CHAPA's Priority Bills on Affordable Housing Move Forward in the Legislature
On February 2nd, the Joint Committee on Housing, chaired by Senator Keenan and Representative Arciero, favorably reported out four of CHAPA priority bills. The following bills will likely move to the respective Senate and House Committees on Ways and Means chaired by Senator Rodrigues and Representative Michlewitz.
- An Act relative to housing production (H.1448/S.871)
Sponsors: Rep. Vargas and Rep. Honan & Sen. Crighton
This legislation will increase the production of affordable homes, remove restrictive zoning barriers, and proposes innovative solutions for land use in Massachusetts
- An Act restoring the Commonwealth’s public housing (H.1417)
Sponsors: Rep. Honan
This legislation will help restore the state’s public housing by allowing housing authorities to leverage new and additional resources for rehabilitation and redevelopment projects.
- An Act codifying the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (H.1428/S.898)
Sponsors: Rep. Madaro & Sen. Lovely
These bills would codify MRVP into state statute and make program improvements including reducing the tenant payment share, increasing administrative fees, requiring inspections, and improving data collection.
- An Act reducing CPA recording fees for affordable housing (H.2899)
Sponsors: Rep. Ferrante
This bill would reduce Community Preservation Act (CPA) recording fees for affordable housing in those cities and towns that have enacted the CPA.
The Joint Committee on the Judiciary favorably reported out the following CHAPA priority bill:
- An Act promoting housing opportunity & mobility through eviction sealing (HOMES) (H.1808/S.921)
Sponsors: Representative Michael Moran & Senator Joseph Boncore
This legislation will protect tenants from being unfairly branded with an eviction record if they don’t have a judgment against them, if they weren’t actually evicted, or if they didn’t do anything wrong.
The following CHAPA priorities received extensions so that the committees can continue to work on the bills:
- An Act promoting housing stability and homelessness prevention in Massachusetts (H.1436/S.874)
Sponsors: Representatives Michael Day and Dave Rogers & Senator Sal DiDomenico
Recognizing the housing emergency exacerbated by COVID-19 and the severe public health risks associated with displacement, this legislation would prevent evictions and promote housing stability during the pandemic and over the long-term. The bills provide legal representation for tenants and owner-occupants with low incomes in eviction proceedings. -
An Act promoting fair housing by preventing discrimination against affordable housing (H.1373/S.867)
Sponsors: Representative Christine Barber & Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz
Massachusetts has high levels of residential segregation. Restrictive local zoning and permitting decisions have helped create and perpetuate these patterns based on race, socioeconomic status, and familial status. These bills would prohibit municipal and state discriminatory zoning bylaws, ordinances, and land use decisions. -
An Act providing for climate change adaptation infrastructure and affordable housing investments in the Commonwealth (H.2891/S.1853)
Sponsors: Representative Nika Elugardo & Senator Jamie EldridgeMassachusetts is facing both an affordable housing crisis and a climate change crisis, unfortunately made worse by COVID-19. This legislation would double the deeds excise tax on the sale of real property and dedicate the estimated $300 million in annual revenue towards affordable housing and climate sustainability. The deeds excise tax is not only directly linked to rising real estate prices but it’s also an affordable and equitable way to generate revenue for the state of Massachusetts. -
An Act empowering cities and towns to support affordable housing with a fee on certain real estate transactions (H.1377/S.868)
Sponsors: Representative Michael Connolly & Senator Joanne Comerford
This legislation would give individual cities and towns the ability to decide for themselves whether to enact a real estate transfer fee (between 0.5%-2.0%) for the exclusive purpose of creating and supporting local affordable housing.
CHAPA's priorities on Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (H.1441/S.861) and establishing a fair housing disparate impact standard (H.1854/ S.860) were sent to study and will not advance further this legislative session.