by iwd Tina | Jan 2, 2025 | Housing News
On December 30, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) held a virtual public hearing on the draft 2025-26 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. During the approximately one hour hearing, EOHLC staff heard feedback from a range of stakeholders and interested parties on the draft QAP, which is expected to be finalized before the end of January.
CHAPA gave verbal testimony submitted written comments on the Plan. In particular, CHAPA commended EOHLC for raising the minimum ELI threshold from 13% to 16%, its continued commitment to equity in development opportunities, the incentivization of accessibility standards, prioritization of sustainable, green, and climate resilient designs, the inclusion of rural development points, and the recognition of challenges facing middle income households.
CHAPA’s testimony also included concerns about the Responsible Contractor Guidelines that were included in the QAP and the impact that they will have on development costs, the number of new homes created, and on small, emerging, and minority-owned businesses. CHAPA is looking forward to the final QAP and to working with EOHLC to implement it in the most productive way possible.
by iwd Tina | Dec 14, 2024 | Housing News
The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) will hold a virtual public hearing on the draft version of the 25-26 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. The hearing is scheduled for 10:30 AM on December 30th, 2024.
The draft QAP is available for review. We encourage everyone to read the draft and share feedback, either by attending the hearing or submitting written comments beforehand. Written comments can be sent to:
The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities
Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program
100 Cambridge Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02114
Comments can also be emailed to [email protected].
For details on how to join the virtual hearing, you can contact EOHLC at 617-573-1309 or [email protected].
CHAPA is reviewing the draft QAP and will be submitting comments to help shape its final version. To help stakeholders engage in the process, CHAPA has prepared a slide deck with a high-level overview of some of the key updates, and a detailed summary that highlights each of the changes found in the most recent version.
by iwd Tina | Dec 12, 2024 | Housing News
The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) has released the draft 2025-2026 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP). The QAP determines how federal and state Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and other affordable housing finance programs are distributed. It outlines eligibility requirements, scoring systems, and funding priorities, ensuring resources are allocated to support critical housing needs across Massachusetts. This draft incorporates significant updates, including new climate resiliency standards, an increased percentage of Extremely Low Income (ELI) units, specific points for rural development, and an increased focus on accessibility.
Public Hearing
HLC will hold a public hearing on the draft QAP at a date and time to be determined. We will provide details and access instructions as soon as they are available.
Key Updates in the Draft QAP
This year’s updates reflect evolving state priorities and federal guidance. Highlights include:
- Climate Goals Integration: Mandatory decarbonization and climate-resilient standards.
- Increased Funding Limits: Higher per-unit credit limits and expanded long-term funding authority.
- Extremely Low-Income (ELI) Allocation Increase: Increased minimum percentage from 13% to 16%, addressing critical affordability needs.
- Responsible Contractor Guidelines: New standards, effective January 1, 2025, to promote fair labor practices and ensure compliance with wage and safety standards.
- Green Standards Enforcement: Mandatory Enterprise Green Communities (EGC) certification for all projects.
- Accessibility Enhancements: Expanded criteria and scoring incentives for universal design and specialized features.
- Rural Development Prioritization: New scoring category to support housing in rural areas.
Next Steps
We encourage all stakeholders to review the draft QAP and share feedback during the comment period. CHAPA has developed a slide deck that includes a high-level overview of the changes touched on above. A comprehensive summary is also in development and will be shared within the coming days. In addition, CHAPA will be submitting organizational comments to contribute to the review process and address key priorities identified in the draft.
by iwd Tina | Dec 9, 2024 | Housing News
On Friday, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities released draft regulations designed to “provide clarity on the administration of the new ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) law.” The release of this draft is the first step in the regulatory development process and EOHLC intends to issue final regulations prior to the effective date of the ADU law on February 2, 2025.
Here is the timeline for the regulatory review process:
Additional information on this process as well as background on ADUs is available on the EOHLC website.
by iwd Tina | Nov 22, 2024 | Housing News
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.
by iwd Tina | Nov 20, 2024 | Housing News
As of November 20, 2024, over 100 Massachusetts cities and towns have passed zoning districts to comply with the MBTA Communities Law. This innovative law aims to address Massachusetts’ housing shortage by allowing modest types of housing, like duplexes, triple-deckers, and low-rise apartment buildings, near transit. These newly approved multifamily zoning districts will bring us closer to the 200,000 homes that Massachusetts needs by 2030 to stabilize housing prices. Many communities took their commitment to housing one step further by using this new zoning to incorporate affordability as well.
“Communities across Massachusetts are overwhelmingly embracing the MBTA Communities Act. They understand that every municipality has a collective responsibility to ensure we are part of fostering a healthy and vibrant Commonwealth,” said Rachel Heller, Chief Executive Officer of the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA). “Massachusetts needs more homes that families, older adults, and the local workforce can afford, and these MBTA Communities are doing their part by allowing the creation of more of these types of homes.”
