Bill > H1127

This bill aims to help municipalities meet their affordable housing goals by recognizing certain approved but unbuilt affordable housing projects. Specifically, it amends Chapter 40B of the General Laws, which governs affordable housing in Massachusetts, to include low or moderate income housing units that have received local approval and have had that approval filed with the city or town clerk, as long as the approval hasn't expired. This is important because some municipalities have approved projects that would help them reach the state's target of having at least 10% of their housing stock be affordable, but these projects haven't been built yet. The bill clarifies that these approved projects should be counted towards a municipality's affordable housing percentage and reflected on the Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI), which is a list maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development. The bill also sets specific deadlines for when these approvals will expire if building permits haven't been issued or occupancy permits haven't been obtained, and it will expire seven years after its passage unless renewed, though any housing already on the SHI at that time will continue to be governed by the act until its local approval expires.