Bill > H1441

This bill aims to establish a special commission to determine how public entities in Massachusetts can fulfill their obligation to affirmatively further fair housing. The key provisions include: 1. Defining "affirmatively further fair housing" as taking meaningful actions to overcome patterns of segregation, foster inclusive communities, and address disparities in housing needs and access to opportunity. 2. Requiring public entities that receive certain federal housing funds to administer their programs and activities in a manner that affirmatively furthers fair housing. 3. Establishing a commission to categorize public entities and set specific lists of "meaningful actions" that each type of entity must take to fulfill the obligation to affirmatively further fair housing. 4. Allowing individuals to file civil actions against public entities for failure to comply with the obligation to affirmatively further fair housing, with prevailing plaintiffs entitled to recover litigation costs and reasonable attorney's fees. 5. Clarifying that compliance with the state's obligation does not relieve public entities from their federal fair housing obligations, and vice versa. 6. Directing the state's Department of Housing and Community Development to promulgate guidelines to implement the bill's provisions.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H1441