As if next week wasn’t going to be exciting enough with the CHAPA Annual Celebration on Wednesday, it got taken up a notch when House leadership announced that the Housing Bond Bill will be on the floor the same day.
As you may remember, Governor Healey announced her Affordable Homes Act back in October. That bill includes $4.1 billion in bond authorization to support housing creation as well as more than 20 policy housing provisions. The housing community has been anticipating what will happen next week for months now, and the Legislature’s timing gives us a unique opportunity.
With so many housing friends planning to be in Boston on Wednesday for the Annual Celebration already, CHAPA is inviting everyone to come to the city a little early that day and to help the House pass the best bond bill possible.
Please join us at 12:30pm on Wednesday, June 5 outside the State House on Beacon Street when we will all go into the building for an informal and impromptu advocacy push. The House is expected to begin debate on the bill starting at 1pm. We will provide a list of priority amendments and talking points to support your advocacy on the bill.
We anticipate that the House Ways and Means Committee will release its Housing Bond Bill proposal on Monday, June 3. Representatives will have a short window of time to file amendments. Once the bill comes out, it will be a fast sprint to analyze it, file amendments, and advocate. It is going to be a fun week!
In advance of seeing the actual bill text, CHAPA has four guiding principles for the legislation:
- Support the highest bond authorization levels possible.
- Keep bond authorization line items free from earmarks.
- Include policy proposals to address housing needs.
- Protect existing housing laws and oppose attempts to weaken 40B or the MBTA Communities Act.
Things are moving fast! More Action Alerts and Housing News posts will be coming over the next several days!