Bill Will Not Address Affordable Housing Crisis
(Boston, MA) May 14 – Christopher Norris, Executive Director of Metro Housing|Boston, will testify to the Joint Housing Committee on Governor Baker’s Housing Choices bill (Bill H.3507) on Tuesday, May 14.
The Governor’s bill calls for, in certain situations, lowering the threshold needed to make municipal zoning changes from a two-thirds majority of the relevant board to a simple majority, which would make it easier for cities and towns throughout the Commonwealth who wish to do so to increase their supply of housing.
Although Metro Housing supports many of the provisions contained in this proposed legislation, Norris will testify that it does not go far enough and will ask the legislature to amend the bill to include an affordability production goal and tracking mechanism.
“The bill may increase housing production in those communities that voluntarily choose to do so. However, as drafted, it will not have a significant impact on those families who seek assistance from Metro Housing.”
Additionally, said Norris, “requiring every municipality to provide an area where multi-family housing can be built as of right is important because we know that more than half of the multifamily units permitted over the last five years were in just five cities and towns . . . and more than half of the cities and town in Massachusetts did not permit any multifamily housing in the past decade.”
Norris’s full testimony may be found here.
About Metro Housing|Boston
Serving more than 25,000 households annually, Metro Housing|Boston is dedicated to mobilizing wide-ranging resources to provide innovative and personalized services that lead families to housing stability, economic security and an improved quality of life. With more than 30 years’ experience piloting and implementing housing programs, it has solidified their position as an industry-leading expert on navigating the affordable housing field. Metro Housing|Boston is committed to making sure that every person in Greater Boston will always have a place to call home. Visit www.metrohousingboston.org, facebook.com/MetroHousingBoston , or follow on Twitter at @MetroHousingBos.