by Matt Noyes | May 15, 2025 | Housing News
Next week, the Massachusetts Senate will debate the FY2026 state budget. Among the 1058 amendments filed to the Senate Ways and Means proposal last week were several proposals that would roll back, weaken, or delay Chapter 3A – the MBTA Communities Act.
Massachusetts needs 222,000 homes by 2035 to stabilize our rental and homeownership markets. The MBTA Communities Act, passed by the Legislature in 2020 and signed into law in 2021, directs 177 cities and towns to establish multi-family zoning districts in their municipalities. To date, 131 of these communities have submitted compliance proposals to EOHLC, with many more on track to do so.
The MBTA Communities Act is a success. The multi-family zoning districts established through this law will make it possible to create many of the homes we need for Massachusetts to thrive.
The proposals to undermine this success are misguided and will only serve to set the Commonwealth back in its efforts to address our housing needs. In many cases, these are not new amendments – similar, if not identical, proposals have been made and overwhelmingly rejected during the process of developing the Affordable Homes Act, the FY2025 budget, and in the House during its FY2026 budget debate last month.
CHAPA urges the Senate to reject these amendments. If you are able, please contact your state senator and aske them to oppose these proposals:
#12 – Places New Requirements on Cities and Towns to Report on MBTA Communities Act Impact to EOHLC. This reporting would require an analysis of the impacts of housing construction on local infrastructure and schools – information that is not readily available and would be difficult to produce. If passed, this amendment would place a significant strain on scarce municipal resources without a clear benefit.
#13, #140, & #147 – Adds Unnecessary Appeal Criteria to MBTA Communities Act based on factors that are outside the scope of the law, including the availability of water, sewer, and wastewater treatment. The MBTA Communities Act does not require cities and towns to provide these sorts of infrastructure. If passed, these amendments would only delay and complicate the implementation of the law without providing a benefit to municipalities.
#141 & #296 – Narrows Definition of “MBTA Community” to exempt all communities without a rail, subway, or ferry station within its municipality from compliance with the MBTA Communities Act. If passed, it would significantly limit the number of new homes that could be permitted through the law and ignore the good-faith efforts made by nearly four dozen adjacent communities and small towns to comply with the MBTA Communities Act.
#274 & #834 – Limits the Use of Grant Funding to Encourage Compliance with MBTA Communities Act by allowing communities that choose not to do their part to address the Commonwealth’s housing challenges to avoid consequences established by the law, ignoring the good-faith efforts made by 131 communities in choosing to comply.
#297 – Delays Implementation of the MBTA Communities Act by changing the deadlines for municipal compliance. Massachusetts has faced significant housing challenges for years and cannot afford to wait any longer to address them. Given the acuity of our housing challenges, the 131 communities that have met their compliance deadlines and adopted compliant zoning, the extensive engagement and technical assistance provided to cities and towns, and the length of time needed to create the homes we need, this amendment is not only unnecessary but is harmful.
#298 – Exempts Municipalities from Compliance with MBTA Communities Law without Meeting Requirements based on factors outside of the scope of the law, including compliance with 40B and the granting of water withdrawal permits. The law is not about what is on the land now – it is about what will be allowed to be built in the future. To produce homes that people, our communities, and the Commonwealth need, local zoning needs to allow for it.
#839 – Creates A Single-Municipality Exception from MBTA Communities Law Classifications by altering the MBTA Communities Law for the benefit of one community. In creating this carve-out, the amendment goes against the broad stakeholder engagement and public comment process that informed the Law’s implementation and would be unfair to the 176 other communities subject to the Law.
by Jordan Stocker | May 12, 2025 | Featured News, Housing News
Last week, the Senate Ways and Means Committee released its budget proposal for the upcoming state fiscal year. At a time of fiscal challenges and federal government uncertainty, we are grateful that housing programs were largely protected, and in some cases received increased funding.
Still, there is a great deal of work to do in advance of the full Senate taking up the budget later this month. Senators have offered more than 1,000 amendments that will be considered, including many related to housing.
Below, please find a list of CHAPA priority amendments. Now is the time to contact your state senator and ask them to cosponsor and support these proposals that will help make it possible for Massachusetts to create the homes we need to thrive
#150 – Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) (Sen. Lovely)
Increases funding to $270 million for approximately 800 new vouchers and sets the administrative fee at $55 per month to reflect current policy.