For decades, strict local zoning policies limited opportunities for people by preventing the construction of anything other than single-family homes on large lots. With land values skyrocketing, these policies create barriers that leave some people out of the housing market entirely. Through coalition building, broad outreach, and inclusive community engagement, these 100 MBTA Communities have taken meaningful action to address those barriers.
“The MBTA Communities Act is succeeding at the local level because municipal leaders know that more housing is crucial to the future success of the Commonwealth,” said Lily Linke, CHAPA’s MBTA Communities Engagement Senior Manager. “The vast majority of cities and towns are doing their part in allowing the homes that our residents need, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because they recognize that when our neighbors thrive, we all thrive.”
CHAPA’s MBTA Communities technical assistance program has supported 45 of these communities by educating residents about the law, consulting with local planners on community engagement, and supporting local pro-housing coalitions as they worked to pass new zoning. 90% of communities that participated in CHAPA’s program have approved an MBTA Communities District, compared to an 83% passage rate overall.
CHAPA congratulates the planners, advocates, elected officials, consultants, and everyone who helped make this milestone possible. We look forward to continuing our work across Massachusetts to encourage communities to embrace and adopt multi-family zoning.
When we say yes to more housing in our communities, we are closer to the Massachusetts we all want and deserve – where everyone has access to a safe, healthy, and affordable home in the community of their choice.
by iwd Tina | Nov 7, 2024 | Housing News
Over 400 advocates, neighbors, municipal employees, organizational representatives, and legislators working on affordable housing in their communities registered to join us virtually on October 23rd for our Annual Regional Meeting which this year was hybrid. As Rachel Heller our CEO mentioned in her opening remarks, each year we convene these sessions to thank all of you for the work we have accomplished together and provide a listening space to inform our vital collective work that “plants the seeds for the policies and programs we advocate for”.
During the meeting, CHAPA’s Municipal Engagement and Policy teams shared information on our legislative and budget priorities, Fair Housing agenda, Municipal Engagement Initiative, and updates on the Multi-family Zoning for MBTA Communities engagement. Participants broke out into regional sub-groups to share their unique challenges and opportunities across the following regions; Greater Boston (virtually and in-person at Metro Housing Boston), MetroWest, Cape & Islands, South Shore (including all of southeastern Mass, including all of the towns and cities in Bristol and Plymouth county and the South Coast), North Shore/Merrimack Valley, Central Mass/Worcester, Franklin/Hampden/Hampshire Counties (virtually and in-person at Way Finders), and Berkshires/Western Mass. Participants also provided feedback to CHAPA staff through an interactive polling activity which additionally will help to shape future priorities and activities.
Please take time to review the Key-Takeaways and where helpful we have made the Video Recording, and the Event Slide Deck available. These conversations have a profound impact on our Legislative Priorities and our advocacy efforts at the state and local level.
We appreciate Bank of America for sponsoring these sessions and to all of our regional co-sponsors for not only sharing their experiences and expertise, but also helping with the outreach to make the event such a success! A special thank you to our co-sponsors Way Finders and Metro Housing|Boston for hosting regional sessions in-person.
Regional Co-Sponsors:
Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority
Berkshire Housing
Cape Cod Community Development Partnership
Harborlight Homes
Housing Assistance Corporation
Housing Nantucket
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
Regional Housing Services Office
Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP)
Lawrence Community Works
Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations (MACDC)
Metro Housing|Boston
Metro West Collaborative Development
NeighborWorks Housing Solutions
NewVue Communities
Northern Middlesex Council of Governments
North Shore Community Development Corporation
Way Finders
Sponsor Logo:
Get Involved with CHAPA
Thank you to those who were able to join us. Please continue to support CHAPA’s efforts to keep making a difference in our communities. Be sure to contact Whitney Demetrius, Director of Fair Housing and Municipal Engagement, at [email protected] with any questions.
by iwd Tina | Oct 3, 2024 | Housing News
This week, the Commonwealth launched the MBTA Communities Catalyst Fund to assist municipalities in meeting the requirements of the MBTA Communities Act.
Eligible municipalities can apply for grants ranging from $250,000 to $1 million to support housing development and infrastructure improvements, focusing on creating multifamily housing within or adjacent to compliant MBTA “3A Districts.” Funds may be used for various activities, including public outreach, engineering, and infrastructure upgrades such as water, sewer, and streetscape improvements. Priority will be given to projects that produce affordable multifamily housing, particularly those with units affordable to households earning below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Mixed-use projects are also eligible, though those with a greater focus on housing will be more competitive. Funded projects must use at least 50% of awarded funds in the first fiscal year, with FY25 projects expected to be completed by June 30, 2026.
This initiative supports the development of affordable housing in key transit areas, promoting inclusive community growth and improving infrastructure to meet future housing needs across Massachusetts.
by iwd Tina | Sep 19, 2024 | Housing News
This week, CHAPA submitted a friend of the court (amicus) brief in support of Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s lawsuit against Milton to enforce the MBTA Communities Act. The brief was filed by Nixon Peabody on behalf of CHAPA and more than 30 organizations and businesses, representing housing developers, local housing coalitions, faith-based coalitions, disability advocates, service providers, business organizations, community development corporations, realtors, and lenders.
