[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6222264,"mediaKeyId","3610415-1c3ea24bbb9e2817c9e6fcc3a2ae5745","parentId",3610415,"title","Developers, planners and business groups push zoning, permitting and construction cost reforms to speed housing production","audioSeconds",1775,"startMs",2547000,"endMs",4322000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3610415-1c3ea24bbb9e2817c9e6fcc3a2ae5745&start=2547&end=4322","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3610415-1c3ea24bbb9e2817c9e6fcc3a2ae5745/thumbnail_2547000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6222264/Massachusetts/Developers-planners-and-business-groups-push-zoning-permitting-and-construction-cost-reforms-to-speed-housing-production","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222264-960cd84e0fa858473982baab6d454d02/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437726&Signature=dXR6IaZR-mGXDkxMsv2JJM14IN9e5u3M0yt4hk-OmcO14kDiaJemt52j-lJ0qOvZ9fdIK5Nn5Ww~3wehH2WTnt0q5c7HvfDifCdjCt3JRg1nEUSOwIffmZy5jbkBwLJHT2Io8j00icuJY5w-o-pR7m1adN5K-XBA71aBg5iD8bLJH6l50J7GJmEnCJu6ZkK7K2sB2vfJGbHZz8zH5J~CrCiy-81B4BNzjOE8KwDPBWzhbCq0uma-Imaw3pg5hHPX8vXVHhbsgaYa2r3dXiz6LRz1qIo4w~jRl6wwnUBzRQhBZhdSB7L769QdAj-6DqC7RXH10PnafvMnXAthLyYCuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Massachusetts Legislature","date","2025-05-29T00:00:00Z","article","Leaders from the Massachusetts Municipal Association, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, NAIOP, the Massachusetts Association of Realtors and the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation told the Joint Committee on Housing that increasing housing production requires coordinated changes to zoning, permitting, construction cost structure and incentives.

Adam Chaplain, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, said municipalities need flexibility and targeted funding to meet local housing goals and urged the committee to consider local‑option revenue sources and reforms to tools such as inclusionary zoning, 40R smart‑growth overlays and site‑plan review definitions. He said local officials welcome state partnership but also fear losing local authority on land use.

Marc Draisen, executive director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, emphasized that supply growth is essential but “supply alone does not get us out of this.” He called for preservation of subsidized and naturally occurring affordable housing, and promoted modular/off‑site construction as a way to lower per‑unit costs if production capacity can be built in Massachusetts rather than imported.

Commercial development groups and developers argued for specific incentives and streamlining. Tamara Small, CEO of NAIOP Massachusetts, highlighted a recommendation from the governor’s Unlocking Housing Production Commission to exempt construction materials from the 6.25% sales and use tax; the commission estimated that exemption could reduce total project costs by up to 5 percent and help some projects become financially feasible.

Why it matters: The committee heard that reaching the administration’s statewide production benchmark — the administration and planning agencies have cited a goal of roughly 222,000 additional units over the next decade — will require both local capacity building and state policy changes to reduce per‑unit cost and accelerate permitting timelines.

Details and proposed fixes: Witnesses urged revisiting 40R and 40S incentive levels, increasing 40R/40S payments to offset education costs, lowering inclusionary zoning thresholds to encourage adoption, and aligning state planning and infrastructure funding with housing goals. MAPC and others called for federal and state investment to build local modular manufacturing capacity and to expand access to workforce training. Municipal and business groups also suggested standardizing permitting steps and, where appropriate, delegating more routine approvals to planning boards to reduce time spent in town meeting or council votes.

Open questions: Speakers asked the committee to examine how wetlands and Title 5 (septic) rules can be made science‑based and more consistent statewide so that communities cannot use more stringent local standards to effectively block development without a scientific basis. They also asked for clear funding to help towns upgrade infrastructure, such as wastewater and water systems, that limit development in many communities.

