by iwd Tina | Jun 6, 2024 | Housing News
Late on Wednesday evening, the House of Representatives passed the 2023 Housing Bond Bill by a vote of 145-13. During a debate that started at 1pm, representatives considered more than 300 amendments to the legislation and made significant improvements to what is now a $6.2 billion housing proposal.
Among the changes to the bill include:
Representatives also rejected a number of amendments that would have undermined or weakened the MBTA Communities Act, Chapter 40B, and allowing Accessory Dwelling Units by right.
CHAPA applauds the work of Speaker Marino, Chair Arciero, and Chair Michlewitz, as well as their staffs, on this important legislation.
On the path to eventual enactment, the Senate is now on tap to take up the bill. Stay tuned for more opportunities to advocate for this legsilation!
by iwd Tina | Jun 5, 2024 | Housing News
Happy House Bond Bill Day to everyone!
Today is the day! The House of Representatives is scheduled to convene today at 11, with debate and roll call votes on the Ways and Means Committee’s draft of the Housing Bond Bill to begin at 1. As a final reminder, all are invited to join us at 12:30 in front of the State House on Beacon Street across from Boston Common at 12:30 for collective advocacy on the legislation.
Even if you are not able to make it in person today, please take a minute to contact your state representative and urge them to support CHAPA’s priority amendments, which will strengthen the bill and better position Massachusetts to address our housing needs. Additionally, please ask them to protect our existing housing laws and to oppose any attempts to weaken, delay, or undermine the MBTA Communities Act or Chapter 40B.
Very exciting day on tap for today with lots of opportunities to get something great done!
by iwd Tina | Jun 4, 2024 | Housing News
One more day until the full House consideration of the Housing Bond Bill and one day until CHAPA’s advocacy action at the State House! (Not to mention one day until CHAPA’s Annual Celebration …)
Yesterday, representatives filed more than 370 amendments to the Housing Bond Bill. In keeping with CHAPA’s 4 policy priority areas (People, Production, Planning, and Preservation), we have identified a list of priority proposals. Please call your state representative today and ask them to cosponsor and support these amendments!
People
#70 – Office of Fair Housing (Rep. Tyler)
Allocates $5 million for the operation of the Office of Fair Housing at EOHLC.
#164 – Saving Toward Affordable and Sustainable Homeownership (STASH) Program (Rep. Worrell)
Directs $5 million for the STASH Program to support first-generation homebuyers.
#174 – Foreclosure Prevention Program (Rep. Barber)
Establishes a statewide mediation program to prevent foreclosures.
#193 – Extremely Low Income Housing Commission (Rep. Higgins)
Establishes a special commission to make recommendations on expanding housing opportunities and access for households with Extremely Low Incomes.
#203 – Senior Housing Commission (Rep. Stanley)
Establishes a special commission to make recommendations on affordable and healthy senior housing.
#298 – Social Housing (Rep. Connolly)
Defines the purpose and structure of the Social Housing Pilot Program.
#302 – Commission on Accessible Housing for Persons with Disabilities (Rep. Consalvo)
Establishes a special commission to study and make recommendations on accessibility in housing for persons with disabilities.
#303 – AHVP Update (Rep. Consalvo)
Updates the Alternative Housing Voucher Program to create accessible and affordable homes.
Production
#4 – Supportive Housing Pool Program and Fund (Rep. Meschino)
Bundles funding for capital, operating, and supportive services to help meet complex housing and health needs of people experiencing homelessness.
#165 – Local Option Transfer Fee (Rep. LeBoeuf)
Gives municipalities the opportunity to choose to levy a fee on real estate transactions above a defined threshold and to use the proceeds to fund the local creation of affordable housing.
#211 – CommonWealth Builder Program (Rep. Moran)
Increases bond authorization for the CommonWealth Program to $300 million.
#272 – CommonWealth Builder Program (Rep. Gonzalez)
Defines the geographic catchment areas for the CommonWealth Builder Program to Gateway Cities and Boston to spur the construction of homeownership opportunities, particularly in communities of color.
Planning
#42 – MBTA Communities Act Modification (Rep. Garry)
Expands the MBTA Communities Act to all 351 municipalities to facilitate the development of multifamily housing.
#321 – Inclusionary Zoning (Rep. Vargas)
Establishes the threshold for municipalities to approve inclusionary zoning as a simple majority.
Preservation
#5 – Historic Rehab Tax Credit (Rep. Honan)
Increases the cap for the Historic Rehab Tax Credit to $110 million through the year 2030 and increases the amount of the tax credit to be allocated to affordable housing to at least 50%.
#318 – Small Properties Acquisition Fund (Rep. Uyterhoeven)
Establishes a fund to acquire properties of 1-8 units for the creation of affordable housing and allocates $25 million to the fund.
by iwd Tina | Jun 3, 2024 | Housing News
(Don’t forget to register for CHAPA’s Housing Bond Bill Advocacy Action on Wednesday at 12:30pm!)
On Monday morning, the wait for the Legislature’s response to the Governor’s Affordable Homes Act came to an end. The House Ways and Means Committee released their version of the 2023 Housing Bond Bill.
The bill is a very good one for addressing the housing challenges facing Massachusetts. While the Governor’s proposal was a historic one in the scope of investment in housing, the House committee went even further. In addition to matching the Affordable Homes Act’s bond authorizations in a number of programs, the House Ways and Means Committee proposed even greater funding levels in Public Housing, Community Planning Grants, and in the Momentum Fund. Additionally, this most recent proposal puts forth new investments in commercial property conversions, transitioning state-owned buildings, veteran’s housing, MWRA infrastructure, and in the Healthy Homes Initiative.
