by iwd Tina | Jan 2, 2025 | Housing News
On December 30, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) held a virtual public hearing on the draft 2025-26 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. During the approximately one hour hearing, EOHLC staff heard feedback from a range of stakeholders and interested parties on the draft QAP, which is expected to be finalized before the end of January.
CHAPA gave verbal testimony submitted written comments on the Plan. In particular, CHAPA commended EOHLC for raising the minimum ELI threshold from 13% to 16%, its continued commitment to equity in development opportunities, the incentivization of accessibility standards, prioritization of sustainable, green, and climate resilient designs, the inclusion of rural development points, and the recognition of challenges facing middle income households.
CHAPA’s testimony also included concerns about the Responsible Contractor Guidelines that were included in the QAP and the impact that they will have on development costs, the number of new homes created, and on small, emerging, and minority-owned businesses. CHAPA is looking forward to the final QAP and to working with EOHLC to implement it in the most productive way possible.
by iwd Tina | Dec 14, 2024 | Housing News
The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) will hold a virtual public hearing on the draft version of the 25-26 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. The hearing is scheduled for 10:30 AM on December 30th, 2024.
The draft QAP is available for review. We encourage everyone to read the draft and share feedback, either by attending the hearing or submitting written comments beforehand. Written comments can be sent to:
The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities
Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program
100 Cambridge Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02114
Comments can also be emailed to catherine.racer@mass.gov.
For details on how to join the virtual hearing, you can contact EOHLC at 617-573-1309 or bertha.borin@mass.gov.
CHAPA is reviewing the draft QAP and will be submitting comments to help shape its final version. To help stakeholders engage in the process, CHAPA has prepared a slide deck with a high-level overview of some of the key updates, and a detailed summary that highlights each of the changes found in the most recent version.
by iwd Tina | Dec 12, 2024 | Housing News
The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) has released the draft 2025-2026 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP). The QAP determines how federal and state Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and other affordable housing finance programs are distributed. It outlines eligibility requirements, scoring systems, and funding priorities, ensuring resources are allocated to support critical housing needs across Massachusetts. This draft incorporates significant updates, including new climate resiliency standards, an increased percentage of Extremely Low Income (ELI) units, specific points for rural development, and an increased focus on accessibility.
Public Hearing
HLC will hold a public hearing on the draft QAP at a date and time to be determined. We will provide details and access instructions as soon as they are available.
Key Updates in the Draft QAP
This year’s updates reflect evolving state priorities and federal guidance. Highlights include:
- Climate Goals Integration: Mandatory decarbonization and climate-resilient standards.
- Increased Funding Limits: Higher per-unit credit limits and expanded long-term funding authority.
- Extremely Low-Income (ELI) Allocation Increase: Increased minimum percentage from 13% to 16%, addressing critical affordability needs.
- Responsible Contractor Guidelines: New standards, effective January 1, 2025, to promote fair labor practices and ensure compliance with wage and safety standards.
- Green Standards Enforcement: Mandatory Enterprise Green Communities (EGC) certification for all projects.
- Accessibility Enhancements: Expanded criteria and scoring incentives for universal design and specialized features.
- Rural Development Prioritization: New scoring category to support housing in rural areas.
Next Steps
We encourage all stakeholders to review the draft QAP and share feedback during the comment period. CHAPA has developed a slide deck that includes a high-level overview of the changes touched on above. A comprehensive summary is also in development and will be shared within the coming days. In addition, CHAPA will be submitting organizational comments to contribute to the review process and address key priorities identified in the draft.
by iwd Tina | Dec 9, 2024 | Housing News
On Friday, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities released draft regulations designed to “provide clarity on the administration of the new ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) law.” The release of this draft is the first step in the regulatory development process and EOHLC intends to issue final regulations prior to the effective date of the ADU law on February 2, 2025.
Here is the timeline for the regulatory review process:
Additional information on this process as well as background on ADUs is available on the EOHLC website.
by iwd Tina | Nov 22, 2024 | Housing News
The Healey-Driscoll Administration has implemented 41% of the policies outlined in the $5.16 billion Affordable Homes Act, which aims to build, preserve, and rehabilitate over 65,000 homes in Massachusetts over five years. The Act includes measures such as creating an Office of Fair Housing, allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) under 900 square feet by right, and establishing a Seasonal Communities designation to address housing challenges in areas with fluctuating seasonal employment. Additionally, it allocates $2.2 billion for improvements to the state’s 43,000 units of public housing.
Progress includes hiring an ADU Coordinator, launching an informational webpage, and conducting a widely attended webinar for municipal officials. Upcoming steps involve public comment on draft ADU regulations. For Seasonal Communities, an advisory council is being assembled, and a coordinator will soon be hired to develop tailored tools for these areas. The Office of Fair Housing is in development, with a director position open to oversee planning, enforce fair housing laws, and manage the new Fair Housing Fund.
Public housing reforms under the Act include reducing audit frequency for local housing authorities, codifying tenant protections, and allowing authorities to borrow against state capital funds for larger projects. These efforts streamline operations and enhance housing quality. With multiple initiatives underway, the Affordable Homes Act is making measurable progress toward improving housing availability and affordability statewide.
by iwd Tina | Nov 20, 2024 | Housing News
As of November 20, 2024, over 100 Massachusetts cities and towns have passed zoning districts to comply with the MBTA Communities Law. This innovative law aims to address Massachusetts’ housing shortage by allowing modest types of housing, like duplexes, triple-deckers, and low-rise apartment buildings, near transit. These newly approved multifamily zoning districts will bring us closer to the 200,000 homes that Massachusetts needs by 2030 to stabilize housing prices. Many communities took their commitment to housing one step further by using this new zoning to incorporate affordability as well.
“Communities across Massachusetts are overwhelmingly embracing the MBTA Communities Act. They understand that every municipality has a collective responsibility to ensure we are part of fostering a healthy and vibrant Commonwealth,” said Rachel Heller, Chief Executive Officer of the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA). “Massachusetts needs more homes that families, older adults, and the local workforce can afford, and these MBTA Communities are doing their part by allowing the creation of more of these types of homes.”
For decades, strict local zoning policies limited opportunities for people by preventing the construction of anything other than single-family homes on large lots. With land values skyrocketing, these policies create barriers that leave some people out of the housing market entirely. Through coalition building, broad outreach, and inclusive community engagement, these 100 MBTA Communities have taken meaningful action to address those barriers.
“The MBTA Communities Act is succeeding at the local level because municipal leaders know that more housing is crucial to the future success of the Commonwealth,” said Lily Linke, CHAPA’s MBTA Communities Engagement Senior Manager. “The vast majority of cities and towns are doing their part in allowing the homes that our residents need, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because they recognize that when our neighbors thrive, we all thrive.”
CHAPA’s MBTA Communities technical assistance program has supported 45 of these communities by educating residents about the law, consulting with local planners on community engagement, and supporting local pro-housing coalitions as they worked to pass new zoning. 90% of communities that participated in CHAPA’s program have approved an MBTA Communities District, compared to an 83% passage rate overall.
CHAPA congratulates the planners, advocates, elected officials, consultants, and everyone who helped make this milestone possible. We look forward to continuing our work across Massachusetts to encourage communities to embrace and adopt multi-family zoning.
When we say yes to more housing in our communities, we are closer to the Massachusetts we all want and deserve – where everyone has access to a safe, healthy, and affordable home in the community of their choice.
