Bill > S583

This bill amends Section 20 of Chapter 40B of the General Laws, which is a state law designed to encourage the development of low and moderate-income housing. Specifically, it adds a new condition under which a city or town can be considered to have made progress in providing such housing, even if they haven't met other established benchmarks. This new condition applies to municipalities where a significant portion of their land area is exempt from local property taxes, meaning the government or other entities own land that doesn't contribute to the town's tax revenue. The bill defines "low and moderate income housing" as housing affordable to households earning a certain percentage of the area median income, a standard measure of income levels. The amendment allows a town to qualify if over 30% of its taxable land area is owned by entities exempt from taxation, and if at least 5% of its housing units are already designated as low and moderate-income housing on land that is taxed and zoned for residential use. This provision aims to provide relief or alternative pathways for towns facing unique land ownership challenges while still promoting the creation of affordable housing.