State
Legislation
For over 50 years, CHAPA has been an instrumental partner in furthering affordable housing policy across Massachusetts. Through collaboration with legislators, colleagues from across the housing field, and community advocates, CHAPA influences policies that foster equitable housing opportunities for all residents.
Sign up for CHAPA’s emails to stay up-to-date on housing policy developments or join a CHAPA committee to get involved.
CHAPA's Guiding Principles
People
Production
Planning
Preservation
Political Will
CHAPA's Priority Legislation
During the 2025-2026 legislative session, CHAPA is leading on the following legislation:
An Act Codifying the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (H.1547/S.1008)
- Codifies the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) into state statute—currently only exists in the state budget, subject to annual instability
- Ensures clear guidelines, reporting processes, and oversight
- Download the MRVP Fact Sheet
An Act To Create Affordable Homes For Persons With Disabilities (H.1481/S.1004)
- Updates the Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP) statutory language to:
- Replace outdated definitions for persons with disabilities
- Increase the maximum eligibility age to 62
- Establish a payment standard of at least 110% of fair market rent
- Allow for the carryover of unspent funds to the next fiscal year
An Act For The Removal Of Void Restrictive Covenants (H.1762/S.1080)
Mandates that registry districts review all restrictions on land certificates for compliance with anti – discrimination laws that nullify racially discriminatory covenants - Requires
registry districts to report annually on the number of amended certificates to the Office of Fair Housing Empowers landowners and individuals to file complaints with the land court to ensure land titles are free from such restrictions
An Act to Promote Yes in God’s Backyard (H.2347/S.1430)
- Allows the creation of multi-family housing by-right on parcels owned by faith-based organizations
- Significant portion of new homes will be affordable to households earning at or below 80% of the Area Median Income
- Developments will pay local property taxes unless the municipality chooses to grant an exemption
- Parking cannot be required if located within a half mile of transit
- Download the YIGBY Fact Sheet
An Act Setting A Housing Production Goal For The Commonwealth (H.1560)
- Establishes statewide housing production goal of 400,000 new homes by 2040
Establishes pr oduction goals for affordable homes : 80,000 homes affordable to households earning less than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) 20,000 homes affordable to households earning less than 6 0% of AMI 20,000 supportive homes for households earning less than 30% of AMI
Resolve Creating A Special Commission on Affordable Housing Insurance (H.1279/S.768)
- Establishes a Commission to examine the underlying reasons for property insurance rate increases and to make recommendations for policies to mitigate them
An Act To Promote Yes In My Back Yard (YIMBY) (H.1572/S.962)
- Allows for the creation of 3-family homes by right across the state and up to 5-family homes if connected to water and sewer
- Eliminates parking minimums statewide
- Create a by-right process for residential lot splitting
- Require all municipalities to establish zoning districts where multi-family housing is allowed by-right
- Calls for an interagency report on greyfield sites that are suitable for housing
- Mandates that state-owned land be assessed for its potential to be developed for housing and requires that housing be the prioritized use
- Assures that local wetlands, wastewater, and sewer regulations that exceed state statute cannot be used to prevent housing development
- Clarifies that Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) may be permitted by-right on lots with multi-family housing
- Prohibits abutters from raising any issues on appeal that were not raised during the local permitting process
- Transfers housing cases involving 25 or more dwelling units to the Land Court’s Permit Session if a party requests it
An Act Promoting Fair And Affordable Housing (H.1558/S.965)
- Prohibits government entities from making land use decisions that discriminate against protected classes under the Massachusetts anti-discrimination law, M.G.L. Chapter 151B, or discriminate against affordable housing or housing that is suitable for families with children
An Act Facilitating Site Plan Review (H.2298)
- Defines Site Plan Review in statute and makes it timely, time-limited, administrative rather than political, and objective rather than subjective in nature
- Provides standardized structure to the process, maintains appropriate local oversight, and makes Site Plan Review work more efficiently for everyone involved
An Act To Create An Interagency Supportive Housing Finance and Strategy Board (H.1552/S.991)
Establishes a Strategy Board of experts and stakeholders to design the Supportive Housing Flex Pool created by the Affordable Homes Act
An Act Eliminating Forced Brokers’ Fees (S.224)
- Prohibits landlords from requiring tenants to pay a broker fee as a condition of the lease
- Passed as part of Governor Healey’s FY2026 budget ✅
Legislation CHAPA Supports
An Act Promoting Acce ss To Counsel And Housing Stability in Massachusetts ( H.1952/S.968) An Act To Prom o te Economic Mobility Through Matched Savings ( H.1158/S.737) An Act Enabling A Local Option For A Real Estate Transfer Fee To Fund Affordable Housing ( H.30 56/S.1937) - An Act Establishing A Zero Carbon Renovation Fund (H.3577/S.2286)
An Act Relative To Affordable Housing and Environmental Adaptation Dollars (AHEAD) ( H.3194/S.1973) - An Act Regarding Land Use Board Training (H.2299)/An Act Establishing Housing Training Program For Members Of Municipal Boards (S.981)