Action Alert! Ask Your State Senator to Co-Sponsor CHAPA’s Affordable Housing Priorities in the Economic Development Bill

On July 19, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means released its Economic Development Bill proposal (S.3018). The legislation includes investments in the production of affordable housing through capital authorizations, homeownership opportunities, reforms for public housing redevelopment, and more. The Senate will vote on the bill later this week.

The following amendments to S.3018 will create long-term solutions to the tremendous affordable housing challenges we faced long before the pandemic.

Please call or email your State Senator TODAY to ask them to co-sponsor CHAPA’s priority amendments in the Economic Development Bill
for affordable housing, community development, and homelessness prevention!

You can use the following script in your message to your State Senator:

As your constituent, I ask that you please co-sponsor and support the following amendments related to affordable housing, community development, clean energy, and homelessness prevention in the Economic Development Bill. This legislation will help us make historic investments in affordable housing and economic development for long terms solutions to challenges we were facing long before the pandemic. We need to adopt these amendments to help everyone have a safe, healthy, and affordable home.Thank you!

As always, thank you for your advocacy!

Contact Your State Senator

#101 – Public Housing Resident Protections during Redevelopment
Sponsored by Sen. Keenan

Adds language to make sure that as public housing redevelopment projects happens that basic resident protections remain in place for existing and future residents. The amendment also ensures that residents are provided with technical assistance to allow for meaningful input into the redevelopment process.

#18 – HOMES ACT (Housing Opportunity and Mobility Eviction Sealing)
Sponsored by Sen. Edwards

Provides urgently needed eviction record sealing protection for tenants. The amendment will protect tenants from being unfairly marked with an eviction record and establish a fair process for tenants to petition the court on a case-by-case

#160 – Accessory Dwelling Units
Sponsored by Sen. Crighton

Helps solve our shortage of homes in Massachusetts by allowing accessory dwelling units to be built by-right in every city an town.

#151 – Permanent Supportive Housing
Sponsored by Sen. Keenan

Will help end chronic homelessness among families and individuals by providing $10 million to create permanent supportive housing.

#613 – Promoting Housing Stability by Allocating Budget Surplus and ARPA Funds to Expand Access to RAFT
Sponsored by Sen. Timilty

Will prevent evictions and homelessness among households who have fallen behind on rent due to the pandemic and other housing emergencies by providing $250 million for RAFT emergency housing assistance.

#174 – Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance
Sponsored by Sen. Crighton

Will help close the racial homeownership gap by providing $30 million for the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance’s STASH program that provides first-generation homebuyers with homeownership opportunities.

#363 – Local Option for Housing Affordability
Sponsored by Sen. Jehlen

Will help address our shortage of affordable homes by creating a local options for cities and towns to enact a transfer fee on certain real estate transactions to support affordable housing.

#452 – Small Properties State Acquisition Fund
Sponsored by Sen. Jehlen

Will create more affordable homes by providing $9 million to be used to acquire 1-8 unit buildings to turn into affordable housing.

#354 – Equitable Developers’ Financing Program
Sponsored by Sen. Gomez

Will create a $75 million program to support affordable housing developers of color in Gateway Cities or communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.