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EOHLC Proposes Beneficial Updates to ADU Rules
The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities ("EOHLC") recently sought public comment on proposed changes...
CHAPA, LCR, and Nixon Peabody Applaud Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s Dismissal of Marshfield Challenge to MBTA Communities Act
In a critical victory for housing justice and...
Economic Development Bill: House–Senate Housing Comparison
The Massachusetts House and Senate have now passed...
Housing News
EOHLC Proposes Beneficial Updates to ADU Rules
The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities ("EOHLC") recently sought public comment on proposed changes to its rules governing accessory dwelling units ("ADUs") in Massachusetts. These rules, which HLC first adopted in 2025, seek to ensure that homeowners...
CHAPA Opposes New HUD Plan to Roll Back Fair Housing Rules
This past February, CHAPA and Klein Hornig LLP pushed back against a proposal from the U.S. Department of Housing Preservation and Development ("HUD") that would rescind rules related to disparate impact liability under the federal Fair Housing Act (“FHA”). CHAPA's...
CHAPA, LCR, and Nixon Peabody Applaud Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s Dismissal of Marshfield Challenge to MBTA Communities Act
In a critical victory for housing justice and affordability, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) has upheld the legality of the MBTA Communities Act and decisively dismissed the Town of Marshfield’s legal challenge. The ruling confirms once again that...
Press Release: CHAPA Says Yes to More Housing by Endorsing Yes on Question 7
CHAPA joins the push to legalize starter homes across Massachusetts and unlock more housing opportunities Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) today announced its endorsement of Yes on Question 7, the November 3 statewide ballot question concerning...
Supreme Judicial Court Dismisses Marshfield Challenge to MBTA Communities Act
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has today rejected yet another challenge to the legality of the MBTA Communities Act. This decision marks the second high-profile case, following Attorney General v. Milton in early 2025, in which the state’s highest court has...
CHAPA Submits Comments to Economic Development Conference Committee
On Thursday, CHAPA submitted a letter to the six members of the 2026 Economic Development Bill Conference Committee, outlining top housing priorities in the legislation. This bill includes several policy and funding opportunities to address Massachusetts' housing...
Economic Development Bill: House–Senate Housing Comparison
The Massachusetts House and Senate have now passed separate versions of the 2026 Economic Development Bill, sending those versions to a Conference Committee that will negotiate a single, final Bill. Each version of the Bill currently before the Conference Committee...
Economic Development Bill Heads to Conference Committee with Major Housing Policies
The Massachusetts House and Senate have each now passed their own version of the 2026 Economic Development Bill, sending it to a conference committee that will negotiate a single, final version. With formal sessions wrapping up this month, this is one of the last...
Federal Proposal Seeks to Roll Back Anti-Redlining Standards
Under a 1977 law called the Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”), federal regulators must regularly grade FDIC-insured banks on their efforts to invest in low-income neighborhoods within their service areas. The CRA also requires regulators to consider these grades when...
Senate Passes Economic Development Bill, Includes Major Housing Policies
On Thursday night, the Massachusetts Senate passed SB3178, the 2026 Economic Development Bill. This legislation, like the House version of the same bill, included significant housing policies designed to help Massachusetts create the homes we need to thrive. CHAPA is...