Governor Maura Healey signed the FY2027 budget this week, approving the version the Legislature sent to her desk without any vetoes. CHAPA advocated for that outcome to preserve key housing priorities contained in the $63.4 billion appropriations package. And we thank both the Governor and the Legislature for their continued work to preserve and expand critical housing programs, even in a very difficult budget year.
This year’s budget increases funding for key state rental assistance and supportive housing initiatives like MRVP, Public Housing, RAFT, and HomeBASE, and maintains level funding for many other beneficial efforts such as first time home buyer counselling. Additionally, the outside sections codify several targeted changes to Chapter 40A, the Commonwealth’s Zoning Act, designed to reduce local obstacles to development and expand housing production. A separate outside section streamlines the disposition of vacant public housing, helping housing authorities more quickly clear and repurpose long-vacant units so they can be returned to safe use for residents who need them.
CHAPA published a detailed analysis of the housing pieces in this budget earlier this month, which you can find here. We have also produced a budget tracker, which provides a side-by-side housing comparison between this year’s budget and last year’s.