The Senate Appropriations Committee voted on June 7 to approve a spending bill that provides increased funding for affordable housing and community development programs at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Housing News
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey joined a coalition of six attorneys general and six cities in filing an amicus brief opposing HUD’s suspension of the 2015 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule.
The Legislature appointed the conference committee to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate FY2019 state budget proposals. The committee will hold its first meeting on Thursday, June 7.
The conference committee members are:
Chairman Jeffrey Sánchez, House Committee on Ways and Means
Rep. Stephen Kulik
Eight United States Senators, led by Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, introduced the “Housing Victims of Major Disasters Act of 2018” on May 31. The bill would require FEMA to enter into an interagency agreement with the HUD to implement the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP), which would provide temporary rental assistance and wrap-around services to those displaced by Hurricane Maria and future disasters.
CHAPA is hiring for two positions: an energetic and tech-savvy Communications and Events Manager; and a Municipal Engagement Program Associate to build support for affordable housing production and bolster efforts to expand housing opportunities at the local level. Learn more about these positions on our jobs board.
On May 31, Governor Charlie Baker signed the $1.8 billion Housing Bond Bill (H.4536) into law. The legislation, the largest housing bond bill in the state's history, will increase the production of affordable housing, diversify the state’s housing portfolio, modernize public housing, preserve the affordability of existing housing, and invest in new, innovative solutions to address Massachusetts’ rising demand for housing.
The “Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act” (PTFA) was permanently extended into law by the president on May 24. The PFTA was included in a larger deregulation bill (S. 2155) that passed the House on May 22.
The PTFA, which expired at the end of 2014, enables renters whose homes were in foreclosure to remain in their homes for at least 90 days or for the term of their lease, whichever is greater. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN) had earlier introduced legislation (S. 325/HR 915) to permanently extend the PTFA.
The “Family Self-Sufficiency Act” was signed into law by the president on May 24. The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Act was included in a larger deregulation bill (S. 2155) that passed the House on May 22.
The FSS law permanently reauthorizes the program, combines the FSS programs for Housing Choice Vouchers and public housing, which are currently run separately, and expands eligibility to include families in privately owned properties subsidized with HUD project-based rental assistance. The program also offers new services for financial literacy and educational attainment.
The U.S. House Financial Services Committee approved the “Housing Choice Voucher Mobility Demonstration Act of 2018” (HR 5793), introduced by Representatives Sean Duffy (R-WI) and Emmanuel Cleaver (R-MO).
On May 24, the Massachusetts Senate concluded its FY2019 budget debate by passing its $41.49 billion state budget proposal. The Senate added $75.5 million to the budget through amendments.
During the debate, the following CHAPA priority amendments were adopted: