Affordable Homes Act Makes Early Progress on Key Policies

The Healey-Driscoll Administration has implemented 41% of the policies outlined in the $5.16 billion Affordable Homes Act, which aims to build, preserve, and rehabilitate over 65,000 homes in Massachusetts over five years. The Act includes measures such as creating an Office of Fair Housing, allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) under 900 square feet by right, and establishing a Seasonal Communities designation to address housing challenges in areas with fluctuating seasonal employment. Additionally, it allocates $2.2 billion for improvements to the state’s 43,000 units of public housing.

Progress includes hiring an ADU Coordinator, launching an informational webpage, and conducting a widely attended webinar for municipal officials. Upcoming steps involve public comment on draft ADU regulations. For Seasonal Communities, an advisory council is being assembled, and a coordinator will soon be hired to develop tailored tools for these areas. The Office of Fair Housing is in development, with a director position open to oversee planning, enforce fair housing laws, and manage the new Fair Housing Fund.

Public housing reforms under the Act include reducing audit frequency for local housing authorities, codifying tenant protections, and allowing authorities to borrow against state capital funds for larger projects. These efforts streamline operations and enhance housing quality. With multiple initiatives underway, the Affordable Homes Act is making measurable progress toward improving housing availability and affordability statewide.