HD 987 updates Massachusetts' Chapter 40R zoning incentives to encourage new housing development. It establishes tiered payments for cities/towns with approved "smart growth zoning districts" (based on percentage increase in new housing units, from $20,000 for up to 20% growth to $1.2 million for 501%+ growth) and separate $6,000 per-unit bonuses for new housing in both smart growth and "starter home zoning districts." The bill also requires the department to analyze these payments against housing cost trends using the Consumer Price Index. These enhanced incentives are temporary, reverting to original levels after 10 years from enactment.
This bill amends the definition of "real estate tax payment" to expand eligibility for an existing tax credit for older homeowners. It now includes 50% of paid water and sewer charges (where communities don't assess them) and 50% of homeowner's insurance costs when calculating the credit. The change directly affects older adults owning residential property who pay real estate taxes, making more expenses count toward their credit. For multi-unit properties, the bill clarifies that shared costs like water, sewer, and insurance are included proportionally.
This bill creates a permit system for recovery housing (sober homes) in Massachusetts, requiring operators to apply for a "determination of need permit" from the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services. It prohibits new recovery housing in designated "impacted communities" (neighborhoods meeting specific criteria like low income, high minority populations, or language barriers). Operators must submit detailed information including location, staff details, rules, and proof that only residents with disabilities (as defined by law) will reside there. Existing recovery housing must apply for permits by June 30, 2024, and new operators must obtain permits before opening. The bill aims to regulate recovery housing placement while prioritizing environmental justice communities.
This bill establishes the GREEN Initiative to retrofit low and moderate-income housing in qualifying Massachusetts municipalities (including "gateway cities" and smaller qualifying towns) to be highly energy efficient, use clean heating/cooking technologies (like heat pumps and induction stoves), and prioritize on-site renewable energy where possible. It creates a dedicated GREEN Initiative Account funded by utility companies (up to $30 million annually) to cover retrofit costs, including pre-work upgrades, and provides financial incentives for sponsors like municipalities or nonprofits. The initiative requires tenant protections against rent increases tied to retrofits through "tenant-owner weatherization agreements" and prioritizes buildings with six or fewer housing units. Sponsors must collect data, share project results publicly in multiple languages, and meet goals for minority/women-owned contractor participation.
This bill amends Massachusetts housing accessibility laws to increase adaptable housing for people with disabilities and seniors. It requires that 5% of units in new residential buildings with 20+ units meet specific accessibility standards, including a 5-foot wheelchair turning radius in kitchens and bathrooms. The law expands requirements to include "areas not generally in public use" and updates terminology from "handicapped" to "persons with disabilities" throughout. It also allows local flexibility in setting accessibility percentages based on regional needs using data from the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission.
HD 1663 adds "height" as a protected characteristic under Massachusetts law, expanding existing anti-discrimination and hate crime protections. The bill amends multiple statutes - including hate crime definitions (Section 1), employment law (Section 3), housing (Section 2), and public accommodations (Sections 4-5, 7) - to explicitly include height alongside other protected classes like race, gender, and disability. This means individuals facing harassment or discrimination due to their height will now have legal recourse under these updated provisions. The law directly affects people who experience height-based bias in employment, housing, public services, or hate crimes. The key mechanism is simply inserting "height" into existing lists of protected characteristics across various state laws.
This bill creates a tax credit for sellers of residential properties in Massachusetts who sell to first-time home buyers using the home as their primary residence. Sellers would receive a credit equal to 50% of the profit (capital gain) from the sale, up to a maximum of $7,500 per transaction. The credit applies only to properties priced under $750,000, containing four or fewer dwelling units, and sold to buyers who have never owned a home before. The policy directly affects sellers meeting these criteria by reducing their tax liability on the sale.
HD 2350 amends a Massachusetts law to clarify deadlines for transferring housing-related court cases to the specialized housing court. It requires that any motion or notice to transfer such cases must be filed either with the defendant's initial answer or within 90 days of being served with legal papers. This directly affects landlords and tenants involved in housing disputes who seek to move their case to housing court. The key change streamlines the process by setting a clear, fixed deadline to prevent delays in case handling.
This bill (HD 2522) changes eviction court procedures to help tenants facing eviction. It requires courts to pause eviction proceedings if tenants meet specific conditions, instead ordering them to pay the fair market rent into a court-controlled escrow account during the case. Landlords or tenants can request this escrow, and courts must schedule a prompt hearing on the motion. If tenants fail to pay into escrow, the case moves to a trial immediately. The law directly affects tenants in eviction cases and landlords seeking possession of rental properties.
This bill (SD 1591) amends Massachusetts' climate demonstration project rules to allow up to 20 cities and towns to participate (increasing the limit from 10). It requires participating cities/towns to first meet housing affordability standards - either by meeting a 10% affordable housing threshold under Chapter 40B or approving zoning that permits multi-family housing without age restrictions for families with children. Cities that already met the housing threshold by December 21, 2020, are exempt from this requirement. The Department of Energy Resources must issue implementing regulations by July 1, 2026.
