Housing News

CHAPA is pleased to see that the final MBTA multi-family zoning guidelines issued by the Baker Administration put the Commonwealth on the path to achieving our state’s housing goals. This is the most significant change to zoning in more than 40 years and will make it possible to create the homes people need, support local businesses, reduce car dependency, and help stabilize rents and home prices that have been rising faster than people’s incomes.

Slides with Overview of Final Guidelines for MBTA Communities

On August 10, Governor Baker signed a clean energy and climate bill (H.5060) which includes a pilot program to allow ten cities and towns to restrict or prohibit the use of fossil fuels in most construction or major renovation projects. Governor Baker expressed concern that the pilot program could slow housing production. It is not clear which ten communities will be selected to participate in the pilot but Boston has already expressed interest passing a fossil fuel ban.

On August 9, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) issued new guidance for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), as required in the FY23 MRVP Budget Line Item passed in July. DHCD is implementing new calculation methods for both Mobile and Project Based Voucher Tenant Rent Shares for MRVP.

The Legislature failed to pass an economic development bill by the close of the legislative session, which ended on July 31. A conference committee could not agree to a final bill as it negotiated differences between each chamber's respective versions. 

On August 1, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) made administrative changes to the emergency rental assistance program Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT).

Governor Charlie Baker today signed the Fiscal Year 2023 budget, a $52.7 billion budget with historic investments in affordable housing programs along with other critical priorities.The final budget deposits nearly $1.5 billion into the Rainy Day Fund bringing the balance of the Fund to $8.4 billion. CHAPA thanks the Legislature and Governor Baker for making historic investments in affordable housing programs. These investments are critical as Massachusetts recovers from the pandemic.

On July 27, the U.S. Treasury Department released updated guidance that allows governments to use State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to fully finance long-term affordable housing loans, including the principal of any such loans, subject to certain conditions and other changes that will facilitate significant additional financing for affordable housing projects, including those using the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC).

On July 26, the Baker-Polito Administration, through the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), awarded $50 million in direct funding and $89 million in state and federal tax credits to support 26 affordable housing projects, including 384 homes for households with very low-incomes.

The Legislature passed a $52.7 billion annual budget (H 5050) for the fiscal year 2023, which began on July 1st with an interim spending plan in place on July 18th.