Housing

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 411: An Act establishing a real estate transfer fee upon the transfer of property in the town of Concord

This bill imposes a 1% real estate transfer fee on residential property sales in Concord exceeding $1 million, paid by the buyer. It directly affects high-value homebuyers and entities owning residential property in Concord, with exemptions for government transfers, affordable housing, family transfers, and low-value sales. The fee funds the Concord Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which supports affordable housing programs, and requires buyers to submit affidavits verifying the purchase price and fee payment with property deeds. The Town must annually report fee collections and program impacts to ensure transparency.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingImposes 1% fee on high-value sales to fund affordable housing trust, directly advancing housing programs per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Housing Finance

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 417: An Act relative to manufactured housing

HD 417 modifies Massachusetts rent rules for manufactured home communities. It adds a provision stating that any rent increase not applied equally to all tenants in a similar group creates a rebuttable presumption of unfairness. The bill also specifies that differences in when tenants moved in make groups dissimilar for rent purposes, meaning rent changes based on move-in dates could be challenged. This applies retroactively to past rent changes affecting manufactured home tenants directly. The law aims to ensure greater consistency in rent adjustments within these communities.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill protects manufactured home tenants by requiring equal rent increases and challenging discriminatory practices based on move-in dates, strengthening tenant protections in housing.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Renters

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 492: An Act allowing certain minors to consent to supportive services

HD 492 allows minors aged 15 or older who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness to consent to supportive services without parental involvement. It defines "mature minors" as those not in a parent's custody, lacking stable housing, and capable of understanding the services' implications. Service providers must obtain written consent from the minor, detailing their age, guardianship status, and living situation, before offering housing assistance, education support, emotional wellbeing resources, or financial stability services. The bill also grants providers immunity from liability (except for gross negligence) when following these rules, and requires the Office of Children, Youth, and Families to create implementing regulations.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingEnables homeless minors (15+) to access housing assistance without parental consent, directly addressing homelessness through supportive services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness

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introduced · Massachusetts · Senate

SD 618: An Act relative to housing calculations for Chapter 115

SD 618 amends Chapter 115 of Massachusetts General Laws to change how housing assistance shelter allowances are adjusted annually. It requires the Secretary to increase the shelter allowance each July based on two factors: the prior year's January-to-January U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) rise, plus any additional percentage recommended by the Secretary and approved by the legislature. This adjustment directly affects low-income residents receiving housing assistance under Chapter 115. The change ensures benefits more closely track inflation while allowing for legislative input on supplemental increases. The provision takes effect July 1 each year.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill ensures housing assistance shelter allowances adjust annually for inflation (CPI) plus potential additional increases, maintaining affordability for low-income residents under Chapter 115.95% confidence

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 987: An Act relative to updating and modernizing Chapter 40R.

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state funds via tiered payments ($20k-$1.2M) and $6k/unit bonuses to incentivize housing development, directly increasing government spending on housing programs.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingIncentivizes housing development via tiered payments and $6,000/unit bonuses for new housing in designated zones, directly advancing housing supply growth.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Development Zoning

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1029: An Act improving older adult tax relief to address the rising cost of homeownership

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands tax credit eligibility to include water/sewer and insurance costs, providing direct tax relief for older homeowners under tax policy.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingExpands tax credit for older homeowners to include water/sewer and insurance costs, reducing housing expenses and supporting affordability for existing homeowners.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Homeownership Property Taxes

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1509: An Act establishing the gateway cities renewable, efficient, and electrified neighborhoods initiative

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.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill establishes GREEN Initiative to retrofit housing with renewable tech (heat pumps, induction), funded by utilities, promoting energy efficiency and clean energy adoption.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentEstablishes GREEN Initiative for clean energy retrofits (heat pumps, renewables) in housing via $30M utility funding, directly advancing emissions reduction and energy efficiency.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingFunds retrofits for low/moderate-income housing via $30M annual utility-funded account, advancing energy efficiency and affordability in existing housing stock.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy Renters

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1917: An Act expanding the availability of adaptable housing for people with disabilities and seniors

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.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates 5% accessible units in new buildings, updates terminology, and expands accessibility requirements to protect disabled/senior housing needs.95% confidence

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1663: An Act providing increased protections from harassment and discrimination on the basis of height

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.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingAmends housing law (Section 2) to add height as protected class, preventing discrimination in housing contexts per bill summary.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAdds height to protected classes in employment law (Section 3), strengthening anti-discrimination protections for workers per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Employment Discrimination

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2101: An Act supporting home sales to first-time home buyers

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates tax credit for sellers, reducing state revenue to support first-time homebuyers, aligning with tax relief for housing affordability.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingTax credit for sellers to first-time buyers lowers purchase barriers, directly increasing affordability for new homeowners in Massachusetts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Homeownership Property Taxes

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