Housing

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 551: An Act providing for rent regulation and control of evictions in manufactured housing parks in the town of Athol

This bill allows the Town of Athol to establish rent regulations and a rent board for manufactured housing parks (mobile home parks) within its borders. The rent board can adjust rents based on factors like property taxes, maintenance costs, and capital improvements, while requiring park owners to register park information under penalty of perjury. It also gives the rent board authority to regulate evictions, with its orders serving as a defense in eviction lawsuits. Violations of rent regulations carry fines up to $1,000. The bill applies exclusively to Athol and takes effect upon passage.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill creates rent regulation and eviction controls for manufactured housing parks, protecting tenants from excessive rent hikes and unlawful evictions, directly advancing tenant protections and affordable housing access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Renters Tenant Rights

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 618: An Act establishing a special commission to study women and homelessness

HD 618 establishes a special commission to study homelessness among women in Massachusetts. The commission, co-chaired by legislative leaders and including state agency heads, will appoint six additional representatives - including homeless shelter advocates, housing experts, health care specialists, researchers, and individuals with lived experience - to conduct a community needs assessment. It will specifically examine homelessness prevention, shelter improvements for women and families, permanent housing access, data collection methods, and health/social service access for homeless women. The commission must submit its findings and recommendations to key legislative committees by July 31, 2023. This bill directly affects women experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts through the study's policy recommendations.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill establishes commission to study women's homelessness, focusing on prevention and shelter improvements - directly addressing housing vulnerability and homelessness, a core housing topic.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness

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introduced · Massachusetts · Senate

SD 468: An Act to promote housing cooperatives

This bill establishes the Massachusetts Center for Housing Cooperatives within the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. The center will directly support low-to-moderate income residents by providing education, outreach, research, and grants to expand cooperative housing ownership, preserve existing properties, and facilitate capital needs. It authorizes a $100 million fiscal year 2026 fund to acquire real estate, rehabilitate properties, and support housing cooperatives through specific agencies like the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency. The center must annually report to the legislature on housing cooperative inventory and activities. The bill creates a dedicated fund managed by the center, with unspent funds carrying over to future years.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes $100M fund for housing cooperatives, directly increasing state budget allocation for affordable housing programs targeting low-to-moderate income residents.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingEstablishes center and $100M fund to expand cooperative housing ownership for low-to-moderate income residents, directly advancing affordable housing access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Housing Finance

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 829: An Act relative to rental protections for elderly, disabled and low-to-middle income tenants

HD 829 protects eligible tenants (65+ or disabled, or with income at or below 80% of area median income) by allowing them to terminate leases early without penalty when moving to qualifying housing. Tenants must provide 30 days' written notice to landlords and can move to housing like nursing homes, public housing, or low-income developments without liability for the remaining lease term. Landlords cannot refuse rentals or housing assistance based on this termination, and lease clauses attempting to block this right are void. The law directly affects these specific tenant groups and their landlords, creating a clear mechanism for lease flexibility.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingProtects vulnerable tenants (elderly/disabled/low-income) from lease penalties when moving to qualifying housing, strengthening tenant rights and access to affordable housing options.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

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introduced · Massachusetts · Senate

SD 643: An Act relative to 40B condominium units

This bill requires purchasers of 40B affordable condominium units to pay all common expenses (like maintenance or utilities) as outlined in their condo's master deed. It also mandates the state's Executive Office of Housing to create a reimbursement program for these buyers to cover those costs. The bill explicitly prohibits other unit owners in the same condo complex from subsidizing the common expenses of 40B affordable units. This directly affects buyers of 40B-affordable units and changes how their housing costs are structured.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingReimbursement program ensures 40B buyers cover costs without cross-subsidization, supporting affordable housing program integrity.90% confidence

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1066: An Act relative to industrial development finance authorities

