by iwd Tina | Feb 15, 2021 | Housing News
On February 12, 2021, Speaker Mariano and Senate President Spilka announced their leadership and committee assignments for the two-year legislative session. These assignments will allow the work to begin reviewing all the bills that have been filed in the House and Senate.
Representative James Arciero and Senator John Keenan will chair the Joint Committee on Housing. Rep. Arciero’s district includes Westford, Littleton, and Chelmsford. Sen. Keenan represents Quincy, Braintree, Holbrook, Abington, and Rockland.
Longtime chair of the Housing Committee, Representative Kevin Honan, will now lead the House Committee on Steering, Policy, and Scheduling. Rep. Honan also recently became the Dean of the House as the body’s longest serving member. Senator Crighton, the former Senate chair of the Housing Committee will now lead the Joint Committee on Financial Services.
On the House side, the other members of the Joint Committee on Housing include Representatives:
In the Senate, Housing Committee members include Senators:
CHAPA looks forward to working with the new Chairs and members of the Housing Committee this session on advancing affordable housing policies.
by iwd Tina | Feb 1, 2021 | Housing News
On January 29, 2021, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) issued preliminary guidance for MBTA communities regarding compliance with new law requiring by-right multifamily zoning (M.G.L. Chapter 40A, Section 3A). The purpose of section 3A is to encourage MBTA communities to adopt zoning districts where multifamily zoning is permitted as of right, and that meet other requirements set forth in the statute.
New section 3A of the Zoning Act provides that each MBTA community “shall have a zoning ordinance or by-law that provides for at least 1 district of reasonable size in which multi-family housing is permitted as of right.” The statute further provides “that such multi-family housing shall be without age restrictions and shall be suitable for families with children,” and that each such district “shall: (i) have a minimum gross density of 15 units per acre, subject to any further limitations imposed by section 40 of chapter 131 and title 5 of the state environmental code established pursuant to section 13 of chapter 21A; and (ii) be located not more than 0.5 miles from a commuter rail station, subway station, ferry terminal or bus station, if applicable.”
If an MBTA community does not comply with section 3A, it will not be eligible for funds from the following grant programs: (i) the Housing Choice Initiative as described by the governor in a message to the general court dated December 11, 2017; (ii) the Local Capital Projects Fund established in section 2EEEE of chapter 29; or (iii) the MassWorks infrastructure program established in section 63 of chapter 23A.
This preliminary guidance is to inform MBTA communities about the process DHCD will undertake to establish compliance criteria for section 3A, and to notify MBTA communities that they will remain eligible for grant programs administered by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development or its agencies until more detailed compliance criteria and guidelines have been issued.
DHCD intends to issue more detailed guidelines on compliance criteria and timelines after consulting with the MBTA and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, as required by the statute. DHCD expects to seek and consider input from affected MBTA communities as well. DHCD will begin this consultation process promptly and expects to have more complete guidance available as soon as possible.
Based on information currently available, DHCD expects that some MBTA communities already have zoning districts that meet the statutory criteria, while others will need to enact new zoning. DHCD anticipates that its compliance guidelines will account for the fact that different communities have different needs and that communities considering the adoption of new zoning will, in many cases, require time for a planning process and community input.
by iwd Tina | Feb 1, 2021 | Housing News
by iwd Tina | Jan 15, 2021 | Housing News
On January 13th, the Baker-Polito Administration made updates to include residents and staff of public & private low income and affordable senior housing as a priority group in the Phase 2 (tier 1) COVID-19 vaccine distribution. This would ensure that seniors with low-income, who have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, will be vaccinated early on in the vaccine distribution process.
Find out when more about the state’s Vaccine Distribution Plan and when residents can get vaccinated.
The high density environments in senior affordable housing place our buildings at high risk for rapid COVID spread. With many residents in their mid-80s and 90s, such spread would surely result in a very high number of lengthy hospitalizations and death. Many affordable senior housing sites have populations that mirror those in assisted living settings and even nursing homes and need the vaccinations urgently.
