Action Alert: Last Push for Strongest Possible Affordable Homes Act!

Right now, the Affordable Homes Act Conference Committee – 3 State Representatives and 3 State Senators – are deciding which policies will go into the final Affordable Homes Act that will be voted on by the full Legislature and sent to the Governor’s desk. This is our last chance to push our highest priorities, so let’s push!

See the Network’s letter to our Western MA delegation here and to Conference Committee members here. Feel free to send the delegation letter to your Representative and Senator (find your legislators here) with a quick note: “Please support these Network priorities” or adapt and send your own letter. Then send the Conference Committee letter to the members (see email addresses below). Bottom line: BE HEARD!!

Our Network Priorities in a nutshell:

Eviction Record Sealing: We are joined with the HOMES Coalition of over 120 organizations statewide to urge your inclusion of eviction record sealing, specifically Section 66, S.2850 in its entirety, to provide tenants with the ability to seal an eviction record in certain types of cases at certain times. It is especially critical to preserve the provision that enables tenants who win their case and where the case is dismissed to seal their eviction record. Right now, there is nothing tenants in Massachusetts can do to seal an eviction record, even if they did nothing wrong, won the case or paid off any rent due. This eviction record sealing proposal is a critical first step to removing a significant barrier to ending homelessness and finding a place to live.
Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA): In concert with the TOPA Coalition, we urge your adoption of the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act as a key tool to push back against dramatically increased speculation and preserve affordable housing in our communities. TOPA creates a local option for municipalities to help keep people in their homes while preserving the right of homeowners to sell at market rate. It will serve people from across the income spectrum, and none more so than people experiencing housing instability and the threat of homelessness.
Commission to Study Local Option Transfer Fees; Demonstration Program: While it was a significant disappointment that the transfer fee was not included in either chamber’s version of the AHA, we join the Local Option for Housing Affordability (LOHA) Coalition in supporting the inclusion of the proposed commission on housing shortages to further study and make recommendations on a local option transfer fee and other mechanisms to raise revenue for affordable housing production. We also support the inclusion of a demonstration program that will allow a limited number of communities to enact and utilize transfer fees to fund affordable housing in order to better inform the Commission’s work.
Supportive Housing Flexible Pool Fund: In partnership with the statewide Supportive Housing Coalition, we urge inclusion of this fund that will allow for federal, state, public and private funding to be aligned, catalyzing the development of supportive housing. Supportive housing is a proven solution for addressing chronic homelessness, allowing people to exit streets, doubled-up housing, and shelters through access to housing and services.
Foreclosure Prevention Program: This proposal includes a foreclosure mediation pilot program for borrowers and creditors in five communities disproportionately affected by high rates of foreclosures. This is an important first step to preserving homeownership for our most vulnerable residents.
Inclusionary Zoning by Simple Majority: This proposal would allow cities and towns the option to adopt inclusionary zoning ordinances by simple majority vote instead of the current two-thirds majority vote, a crucial step towards making affordable housing more available to all.