This bill allocates $425 million from the General Fund for supportive services and safe shelter for unhoused families in Massachusetts, with funds transferable to state agencies and workforce programs. It adds new requirements for the emergency housing assistance program, including mandatory disclosure of prior criminal convictions (excluding sealed/expunged records) and criminal record checks for applicants. The bill limits eligibility for certain families to six consecutive months of benefits, with hardship waivers available for veterans or those facing domestic violence. It also mandates written notices before benefit termination, multilingual resource handouts for participants, and updated eligibility procedures.
This bill establishes new regulations for manufactured housing communities in Massachusetts cities and towns. It allows local governments to create boards that oversee rent payments, limiting annual rent increases to the Chained Consumer Price Index (C-CPI-U) unless a board approves a higher increase based on specific factors like property taxes, maintenance costs, or capital improvements. Owners cannot raise rents more than the CPI-U in any 12-month period - even with new leases - and must justify larger increases through board review. The boards can require community registration, issue binding orders, and impose fines up to $5,000 for violations. This directly affects manufactured home residents and community owners in municipalities adopting these rules.
This bill updates Massachusetts' Chapter 40R to modernize housing incentives. It establishes tiered payments for cities/towns with approved "smart growth" or "starter home" zoning districts based on projected new housing units (e.g., $20,000 for up to 20% growth, $1.2 million for over 500% growth). It also adds a $6,000 per-unit bonus for new housing constructed in these districts. The bill requires the department to analyze these incentives against housing costs (using the Consumer Price Index) and mandates that increased incentives revert to original levels 10 years after enactment. The changes apply to tax years starting January 1, 2025.
This bill amends Massachusetts' fair housing law (Chapter 151B) to expand protections beyond rental housing. It adds "home sales" to the list of covered areas and includes "prospective homebuyers" alongside tenants. The law now explicitly prohibits discrimination in home buying, rental accommodations, and downpayment assistance programs. These changes directly affect home sellers, buyers, and lenders in Massachusetts by extending fair housing safeguards to the home purchase process.
HD 2857 amends Massachusetts law to expand shelter options for childless individuals with chronic disabilities experiencing homelessness. It specifically adds "individuals with disabilities as defined by chapter 179 of the acts of 1995 who require home care, caretaker services, and constant stay and housing" to eligibility criteria in Chapter 23B. The bill mandates that the state department provide hotel or motel shelter when an individual with such disabilities needs accommodations unavailable at standard overnight shelters. This change directly affects vulnerable residents with specific care needs who are currently homeless and unable to access appropriate shelter through existing systems.
HD 3790 establishes the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Trust Fund to help low- and moderate-income property owners (earning up to 110% of the area median income) build ADUs. The fund provides financial assistance in the form of grants, loans, or reimbursements for pre-development costs like permits, design fees, site preparation, and utility connections. Administered by the Executive Office of Housing or contracted agencies (such as MassHousing), the fund uses state appropriations, grants, and investment income, with unused funds carrying over annually. Assistance is limited to the minimum amount needed to make ADU projects feasible, directly supporting property owners seeking to add secondary housing units.
This bill authorizes the Provincetown Year-Round Market Rate Rental Housing Trust (created in 2016) to acquire "year-round housing occupancy restrictions" on properties within Provincetown. These restrictions require that housing on specified land be occupied as a primary residence for at least 11 months annually by renters or owners, preventing seasonal short-term rentals. The trust must get Select Board approval before acquiring such restrictions, which must be recorded in land records and enforced through legal means if violated. The bill directly affects future property owners in Provincetown where these restrictions apply.
HD 3178 establishes a state-funded matching grant program (the "Equitable EV Facilities Matching Fund") to help cities and towns finance parking facility projects with electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The bill requires eligible projects to reduce downtown surface parking, provide affordable EV charging in dense housing areas, support housing growth, and follow urban design standards. Municipalities receive reimbursement for project costs (ranging from 30% to 80% based on local median income) after completing work that meets the fund's standards. This program directly affects local governments seeking to modernize parking infrastructure while advancing EV access and downtown walkability.
This bill (HD 164) allows towns to create a property tax cap for homeowners aged 65 or older who meet specific income and asset limits: $50,000 or less annual income for singles, $60,000 for married couples, and $75,000 in assets (excluding their primary home and one vehicle). Eligible homeowners would have their property tax recalculated annually based on their adjusted federal gross income (after excluding certain retirement distributions), with the lower of two calculated tax amounts applied each year. The cap applies only to qualifying properties and requires towns to adopt the provision under existing procedures. It directly affects low-income seniors in participating municipalities by limiting their property tax burden.
HD 1735 imposes a tax on large real estate investment firms (defined as entities managing $10 million or more in assets) that own more residential properties (1-4 units) than allowed under phased ownership limits. The tax equals $10 million multiplied by the number of excess properties, calculated annually based on a declining percentage of their 2023 holdings over nine years. Revenue from this tax funds a down payment assistance program for first-time homebuyers purchasing residential properties, administered through the Housing Down Payment Trust Fund. The bill directly affects large investment firms managing significant residential portfolios, requiring them to reduce holdings or pay the tax, while excluding nonprofit organizations and affordable housing from its scope.
