Bill > H2119

This bill aims to increase affordable housing by requiring state departments to collect and report data on group homes and low-to-moderate income housing units in each city and town, with the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) maintaining an updated inventory of these units. It also revises the definition of "affordable housing threshold" under Chapter 40B of the General Laws, which sets a goal for municipalities to have at least 10 percent of their housing units be affordable, and clarifies what constitutes "consistent with local needs" when considering affordable housing developments, allowing for exceptions if a town has met certain housing goals or has an approved affordable housing plan. The bill also introduces provisions for regional housing needs, allowing contiguous communities to collaborate on meeting affordable housing goals and share infrastructure costs, and establishes a pilot program for three housing regions to address regional housing needs. Finally, it ensures that applications for comprehensive permits filed before the bill's effective date are not negatively impacted by its changes.