#457 – MRVP Sustainability (Sen. Collins)
Sets the administrative fee for MRVP at $55 per month to reflect current policy.
#848 – Housing Assistance for Re-Entry Transition (Sen. Gomez)
Increases funding to $4.12 million for housing assistance for individuals exiting incarceration, which will provide approximately 250 vouchers.
#130 – Department of Mental Health (DMH) Rental Subsidy Program (Sen. Eldridge)
Increases the allocation to $21.548 million to fund 300 new vouchers for housing people experiencing homelessness and disabling mental health conditions.
#557 – Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) (Sen. Gomez)
Improves RAFT by eliminating the requirement for a notice to quit or utility shutoff to access benefits to allow for more upstream access to benefits.
#90 – HomeBASE (Sen. Jehlen)
Increases funding for HomeBASE to $64.8 million, improves upstream access to benefits, and increases the grant limit per family to $50,000 for the first two years and $25,000 subsequently.
#19 – Saving Toward Affordable and Sustainable Homeownership (STASH) (Sen. Miranda)
Provides $1.5 million for STASH to support more than 70 first-generation homebuyers through matched savings.
#171 – Maintaining Fair Housing (Sen. Edwards)
Supports fair housing in Massachusetts by directing $2 million for the operation of the Office of Fair Housing, $1 million for the Fair Housing Trust, and $2 million for organizations participating in fair housing activities.
#10 and #218 – Fair Housing Centers (Sens. Eldridge and Montigny)
Provides $200,000 for the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center and $75,000 for the South Coast Fair Housing Center to support the vital work of addressing housing discrimination.
Program Administrative Line
#20 – EOHLC Administration (Sen. Cyr)
The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) distributes funding to municipalities, oversees the state-aided public housing portfolio, provides funding for affordable housing production and preservation, and operates the state’s Emergency Assistance family shelter program. EOHLC is responsible for implementing dozens of new housing policies approved by the Legislature through the Affordable Homes Act. This amendment adds $6.6 million to EOHLC’s administrative line for sufficient staffing to carry out their responsibilities so that Massachusetts is affordable for people across income levels.
#428 – Housing Consumer Education Centers (HCECs) (Sen. Gomez)
Restores proposed cuts to HCECs with funding of $8.974 million to provide critical support for people experiencing a range of housing challenges.
#50 – Healthy Homes Program (Sen. Keenan)
Provides $5 million to address issues such as mold, lead, and asbestos to keep people in their homes and improve the quality of aged housing stock.
#105 – Tenancy Preservation Program (TPP) (Sen. R. Kennedy)
Provides $42,755 to support TPP and to preserve the line item.
#15 – First-Time Homebuyer and Foreclosure Prevention (Sen. Eldridge)
Restores funding to $3.05 million to support homebuyer education and support to keep people in their homes when experiencing housing challenges.
Homelessness and Supportive Housing
#222 – Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (Sen. Miranda)
Increases funding to $12 million for housing and services for youth experiencing homelessness.
Preservation and Development
#89 – Small Properties Acquisition Fund (SPAF) (Sen. Jehlen)
Appropriates $1 million to the SPAF to purchase and rehabilitate existing 1-8 unit affordable housing and to keep it affordable.
#249 – Unlocking Housing Production (Sen. Cyr)
Provides funding to support increased building inspection capacity for modular development, establishes an Office of State Planning to better inform statewide and municipal development, and directs EOHLC to study the efficacy of a housing construction sales tax exemption program and a local option property tax exemption for new affordable housing developments.
by Jordan Stocker | May 7, 2025 | Housing News
Today, the Senate Ways and Means Committee released its Fiscal Year 2026 (FY2026) budget proposal. Amid ongoing uncertainty around federal funding, the budget includes funding increases for some housing programs, while others remain level-funded at FY25 levels or received less than proposals in the House budget.
The Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program received a significant increase, surpassing the funding levels proposed by both the Governor and the House. Public Housing Operating Subsidies also saw a modest increase. However, several programs received less support than in the House budget. The Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) was funded below the House proposal, while Sponsor-Based Permanent Supportive Housing was funded below the increase proposed by the House.Housing Consumer Education Centers and Public Housing Reform were also funded at lower levels than the House. The Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP), HomeBASE, and Unaccompanied Homeless Youth programs were level-funded at their FY2025 amounts.
