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Major Housing Policy Wins in the House Economic Development Bill
The Massachusetts House has passed its 2026 economic development bill (H.5562), building on legislation Governor...
CHAPA’s CEO Rachel Heller to transition to Executive Director of Massachusetts Housing Partnership
After 13 years of dedicated service to CHAPA, including nine years as our Chief Executive Officer, Rachel Heller will be stepping down from her role to become the next Executive Director of Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP).
Hundreds of industry leaders convene for solutions to Massachusetts’s housing shortage at CHAPA’s Summit
Over 400 housing leaders from across the Commonwealth,...
Housing News
CHAPA Comments on EOHLC’s Draft Starter Home Zoning Regulations
In June, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) released draft regulations regarding the Commonwealth’s Starter Home Zoning Districts Program (the “Program”). The Program was originally part of the Smart Growth Zoning statute, G.L. c. 40R, but...
NLIHC Releases 2025 Out of Reach Report: What it Means for Massachusetts
The latest Out of Reach report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) highlights the growing gap between wages and rental housing costs in Massachusetts. While our state continues to lead with strong commitments to affordable housing, a higher minimum...
CHAPA Applauds Attorney General Campbell’s Enforcement of the MBTA Communities Act
On Tuesday, July 14, Attorney General Andrea Campbell issued a legal advisory informing MBTA Communities of the next steps her office will take to enforce the MBTA Communities Act. Although the final regulatory deadline to adopt compliant zoning has now passed, the...
Federal Government Enacts Taxing and Spending Bill
On July 4th, the federal government enacted a taxing and spending bill (the “Bill”) that will have enormous consequences for the American public. The top-line view of the legislation is that it expands and enacts tax cuts that will add trillions of dollars to the...
Governor Healey Signs FY2026 Budget: Housing Investments Move Forward, but HCEC Funding Faces Veto
Governor Maura Healey has signed Massachusetts’ $61 billion FY2026 budget, which includes significant housing investments and policy reforms aimed at improving affordability and strengthening housing stability. Overall, the budget maintains or modestly increases...
Jacob Love to bolster policy team, pro-housing advocacy reach for CHAPA as general counsel
On June 30th, Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) added Jacob Love to their growing team as general counsel for policy. In this new role, Jacob will work with CHAPA’s policy team to shape and implement CHAPA’s policy agenda, advise on legislative...
Governor Healey Releases FY2026-2030 Capital Investment Plan
On June 30, the Healey-Driscoll Administration released its Capital Investment Plan (CIP) for the next five years, outlining capital investments in a range of state policy areas. In a departure from recent practice, this CIP proposes specific bond allocations for...
Conference Committee Approves FY26 Budget, Now Moves to Governor’s Desk
On June 30th, the Massachusetts Legislature approved a $61 billion FY2026 Conference Committee budget and sent it to the Governor for consideration. Marking the earliest completion of a budget in nearly a decade, the final agreement includes important progress on...
CHAPA Submits FY2026 Priorities to Budget Conference Committee
With the Senate completing its work on the FY2026 state budget last month, a House-Senate Conference Committee is now working to resolve differences between the two versions of the funding documents. CHAPA has submitted a letter to the six members of the committee,...
CHAPA and Lawyers for Civil Rights Celebrate Court Ruling Rejecting Unfunded Mandate Challenges to MBTA Communities Law
June 6, 2025 — Today, in yet another victory for the MBTA Communities Act (the “Act”), a Massachusetts Superior Court judge decisively ruled that the Act “does not constitute an unfunded mandate.” In doing so, the Court squarely rejected the State Auditor’s contrary...