by iwd Tina | Mar 4, 2024 | Housing News
James Jennings, Ashley E. Harding, Kadineyse Paz, and Robert Terrell released their new fair housing report, Advancing Fair Housing in Greater Boston, Massachusetts: Voices from the Field.
The report highlights the need to ensure that amplifying calls for increasing the affordable housing supply is consistently conjoined with ‘affirmatively furthering fair housing,’ not just to do the “right thing,” but to be in compliance with required federal laws and regulations.
Read the full report: https://www.chapa.org/sites/default/files/advancing-fair-housing-in-greater-boston-2024.pdf
by iwd Tina | Feb 27, 2024 | Housing News
Following Milton’s rejection of a new multifamily zoning plan, CHAPA applauds Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s leadership in pursuing legal action against the town of Milton. The AG’s lawsuit sends a clear message that municipalities unwilling to do their part in creating more diverse types of housing where families can thrive and that choose to fail to comply with the MBTA Communities Law will face consequences for their inaction.
At a time when people across income levels are feeling the pain of escalating home prices and rents, the status quo keeps Milton’s gates closed and limits opportunities for people to have homes they can afford in the neighborhoods they love. Milton’s vote impacts people, our region, and our economy.
For too long, zoning has been used to exclude people rather than expand opportunities for people. The MBTA Communities Law is a tool to begin to undo the harms of the past and enable choices for people regarding where they want and can afford to live.
Municipalities have a collective responsibility to ensure we are part of fostering a healthy and vibrant Commonwealth. Housing is the best investment every community can make for a strong future. CHAPA stands ready to support all MBTA Communities in complying with the law and allowing the multifamily housing we need for dynamic communities where kids can grow up near their grandparents, businesses thrive, renters can become homeowners, and people can stay in the neighborhoods they love.
Every city and town in Massachusetts is responsible for affirmatively furthering fair housing and creating more of the homes we need for everyone, and Milton is no exception.
by iwd Tina | Feb 26, 2024 | Housing News
At CHAPA, we’re proud of the policy and systems changes made in 2023 to allow for more of the diverse types of homes we need, including MBTA Multifamily Zoning, efforts made to eradicate the racial homeownership gap, and more. With a solid foundation to build upon in 2024, CHAPA will continue to help put Massachusetts on a path toward 200,000 homes by 2030.
Check out CHAPA’s 2023 Annual Report for last year’s accomplishments, including our policy and program work!
Thank you to everyone who helped make these accomplishments possible. We are proud of how the affordable housing community continued to work together this year to ensure everyone had a safe, healthy, and affordable home. Yet, we know there is more work to continue to address our housing challenges and to do so equitably.
We look forward to a collaborative, productive 2024 and hope you’ll continue to join us through our policy committees, advocacy efforts, Municipal Engagement Initiative, Massachusetts Homeownership Collaborative, and more.
by iwd Tina | Feb 15, 2024 | Housing News
On Wednesday, February 14th, 2024, residents of Milton voted no on a bright and inclusive future for their community. At a time when people across income levels are feeling the pain of escalating home prices and rents, CHAPA is disappointed that Milton voters chose the status quo that keeps their gates closed and limits opportunities for people to have homes they can afford in the neighborhoods they love. Milton’s vote impacts people, our region, and our economy.
CHAPA applauds Arlington, Braintree, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Danvers, Dedham, Essex, Everett, Grafton, Haverhill, Lakeville, Lexington, Lowell, Malden, Mansfield, Medford, Newton, Northbridge, Pembroke, Quincy, Revere, Salem, Somerville, Stoneham, Taunton, and Wareham, who have submitted applications to the state for approval of multifamily zoning districts that will foster a vibrant and inclusive future. We hope Milton residents will come together to adopt a multifamily zoning district that complies with the law and join so many other communities in saying yes to a future where everyone can thrive.
Municipalities have a collective responsibility to ensure we are part of fostering a healthy and vibrant Commonwealth. Housing is the best investment every community can make for a strong future. CHAPA stands ready to support Milton and all MBTA Communities in complying with the law and allowing the multifamily housing we need for dynamic communities where kids can grow up near their grandparents, businesses thrive, renters can become homeowners, and people can stay in the neighborhoods they love.
Since March 2022, CHAPA’s Municipal Engagement Initiative (MEI) has supported Milton residents as they have grown a strong coalition of neighbors supporting affordable housing. CHAPA and our MEI team will continue to support Yes for Milton volunteers and Affordable and Inclusive Milton (AIM) in their local advocacy efforts to say “yes” to more affordable housing.
As we support Milton in being part of the Commonwealth’s housing solutions, we look to the leadership of Attorney General Andrea Campbell, who, on January 16th, wrote to the Town of Milton “Should the Town chart a course in contravention of state law, however, the Attorney General’s Office will carry out its responsibility to enforce the law, without hesitation.”
Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) supported the Yes for Milton campaign alongside the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations (MACDC), Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance(MAHA), and Abundant Housing Massachusetts (AHMA) and released a joint statement before the vote.
by iwd Tina | Feb 13, 2024 | Housing News
Four leading statewide affordable housing organizations today called on Milton residents to vote YES on February 13 to adopt multi-family zoning consistent with the MBTA Communities Law.
“A YES vote in Milton will show that inclusive zoning is part of an overall strategy to preserve what we love about our unique neighborhoods, expand affordable housing, grow our local economies, and make it easier for people to get around without always needing to drive,” said Rachel Heller, CEO of Citizens Housing and Planning Association. “Housing is the best investment we can make for a strong future.”
Two-thirds of town meeting members voted to approve the zoning article in December but a group of opponents have collected signatures to put the issue to a town-wide vote on February 13th.
“Milton prides itself on its suburban diversity,” said Symone Crawford, executive director of the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance. “With the average single family home in Milton now selling for over $1 million, A YES vote is one way to ensure that diversity continues.”
“State officials are serious about cutting off access to discretionary grants and state aid,” said Jesse Kanson-Benanav, executive director of Abundant Housing Massachusetts. “Milton voters can avoid that risk by saying YES on February 13 and create more housing choice for its residents.”
State law calls for the 177 communities in greater Boston served by the MBTA to adopt multi-family zoning districts. Twelve communities, those closest to Boston and served by rapid transit, faced the first deadline for compliance of December 31, 2023. All twelve adopted compliant zoning by that date. Milton is the only one of the twelve contesting that adoption.
“Local nonprofit affordable housing developers have created thousands of affordable homes over the years but the need for more is obvious,” said Emily Haber, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations. “If you care about creating more affordable homes, a YES vote on February 13th is the only vote.”
“A yes vote will move Milton forward,” said Matt Morong, co-chair of YES! for Milton. “Our town planners and town residents spent eighteen months devising a plan to comply with this 2021 state law which is designed to take some pressure off of our housing market. Milton needs to be part of our regional housing solution.”
