by iwd Tina | Apr 23, 2024 | Housing News
Earlier this month, the House Ways and Means Committee released its budget proposal for FY 2025, which begins on July 1, 2024. In the days immediately following that release, representatives submitted 1,495 amendments to that budget. On Wednesday, the House begins its multi-day budget consideration process.
Of those filed, CHAPA has identified ten priority amendments. Please contact your state representative and urge them to support the following:
#26 – Home and Healthy for Good
Sponsored by Rep. Hawkins
Directs $500k to the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance to provide technical assistance and engage in resource development and systems work to advance housing solutions to homelessness.
#563 – Public Housing Operating
Sponsored by Rep. McMurtry
Increases the Public Housing Operating line item by $5 million to $117 million.
#592 – Housing Assistance for People in Reentry
Sponsored by Rep. Gonzalez
Increases funding for the line item by $4.2 million to $9 million.
#613 – Saving Towards Affordable & Sustainable Homeownership Program (STASH)
Sponsored by Rep. Worrell
Provides $750k to support first-time homeownership through the STASH Program.
#667 – Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP)
Sponsored by Rep. Consalvo
Increases funding for AHVP by $500k to $16,855,696, restoring the funding to the FY24 amount.
#737 – HomeBASE
Sponsored by Rep. Barber
Adjusts guidelines for HomeBASE to make short-term housing transition benefits available for 12-month renewable allotments to re-housed families, allows for renewals for eligible families beyond 3 years if necessary, eases certain current spending limitations to keep families housed, and continues the prior appropriation.
#790 – Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT)
Sponsored by Rep. Decker
Adjusts RAFT guidelines by making additional funds available to administrating agencies to resolve housing crises, and eliminates the need for a utility shut-off notice, a notice to quit, or a summary process summons and complaint to access RAFT.
#1101 – Housing Consumer Education Centers (HCECs)
Sponsored by Rep. Garballey
Increases funding for HCECs by $1.7 million to $10,474,000, restoring the funding to the FY24 amount.
#1461 – Office of Fair Housing
Sponsored by Rep. D. Rogers
Earmarks $1.5 million for the operation of an Office of Fair Housing by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, bringing the line item to $16,856,798.
#1479 – Access to Counsel
Sponsored by Rep. D. Rogers
Amends the Access to Counsel line item to clarify that a pilot program would be state-wide, establishes that legal assistance is full representation (not limited assistance), and authorizes the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, in consultation with an advisory committee, to determine how to implement the program.
by iwd Tina | Apr 16, 2024 | Housing News
On April 16, the House of Representatives sent the Governor’s Affordable Homes Act (H. 4138) to its third committee since it was filed last October. After moving from the Housing Committee to the Bonding Committee earlier this year, it is now before the House Committee on Ways and Means. While that committee is expected to make significant changes to the legislation (Speaker Mariano has said that he is “going to go big” on housing), timing is to be determined. The House will be taking up the FY2025 budget next week, which requires the full attention of Ways and Means.
by iwd Tina | Mar 4, 2024 | Housing News
James Jennings, Ashley E. Harding, Kadineyse Paz, and Robert Terrell released their new fair housing report, Advancing Fair Housing in Greater Boston, Massachusetts: Voices from the Field.
The report highlights the need to ensure that amplifying calls for increasing the affordable housing supply is consistently conjoined with ‘affirmatively furthering fair housing,’ not just to do the “right thing,” but to be in compliance with required federal laws and regulations.
Read the full report: https://www.chapa.org/sites/default/files/advancing-fair-housing-in-greater-boston-2024.pdf
by iwd Tina | Feb 27, 2024 | Housing News
Following Milton’s rejection of a new multifamily zoning plan, CHAPA applauds Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s leadership in pursuing legal action against the town of Milton. The AG’s lawsuit sends a clear message that municipalities unwilling to do their part in creating more diverse types of housing where families can thrive and that choose to fail to comply with the MBTA Communities Law will face consequences for their inaction.