Senators have until Friday afternoon to file amendments, with the full Senate debate set to begin the week of May 12.
An updated tracking grid of CHAPA’s Senate budget priorities is available here ,
by Matt Noyes | May 5, 2025 | Housing News
CHAPA Submits Comments to HUD on Termination of AFFH Rule
On Friday, May 2, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) closed the public comment period on the termination of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule. AFFH is intended to combat discrimination and take meaningful actions that overcome patters of segregation and foster inclusive communities.
CHAPA was deeply disappointed with Secretary Scott Turner’s announcement earlier this year of the Administration’s intent to rescind the AFFH rule, thereby eliminating an important tool to increase fair housing choice for persons of all protected class groups. CHAPA submitted a letter, cosigned by nearly three dozen organizations, urging preservation of the rule.
Fair housing is, and will continue to be, a top priority of and a key element in all of CHAPA’s work. We are proud of the coalition of organizations that came together on this letter and we look forward to continuing to find opportunities to advance fair housing in Massachusetts and beyond.
by Jordan Stocker | May 1, 2025 | Featured News, Housing News
On Wednesday, the Massachusetts House of Representatives voted to approve a $61.5 billion state budget for fiscal year 2026, capping off two and a half days of debate and the adoption of seven consolidated amendment packages. The final vote was 151 to 6, with the budget now heading to the Senate for consideration.
This year saw a near-record number of amendments filed, with more than 1,600 submitted, reflecting strong interest in shaping the budget across many issue areas, including housing. To manage the volume, House leadership grouped amendments by topic into consolidated packages, which are developed internally and voted on as a single block. Housing amendments were included in Consolidated Amendment C, alongside public safety and judiciary items.
The final budget includes several positive housing developments. Just over $1.5 million was added to housing line items through the amendment process, primarily in the form of local earmarks. Highlights include $200,000 in increased funding for Saving Toward Affordable Sustainable Homeownership (STASH) and a $500,000 earmark for the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance (MHSA) to support permanent supportive housing. Harmful amendments that would have weakened or repealed key housing and zoning tools such as the MBTA Communities Act and Chapter 40B were also defeated, preserving critical pathways to build and preserve affordable homes.
At the same time, several high-priority housing proposals were not included at this stage. Amendments to increase funding for crucial programs such as MRVP, AHVP, HCEC, and the Fair Housing Trust Fund had strong support but were left out of the final package.
As the budget moves to the Senate, advocates are calling on lawmakers to take the next opportunity to invest in the tools we know work, including rental assistance, fair housing enforcement, and community-based supports.
The full Consolidated Amendment C can be viewed here.
by Matt Noyes | Apr 28, 2025 | Housing News
Massachusetts needs 222,000 new homes by 2035 and we need every tool available to reach that goal. Unfortunately, there are several proposed amendments to the FY2026 House budget that would hold us back if adopted.
Please call your state representative and urge them to oppose these amendments when they are considered by the House this week:
#311 – Eliminates State Enforcement of MBTA Communities Act by removing the authority of the Attorney General to enforce the MBTA Communities Act. This change would have profound implications not only for the future of this law, but for the Constitutional authority of the Office of the Attorney General.
#572 – Allows Towns to Claim Compliance Without Meeting Requirements and demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the MBTA Communities Act. The law is not about what is on the land now – it is about what will be allowed to be built in the future. To produce homes that people, our communities, and the Commonwealth need, local zoning needs to allow for it.
#585 – Exempts Municipalities by Narrowing “MBTA Community” Definition, significantly limiting the number of new homes that could be permitted through the law and ignores the good-faith efforts made by nearly four dozen adjacent communities and small towns to comply with the MBTA Communities Act.
#606 – Limits The Use of Grant Funding to Encourage Compliance, letting communities that choose not to do their part to address the Commonwealth’s housing challenges off the hook from the consequences established by the law.
#1196 – Repeals Chapter 40B, the Commonwealth’s most effective tool to create affordable housing. Over the past 50 years, Chapter 40B has been responsible for creating nearly 70,000 homes across the Commonwealth. Losing this tool would make it exceedingly difficult to build homes that low and moderate income households can afford.
#1643 – Calls for the SJC to determine if Chapter 40B is constitutional, which ignores the history of previous rulings on the law. The SJC has heard many cases related to Chapter 40B and has consistently chosen not to determine the statute to be unconstitutional.
