Housing Choice legislation

Governor Charlie Baker filed the Housing Choices legislation in December 2017 to promote best practices for housing growth.  The bill was re-filed on February 27, 2019 and is House 3507.

Zoning changes that promote best practices for housing growth that would qualify for the simple majority threshold include:

• Building mixed-use, multi-family, and starter homes, and adopting 40R “Smart Growth” zoning in town centers and near transit.

• Allowing the development of accessory dwelling units, or “in-law” apartments.

• Approving Smart Growth or Starter Homes districts that put housing near existing activity centers.

• Granting increased density through a special permit process.

• Allowing for the transfer of development rights and enacting natural resource protection zoning.

• Reducing parking requirements and dimensional requirements, such as minimum lot sizes.

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This legislation also includes a provision, added by the Joint Committee on Housing, that would reduce the voting threshold for a special permit issued by a local permit granting authority to a simple majority vote, for certain multi-family or mixed-use projects with at least 10% affordable units in locations near transit or, in centers of commercial activity within a municipality.

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Baker-Polito Administration Announces Re-Filing of Housing Choices bill https://www.mass.gov/news/baker-polito-administration-files-new-housing-legislation-to-increase-housing-production-in