Massachusetts’ CommonWealth Builder program effectively reduces the price of new housing units by subsidizing developers up to $150,000 per home. And unlike traditional affordable housing, it allows homeowners to realize the full market appreciation of their unit if they live there for at least 15 years.
Between a pandemic likely to cause another big cultural shift around single-family homes, and an inventory shortage unlikely to end any time soon, conditions are building for big run-ups in home prices.
A common NIMBY practice involves filing lawsuits against developments with no real substantial claims, in order to string the process out so developers give up. But just recently, something emerged to address this problem.
Massachusetts renters and their landlords will get some measure of relief from a $900 billion federal COVID-19 aid package agreed to by congressional negotiators Sunday night.
Over four dozen owners and operators of affordable housing units announced a joint pledge this morning to work with their tenants in financial trouble due to the COVID-19 recession and avoid evicting them over missed rent payments.
With seemingly dwindling prospects of new federal aid for people still struggling to pay rent thanks to the COVID-19 crisis, the state could see “chaos” as its eviction and foreclosure moratorium ends Aug. 18, a leading housing advocate says.
We only have a short period of time to ensure that renters, landlords and homeowners do not face a financial cliff when the moratorium ends.
According to DCHD records, 42 cities and towns have now adopted smart growth zoning, covering over 2,300 acres which can accommodate 22,213 dwelling units. But so far only about 3,750 dwelling units have been built or permitted, an increase of about 1,250 units since 2014.
With Boston and other major cities in the grip of housing crises, federal help is needed more than ever to build enough affordable housing to meet the need.
With recent public debate focused on the lack of new and affordable housing and its impact on job growth, traffic congestion and others facets of daily life, public housing advocates reminded lawmakers on Tuesday not to neglect what the state already has.
Major amendments sought by affordable housing advocates failed to pass during this year’s fiscal 2020 House budget debate, but lawmakers added more than $2 million in funding for local housing programs and affordable vouchers.
Amid growing warnings about declining access to affordable housing in Massachusetts, advocates are urging lawmakers to ramp up investments in key programs beyond what was already proposed in the state House leadership budget.
Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and others in the Baker administration to continue to try to build public support for a proposal to make housing-friendly zoning easier to pass. The legislature’s timeline for considering the measure, however, remains unclear.
