Conference Committee Releases FY27 Budget: Housing Analysis

by Jordan Stocker | Jul 1, 2026 | Housing News

The State House and Senate Conference Committee released its FY2027 budget, H.5555, this week, with a total appropriation of approximately $63.4 billion. Below is a summary of where the final conference budget lands on CHAPA’s priority housing items, compared to the FY2026 final budget.

Thank you to everyone who reached out to their legislators and engaged in advocacy throughout the budget process.

A full side-by-side of funding figures is available in CHAPA’s updated FY2027 Budget Tracker.

What’s Next

With the conference committee’s budget released, the House and Senate take final votes on the conference report, after which it moves to the Governor. The Governor then has 10 days to act on it, and may sign the budget, veto or reduce individual line items, veto outside sections, or return items with recommended amendments. The Legislature may then vote to override any vetoes.

CHAPA respectfully urges the Governor to approve the budget as passed, preserving the key housing priorities it contains.

Rental Assistance

MRVP (7004-9024)

• FY2027 Conference: $278,341,728 |  FY2026: $253,311,840
• The conference budget funds MRVP approximately $25 million above FY26. Provides funding for current mobile vouchers and approximately 350 project-based vouchers in the development pipeline.

AHVP (7004-9030)

• FY2027 Conference: $19,263,183 |  FY2026: $19,461,214
• Approximately $198,000 below FY26; this funding supports the vouchers already in use.

Housing Assistance for Re-Entry Transition (7004-9034)

• FY2027 Conference: $3,320,000 |  FY2026: $3,120,000
• Approximately $200,000 above FY26.

DMH Rental Subsidy (7004-9033)

• FY2027 Conference: $17,548,125 |  FY2026: $16,548,125
• Approximately $1 million above FY26.

Homelessness and Supportive Housing

HomeBASE (7004-0108)

• FY2027 Conference: $82,322,001 |  FY2026: $57,322,001
• Approximately $25 million above FY26. HomeBASE’s quarterly reports must also cover EOHLC’s efforts to work with the Office for Refugees and Immigrants and resettlement agencies.

Home & Healthy for Good (7004-0104)

• FY2027 Conference: $8,890,000 |  FY2026: $8,890,000
• Level-funded with FY26.

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (4000-0007)

• FY2027 Conference: $10,539,590 |  FY2026: $10,645,850
• Approximately $106,000 below FY26.

Sponsor-Based Permanent Supportive Housing (7004-0105)

• FY2027 Conference: $10,572,875 |  FY2026: $10,072,875
• Approximately $500,000 above FY26. Allows at least $2.1 million to be spent to keep running the low-barrier “sponsor-based” leasing model, where a nonprofit holds the lease and rents to tenants, that was previously funded through the pay-for-success projects.

New Lease for Homeless Families (7004-0106)

• FY2027 Conference: $250,000 |  FY2026: $250,000
• Level-funded with FY26.

Public Housing

Public Housing Operating (7004-9005)

• FY2027 Conference: $117,840,000 |  FY2026: $115,600,000
• Approximately $2.2 million above FY26.

Public Housing Reform (7004-9007)

• FY2027 Conference: $1,243,831 |  FY2026: $1,250,000
• Approximately $6,000 below FY26.

Housing Stability and Homeownership

RAFT (7004-9316)

• FY2027 Conference: $209,000,000 |  FY2026: $207,477,715
• Approximately $1.5 million above FY26.

Housing Consumer Education Centers (7004-3036)

• FY2027 Conference: $5,700,000 |  FY2026: $5,850,000
• Approximately $150,000 below FY26.

First-Time Homebuyer and Foreclosure Counseling (7006-0011)

• FY2027 Conference: $1,500,000 |  FY2026: $1,500,000
• Level-funded with FY26.

MassAccess Registry (4120-4001)

• FY2027 Conference: $150,000 |  FY2026: $150,000
• Level-funded with FY26.

STASH (7004-0107)

• FY2027 Conference: $500,000 |  FY2026: $500,000
• Level-funded with FY26.

Access to Counsel (0321-1800)

• FY2027 Conference: $3,000,000 |  FY2026: $2,500,000
• Approximately $500,000 above FY26. The program provides free legal representation to low-income tenants and owner-occupants facing eviction.

Administrative Capacity

EOHLC Administration (7004-0099)

• FY2027 Conference: $22,400,301 |  FY2026: $16,017,804
• Approximately $6.4 million above FY26. Includes $175,000 to help towns carry out the new “seasonal community” designation.

