CHAPA Action Alert! Help Increase Housing Production. Contact Your State Senator Today! - June 8, 2016

CHAPA CALL TO ACTION!
Help Increase Housing Production. Contact Your State Senator Today!

On Thursday, June 9th, the Massachusetts Senate will take up Zoning Reform legislation, S.2311, An Act Promoting Housing and Sustainable Development in the Commonwealth.  Please call or email your State Senator today to ask her or him to vote in favor of Zoning Reform, S.2311.  Click here to find your State Senator’s contact information.
 
Massachusetts needs 17,000 new homes each year through 2040 to sustain our job base. We are not building enough housing to meet demand, contributing to our high housing costs. This impacts households across income levels and hits those with low incomes the hardest.
 
S.2311, An Act Promoting Housing and Sustainable Development will:

• Produce more housing by requiring all communities to zone for multi-family housing and cluster developments as well as allow for accessory dwelling units;
• Put municipalities in the driver’s seat by providing the tools they need to plan for and decide where growth will happen;
• Enhance quality of life by providing modern planning and zoning tools for our municipalities; and
• Encourage healthy communities and protect our landscapes by promoting land conservation and walkable places. 

In addition to supporting S.2311, please ask your Senator to:

• Support Amendment 22, sponsored by Senator Linda Dorcena Forry. Amendment 22 strengthens the multi-family housing requirement by including a regional consideration for the housing needed in each community. This will help all communities to zone for multifamily housing by linking zoning to regional need, reflecting the geographic and market differences across the state.
• Support Amendment 11, sponsored by Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz. Amendment 11 would make it unlawful to discriminate against affordable housing.
• Oppose all amendments that would change Chapter 40B, our state’s Affordable Housing Law. Chapter 40B remains the most effective tool for creating affordable housing in Massachusetts. Making changes without any public hearing or consideration by a legislative committee sets a dangerous precedent with unknown consequences for affordable housing development.

To learn more about the bill, click here.  If you have any questions, please contact Eric Shupin.
 
As always, thank you for your advocacy.