The AG’s lawsuit sends a clear message: the Commonwealth’s housing laws must be followed and municipalities play a critical role in allowing the homes that people, our communities, our economy, and the Commonwealth need to thrive.
At a time when people across income levels are feeling the pain of escalating home prices and rents, the status quo keeps Milton’s gates closed. For too long, zoning has been used to say no and to limit opportunities for people. This hurts people, our environment, our businesses, and the competitiveness of the Commonwealth.
The Legislature passed this law to establish the by-right zoning needed to produce multifamily housing. The MBTA Communities Act is one of many housing policies meant to remove barriers to production and facilitate housing development. From Chapter 40B through the Affordable Homes Act’s establishing accessory dwelling units by right in all single-family neighborhoods, the MBTA Communities Act is another tool created by the Legislature to ensure that Massachusetts is a place where everyone can have a home they can afford in the community they choose.
Municipalities have a collective responsibility to ensure we are part of fostering a healthy and vibrant Commonwealth. This includes allowing the multifamily housing we need for vibrant communities where kids can grow up near their grandparents, businesses thrive, renters can become homeowners, and people can stay in the neighborhoods they love.
by iwd Tina | Aug 1, 2024 | Housing News
CHAPA applauds the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the Senate for the passage of the Affordable Homes Act. This historic legislation will provide $5.1 billion in capital funding authorization and a wide range of housing policies to support the creation and preservation of tens of thousands of homes. CHAPA is proud to have worked closely with the Legislature to advocate for policies that put Massachusetts on the path to adding the 200,000 homes across income levels that people, our communities, and our economy need to thrive.
The Affordable Homes Act includes significant increases in funding authorizations to meet the range of the Commonwealth’s housing challenges. The bill includes $2.2 billion in bond authorization for state public housing, a doubling of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund ($800 million) and the Housing Innovations Fund ($200 million), and a nearly tripling of the Housing Stabilization Fund ($425 million) which included $10 million for the Small Properties Acquisition Fund. The legislation also included investments in programs that had not before been included in a bond bill, including $100 million for the CommonWealth Builder Program, $50 million for the Momentum Fund to accelerate the completion of mixed-income multifamily housing, $275 million for Green Housing, and $175 million for Housing Choice Infrastructure.
Beyond the funding authorizations, the bill creates and expands tax credit programs that will help spur much-needed production. The Affordable Homes Act creates a new $10 million annual Homeownership Production Tax Credit, a vitally important tool to help create opportunities for first-time home buyers to become owners, and increases the Community Investment Tax Credit to $15 million. Additionally, the legislation doubles the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit to $110 million annually through the year 2030 to help preserve historic buildings and put them to new use, including creating affordable housing.
Finally, the Affordable Homes Act recognizes that funding authorizations and tax credits alone are not enough to address the housing challenges facing Massachusetts. The bill includes policies such as the creation of an Office of Fair Housing and Fair Housing Trust Fund, mandating the establishment of a statewide housing plan, allowing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) by right in single-family zoned districts, establishing special commissions on Extremely Low Income Housing, Senior Housing, and Accessible Housing for persons living with disabilities, creating a supportive housing pool fund to address the needs of households experiencing homelessness, establishing eviction records sealing, and authorizing a social housing pilot. These policies will help move us closer to a Commonwealth where people can have safe, healthy, affordable homes in the communities they choose.
The final bill is also notable for what it did not include. Attempts to weaken, undermine, or delay existing housing laws or to place unnecessary barriers to housing productions were resoundingly rejected at all turns. The legislation that passed does not include harmful changes to Chapter 40B, the MBTA Communities Law, or to the Community Preservation Act (CPA). CHAPA is grateful that not only does this bill move us forward in our housing policy, it also does not set us back by weakening the progress we had already made.
CHAPA applauds the commitment shown by the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Governor to take the steps necessary to meet the moment. While the Affordable Homes Act is a remarkable and historic piece of legislation, it will not be a panacea for all of the housing challenges facing Massachusetts. CHAPA looks forward to working closely with the Legislature, the Healey-Driscoll Administration, and all stakeholders to implement this bill and to continue to find paths toward creating the homes we need.
CHAPA extends its profound gratitude to Governor Healey, Lt. Governor Driscoll, Secretary Augustus, Speaker Mariano, Senate President Spilka, Chair Michlewitz, Chair Rodrigues, Chair Arciero, Chair Edwards, Senate President Pro Tempore Brownsberger, and all of the policy makers and their staff who made this bill a reality. In Massachusetts, we are fortunate to have leaders who recognize the scope of the housing challenges we face and the commitment to do what is necessary to move us forward. CHAPA looks forward to continuing to be a productive partner in this work over the months and years to come.
