Enable homeowners to sell at fair market value

H. 1372 An Act relative to homeowner assets

The Homeownership Opportunity Program, introduced in 1986, was an executive branch initiative designed to bring together state, local, and private sector resources to provide affordable homes and low-cost mortgages to income-eligible, first-time buyers. In return, HOP-assisted home had deed restrictions to maintain affordability for future buyers. Specifically, homeowners were required to agree that if their unit initially sold for 85% or less of its appraised value, its subsequent reseal price would be limited by the same percentage of cost to value. This bill arose from a discussion with constituents who purchased a home 30 years ago who believe that the program would serve them better without this restriction. If passed, this legislation would allow homeowners who purchased through the Homeowner Opportunity Program, after 30 years, to sell their home for fair market value.

Protect Hillside Terrace and Hamblin Court by dissolving the HCRHA

H. 3810 An Act dissolving the Hampshire County Regional Housing Authority and incorporating its functions into the Northampton Housing Authority

Hillside Terrace in Cummington and Hamblin Court in Huntington are both essential small senior housing developments, the only public housing in the area, and the only properties of the Hampshire County Regional Housing Authority (HCRHA). Due to the HCRHA’s struggles, the Northampton Housing Authority (NHA) has been managing the properties with success. Approved by the HCRHA and the NHA, if passed this bill would protect Hillside Terrace and Hamblin Court by dissolving the HCRHA and incorporating its functions into the NHA.

Enable multi-family zoning to help address the housing crisis

H. 3964 An Act relative to the housing emergency

Our patchwork of zoning laws grants municipalities extraordinary leeway to decide which types of housing get built and subject developments to unreasonable procedural requirements. This means that municipalities can widely prohibit the development of multi-family zoning, which is a critical tool to addressing the housing crisis. Multi-family housing creates more denser, more affordable, more transit and environmentally friendly communities, and often better suit the specific needs of immigrant, multi-generational families.

This current system bears significant responsibility for the issues defining housing in Massachusetts right now: skyrocketing prices, transportation burdens, residential segregation, and wealth inequality.

If passed, this bill would:

• Stop municipalities from prohibiting multi-family zoning

• Stop municipalities from imposing additional approval standards on government-assisted housing that aren’t applied to similar but unassisted housing

• Require municipalities to allow by-right development for certain housing options in all residential areas

• Direct regional planning agencies to submit an annual report to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to determine how municipalities in their jurisdiction can meet their share of their region’s housing needs