And We're Off: Housing Bond Bill Week Begins!

Post date
June 3, 2024
Matt Noyes headshot

Matt Noyes

Director of Public Policy

(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!