Here is a full comparison of funding authorization levels:
| Line Item # |
Program |
Affordable Homes Act |
HWM Bond Bill |
| 1599-3032 |
MWRA Infrastructure |
|
$1,000,000,000 |
| 3000-0411 |
Early Education & Out of School Time |
$50,000,000 |
$50,000,000 |
| 7004-0069 |
Home Modification Loan Program |
$60,000,000 |
$60,000,000 |
| 7004-0070 |
Facilities Consolidation Fund |
$70,000,000 |
$70,000,000 |
| 7004-0071 |
Community Based Housing |
$55,000,000 |
$55,000,000 |
| 7004-0072 |
Affordable Housing Trust Fund |
$800,000,000 |
$800,000,000 |
| 7004-0073 |
Housing Stabilization Fund |
$425,000,000 |
$425,000,000 |
| 7004-0074 |
Public Housing |
$1,500,000,000 |
$2,000,000,000 |
| 7004-0075 |
Public Housing Demonstration |
$100,000,000 |
$200,000,000 |
| 7004-0076 |
Housing Innovations Fund |
$200,000,000 |
$200,000,000 |
| 7004-0077 |
Housing Choice Local Community Planning Grants |
$35,000,000 |
$50,000,000 |
| 7004-0078 |
Green Housing Initiative |
$275,000,000 |
$275,000,000 |
| 7004-0079 |
Smart Growth |
$20,000,000 |
$20,000,000 |
| 7004-0080 |
Middle Income Housing |
$100,000,000 |
$100,000,000 |
| 7004-0081 |
CommonWealth Builder |
$100,000,000 |
$100,000,000 |
| 7004-0082 |
HousingWorks Community Planning Grants |
$25,000,000 |
$25,000,000 |
| 7004-0083 |
Housing Choice Infrastructure |
$175,000,000 |
$175,000,000 |
| 7004-0085 |
Neighborhood Stabilization |
$50,000,000 |
$50,000,000 |
| 7004-0092 |
Commercial Property Conversion |
|
$50,000,000 |
| 7004-0093 |
Healthy Homes |
|
$50,000,000 |
| 7004-0094 |
Veterans Housing |
|
$20,000,000 |
| 7004-0095 |
Transitioning State-Owned Buildings |
|
$50,000,000 |
| 7004-4784 |
Momentum Fund |
$50,000,000 |
$250,000,000 |
Additionally, the House Ways and Means Committee kept in many of Governor Healey’s policy proposals, including those dealing with Accessory Dwelling Units, an Office of Fair Housing, Social Housing, and the homeownership tax credit. Unfortunately, some of the policy initiatives did not make it into the House Ways and Means legislation. Among the most prominent omissions were the Local Option Transfer Fee and the commissions proposed by the Governor on senior housing and extremely low income housing.
In the hours following the release of the new legislation, members of the House filed more than 370 amendments, including many supported by CHAPA. (Check Housing News tomorrow for an analysis of the amendments.)
There is a short calm before the kickoff of the debate on the bill, which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday afternoon. As a reminder, CHAPA is inviting you to gather in front of the State House on Beacon Street on Wednesday at 12:30pm. We will then all go into the building and advocate for our priorities. It is vitally important that Legislators hear from all of us about the importance of housing and the ways that this bill will help move us toward building and preserving the homes we need.
A registration form for Wednesday’s advocacy action is now available – please fill it out and share with your networks!
by iwd Tina | May 31, 2024 | Housing News
As if next week wasn’t going to be exciting enough with the CHAPA Annual Celebration on Wednesday, it got taken up a notch when House leadership announced that the Housing Bond Bill will be on the floor the same day.
As you may remember, Governor Healey announced her Affordable Homes Act back in October. That bill includes $4.1 billion in bond authorization to support housing creation as well as more than 20 policy housing provisions. The housing community has been anticipating what will happen next week for months now, and the Legislature’s timing gives us a unique opportunity.
With so many housing friends planning to be in Boston on Wednesday for the Annual Celebration already, CHAPA is inviting everyone to come to the city a little early that day and to help the House pass the best bond bill possible.
Please join us at 12:30pm on Wednesday, June 5 outside the State House on Beacon Street when we will all go into the building for an informal and impromptu advocacy push. The House is expected to begin debate on the bill starting at 1pm. We will provide a list of priority amendments and talking points to support your advocacy on the bill.
We anticipate that the House Ways and Means Committee will release its Housing Bond Bill proposal on Monday, June 3. Representatives will have a short window of time to file amendments. Once the bill comes out, it will be a fast sprint to analyze it, file amendments, and advocate. It is going to be a fun week!
In advance of seeing the actual bill text, CHAPA has four guiding principles for the legislation:
- Support the highest bond authorization levels possible.
- Keep bond authorization line items free from earmarks.
- Include policy proposals to address housing needs.
- Protect existing housing laws and oppose attempts to weaken 40B or the MBTA Communities Act.
Things are moving fast! More Action Alerts and Housing News posts will be coming over the next several days!
by iwd Tina | May 30, 2024 | Housing News
CHAPA is now seeking applicants for the MBTA Communities Manager and Senior Policy Associate roles. Review the job descriptions and how to apply on CHAPA’s Jobs Board.
