9, 2023
On February 9, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a proposed rule on Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) through a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
Comments on the proposed rule are due by April 10, 2023. CHAPA is preparing comments and will submit a letter on the proposed rule.
January 30, 2023
Governor Healey filed a $282 million supplemental budget bill on January 30th, for the expansion of emergency shelter services and to prevent the free school meals program from running out of money.
January 26, 2023
On January 26, the State Fire Marshal published an Emergency Amendment to the existing Massachusetts Electrical Code that will allow the ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) requirement to be waived due to nuisance tripping after a review by a qualified person.
January 19, 2023
On January 19, Governor Healey filed a $987 million Immediate Needs Bond Bill that seeks critical authorization for key housing and economic development programs.
January 5, 2023
CHAPA is pleased to announce that we are now providing technical assistance for community engagement to all interested MBTA Communities seeking to comply with the Multi-family Zoning Requirements for MBTA Communities (Section 3A). Municipal staff, elected leaders, and board members are encouraged to apply. Participating communities will be divided into cohorts with comparable communities. These cohorts will meet monthly for direct support and peer to peer learning.
December 29, 2022
On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed the $1.7 trillion FY2023 federal budget to keep the government running through the end of the budget year in September 2023. According to PBS NewsHour, the omnibus spending bill contains $772.5 billion in spending for domestic programs, a roughly 6% increase. Spending on defense programs rose by about 10% to $858 billion.
December 23, 2022
The Department of Energy Resources (DOER) published a draft regulation and a model rule for public comment on the pilot program for the Municipal Fossil Fuel Free Building Demonstration Program.