CHAPA advocated for residents of state’s affordable senior housing to be included in the vaccine priority along with the Federal senior housing and assisted and congregate living setting.
CHAPA thanks the Baker-Polito Administration for including seniors with low-income for vaccine deployment in Phase 2 thus ensuring equitable recovery in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The vaccinations for affordable senior housing are likely to begin by the end of February 2021. Following types of senior housing properties will be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccines in tier one of the Phase two of Vaccine Distribution Plan:
- Public housing properties designated primarily for older adults that are owned/operated by Local Housing Authorities. This includes those public housing properties owned by a Housing Authority but managed by a private company.
- Privately owned properties designated for older adults that are financed in whole or part through resources made available from DHCD, MassHousing, or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and in which the majority of units are restricted to residents earning less than 80% of Area Median Income
Residents and staff can receive the vaccines on-site or off-site with the help of their existing pharmacy partnerships/medical or community health provider, through their Local Boards of Health, or through a Mass Vaccination Site. Find more information on COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Guidance for Public and Private Low Income and Affordable Senior Housing.
Some federally run senior facilities are already receiving vaccines through the Federal Pharmacy Partnership program. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had recommended that HUD’s Section 202 affordable senior housing be in the first phase of vaccine distribution.
For questions regarding the guidance or implementation of the vaccine deployment options – please contact: SeniorHousingVaccine@mass.gov.
by iwd Tina | Jan 15, 2021 | Housing News
On January 14, 2021, Governor Baker signed economic development legislation (H.5250) into law, which contained many of CHAPA’s housing priorities, including:
- Housing Choice, reducing the voting threshold to a simple majority for smart growth zoning and affordable housing;
- Multifamily zoning requirements for communities with MBTA stations (subway, commuter rail, bus stations, and ferry terminals); zoning must ensure housing is suitable for families with children;
- $20 million increase to the state Low Income Housing Tax Credit;
- Public Housing Tenant Election Process, which is critical to filling tenant board seats and ensuring tenants always have a seat at the decision making table;
- Abutter Appeals Reform, allowing judges to require the posting of bonds of up to $50,000 to discourage frivolous lawsuits brought only to slow or stop new housing development; and
- Prevent the naming of minors in eviction cases
In addition, the Governor signed into law authorization of $50 million for affordable housing around transit, $10 million for sustainable and climate-resilient affordable multifamily housing, and $50 million for neighborhood stabilization to help return blighted or vacant housing back to productive use. The Governor also signed Boston’s Linkage and Inclusionary Development home rule petition, allowing the City to make changes without going to the Legislature for approval.
More information on the housing-related sections are contained on this slide deck.
These changes include the first comprehensive zoning reforms in Massachusetts in the last 40 years!
Vetoes
The Governor vetoed the tenant opportunity to purchase act which would have created a local option for communities to provide residents the right of first refusal to purchase their building if it was being put up for sale. The Governor also vetoed affordability requirements and reporting on the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) and he vetoed eviction record sealing for no fault evictions. Although not included in the final law, we look forward to going to work immediately on these important issues related to tenant protections and affordable housing.
Thank You!
Thank you to everyone who advocated over many years to help make these changes possible!
There are so many legislators to thank who championed these housing reforms, including Housing Committee Chairs Representative Kevin Honan and Senator Brendan Crighton; long-time housing supporter Senator Joe Boncore; Representatives Andy Vargas and Christine Barber and Senator Harriette Chandler who have filed and led on advocating for these policies; Senator Eric Lesser and Representative Aaron Michlewitz, the chief negotiators on the Economic Development Bill; and Senate President Karen Spilka, Speaker Ron Mariano, and former Speaker Bob DeLeo for their leadership.
Thanks also to Governor Baker and Secretary Kennealy for leading on zoning reform and making housing a priority!
And, of course, we could not have successfully advocated for this bill without our many advocacy partners!
