By Bob Katzen
The House 145-13, approved and sent to the Senate a bill which supporters said includes $6.5 billion in bond authorizations, tax credits and several policy initiatives that promote housing production, facilitate the development of affordable housing and preserve public housing in Massachusetts.
Provisions include $2 billion to support the repair, rehabilitation and modernization of over 43,000 public housing units across Massachusetts; $200 million to support innovative and alternative forms of rental housing including single person occupancy units, transitional and permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness, housing for seniors and veterans and transitional units for persons recovering from substance use disorder; $60 million to modify homes of individuals or families with disabilities or seniors so that they may maintain residency or return home from institutional settings; $20 million to establish a veterans supportive housing program to develop and preserve supportive housing for veterans and their families experiencing homelessness; $50 million to create a new Healthy Home program to provide grants and loans for programs to make homes habitable; and $50 million for the acquisition, rehabilitation and sale of distressed properties.
“I’m incredibly proud of the investments included in this bill, which together make the largest investment in affordable and middle-income housing, as well as critical infrastructure related to housing production, in the history of the commonwealth,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “Given that Massachusetts is one of the most expensive states in the entire country to buy a home or rent an apartment, the funding and tax credits provided by this bill will be crucial as we work to ensure that every Massachusetts resident can afford to live here, work here and raise a family here.”
“This comprehensive bond bill will help address the commonwealth’s undeniable housing crisis,” said Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. “By putting billions of capital resources towards constructing new homes and towards rehabilitating our aging public housing infrastructure, we will be making a difference to the thousands of residents who live in these facilities. The policies also contained in this legislation will help incentive housing production, increase affordability options for residents and help alleviate the pressure on the housing inventory as a whole.”
“[This] is the largest housing investment in state history and meets the moment for our state’s housing landscape and people struggling with housing availability,” said Rep. Jim Arciero (D-Westford), House Chair of the Housing Committee. “Massachusetts is amidst a housing crisis that has affected every corner of our state, from renters to homeowners to first-time homebuyers purchasing their first home looking to set down roots for their family. This comprehensive bill provides tools in the toolbox for our communities including investments in state infrastructure to accommodate the need to replenish our housing stock and build deeply affordable to market rate housing.
Despite repeated requests from Beacon Hill Roll Call, only two of the 13 representatives who voted against the bill responded to our requests asking them to share the reason they voted against it. The two who responded were Reps Bill Driscoll (D-Milton) and David DeCoste (R-Norwell).
“This legislation does not protect our residents from increased rents and further inflated housing costs when it comes to accessory dwelling units (ADUs),” said Driscoll. “As it stands now, if passed by the Senate and signed by the governor, the section on ADUs opens the door to corporate entities and investor-owned properties building ADUs by right and not specifying support for owner occupied and expanded family housing.”
DeCoste said he voted against the bill because of a provision that creates the Tenants Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA). The website advocating for TOPA explains that the program would allow cities and towns the local option of providing tenants in multi-family buildings the right to match a third-party offer when their homes are being sold. Tenants can designate their rights to a non-profit or local housing authority, or partner with an affordable housing purchaser.
“TOPA hurts small property owners,” said DeCoste. “It will lead to more rental properties being sold to large out of state property holding companies because small property owners cannot overcome the timing obstacles.”
The 11 representatives who did not respond to our requests are: Reps. Fred Barrows (R-Mansfield), Nicholas Boldyga (R-Southwick), Angelo D’Emilia (R-Bridgewater), Paul Frost (R-Auburn), Susan Gifford (R-Wareham), Steven Howitt (R-Seekonk), Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica), Norman Orrall (R-Lakeville), David Robertson (D-Tewksbury), Michael Soter (R-Bellingham), Alyson Sullivan (R-Abington)
(A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.)
Rep. Christine Barber Yes Rep. Mike Connolly Yes Rep. Paul Donato Yes Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven Yes