At a time when people across income levels are feeling the pain of escalating home prices and rents, the status quo keeps Milton’s gates closed and limits opportunities for people to have homes they can afford in the neighborhoods they love. Milton’s vote impacts people, our region, and our economy.
For too long, zoning has been used to exclude people rather than expand opportunities for people. The MBTA Communities Law is a tool to begin to undo the harms of the past and enable choices for people regarding where they want and can afford to live.
Municipalities have a collective responsibility to ensure we are part of fostering a healthy and vibrant Commonwealth. Housing is the best investment every community can make for a strong future. CHAPA stands ready to support all MBTA Communities in complying with the law and allowing the multifamily housing we need for dynamic communities where kids can grow up near their grandparents, businesses thrive, renters can become homeowners, and people can stay in the neighborhoods they love.
Every city and town in Massachusetts is responsible for affirmatively furthering fair housing and creating more of the homes we need for everyone, and Milton is no exception.
by iwd Tina | Feb 26, 2024 | Housing News
At CHAPA, we’re proud of the policy and systems changes made in 2023 to allow for more of the diverse types of homes we need, including MBTA Multifamily Zoning, efforts made to eradicate the racial homeownership gap, and more. With a solid foundation to build upon in 2024, CHAPA will continue to help put Massachusetts on a path toward 200,000 homes by 2030.
Check out CHAPA’s 2023 Annual Report for last year’s accomplishments, including our policy and program work!
Thank you to everyone who helped make these accomplishments possible. We are proud of how the affordable housing community continued to work together this year to ensure everyone had a safe, healthy, and affordable home. Yet, we know there is more work to continue to address our housing challenges and to do so equitably.
We look forward to a collaborative, productive 2024 and hope you’ll continue to join us through our policy committees, advocacy efforts, Municipal Engagement Initiative, Massachusetts Homeownership Collaborative, and more.
by iwd Tina | Feb 15, 2024 | Housing News
On Wednesday, February 14th, 2024, residents of Milton voted no on a bright and inclusive future for their community. At a time when people across income levels are feeling the pain of escalating home prices and rents, CHAPA is disappointed that Milton voters chose the status quo that keeps their gates closed and limits opportunities for people to have homes they can afford in the neighborhoods they love. Milton’s vote impacts people, our region, and our economy.
CHAPA applauds Arlington, Braintree, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Danvers, Dedham, Essex, Everett, Grafton, Haverhill, Lakeville, Lexington, Lowell, Malden, Mansfield, Medford, Newton, Northbridge, Pembroke, Quincy, Revere, Salem, Somerville, Stoneham, Taunton, and Wareham, who have submitted applications to the state for approval of multifamily zoning districts that will foster a vibrant and inclusive future. We hope Milton residents will come together to adopt a multifamily zoning district that complies with the law and join so many other communities in saying yes to a future where everyone can thrive.
Municipalities have a collective responsibility to ensure we are part of fostering a healthy and vibrant Commonwealth. Housing is the best investment every community can make for a strong future. CHAPA stands ready to support Milton and all MBTA Communities in complying with the law and allowing the multifamily housing we need for dynamic communities where kids can grow up near their grandparents, businesses thrive, renters can become homeowners, and people can stay in the neighborhoods they love.
Since March 2022, CHAPA’s Municipal Engagement Initiative (MEI) has supported Milton residents as they have grown a strong coalition of neighbors supporting affordable housing. CHAPA and our MEI team will continue to support Yes for Milton volunteers and Affordable and Inclusive Milton (AIM) in their local advocacy efforts to say “yes” to more affordable housing.
As we support Milton in being part of the Commonwealth’s housing solutions, we look to the leadership of Attorney General Andrea Campbell, who, on January 16th, wrote to the Town of Milton “Should the Town chart a course in contravention of state law, however, the Attorney General’s Office will carry out its responsibility to enforce the law, without hesitation.”
Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) supported the Yes for Milton campaign alongside the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations (MACDC), Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance(MAHA), and Abundant Housing Massachusetts (AHMA) and released a joint statement before the vote.
