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A zoning reform long sought by Gov. Charlie Baker has reemerged as part of an economic development bill intended to help the state and local communities respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

The jobs bill, which was first proposed by Baker back in March and recently updated, has been identified by leaders in the House and Senate as one of their priorities in the waning days of the formal legislating year, which is scheduled to come to an end Friday.

Baker’s “Housing Choices” legislation would reduce from two-thirds to a simple majority the number of votes needed on a local board to approve certain types of new housing to be built. The measure, which Baker tacked on to the jobs bill when he refiled it at the end of June, was removed from the bill by a House committee on July 15 but a version of the bill with the proposal still attached was reported out of the House Ways and Means Committee late last week.

The House plans to hold a formal session at 11 a.m. Monday, with the economic development bill (H.4879) on the agenda. The bill has 499 amendments to it pending for legislators to debate.

Progressive legislators, led by Cambridge Rep. Mike Connolly, say they plan to propose several amendments to the bill which would advance policies long sought by housing advocates, including:

• Allowing municipalities to add their own real estate transfer taxes on top of the state transfer tax.
• Giving apartment tenants the right of first refusal to purchase their buildings if their current landlord seeks to sell.
• Lifting the statewide ban on local rent control ordinances.
• Reducing the threshold for local boards to adopt an inclusionary zoning affordable housing ordinance from two-thirds to one-half.
• Allowing municipalities to tax unoccupied units in buildings with ten or more apartments or condominiums. Units being renovated would be exempt.
• A significant extension of the state’s COVID-19 eviction moratorium, as previously proposed by Connolly and Housing Committee Co-chair Rep. Kevin Honan and strongly opposed by the state’s real estate and banking industries.

Housing groups argue Baker’s bill does not go far enough in ensuring more affordable housing is built. Supporters of Baker’s proposal contend the bill may not win support of more conservative legislators if Progressive proposals are included.

Material from State House News Service was used in this report.