Housing Production and Zoning (Outside Sections)

The conference budget includes a set of zoning changes, outside sections that started in the Senate, meant to make it easier to build housing. They amend Chapter 40A, the state zoning law:

• Electronic notice (Sections 40, 41, 48, and 49): lets cities and towns send notices of zoning hearings by email, not only by mail.
• Earlier protection for projects (Section 42): locks in the zoning rules that apply to a project when the developer applies for a permit, rather than when the permit is issued, so a project is not derailed by rule changes during the wait.
• Improvements on nonconforming lots (Section 43): lets owners of lots that do not meet current size, shape, frontage, lot-coverage, or floor-area-ratio rules extend or alter their buildings as of right, without needing a finding from the special permit granting authority, as long as the work meets today’s height, story, and setback rules.
• Protection for nonconforming structures (Section 44): extends existing protections for nonconforming uses so they also cover nonconforming structures.
• More time to build (Section 45): protects a project from later zoning changes if construction starts within 24 months of getting its permit (up from 12 months), and pauses that clock while the developer is still obtaining other required permits.
• Broader residential exemption (Section 46): widens an existing exemption so it applies to more kinds of residential use, not just single- and two-family homes.
• Easier variances (Section 47): replaces the hard-to-meet “substantial hardship” standard for a variance with a “practical difficulty” test that weighs the public interest in producing housing, and gives an approved variance two years (up from one) before it expires.

Streamlined Disposition of Public Housing (Outside Section 75)

Section 75 amends Chapter 121B to remove the rule that public housing property must sit unused for at least two years before a housing authority may dispose of or redevelop it, allowing vacant public-housing sites to be put back into use more quickly.

Tenant Protections (Outside Sections 84 and 85)

Two laws enacted in 2025 pause certain evictions and foreclosures during a federal government shutdown for tenants and homeowners who are “impacted federal workers,” meaning Massachusetts residents furloughed or required to work without pay because of the shutdown, including members of the military and National Guard. One is the summary-process (eviction) law, Chapter 239, Section 17; the other is the foreclosure law, Chapter 244, Section 42. Each defines a “federal government shutdown” as a period in which non-essential federal functions cease. Sections 84 and 85 change that definition from “all” non-essential functions ceasing to “any,” so the protections apply during a partial shutdown, not only a complete one.

FY2027 Senate Budget Debate Housing Recap: Conference Committee Next

by Jordan Stocker | May 28, 2026 | Housing News

The Senate wrapped up work on its FY2027 budget late last week, adopting $70.5 million in additional spending over three days of deliberations, including various housing amendments, bringing the total to $63.4 billion. The House passed $63.4 billion with approximately $50 million more in spending.

Thank you to everyone who reached out to their Senators and engaged in outreach throughout the week. Below is an overview of where CHAPA’s priority items stand following the Senate budget.

A full side-by-side of funding figures is available in CHAPA’s updated FY2027 Budget Tracker.

What’s Next

The focus now shifts to conference, where negotiators from the House and Senate will work to resolve differences between the two budgets. CHAPA will be advocating for the highest funding levels passed by either chamber for each priority line item.

CHAPA will share specific updates as the conference process moves forward. To stay engaged in the budget-advocacy process, please join us for the next Building Blocks Coalition meeting on June 3rd. Please register here.

NOTE: MBTA Communities Act

• The Senate defeated all three amendments that sought to weaken or delay the MBTA Communities Act (#5, #39, #191, and #298).
• These amendments would have added burdensome municipal reporting requirements, delayed compliance deadlines, or exempted municipalities based on factors outside the scope of the law.
• With 167 communities having adopted compliant zoning, the Senate vote reflects the progress the law has made and keeps it moving forward.

Amendments Adopted During Debate

Re-Entry Voucher Program (7004-9034)

• The Senate budget included $3,120,000, matching FY2026 and $80,000 below the House. CHAPA is requesting $3,620,000.
• A floor amendment raises this line to $3,620,000, matching CHAPA’s full request and $420,000 above the House.

Sponsor-Based Permanent Supportive Housing (7004-0105)

• The Senate budget included $10,072,875, matching the House and FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $12,072,875.
• A floor amendment adds $500,000, bringing the line to $10,572,875 – $500,000 above both the House and FY2026.

Housing Consumer Education Centers (7004-3036)

• The Senate budget included $5,200,000, matching the House but $650,000 below FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $8,974,000.
• A floor amendment adds $500,000, bringing the line to $5,700,000 – $500,000 above the House, though still $150,000 below FY2026.

