Bill > H1263

This bill proposes changes to Massachusetts General Laws chapter 40B, which governs affordable housing initiatives. Specifically, it amends Section 20 to include a new condition for calculating a community's progress in meeting its low and moderate income housing needs: if more than 12% of all housing units sold in a prior year were sold at prices affordable to low or moderate income individuals, this would count towards the community's housing goals. Additionally, the bill inserts a new Section 23A, mandating that the Department of Housing and Community Development create regulations to implement these affordable housing provisions. These regulations must cover aspects like maximum building density, the minimum percentage of affordable units required in developments, how municipalities can get credit for rental voucher programs, and a method for assessing local housing needs while considering regional needs, the number of low-income residents, public health and safety, and the quality of the proposed housing's design and its integration with the surrounding area.