Housing

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2254: An Act relative to rent escrow

HD 2254 creates a new rent escrow system in Massachusetts for tenants who withhold rent due to landlord failure to maintain habitable housing. It requires banks to establish accounts payable only with signatures from both the tenant and landlord (or property owner), without additional verification for account setup. Tenants must deposit withheld rent into this escrow account (or court-controlled/attorney-controlled accounts) before withholding rent, and must meet specific conditions including health department inspections and written notice to the landlord. Landlords must fix violations within 15 days (or a reasonable time) after notice, and the escrow funds are paid to the landlord per court order after resolving the dispute. This directly affects tenants and landlords in housing code violation cases involving rent withholding.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingCreates rent escrow system for tenants withholding rent due to landlord maintenance failures, strengthening tenant protections in housing maintenance disputes.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

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passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 19, 2026

H 3962: An Act relative to the Maggie Hubbard rental safety act

By Representative Luddy of Orleans and Senator Cyr, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3962) of Hadley Luddy and Julian Cyr relative to inspections of buildings or structures occupied in whole or in part as a short-term rental. Public Safety and Homeland Security.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates inspections for short-term rental safety, enhancing tenant protection standards under public safety framework.85% confidence

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passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 2, 2026

H 3968: An Act relative to a tax exemption for seniors and a person with a disability

By Representative MacGregor of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3968) of William F. MacGregor relative to property tax exemptions for seniors and persons with disabilities. Revenue.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides property tax exemption for seniors/disabled, offering tax relief to lower-income groups per bill's explicit tax exemption focus.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill provides property tax exemptions for seniors and persons with disabilities, reducing housing costs for homeowners and supporting affordability for this group.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Tax Incentives Property Taxes

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 4875: An Act updating the linkage exaction program in the city of Medford

HD 4875 updates Medford's linkage exaction program, which requires developers to pay fees tied to new construction projects. The bill mandates that these fees be reviewed at least every 10 years, based on recommendations from the city's Office of Community Development and Mayor. Between reviews, the fees can be adjusted annually using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to account for inflation. This directly affects developers and property owners in Medford who pay these development fees.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates annual CPI adjustments to linkage fees, ensuring consistent funding for affordable housing programs in Medford through developer fees.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Community Development Property Development

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in committee · Massachusetts · House Aug 18, 2025

HD 5039: An Act making appropriations for the fiscal year 2025 to provide for supplementing certain existing appropriations and for certain other activities and projects

This bill is a supplemental appropriations measure for Massachusetts' fiscal year 2025, providing additional funding to existing state programs and agencies. It allocates specific sums including $2.05 billion for MassHealth fee-for-service payments, $12 million for school meals, $18.5 million for public health hospitals, $75 million to the Housing Stabilization Trust Fund, and $5 million to maintain reproductive health care access. The funds supplement current budgets and are available through June 2026, with some designated for specific purposes like World Cup costs or substance use disorder treatment facilities. This is a procedural budget bill that directs existing funds to priority areas without creating new laws or regulations.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $2.05B for MassHealth, $12M school meals, $18.5M public health, and $75M housing fund to strengthen public services.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $12M for school meals, directly funding K-12 school programs and supporting educational access as part of supplemental appropriations.70% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $2.05B to MassHealth, $18.5M to public health hospitals, and $5M to maintain reproductive health access - directly funding and protecting healthcare services.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingAllocates $75M to Housing Stabilization Trust Fund, directly funding affordable housing programs and stabilization efforts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Public Health Substance Abuse Women's Health

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 4808: An Act authorizing the town of Marblehead to establish a means-tested senior citizen property tax exemption

This bill authorizes the town of Marblehead to create a property tax exemption for senior residents who meet specific income and residency requirements. It directly affects seniors aged 65+ (or 60+ with a spouse 65+) who own and live in Marblehead as their primary residence for at least 10 years and have household income below a locally set threshold. The exemption covers the full property tax plus 50% of annual water and sewer costs, minus a portion of the applicant's income, prior-year tax credits, and other relief, but cannot exceed a yearly cap set by the town's select board. Applications must be submitted annually, and the town may deny exemptions for applicants with excessive assets as defined by local regulations.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides property tax relief for low-income seniors (65+/60+ with spouse), directly aligning with tax relief indicators for middle/lower income groups.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingProvides property tax relief for low-income seniors, reducing housing costs and increasing affordability for vulnerable residents.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Incentives Property Taxes

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 4947: An Act further regulating the Year-round Market Rate Rental Housing Trust Fund in the town of Provincetown

HD 4947 amends Provincetown's Year-Round Market Rate Housing Trust Fund (formerly called "Rental") to expand its purpose to include year-round housing ownership opportunities, not just rentals. The bill updates the fund's name, revises the governing board structure to include 5 trustees and 2 alternates, and modifies language throughout to replace "rental" with "housing" or add "or ownership." These changes directly affect how the trust fund operates in Provincetown, enabling it to support both rental and ownership housing options. The amendments take effect upon the bill's passage.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingExpands trust fund to support housing ownership alongside rentals, increasing affordable housing options and broadening program scope to include ownership opportunities.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Housing Finance Renters

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1450: An Act relative to unlawful practices in the servicing and foreclosure of a subordinate mortgage

This bill (HD 1450) regulates how mortgage servicers handle subordinate mortgages (secondary home loans) in Massachusetts. It prohibits specific practices like failing to send required notices for 12+ months, not providing periodic statements, or demanding payment after the statute of limitations expires. Borrowers gain new rights: creditors must provide detailed notices listing prohibited practices, and borrowers can petition court to stop foreclosure if violations occurred. Courts can then order remedies like waiving fees, halting foreclosure, or deleting incorrect credit reports, with creditors liable for actual damages and attorney fees for violations. All required notices must be in English and Spanish, clearly marked as important.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingPrevents wrongful foreclosure by requiring servicer compliance, protecting homeowners from losing housing due to abusive practices85% confidence

Sub-Topics Mortgages

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3172: An Act relative to accessory dwelling units

HD 3172 removes restrictions that prevent homeowners in single-family neighborhoods from creating or renting out accessory dwelling units (ADUs), like backyard cottages or converted garages. It prohibits local zoning rules from blocking ADUs but allows reasonable limits on size, height, setbacks, and short-term rentals. Homeowners near transit (within 0.5 miles of train/subway/bus stations) do not need extra parking for an ADU, and towns may require owner occupancy for the main or accessory unit. For multiple ADUs in a single-family zone, a special permit is still required.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRemoves zoning barriers to ADUs, increasing housing supply in single-family areas and advancing affordable housing development.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Zoning

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2395: An Act regarding land use board training

HD 2395 requires all members of Massachusetts local planning boards, special permit authorities, and zoning boards of appeals to complete annual training on topics including special permits, fair housing, variances, and relevant laws. The training program, developed with input from planning associations and offered online or in-person statewide, must be completed within 60 days of joining a board and every two years thereafter. Boards must document completion for six years, with the state department overseeing program development at no cost to municipalities. This bill directly affects over 500 local boards across Massachusetts by mandating ongoing education for their members.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRequires fair housing training for planning boards, strengthening compliance with anti-discrimination laws in housing decisions.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Land Use Property Development Zoning

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