Ending note: Witnesses told legislators that no single reform will suffice; they recommended a portfolio approach of zoning reform, targeted incentives, material‑cost relief and permitting streamlining to increase housing production while protecting affordability and community priorities.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Committee On Housing\t5/29/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Municipal leaders, regional planners, developers and business groups urged lawmakers to combine zoning and permitting reform, incentives and cost‑reducing measures — including a proposed sales‑tax exemption on construction materials and support for modular manufacturing — to accelerate housing production.","taxTitle","Joint Committee on Housing, Joint, Legislative, Massachusetts","taxId",23906,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6222267,"Tenant advocates urge rent protections, tenant purchase tools as investor buying and rent hikes accelerate",368,2302000,2670000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3610415-1c3ea24bbb9e2817c9e6fcc3a2ae5745&start=2302&end=2670","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3610415-1c3ea24bbb9e2817c9e6fcc3a2ae5745/thumbnail_2302000.jpg","/articles/6222267/Massachusetts/Tenant-advocates-urge-rent-protections-tenant-purchase-tools-as-investor-buying-and-rent-hikes-accelerate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222267-77c05ff0a9a961beda43a0f2fc614d29/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437726&Signature=Xxc5YRQP6yWmGHbCCTn7piNIpjb35~Cj61G0G4qj907yTBl-5M6g7GFJkF4~lKuX5X6SExbtIFtjmXh~hqFOlLLeGvdyd5e6Jp6GQeodEbaZtQPnzVEshiDMubDGR3k3sndfs9P~MCa3ztILjxePCqOO3Ryc29yGqyjd2HUPtF0kSc8B4bWIP8tYO8fRLLHnwObk~ytHypu0MwXMdoLA7-4fzvOFdJLoDxfM-1zr4xiNF852nOfxn7yVOm1k0c0t2QFQmINLW1kpueFxhWDu5gYhEGa65yHsBjqsSvam9nB6vYa0IgYu-3CTaUMG2qT3tfHVMtprn1D6p8NSw91Lmg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tenant advocates and legal services groups told the Joint Committee on Housing that corporate investors and steep market rent increases are driving displacement across Massachusetts and pressed for policy tools to preserve housing for low‑ and moderate‑income residents.

Carolyn Chu, executive director of Homes for All Massachusetts, described repeated examples where new owners raised rents sharply or served eviction notices after an ownership change and said the pattern is widespread. “You shouldn’t be able to buy a building and then just run people over like you’re driving a tractor, not worrying about who is getting crushed under the wheels,” she said in testimony including examples from Lynn and East Hampton.

Advocates said the state needs both short‑term protections to keep people housed now and long‑term preservation. They recommended policies including local‑option rent stabilization, tenant opportunity to purchase mechanisms (TOPA), foreclosure mediation, stronger limits on junk fees and brokers’ fees, and increased funding for RAFT, HomeBASE and voucher programs. They also urged funding and statutory alignment to let community land trusts and other permanent‑affordability models scale statewide.

Why it matters: Advocate testimony tied investor purchases to rapid rent escalation, condo conversion and unit loss, and argued that these market dynamics are already shifting entire neighborhoods. They framed rent stabilization and tenant purchase tools as measures that can protect households now while the Commonwealth pursues longer‑term production and preservation strategies.

Key facts from testimony: Homes for All cited MAPC and housing‑navigator research showing the current supply of affordable rental homes serves about 32% of lower‑income households; that study estimated 441,000 lower‑income households lack access to affordable rental homes statewide. Mass Law Reform and other legal groups highlighted implementation successes for eviction‑record sealing and early access‑to‑counsel pilot results; early data presented to the committee showed hundreds of sealing petitions filed and that access‑to‑counsel openings have prevented or delayed eviction in a large share of cases handled so far.

Preservation tools discussed included community land trusts and stronger tenant right‑to‑purchase programs. Homes for All and Mass Law Reform pointed to Dudley Neighbors Inc. in Boston as an example of community land trust homeownership and cited tenant opportunity to purchase as a mechanism to take units off the speculative market and retain them as permanently affordable.

Remaining questions and next steps: Advocates asked the legislature to enable municipalities with a broader set of local tools, fund tenant technical assistance for redevelopment, expand foreclosure mediation and increase the share of bond and tax‑credit funding allocated to preservation and homeownership. Several speakers noted that some funding lines and program rules currently exclude rural and seasonal communities and asked the committee to remedy geographic inequities in program eligibility and scoring.

Ending note: Tenant advocates framed their recommendations as both immediate and systemic: they called for revenue‑neutral and targeted protections to prevent displacement now, and for more preservation funding and program fixes to hold housing affordable in the long term.

