Housing

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2781: An Act to further lead remediation in rental housing by increasing the deleading credit

This bill increases the deleading credit for rental property owners from $3,000 to $15,000 under Section 6(e) of Chapter 62. It directly affects rental property owners who remediate lead paint hazards in their units. The key provision is a simple monetary adjustment to the existing credit amount, making the remediation cost more affordable. The change applies to all qualifying rental housing units requiring lead paint removal. This is a straightforward funding adjustment with no additional requirements or new mechanisms.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingIncreases deleading credit for rental property owners, making lead remediation more affordable and improving housing safety for tenants in qualifying units.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Renters

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2932: An Act to make home repair affordable and stabilize communities

HD 2932 creates a "whole home repairs program" to help homeowners and small landlords with essential home repairs. Homeowners with income at or below 80% of the area median income can receive grants (up to $50,000 per unit) for health/safety repairs, energy efficiency improvements, or accessibility modifications. Small landlords (owning ≤5 properties/15 units) can get loans (also capped at $50,000 per unit) for similar repairs on affordable rental units, with loan forgiveness possible if they maintain the property for 15 years, limit rent increases, and avoid serious violations. The program requires coordination with existing housing resources and includes funding for workforce development in home repair jobs.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill explicitly funds energy efficiency improvements as a key eligible repair category for grants and loans, directly advancing energy efficiency standards.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill provides grants/loans for health/safety repairs targeting low-income homeowners and affordable rental units, directly advancing housing affordability and stability.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Energy Efficiency Landlords Property Development Tenant Rights

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2787: An Act to improve indoor air quality for highly-impacted communities

This bill creates a task force to develop standards for identifying and fixing indoor air pollution and mold in schools, nursing homes, public housing, childcare centers, and other residential buildings. The task force, including health and environmental officials plus community representatives, must submit recommendations within one year, including public comment periods. It also requires the Department of Public Health to create new regulations by December 2026 for monitoring ultrafine particles and black carbon in indoor air, based on current health science. These rules will apply to both existing and new buildings, directly affecting residents and staff in the specified facilities.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentCreates task force and regulations to address indoor air pollution/mold in residential buildings, directly reducing environmental hazards per pollution control indicators.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAddresses public health by targeting indoor air pollution in high-risk facilities (nursing homes, schools), reducing respiratory health risks through new regulations and task force standards.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill requires indoor air quality standards in residential buildings including public housing, improving living conditions and tenant health in affordable housing stock.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Air Quality Public Health

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3016: An Act to strengthen supportive housing and reduce healthcare costs for low-income seniors

HD 3016 requires Massachusetts to fund supportive care services for low-income seniors aged 55+ living in qualifying rental housing projects. It mandates the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to pay housing sponsors $2,500 annually per MassHealth enrollee residing in projects with at least 50 units, where MassHealth residents are the majority and cluster contracting with homecare agencies is in place. The law also requires annual reports to the legislature tracking the number of Medicaid recipients in these projects and cost savings from the cluster contracting model. This directly affects qualifying senior housing projects and their residents enrolled in MassHealth.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds supportive care for low-income seniors via MassHealth, reducing costs and expanding access. Directly increases healthcare funding for vulnerable population.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly funds supportive housing for low-income seniors via annual payments to housing sponsors, directly advancing affordable housing access for vulnerable populations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness Renters

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2226: An Act relative to preventing algorithmic rent fixing in the rental housing market

HD 2226 prohibits real estate landlords and their agents from using third-party services that algorithmically set rents or coordinate rent increases among landlords. It bans service providers from collecting rental data, analyzing it with algorithms, or recommending pricing terms to landlords, and prevents them from facilitating non-competition agreements between landlords. Violations are treated as unfair competition under existing antitrust laws, allowing tenants to pursue class-action lawsuits in court instead of being forced into arbitration. Successful plaintiffs can recover damages, interest, and legal costs, with the law explicitly invalidating pre-dispute arbitration agreements for these cases.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingProhibits algorithmic rent coordination and non-competition agreements, strengthening tenant protections against unfair rent increases and promoting affordable housing stability.95% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyBans algorithmic rent setting and data analysis by third-party services, restricting tech use in housing market per bill's explicit prohibitions on algorithmic pricing coordination.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Renters Tenant Rights

