Massachusetts House approves sweeping housing bill

BOSTON (AP) — The Massachusetts House approved their version of a sweeping housing bill late Wednesday, seeking to build on proposed legislation unveiled by Gov. Maura Healey last year designed to rev up the creation and renovation of affordable housing.

The House bill includes $6.5 billion in bond authorizations, tax credits, and policy initiatives designed to increase housing production, streamline affordable housing development, and preserve existing public housing in Massachusetts.

One thing the bill doesn’t include is a proposal by Healey that would give cities and towns the authority to approve taxes on high-end property sales with the money going to pay for affordable housing.

Democratic House Speaker Ronald Mariano said the investments included in the House bill would amount to the largest investment in affordable and middle-income housing — including critical infrastructure related to housing production — in the state’s history.

“Given that Massachusetts is one of the most expensive states in the entire country to buy a home or rent an apartment, the funding and tax credits provided by this bill will be crucial as we work to ensure that every Massachusetts resident can afford to live here, work here, and raise a family here,” he said in a statement.

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The bill includes $1 billion to allow for the expansion of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority water system, a key investment needed to help spur housing development outside the greater Boston area, supporters said.

Another key feature of the bill is language that would allow for the construction of one accessory dwelling unit up to 900 square feet to be built by right on a property in single-family zoning districts in all Massachusetts communities. The bill also includes a new $150 million program to help municipalities convert commercial properties into multi-unit residential or mixed-use properties.

Advocates for renters say the bill doesn’t include enough to help those facing the loss of their homes including rent stabilization and foreclosure protections.

“Massachusetts’ housing crisis is past the breaking point, and a 30-year strategy to build more affordable homes — while absolutely necessary — won’t do anything to help people who are facing eviction and foreclosure today,” said Carolyn Chou, Executive Director of Homes for All Mass, which describes itself as a statewide formation of grassroots housing justice groups.

The bill now heads to the Senate.