HD 1066 amends Massachusetts' industrial development finance authority (IDFA) laws to expand eligibility for financing. The key change (Section 3) adds rental housing - including low- and moderate-income housing under Chapter 40B - to the definition of "industrial enterprise," allowing IDFAs to finance such projects. This directly affects municipalities and developers seeking to use IDFA bonds for housing developments. The bill clarifies bond issuance authority (Section 4) and removes outdated references to "MIFA" and other administrative terms throughout the chapter. These changes streamline financing for housing projects under IDFA programs.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingExpands IDFA financing to include low/moderate-income rental housing under Chapter 40B, enabling bond funding for affordable housing projects.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Housing Finance Property Development Renters

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introduced · Massachusetts · Senate

SD 767: An Act promoting resilience against the heat-related impacts of climate change

This bill establishes a state-funded program to provide cooling assistance to low-income households with vulnerable members, including seniors, young children, and people with certain health conditions. It requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to administer the program, prioritizing households at highest risk, and prohibits utility shutoffs for cooling during extreme heat (95°F+ heat index) or poor air quality. The bill also mandates a study on housing temperature standards and creates an extreme heat task force to develop emergency response plans and coordinate cooling solutions across state agencies. These provisions directly affect low-income residents in Massachusetts facing heat-related health risks, with program eligibility tied to income limits (60% of state median income).

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state funds for cooling assistance program targeting vulnerable households, directly funding a public service through state budget appropriations.90% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyProhibits utility shutoffs for cooling during extreme heat, protecting vulnerable consumers in the energy utility sector.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill directly addresses climate change impacts through heat resilience program, prioritizing vulnerable populations and prohibiting utility shutoffs during extreme heat events, aligning with environmental protection goals.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingFunds cooling assistance for low-income housing residents via Department of Housing, prohibits utility shutoffs during heat events, directly advancing housing affordability and tenant protections.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Air Quality Climate Change Community Development Property Development

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1220: An Act encouraging smart growth and starter home zoning adoption

This bill provides financial incentives to Massachusetts cities and towns that adopt "smart growth zoning districts" or "starter home zoning districts." It establishes two payment systems: (1) a tiered payment based on projected new housing units (e.g., $20,000 for up to 20 units, $1.2 million for 500+ units), and (2) a $6,000 per-unit bonus paid upon issuance of building permits for new housing in these districts. The payments are funded by state appropriations and require department approval of the zoning districts. It directly affects local governments that implement these zoning policies to encourage new housing development.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly funds housing incentives through state appropriations, allocating new budget resources to encourage zoning adoption.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill provides direct state funding incentives for municipalities to adopt zoning that increases housing supply (starter homes), explicitly advancing affordable housing development through financial rewards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Development Zoning

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introduced · Massachusetts · Senate

SD 912: An Act preventing fires and secondhand smoke in non-smoking rental housing

This bill creates a legal presumption that smoking occurred in non-smoking rental units if smoke detectors are removed, covered, or without power - unless the tenant proves otherwise through a third-party inspection. It directly affects landlords and tenants in properties with written no-smoking policies, requiring landlords to maintain working detectors and providing tenants a process to challenge false accusations. Key mechanisms include mandating municipal inspections within 3 business days (with a fee), allowing landlords to prove detector presence via photos or signed inventories, and awarding attorney fees to winning parties. The law explicitly prevents such cases from being treated as nonpayment disputes and protects tenants harmed by detector removal.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill protects tenants by requiring landlords to maintain detectors and providing dispute process for false smoking accusations, strengthening tenant rights in rental housing.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2109: An Act banning hostile architecture targeting unhoused individuals

This bill bans the installation of "hostile architecture" (designs meant to prevent unhoused individuals from sitting or lying on public property at street level) on publicly accessible municipal, state agency, and transportation facilities. It specifically prohibits municipalities, state commissioners, and transportation authorities from using such designs on property they control. The bill defines hostile architecture to exclude elements like skateboard deterrents or vehicle barriers. Violators face a $500 daily fine for each day the ban is violated. The law directly affects public property owners and developers working on publicly accessible spaces.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBans hostile architecture targeting unhoused individuals, directly addressing homelessness and protecting public space access for vulnerable populations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness

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