KEY ITEMS HEADING INTO CONFERENCE

MRVP (7004-9024)

• Senate: $278,341,728 | House: $281,341,728 | FY2026: $253,311,840 | CHAPA request: $300,000,000
• CHAPA will advocate for the House amount in conference.

RAFT (7004-9316)

• Senate: $201,205,991 | House: $210,060,000 | FY2026: $207,477,715 | CHAPA request: $300,000,000
• CHAPA will advocate for the House amount in conference.

HomeBASE (7004-0108)

• Senate: $82,322,001 | House: $82,322,001 | FY2026: $57,322,001 | CHAPA request: $125,000,000
• Both chambers match on funding and both include 90-day advance-notice language requiring EOHLC to report to the Legislature before reducing benefits or eligibility. CHAPA will advocate for maintaining this funding level in conference and for adopting the Senate’s stronger policy language, which includes:
  • No 12-month cap on the income-increase grace period (the House limits it to 12 months).
  • $2,500,000 floor to keep available for families whose housing crisis requires more than the standard $30,000 cap (the House converted this to a cap of “not more than” $2,500,000).
  • Domestic violence shelter eligibility, explicitly making families in DV shelters eligible for assistance (not in the House version).
• Note: The House includes stronger quarterly reporting requirements, with data on shelter exits, families diverted from emergency shelters, and collaboration with the Office for Refugees and Immigrants and resettlement agencies. CHAPA will advocate for retaining these reporting requirements in the final budget

DMH Rental Subsidy (7004-9033)

• Senate: $16,548,125 | House: $20,000,000 | FY2026: $16,548,125 | CHAPA request: $23,548,125
• CHAPA will advocate for the House amount in conference.

AHVP (7004-9030)

• Senate: $19,263,183 | House: $19,263,183 | FY2026: $19,461,214 | CHAPA request: $30,000,000
• Both chambers match on funding. CHAPA will advocate for maintaining this level in conference and for the Senate’s stronger policy language, which preserves EOHLC’s flexibility to implement a payment standard or utility allowance that could reduce tenant payments below the 25% floor – a notable protection for AHVP households on fixed incomes. The House makes the 25% household payment floor unconditional.

Re-Entry Voucher Program (7004-9034)

• Senate (as amended): $3,620,000 | House: $3,200,000 | FY2026: $3,120,000 | CHAPA request: $3,620,000
• A floor amendment raises this line to $3,620,000, matching CHAPA’s full request and $420,000 above the House. CHAPA will advocate for the Senate amount in conference.

Public Housing Operating (7004-9005)

• Senate: $117,810,000 | House: $117,840,000 | FY2026: $115,600,000 | CHAPA request: $132,900,000
• CHAPA will advocate for the House amount in conference.

Public Housing Reform (7004-9007)

• Senate: $1,269,215 | House: $1,243,831 | FY2026: $1,250,000 | CHAPA request: $1,600,000
• CHAPA will advocate for the Senate amount in conference.

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (4000-0007)

• Senate: $10,439,590 | House: $10,539,590 | FY2026: $10,645,850 | CHAPA request: $15,000,000
• CHAPA will advocate for the House amount in conference.

Sponsor-Based Permanent Supportive Housing (7004-0105)

• Senate (as amended): $10,572,875 | House: $10,072,875 | FY2026: $10,072,875 | CHAPA request: $12,072,875
• CHAPA will advocate for the Senate amount in conference.

Housing Consumer Education Centers (7004-3036)

• Senate (as amended): $5,700,000 | House: $5,200,000 | FY2026: $5,850,000 | CHAPA request: $8,974,000
• CHAPA will advocate for the Senate amount in conference.

First-Time Homebuyer and Foreclosure Counseling (7006-0011)

• Senate: $1,500,000 | House: $3,000,000 | FY2026: $1,500,000 | CHAPA request: $3,050,000
• CHAPA will advocate for the House amount in conference.

Access to Counsel (0321-1800)

• Senate: unknown | House: $3,000,000 | FY2026: $2,500,000 | CHAPA request: $4,000,000
• This item does not appear in the Senate budget sections available for this analysis. CHAPA will advocate for at minimum the House amount in conference.

STASH (7004-0107)

• Senate: $2,670,000 (no directed STASH funding) | House: $1,065,000 (incl. $500,000 for STASH) | FY2026: $3,999,000 | CHAPA request: $1,000,000 for STASH
• The Senate budget did not include a dedicated earmark for STASH. CHAPA will advocate for the $500,000 STASH earmark included in the House budget in conference.