","Tenant advocates and legal aid groups told lawmakers they are seeing investor purchases and steep rent increases displace residents across Massachusetts and urged tools to preserve affordability now and in perpetuity.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6222272,"Massachusetts Housing Court warns new eviction-sealing law and backlog are straining court resources",648,580000,1228000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3610415-1c3ea24bbb9e2817c9e6fcc3a2ae5745&start=580&end=1228","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3610415-1c3ea24bbb9e2817c9e6fcc3a2ae5745/thumbnail_580000.jpg","/articles/6222272/Massachusetts/Massachusetts-Housing-Court-warns-new-eviction-sealing-law-and-backlog-are-straining-court-resources","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222272-f2c00bacb2ed612b1b86c50d30126cc1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437726&Signature=fo~-3OUh8V09NZIchMFWWZ0J3a3kZzaK19YGDOvpPAxgHQ5oKqoEDxkn1DH8pNgAaHdZtF-Kh7855jq9V9UA-sahYN7caZeuGfq6QYKD1DnIir4Q2Dt-yJhXS9YrQNwG5Nu03bVQGJDmJi9MeSllkLU4TfZ~6o-8tL6tKry0iKTNlc5AwXBCPwWP-nTyiGuevh5KY7~1UqCV8CJH4LHc6G2N1W00oN99PmtkhnK8NTLQ4huOHW7sLHTTJRFvFIFQu5Zm1cxQke6sQ-RoTcameFcIgIavSyAf5m-amigv38IWvpv9DTwzawF3LZ7hSH-JtE3-eD-L9~gxNd~ok9LJxA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chief Justice Diana Horan of the Massachusetts Housing Court told the Joint Committee on Housing on the Cape that the court is implementing an eviction‑sealing law while operating with what she described as too few judges and mounting case complexity.

Horan told the committee the Housing Court handles a broad range of housing matters and “travel[s] to 28 locations on a weekly basis,” and that changes enacted in recent years have increased both the time judges must spend on cases and the court’s administrative burden. She said the new sealing statute requires the court to block most case records from public view after petitions are allowed and that court staff and outside partners have helped the rollout run smoothly so far.

The sealing law, Horan said, “provides that upon the allowance of a petition, all records of the case must be sealed, which in essence means blocked from view for anyone who is not a party.” She told the committee that staff created guided forms and online help to assist litigants and that, to date, the court has processed sealing petitions “in the ordinary course of business,” while monitoring whether additional resources will be needed.

Why it matters: The Housing Court plays a central role in landlord‑tenant disputes and code enforcement. Changes to eviction procedure, sealing, remote appearances and pandemic-era rental assistance rules affect whether cases resolve early, whether parties return to court repeatedly and how much judicial time each matter consumes.

Most urgent facts: Horan described three operational pressures: statutory protections and rental‑assistance stays that can cause repeated rescheduling; more frequent guardians ad litem and complex competency questions; and aging housing stock that drives complicated code enforcement and receivership work. She said the court uses “a two‑tier process” adopted in 2020 to screen cases with housing specialists before matters go to a judge and that it is “currently looking at permanently adopting this structure.”

Committee questions checked two supply‑side issues: Representative Patrick Haggerty asked when the Housing Court’s authorized judge count was last adjusted; Horan said the number changed when the court gained statewide jurisdiction in February 2017 and indicated current judgeship levels are inadequate. Senator Julian Cyr asked what the legislature could do “upstream” to reduce eviction filings; Horan responded that funding for rental‑assistance and prevention programs is the primary upstream intervention she could recommend, while noting limits on a sitting judge’s ability to advocate for particular policies.

Supporting details: Horan said judges and staff have been augmented by recall judges and that she herself is hearing cases at least two days per week while pausing some administrative duties. She described digitization steps — public access to case images since April 2024, e‑summons for summary process cases, mandatory e‑delivery for attorneys and text‑reminder services — intended to reduce missed appearances and paperwork burdens.

Remaining questions and outlook: Horan cautioned the committee that while initial implementation of eviction sealing has been “smooth” thanks to staff work and partner guidance, legal questions and resource needs will continue to arise as complex fact patterns present themselves. She said the court will monitor whether additional staff or judges are required to handle the new statutory workload and the ongoing effects of rental assistance processes on case scheduling.