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3599: An Act relative to avoiding senior homelessness and maintaining senior housing stabilization of rents

HD 3599 limits annual rent increases for seniors over 60 in private rental housing when their unit is sold to a new owner. It caps rent hikes at the lesser of the local Consumer Price Index change or 5% for five years, provided the tenant is on a public housing waitlist or agrees to apply. The law applies to most private rental units but excludes owner-occupied buildings with two units or less and units already regulated by public authorities. It requires cities/towns to ensure these stabilized units are available to seniors earning 80% or less of the Area Median Income.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill caps rent hikes for seniors over 60 at 5% or CPI to prevent homelessness and stabilize housing, directly protecting tenant rights and advancing affordable housing for vulnerable seniors.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness Homeownership Renters

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3715: An Act relative to improving the efficiency of the state low income housing tax credit

This bill (HD 3715) updates Massachusetts law to clarify who can receive low-income housing tax credits. It replaces the term "owner" with "allocatee" throughout relevant statutes, defining an "allocatee" as either a property owner or a taxpayer committing funds to a qualified housing project. This change directly affects investors and developers who provide capital for affordable housing projects but don't own the property. The key mechanism is simply updating legal definitions to include these funding providers as eligible recipients of tax credits. The bill makes no new policy changes but streamlines the existing program's administration.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesClarifies tax credit eligibility to include investors/developers, enabling efficient use of housing tax credits to support affordable housing programs.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingUpdates tax credit definitions to include investors, enabling more affordable housing development through existing funding mechanisms90% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Housing Finance Landlords

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3461: An Act relative to exclusionary zoning

This bill would authorize Massachusetts' Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to regulate exclusionary zoning. It requires the office to define exclusionary zoning, create a process for residents or developers to file complaints about suspected cases, and establish a review mechanism. If the office determines a municipality is using exclusionary zoning, it could take over that municipality's zoning authority for at least four years. After this period, the municipality could petition to regain control of its zoning. The bill directly affects Massachusetts municipalities whose zoning practices are found to exclude lower-income housing options.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill directly targets exclusionary zoning barriers to affordable housing development, enabling state intervention to mandate inclusive zoning and increase housing access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Zoning

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 4244: An Act relative to property tax exemptions for the increased value of a home as a result of certain alterations and improvements to the home

This bill creates a property tax break for homeowners who make specific modifications to their homes to accommodate elderly or disabled tenants. It allows a $500 annual reduction in property taxes for improvements made to provide housing for someone aged 60 or older, or a disabled person (as defined in the bill), who is not the home's owner. The home must have been a single or multi-family residence with no more than three units before the changes, and the homeowner must annually confirm the tenant's eligibility. The exemption ends if the tenant no longer lives there and cannot be claimed more than once per year by a single homeowner.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides $500 annual property tax reduction for homeowners making qualifying modifications, offering direct tax relief to support housing for elderly/disabled tenants.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingCreates $500 annual property tax break for homeowners modifying homes to house elderly/disabled tenants (not owners), directly increasing accessible housing options for vulnerable groups.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Incentives Homeownership Property Taxes

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2889: An Act relative to the Massachusetts lead law and promoting equal access to lead-free housing

This bill (HD 2889) updates Massachusetts' lead law to require landlords to eliminate lead hazards in rental properties before leasing. Starting July 1, 2026, landlords in designated "High Risk Communities" (areas with high childhood lead exposure rates) must abate lead paint or materials before renting, regardless of whether children under 6 live there. By July 1, 2030, this requirement expands to all rental properties statewide. The bill also prohibits landlords from suing parents for lead exposure and adds housing justice expertise to oversight boards.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRequires landlords to eliminate lead hazards before leasing, protecting tenants from health risks. Prohibits lawsuits against parents for lead exposure, strengthening tenant protections in housing.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Tenant Rights

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