This bill establishes a 5-year pilot program to address student homelessness in Massachusetts, targeting five communities (prioritizing Gateway Cities) to achieve "functional zero" homelessness within five years. It provides participating communities with housing vouchers covering 10% of homeless students' housing needs, $500,000 annually for program infrastructure, and resources tied to annual progress goals. Communities must coordinate housing, school, and local agency efforts, share data, and commit to annual housing targets for homeless students and families. A dedicated $500,000 annual fund supports the initiative, with implementation through community-based organizations and shared best practices.
This bill creates a special commission to review Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency's (MHFA) performance on affordable and low-income housing in gateway cities. The commission, consisting of three members appointed by the Governor, Senate President, and House Speaker, will assess MHFA's work over the past five years and recommend improvements. The commission must begin its review within 30 days of the bill's effective date and submit a report with recommendations to both legislative chambers within one year. The bill does not change housing programs but establishes a formal process for evaluating MHFA's effectiveness in targeted communities.
This bill establishes a statewide goal for Massachusetts to produce 400,000 new housing units by 2040, including 80,000 affordable units for households earning under 80% of the Area Median Income (with specific targets of 20,000 for under 60% and 20,000 supportive housing units for under 30%). It requires the Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities to annually report to state legislators on progress toward these goals, including breakdowns by unit type (market-rate, accessible, senior, and affordability tiers). The reports must also track foreign property purchases and short-term rentals. This directly affects state housing agencies, local municipalities, and developers by setting measurable targets and mandating transparency.
This bill (H 4694) amends Chapter 40A of Massachusetts law to explicitly allow housing authorities to develop affordable or public housing, expanding eligibility beyond current entities like corporations. It directly affects municipal housing authorities and developers working with them, enabling them to create new affordable housing projects under existing legal frameworks. The key change adds housing authorities to the list of entities permitted to pursue affordable housing development under Chapter 40A. This is a technical update to existing law, not a new funding program or major policy shift.
This bill requires Massachusetts municipalities to create and maintain a 5-year Housing Production Plan to increase affordable housing. It mandates plans include a housing needs assessment, specific annual goals (requiring at least a 0.5% annual increase in subsidized housing units), and implementation strategies like zoning changes or preferred development types. Municipalities must submit these plans to the Department of Housing and Community Development for approval, and can seek certification once they meet their annual housing production target. The plan must address local demographics, infrastructure capacity, and include strategies for creating affordable units across different housing types.
HD 1677 amends Chapter 40a of the General Laws to allow housing authorities, alongside corporations, to develop affordable or public housing. This directly affects housing authorities and developers seeking to build such housing by expanding the list of eligible entities under state law. The key provision adds "or by a housing authority" to existing language, broadening who can create these housing options. This policy change aims to increase the number of organizations authorized to contribute to affordable housing development.
This bill requires Massachusetts state agencies to track and report on whether housing development funding is distributed fairly across different regions. It mandates the Executive Office of Housing to collect specific data - including housing projects per municipality, unit types, affordability levels, and funding amounts - across all state-funded housing programs from 2025 to 2029. Agencies must submit two reports (in 2028 and 2035) detailing geographic equity, including per capita data and funding breakdowns, while keeping small projects (under 3 units) confidential. The law directly affects state housing agencies and quasi-public entities managing housing funds, ensuring transparency in how resources reach communities statewide.
This bill expands the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust's funding purposes to include two specific areas: (1) housing-related social services like tenant mediation, legal aid, homelessness prevention, and housing counseling, and (2) startup costs for new affordable housing projects. It directly affects Somerville residents, particularly low-income households and vulnerable populations needing housing support services. Crucially, the trust can now fund these services without requiring them to be tied to physical housing units or to increase the city's affordable housing stock. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage, clarifying the trust's expanded role in supporting housing stability and access.
This bill amends Harwich's Affordable Housing Trust Bylaw to define "attainable housing" and clarify the trust's purpose. It specifies that attainable housing includes units for households earning 80% to 200% of the area median income (adjusted for household size), not just low/moderate-income households. The trust can now use funds to create or preserve this type of housing, alongside traditional affordable housing, to benefit a broader range of local residents. The bill focuses on updating definitions rather than creating new programs.
HD 4975 allows the West Tisbury Affordable Housing Trust to use its funds for community housing projects targeting households earning up to 150% of Dukes County's median income (as reported by HUD). This specifically expands the income eligibility for trust-funded housing beyond previous limits, though Community Preservation Act funds remain subject to their own income rules. The bill directly affects low-to-moderate-income households in West Tisbury seeking affordable housing through the town's trust fund. It makes no changes to other housing programs or funding sources.