EOHLC Administration (7004-0099)

• Senate: $22,160,301 | House: $22,025,301 | FY2026: $16,017,804 | CHAPA request: $22,000,000
• CHAPA will advocate for the Senate amount in conference.
• CHAPA will advocate for the Senate amount in conference, which preserves the $200,000 earmark for the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center and the $75,000 earmark for SouthCoast Fair Housing.

HOUSING PRODUCTION, ZONING, AND PUBLIC HOUSING (OUTSIDE SECTIONS)

In addition to line-item appropriations, the Senate budget includes outside sections that would make meaningful changes to Massachusetts zoning law to support housing production. The House final budget did not include these provisions, making them a key point of negotiation in conference. CHAPA will advocate for the inclusion of the Senate language on these outside sections in the final conference budget.

• Section 28 – Vested Rights and Permit Protections: Vests zoning ordinances at the time of building permit application rather than at issuance, giving developers more certainty and reducing financial risk during administrative delay.
• Section 29 – As-of-Right Extensions for Nonconforming Lots: Allows extension or alteration of structures on lots with pre-existing nonconformities (size, shape, frontage, or coverage) as of right, so long as the work meets current dimensional regulations on height, stories, and setback.
• Section 30 – Nonconforming Structure Protections: Amends Chapter 40A to protect nonconforming structures from zoning changes.
• Section 31 – Bylaw Vesting During Construction: Vests bylaws so the rules don’t change mid-project. If construction starts within 24 months (up from 12) and finishes as quickly as reasonably possible, the project is not subject to subsequent bylaw amendments. Also extends the nonconforming-use abandonment period from 2 years to 4 years.
• Section 32 – Expanded Residential Use Exemption: Extends the existing exemption and five-year grandfather period beyond single and two-family residential uses to other kinds of residential uses.
• Section 33 – Variance Standard Reform: Replaces the current “substantial hardship” standard with a “practical difficulty” balancing test that explicitly requires boards to consider the public interest in housing production. The variance lapse period is also extended from one year to two years, excluding time spent in appeals.
• Section 55 – Public Housing Disposition: Removes the requirement that public housing property be unused for at least two years before a housing authority may dispose of or redevelop it, helping bring vacant public housing sites back into use more quickly.

CHAPA will advocate for the inclusion of the Senate language on these outside sections in the final conference budget.

Senate Ways and Means Releases FY27 Budget: Housing Item Analysis

by Jordan Stocker | May 6, 2026 | Housing News

The Senate Ways & Means Committee released its FY2027 budget proposal yesterday. The $63.3 billion budget represents approximately a 3.6% increase over FY2026. Below is an overview of where CHAPA’s priority items stand following the Senate Ways & Means budget release, including comparisons to FY2026 funding levels and key policy changes key policy changes compared to the final House budget.

A full side-by-side of funding figures is available in CHAPA’s updated FY2027 Budget Tracker.

Rental Assistance

MRVP (7004-9024)

• Senate Ways & Means funds MRVP at $278,341,728, compared to $281,341,728 in the final House budget, and $25,029,888 above the FY2026 conference budget of $253,311,840. CHAPA is requesting $300 million.
• Both the House and Senate Ways & Means maintain the “not less than 75%” voucher targeting floor for households at or below 30% AMI and the “initial occupancy” income measurement standard. This protection is preserved heading into conference.
• The House had changed the required household payment from a fixed 30% to “not more than 30%” of monthly adjusted income, and added a gross rent definition. Senate Ways & Means does not include these changes.
• FY2026 already required mobile voucher households to pay no more than 30% of their income toward rent. The House kept that rule but added a definition of “gross rent” to the clause. Senate Ways & Means keeps the 30% rule but does not include a definition of gross rent.
• FY2026 and the House both limited new rent limit changes to mobile vouchers issued after a specific date, with a hard cap of exactly 110% of fair market rent. Senate Ways & Means removes the date cutoff and applies new limits to all voucher types immediately.

RAFT (7004-9316)

• Senate Ways & Means funds RAFT at $201,205,991, compared to $210,060,000 in the final House budget, and $6,271,724 below FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $300 million.
• Senate Ways & Means does not include a provision that was present in FY2026, the Governor’s budget, and the House final budget: the geographic equity clause requiring funds to be distributed in a manner that prioritizes geographic equity across the state. The $3,000,000 set-aside for elders, persons with disabilities, and unaccompanied youth is present in Senate Ways & Means.
• Note: Policy asks on RAFT eligibility and the benefit cap increase were not included.

