Massachusetts comprehensive housing plan

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stick n move

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There wasnt a statewide thread for housing issues non related to the mbta communities act this could fit into, so made a new one. Not much here yet, but apparently there is more to come.

A Home for Everyone:' Gov. Healey unveils first-ever state housing plan to address shortages

“BOSTON, Mass. - Billed as the first-of-its-kind, Governor Maura Healey releases a comprehensive housing plan for Massachusetts Thursday. The plan highlights a number of needs and priorities, with an increase in housing production topping the list.

Governor Healey says Massachusetts needs to build 222,000 housing units in the next decade in order to stay competitive.

The Governor unveiling the plan called 'A Home for Everyone." Healey says the housing crisis is a statewide issue.

"We offer this report as a tool to be used in town meetings, by planning boards, and city councils," said Ed Augustus, Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities. "It offers local officials, advocates, and people who care about our state's future with fact-based information."”

https://spectrumnews1.com/ma/worcester/news/2025/02/06/healey-housing-plan-020624
 
It's very ambitious, requiring construction of 22,000 units per year, when we usually don't even license half that number. It is absolutely what we need, but the question of how to stimulate such an expansion is not well answered so far. Hopefully we get more details soon.
 
HenryAlan said:
It's very ambitious, requiring construction of 22,000 units per year, when we usually don't even license half that number. It is absolutely what we need, but the question of how to stimulate such an expansion is not well answered so far. Hopefully we get more details soon.
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The question is well answered; it’s zoning/ permitting reform. The only question is if the Statehouse can find the political will to stop delegating that power to obstructionist municipalities.
 
Highwayguy said:
The question is well answered; it’s zoning/ permitting reform. The only question is if the Statehouse can find the political will to stop delegating that power to obstructionist municipalities.
Click to expand...
Yep, pretty much this.
 

Realtor.com gave Mass. an 'F' for housing production. Framingham officials explain why​


“Massachusetts recently received an "F" rating in a Realtor.com report on affordability and home building. The culprit, according to Framingham officials: The raw cost of building homes.
According to the report, Massachusetts' zoning code is complicated and its regulatory complexity costs builders time and money; those costs are then passed onto homeowners…..”


“Massachusetts ranked 50th out of 51 on Realtor.com's list (50 states plus Washington, D.C.) of Affordability and Homebuilding Report Cards.


Massachusetts has a median home price of $781,758 with a median income of $96,584, according to the website.
The report also notes that zoning codes in Massachusetts are tough to navigate. According to the National Zoning Atlas, there are 16 zoning districts per jurisdiction and 131 pages of zoning code per jurisdiction, including 1,187 pages in Boston.

"Not only are these zoning codes onerous, but they are also highly fragmented, with a distinct zoning jurisdiction for every 20,000 residents on average," the report reads. "These artificial restrictions limit the supply of housing in the state and will continue to result in Massachusetts struggling with affordable housing. When cities restrict apartments and starter homes, it’s not just policy — it’s also pushing out teachers, nurses and working families.

Southern and midwestern states were among the highest achievers in the report…..”

www.metrowestdailynews.com

Realtor.com gave Mass. an 'F' for housing production. Framingham officials explain why

Building costs and regulatory complexity are causing a lack of homebuilding in the state, according to a recent Realtor.com report.
www.metrowestdailynews.com
 

Banks Becoming 'Much More Aggressive' In Financing Boston Multifamily Projects​



“Multifamily construction starts have been slow in Greater Boston and beyond over the last two years, in part due to hesitation in the lending market, but it appears banks are becoming more eager to finance projects.

Several local commercial real estate executives, speaking Thursday at Bisnow’s Boston Capital Markets event, said they have seen banks becoming more active in the market…..”

“"There is universal recognition that the housing market needs more supply, so we are seeing bank lenders be much more aggressive on nonrecourse construction lending as it relates to multifamily,” Paulsrud said.

Crossharbor Capital Partners principal Robin Ibbetson, whose firm provides equity and debt for real estate projects, said it is most confident in multifamily lending due to the supply-demand imbalance in the housing market. And she is seeing more competition in the space for issuing construction loans.

"We're seeing the banks come back," Ibbetson said. “They're looking for additional yield. We've got a lot of private lenders that are sitting on a lot of capital that, again, are looking for yield, and construction is a way to get that for a lot of these lenders."…”

https://www.bisnow.com/boston/news/...ly-projects-but-investors-pulling-back-129304
 

Healey-Driscoll Administration Offers 450 Acres of State-Owned Sites for Future Housing ​



“The Healey-Driscoll Administration has released an inventory of more than 450 acres of surplus state-owned land that could be used for the development of 3,500 new housing units across Massachusetts. The administration expects to make 17 additional sites available to developers in the next year, including issuing Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for ten sites and holding an auction for an additional seven sites in September 2025.

Governor Maura Healey, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus, Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz and Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance Commissioner Adam Baacke convened housing developers today to share the results of the inventory and more information about upcoming opportunities to partner on developing the land for housing…….”

Healey-Driscoll Administration Offers 450 Acres of State-Owned Sites for Future Housing Development

Healey-Driscoll Administration Offers 450 Acres of State-Owned Sites for Future Housing Development
www.bldup.com www.bldup.com
 
Governmetn services center is on this list, not sure if that means it is going back out for proposals.
 

Massachusetts voters show broad support for new housing, even at the cost of local control​


“A bipartisan majority of Massachusetts voters value creating more affordable housing over preserving neighborhood character or maintaining local control, according to a new poll from MassINC Polling Group.

The poll, conducted on behalf of Abundant Housing Massachusetts, surveyed 803 registered Massachusetts voters. Results showed that 71% believed protecting traditional neighborhood character to be less important than building more affordable homes. Likewise, 63% valued the creation of more affordable housing over local control regarding the type of housing constructed.

More than one in five voters expressed support for legislation that would permit more types of housing and remove barriers to new home construction. Pro-housing solutions were most popular among renters, non-white voters, parents, and voters under age 45…..

bostonagentmagazine.com

Massachusetts voters show broad support for new housing, even at the cost of local control - Boston Agent Magazine

More than one in five Massachusetts voters expressed support for legislation that would remove barriers to new home construction.
bostonagentmagazine.com bostonagentmagazine.com
 
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