Ending note: The court urged increased investment in rental‑assistance prevention programs and flagged judgeship and staffing levels as a legislative priority if the Commonwealth wants faster disposition and fewer repeat hearings for litigants.

","Chief Justice Diana Horan told the Joint Committee on Housing that the Housing Court is managing a surge of procedural changes — including a new eviction-sealing law — while operating with statutory judge and staffing limits that slow case resolution and raise operational questions.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6222258,"Cape and island leaders ask for local transfer‑fee authority to fund year‑round housing",171,3029000,3200000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3610415-1c3ea24bbb9e2817c9e6fcc3a2ae5745&start=3029&end=3200","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3610415-1c3ea24bbb9e2817c9e6fcc3a2ae5745/thumbnail_3029000.jpg","/articles/6222258/Massachusetts/Cape-and-island-leaders-ask-for-local-transferfee-authority-to-fund-yearround-housing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222258-8515d7afe5331c5530b16248cddb0ef5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437726&Signature=RtNMHcNchdRezKWHSkMul1S3d4AjQFarqPy7hHw2U2ZjY72GqEyE2CBeA4Dx8~ZX-MdS5FC1hBVnTZoTJ8ndFICOE5z4VTiq1ROueT~C4yw7mtFnAJnVorICdTE3rQ0UDtLvgs20vBRVqx9EXRMFWFo9mJj~CbeYpQWKiokJOvmH0Ds7~DU7jluwKHS9N9ogwD40zpCxANSZEYbl8LTgY7sSz8d-gTqkIxiAI~ojcsHzYKzrC5vUM0plyWndVGdc0l2tWQQAsvBzbry4t515DBKxZUP0i6O1RtD6WuI8XVyzP9U9l4U2Pv7oDdv~0Pn9KRlzUKo36Efly-G2iMzh0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Officials and housing officials from Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod told the Joint Committee on Housing that seasonal communities face unique constraints — limited developable land, high shares of second homes, and water/wastewater limits — and urged the legislature to authorize a local real‑estate transfer fee and tailor funding programs to island and seasonal needs.

Brian Sullivan, chair of the Nantucket Affordable Housing Trust and a local broker, told the committee Nantucket’s median single‑family sale price is “3 and a half million” with median household income for a family of four just under $150,000, creating an affordability gap that local tax overrides and CPA funds cannot close. He said Nantucket voters have committed large local resources and produced deed‑restricted units but that “we can’t build our way out of this crisis alone” and that a transfer fee could generate sustainable revenue to “conserve, convert and construct” year‑round housing.

Laura Silber, island housing planner for the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, said all six Martha’s Vineyard towns adopted the state seasonal‑community designation and are updating housing plans; she called community land trusts and lease‑to‑locals pilots among the island’s effective tools but said many state funding streams do not align with small‑scale acquisitions and permanent deed restrictions used on islands.

Paul Nizwicki, CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, said 37% of Cape Cod homes are second homes and that the region’s population triples in summer — dynamics that shrink year‑round supply and raise prices for the workforce that supports tourism. He urged targeted tools that preserve year‑round occupancy and regional approaches to financing and permitting.

Why it matters: Seasonal markets concentrate wealth and remove units from year‑round rental markets; islands and resort towns have constrained land and infrastructure capacity, making targeted revenue sources and program adjustments more effective than general statewide programs.

Requested changes: Witnesses asked the committee to authorize a local‑option transfer fee (regional or town level), adapt LIHTC/QAP and other state program rules to be practicable for small acquisitions and community land trusts, and provide state guidance and funding for water/wastewater and small‑scale redevelopment projects.

Ending note: Seasonal community leaders said they are prepared to use local tools where authorized but stressed the need for state enabling authority and program design that recognizes small, high‑cost markets with limited buildable land.

","Officials from Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod told the Joint Committee on Housing that seasonal markets and limited developable land require targeted tools — especially a local real‑estate transfer fee — to preserve and create year‑round housing for workers and essential services.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Developers, planners and business groups push zoning, permitting and construction cost reforms to speed housing production

Tenant advocates urge rent protections, tenant purchase tools as investor buying and rent hikes accelerate

Massachusetts Housing Court warns new eviction-sealing law and backlog are straining court resources

Cape and island leaders ask for local transfer‑fee authority to fund year‑round housing