An Act relative to expanding the eligibility of households for inclusion in a municipality’s affordable housing inventory

This bill allows Massachusetts municipalities to count up to half of their manufactured home residents as income-eligible households when calculating affordable housing inventory. By including these units in official counts, towns can potentially qualify for more state funding and certification under their affordable housing plans, even if the actual income of those residents is not considered. The legislation requires local officials to submit accurate data on the number of manufactured homes to the state Department of Housing and Economic Development, which must then include these units in its calculations. Local leaders have 90 days to create regulations implementing these changes after the law takes effect.