The Massachusetts Legislature is negotiating a final spending plan for more than half of the state’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Fiscal Recovery Funds.
The House and Senate each passed their own spending proposals with both Chambers providing at least $600 million for affordable housing production and preservation, homeownership, supportive housing, public housing, and housing rehabilitation.
Following the passage of the Senate’s ARPA spending proposal, the House and Senate had less than a week to reconcile the differences between the two proposals. The Legislature did not agree to a final plan to send to the Governor before the House and Senate went on recess before Thanksgiving. Although negotiations can continue, the Legislature does not reconvene in formal sessions until January 2022.
Chief negotiators, including Rep. Michelwitz, Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, indicated that a final spending plan could emerge during an informal session if there is unanimous support for the plan. However, during informal sessions, only one legislator needs to object in order to prevent movement on the bill.
Meanwhile, CHAPA submitted recommendations to the conference committee negotiating the final spending plan on funding and language recommendations that will help bridge the key differences between the House and Senate ARPA spending bills and provide the strongest support for critical affordable housing resources to secure a healthy future for all.