by Jordan Stocker | Jan 27, 2026 | Housing News
Recently, three special commissions established through the Affordable Homes Act released final reports with recommendations on extremely low-income housing, accessible housing, and senior housing. CHAPA was among the several organizations that participated in the Special Commission on Extremely Low-Income Housing
The Extremely Low-Income Housing report focuses on households with incomes at or below 30 percent of area median income. It reports that Massachusetts had approximately 470,000 extremely low-income households as of 2023, including about 320,000 renter households. The report also cites National Low Income Housing Coalition estimates of a 183,253-unit shortage of homes affordable to extremely low-income households, based on 44 affordable units for every 100 extremely low-income households.
The commission calls for strengthening the Commonwealth’s rental assistance tools by expanding MRVP with 4,400 additional vouchers each year, split between 2,200 project-based and 2,200 mobile vouchers, and it recommends investing in supporting and sustaining effective tenant organizations. It also recommends codifying MRVP in Massachusetts General Laws, improving statewide data on homes affordable to extremely low-income households, continuing and increasing investments in RAFT, renewing the Tenancy Preservation Program, and establishing an upstream rental assistance pilot. MRVP is also a throughline across the other two commission reports, reflecting how important rental assistance is for supporting stability across populations. Together, the three reports point toward a practical, forward-looking roadmap to help more people stay stably housed, with supports that reflect how needs intersect across income, age, and disability.
Reports:
by Jenna Connolly | Jan 21, 2026 | Housing News
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) released 2026 guidelines for its Housing Choice Designation, an initiative that rewards pro-housing municipalities with exclusive grant opportunities.
The initiative includes two designation options: the Housing Choice Community (HCC) Designation and the recently announced Rural and Small Town Housing Choice Community (RST-HCC) Designation. Communities are encouraged to learn more about the designation and its benefits, along with the HCC and RST-HCC criteria and best practices. EOHLC is also offering 1-on-1 technical assistance office hours for any city or town with questions before submitting an application.
EOHLC named CHAPA’s Massachusetts Housing Leadership Academy and Housing Summit as official best practices, meaning when local officials participate in the Academy or attend the Summit, they bring their communities closer to unlocking exclusive state grants that can fund local planning, infrastructure, and the creation of new housing.
CHAPA is grateful for EOHLC’s selection of our programming, and we look forward to training many more local officials in the years to come!
Applications for the 2026 Housing Choice Initiative Designation are due by February 27, 2026. EOHLC will host two guidance webinars on January 27: an HCC Designation Guidance webinar (11:00 AM to 12:00 PM) and a RST-HCC Designation Guidance webinar (2:00 PM to 3:00 PM). Questions can be directed to McKenzie Bell at [email protected].
by Jenna Connolly | Jan 8, 2026 | Housing News
This week, Secretary of State Bill Galvin announced that all four proposed ballot measures seeking to weaken or repeal the MBTA Communities Act did not receive enough signatures to advance, providing more evidence of Massachusetts voters’ strong support for creating more homes near transit. Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) celebrates this milestone as a victory that will ensure the continued efficacy of this landmark housing law and as another strong indication that Massachusetts voters are committed to taking action to solve the Commonwealth’s housing shortage.
“Massachusetts must build 220,000 new homes by 2035 to meet demand and stabilize housing prices, and the MBTA Communities Act is an essential part of achieving that goal,” said Rachel Heller, CHAPA’s chief executive officer. “The MBTA Communities Act will create more opportunities for people to buy their first homes, for seniors to downsize, and for teachers, firefighters, and small business owners to live in the communities they serve. We all benefit when people have choice in where they call home.”
An overwhelming majority of 93%—165 out of 177—MBTA Communities have adopted districts to comply with the law, creating opportunities for new homes near transit. According to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, over 6,000 new homes are already in the development pipeline as a result of this law.
Despite unsuccessful ballot campaigns and legal challenges, the MBTA Communities Act has consistently enjoyed widespread popularity among Massachusetts voters. In a 2024 poll conducted by WBUR and Commonwealth Beacon, 50% of respondents said the law is good policy, while only 31% said it is not. Furthermore, a recent poll from MassINC and Abundant Housing Massachusetts found that 79% of voters support building more homes near transit statewide.
“The residents of MBTA Communities whom we’ve worked alongside have consistently told us that housing is their number one issue,” said Lily Linke, CHAPA’s director of municipal engagement. “The MBTA Communities Act allows municipalities to plan for the growth they need to meet demand where it makes sense for their unique circumstances.”
Signed into law by then-Governor Charlie Baker in 2021, the MBTA Communities Act requires all municipalities served by the MBTA to designate an area where property owners can legally build apartments, townhomes, and other types of mid-scale multifamily housing.
by Jenna Connolly | Jan 8, 2026 | Featured News, Housing News
We write to share important news about a leadership transition at Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA). After 13 years of dedicated service to CHAPA, including nine years as our Chief Executive Officer, Rachel Heller will be stepping down from her role to become the next Executive Director of Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP).
During Rachel’s tenure, CHAPA has grown stronger as a leading voice and convener for the affordable housing and community development field. Under her leadership, CHAPA expanded its advocacy to advance equitable housing opportunities, built new partnerships with diverse stakeholders statewide, and strengthened the organization’s commitment to ensuring affordable housing and choice in every community. While we will deeply miss Rachel’s vision, energy, and steadfast leadership, we are thrilled that she will continue to shape the future of affordable housing in Massachusetts through her new role at MHP.
“On behalf of CHAPA and key Massachusetts housing stakeholders, we are deeply grateful for Rachel’s impactful leadership over the last thirteen years. She both stewarded and expanded CHAPA’s important legacy of advocacy for safe, affordable, and welcoming homes statewide so everyone has a place to call home in the communities they choose,” said Leslie Reid, CHAPA President and Chief of Investment Programs at Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation. “We are thrilled that she will continue to advance important initiatives toward greater affordable housing access and opportunity for all residents as Executive Director at Massachusetts Housing Partnership.”
CHAPA’s Board of Directors will soon begin a search process for our next CEO. Please stay tuned for the job posting next week. Rachel will continue as CHAPA CEO’s until the last week of February, when our Chief Operating Officer, Maritza Crossen, will step in as Interim CEO. In the meantime, please join us in congratulating Rachel on this exciting new chapter and in celebrating her many contributions to CHAPA and the affordable housing field.
We have so many exciting ongoing initiatives at CHAPA, and we will continue to move full steam ahead towards our strategic goals. Please join us at the upcoming federal forum and the Housing Policy Action Center’s research webinar. Continue to advocate with us for state legislation and budget priorities that further affordable housing opportunity, equity, and access. Our brand new Massachusetts Housing Leadership Academy has kicked off with its first cohort of community leaders dedicated to creating thriving communities, and we can’t wait to share more updates with you as this program progresses.
by Jenna Connolly | Nov 21, 2025 | Featured News, Housing News
Over 400 housing leaders from across the Commonwealth, including Governor Maura Healey, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, and Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus, convened yesterday to shape how the Commonwealth can boost our housing production and meet the state’s goal of 222,000 homes by 2035. Hosted by Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA), the Housing Summit featured experts in modular housing, infrastructure, and climate innovation who presented creative solutions to meet the Commonwealth’s housing shortage.
“It was inspiring to join so many thoughtful and committed leaders at the CHAPA Summit who have been strong partners in our efforts to make housing more affordable across Massachusetts,” said Governor Maura Healey. “With CHAPA’s support, we’ve made significant progress — passing the Affordable Homes Act, legalizing ADUs by right, creating an Office of Fair Housing and setting the first ever statewide housing production goal. Thanks to this work, we have nearly 100,000 housing starts already underway and we’re going to continue our partnership to build more housing and lower costs for the people of Massachusetts.”
The Summit opened with a panel led by Secretary Augustus and his colleagues from across sectors: Commissioner Adam Baacke, DCAMM Undersecretary for Environment Stephanie Cooper, Undersecretary of Labor Josh Cutler, and Chief Melissa Hoffer. The panel explored how the Commonwealth can work together as a state to meet Massachusetts’ housing goals. Senator Julian Cyr and Representative Andy Vargas gave opening remarks after the panel.
“The Healey-Driscoll Administration knows that we need to accelerate housing production right now to bring down costs and provide relief to renters and homeowners navigating the tight housing market,” said Ed Augustus, Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities. “As we look to what’s next for housing in Massachusetts, we are grateful to CHAPA and today’s summit for convening the best minds in housing policy to brainstorm new solutions and deliver impact.”
Other topics explored during the event included exploring how strategic land reuse, such as the Yes in God’s Backyard (YIGBY) legislation, can dramatically increase housing capacity across the Commonwealth, using innovative construction methods, such as Mass timber, to build sustainable housing faster, and finally how developers will obtain the capital and train the workforce to build the housing needed in communities across the state. Visit the Housing Summit website for the full event agenda with panel topics and speakers.
Building on the lessons learned from the Summit, CHAPA will lead efforts to turn insights into action, creating tangible outcomes that help thousands of Massachusetts residents gain and maintain stable housing.
Summit attendees also heard from experts from Nectar Community Investments, Reframe Systems, Way Finders, Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP), Devens Enterprise Commission, BLD Properties, Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG), Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC), Boston Communities, Mass Cultural Council, The Lynch Foundation, the Office of Real Estate Management Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance (DCAMM), Father Bill’s & MainSpring, ISC Massachusetts, Boston Housing Authority, Beacon Communities, Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation, Massachusetts Community Climate Bank, Causeway Development, National Housing Crisis Task Force, CREA, State Street, MassHousing, Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation (MHIC), ICON Architecture, City of Boston, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH), Stantec, National Development, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Capstone Communities, WoodWorks – Wood Products Council, Monte French Design Studio, Code Red Consultants, Leggat McCall Properties LLC, NEI General Contracting, MassINC Policy Center, Just A Start, and Massachusetts American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).
by Jordan Stocker | Nov 13, 2025 | Housing News
This week, the Boston Foundation, Boston Indicators, and Boston University released the 2025 Greater Boston Housing Report Card , offering a detailed look at how the region’s housing market is changing and where challenges remain. The report indicates that while Greater Boston is making progress, the region’s housing pressures are still severe. Home prices and rents have leveled off in 2025 but remain near record highs. A household that needed $98,000 to buy a modest home in 2021 now needs more than $160,000, and only a small share of renters can afford to buy. Since 2020, Greater Boston has added more than 70,000 new homes, but new building permits are down 44 percent since 2021, signaling a slowdown in future supply. Homelessness also remains high, and while fewer families are currently in shelters, the report notes that it is not yet clear whether families are finding stable housing, relocating, or moving into other temporary arrangements.
These findings highlight both the scale of the challenge and the importance of continuing to advance the tools now available to communities. The Affordable Homes Act is strengthening Massachusetts’ ability to build and preserve affordable housing, modernize public housing, and support renters through new investments and programs. And across the state, 158 communities have now adopted local zoning that allows more multi-family homes near transit through the MBTA Communities Act, helping neighborhoods grow in ways that improve access to jobs, reduce long commutes, and make it easier for people to stay connected to opportunity.
Reaching the goal of 222,000 new homes by 2035 will take commitment, creativity, and collaboration at every level of government and across every community. By building on what works and following through on our shared goals, Massachusetts can ensure that everyone has a safe, stable home in the community of their choice.
View the full report here.