HomeBASE (7004-0108)

• Senate Ways & Means funds HomeBASE at $82,322,001, matching the final House budget. 
• The House final budget had converted the extraordinary hardship fund from a floor of “not less than $2,500,000”to a cap of “not more than $2,500,000.” Senate Ways & Means includes the floor language, matching FY2026.
• The House final budget had added a 12-month time limit on the income-increase grace period. Senate Ways & Means does not include that limit and instead maintains the FY2026 protection.
• FY2026 included quarterly reporting requirements covering shelter exits and families diverted from emergency shelters, which the House maintained and supplemented with an additional report on collaboration with refugee and immigrant resettlement agencies. Senate Ways & Means includes quarterly reporting but narrows the scope, dropping the shelter exit and diversion data that were in FY2026 as well as the House’s refugee and immigrant collaboration reporting.

DMH Rental Subsidy (7004-9033)

• Senate Ways & Means funds the DMH Rental Subsidy at $16,548,125, compared to $20,000,000 in the final House budget, and matching FY2026 exactly. CHAPA is requesting $23,548,125.

AHVP (7004-9030)

• Senate Ways & Means funds AHVP at $19,263,183, roughly $198,000 below FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $30 million.
• Senate Ways & Means maintains the cap-free structure from FY2026, as did the House.
• FY2026 and the House protected existing AHVP households from rent limit changes in two ways: new limits only applied to newly issued vouchers (not existing ones), and even then, not until the lease anniversary date. Senate Ways & Means removes the first protection so new limits can now apply to all vouchers immediately, but keeps the anniversary-date protection, meaning a household currently under a lease will not see the change until that lease renews.
• FY2026 included both a damage termination provision and a reporting requirement, both of which the House maintained. Senate Ways & Means also maintains both provisions.
• The House final budget made the 25% household payment floor unconditional. Senate Ways & Means restores flexibility for EOHLC to set payment standards or utility allowances that could reduce tenant payments below that floor, a notable difference for AHVP households on fixed incomes

Re-Entry Voucher Program (7004-9034)

• Senate Ways & Means funds the Re-Entry Voucher Program at $3,120,000, compared to $3,200,000 in the final House budget, and matching FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $3,620,000.
• The House had directed funding to a nonprofit for comprehensive re-entry services. Senate Ways & Means funds a Kinship Reentry Pilot Program administered in coordination with the Department of Correction instead, which was the approach used in FY2026.
• The House had added an early program design report due October 2, 2026. Senate Ways & Means includes a year-end outcomes report due June 30, 2027 in consultation with the Department of Correction, consistent with the kinship pilot model.

Public Housing

Public Housing Operating (7004-9005)

• Senate Ways & Means funds Public Housing Operating at $117,810,000, $2,210,000 above FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $132.9 million.
• Senate Ways & Means includes a governance provision prohibiting housing authority employees from simultaneously holding elected office in the same municipality, matching FY2026.
• The House included a first-preference requirement for MRVP voucher holders age 60 and older for vacant elderly public housing units. Senate Ways & Means does not include it.
• Senate Ways & Means does not include the provision present in FY2026 and the House that prohibited using funds from this item to compensate state employees.

Public Housing Reform (7004-9007)

• Senate Ways & Means funds Public Housing Reform at $1,269,215, $19,215 above FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $1.6 million.

Homelessness and Supportive Housing

Home and Healthy for Good (7004-0104)

• Senate Ways & Means funds this program at $8,890,000, matching FY2026 and CHAPA’s request.
• The House had added a reporting requirement covering number of people served, average cost per participant, prior EOHLC service history, and projected cost savings. Senate Ways & Means includes this report with a due date of February 26, 2027.

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (4000-0007)

• Senate Ways & Means funds this item at $10,439,590, $206,260 below FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $15 million.
• The House included a $100,000 set-aside for direct cash assistance to unaccompanied homeless youth. Senate Ways & Means does not include it.
• FY2026 included a seven-item reporting structure separating prevention and stabilization outcomes, which the House carried forward unchanged. Senate Ways & Means includes reporting due February 12, 2027 with a seven-item structure, but rewords item (iii) from outcomes “after experiencing homelessness” to outcomes “after receiving prevention support.”

