Housing News

In this Special Report, knowledgeplex will provide ongoing coverage of the financial crisis and its effect on our economy and our communities. Read the special report here.

The Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness announces a Request for Responses for the Regional Network Innovations to End Homelessness. This initiative offers an exciting opportunity to partner with the Commonwealth to implement innovative strategies that will inform new and emerging statewide housing approaches to ending homelessness. Please click here for the full RFR document.

In its continuing effort to support affordable housing production in Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) has awarded nearly $4 million in grants to non‐profit and community - based development organizations across the state. Please click here to read the full announcement.

The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is making up to $2 million available to communities under the Gateway Plus Action Grant to support local planning efforts to expand housing opportunities for the Commonwealth's residents, resulting in revitalization that creates and restores vibrant mixed-income neighborhoods. The resulting plan and proposed actions should reflect a shared vision of a neighborhood improvement strategy, emphasizing housing needs, quality of life, and ongoing steps to sustain and enhance community and civic engagement.

FHFA has stated that business will continue as usual at the Enterprises during the conservatorship—this applies to both their single-family and multifamily businesses. Please click here to view the full announcement.

Secretary Bigby and the Governor's Office have approved the Community First Olmstead Plan linked below. "Community First" continues to be one of the Secretary’s top priorities. The Governor "officially" received the plan on September 12th. Please click here to view a PDF version of the plan.

Area economists say the bottom may be near for the slump of housing prices in Massachusetts. That’s the good news. The bad news: Don’t expect a rapid rebound. Expect prices to move sideways for a while before rising. Those who recently bought homes likely will remain “under water” — owning a home valued at less than they paid — for several years.

State Updates Senate Committee on Ways and Means Releases FY’12 Budget Proposal On Wednesday, May 18th, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means released its FY 2012 Budget Proposal. Like the Governor’s budget and the House budget, the Senate Ways and Means budget closes a gap of over $1.8 billion created by a revenue shortfall from the slow economy, the repeal of the sales tax on alcohol, and the loss of ARRA stimulus funds.

On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Henry Paulson, together with the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), James Lockhart, released a statement announcing the decision of Lockhart to place the government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under conservatorship.

  Testimony on DHCD’s FY 2010 Budget Written by: Sean Caron Director of Public Policy Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association Click here to view full text of testimony (PDF File)