Sponsor-Based Permanent Supportive Housing (7004-0105)

• Senate Ways & Means funds this item at $10,072,875, matching the final House budget and FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $12,072,875.
• The House had added a $2,100,000 minimum set-aside to sustain low-threshold sponsor-based leasing previously linked to Social Innovation Financing pay-for-success projects. Senate Ways & Means does not include this provision.

New Lease for Homeless Families (7004-0106)

• Senate Ways & Means funds this item at $250,000, matching the final House budget and FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $400,000.

Housing Stability and Homeownership

Housing Consumer Education Centers (7004-3036)

• Senate Ways & Means funds HCECs at $5,200,000, $650,000 below FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $8,974,000.
• Senate Ways & Means preserves the $200,000 set-aside for the Regional Housing Network of Massachusetts for coordination and information technology, which the House had added.
• Senate Ways & Means does not include the annual reporting requirement or the consolidation study that the House had added.

First-Time Homebuyer and Foreclosure Counseling (7006-0011)

• Senate Ways & Means funds this item at $1,500,000, matching FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $3,050,000.
• The House had doubled this item to $3,000,000 and added a mandatory $1,500,000 grant floor for foreclosure counseling centers. Senate Ways & Means returns to discretionary grant language leaving the amount to the commissioner’s determination.

Access to Counsel (0321-1800)

• FY2026 funded Access to Counsel at $2,500,000. The House increased this item to $3,000,000. CHAPA is requesting $4,000,000.
• This item does not appear in the Senate Ways & Means sections available for this analysis. It may be included in other sections of the Senate budget. Senate treatment is currently unknown.

MassAccess Registry (4120-4001)

• Senate Ways & Means funds this item at $150,000, matching FY2026 and CHAPA’s request.

STASH (7004-0107)

• Senate Ways & Means funds line item 7004-0107 at $100,000 for local housing program administration, but does not include directed funding for STASH. CHAPA is requesting $1,000,000 for STASH. The final House budget included $500,000 for STASH through this broader line item, bringing the line to $1,065,000.

Administrative Capacity

EOHLC Administration (7004-0099)

• Senate Ways & Means funds EOHLC Administration at $21,785,301, $5,767,497 above FY2026. CHAPA is requesting $22,000,000.

Healthy Homes

• Healthy Homes initiative funding was not included in the House final budget or in Senate Ways & Means.

Office of Fair Housing

• New Office of Fair Housing funding was not included in the House final budget or in Senate Ways & Means.

Housing Production and Zoning (Outside Sections)

In addition to line-item appropriations, the Senate Ways & Means budget includes outside sections that could make changes to Massachusetts zoning law. The House final budget did not include these, so these provisions will be important to watch during the conference process.

Electronic Notifications

• Senate Ways & Means allows zoning-related notices to be sent electronically alongside existing mail requirements.

Vested Rights and Permit Protections

• Senate Ways & Means expands protections for housing projects once an application or permit is filed, including allowing certain protections to begin when an application is filed rather than when a permit is issued, extending the building permit protection period from 12 to 24 months, excluding the time needed to pursue other required permits from that 24-month period, and extending the nonconforming use abandonment period from 2 to 4 years. These provisions are included in Senate Ways & Means but not in the House final budget.

As-of-Right Extensions for Nonconforming Lots

• Senate Ways & Means allows structures on lots with pre-existing nonconformities as to size, shape, frontage, or coverage to be extended or altered without a variance or special permit, as long as the work meets current height, story, and setback requirements. This affects a large share of older Massachusetts homes.

Variance Standard Reform

• Senate Ways & Means replaces the existing variance standard. Under current law, a variance requires proof that soil, shape, or topography conditions cause substantial hardship. The Senate replaces this with a “practical difficulty” balancing test that explicitly requires boards to consider the public interest in housing production. The variance lapse period is also extended from one year to two years, excluding time spent in appeals.

Streamlined Disposition of Public Housing

• Senate Ways & Means removes the requirement that public housing property be unused for at least two years before a housing authority may dispose of or redevelop it.

What’s Next

While the Senate Ways & Means Budget maintains important housing investments, more must be done to meet the scale of housing need, especially as costs continue to rise and far too many Massachusetts residents struggle to find a home they can afford. Key housing priorities remain, and the Senate amendment process next week will be an important opportunity to continue advocating for the resources and policies needed to address housing challenges across the Commonwealth.

CHAPA will share specific asks and co-sponsorship opportunities as the Senate process moves forward. To stay engaged in the budget process, please join us for the next Building Blocks Coalition meeting on May 13th at 3 PM. You can register for that meeting here.