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:
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Building mixed-use, multi-family, and starter homes, and adopting 40R “Smart Growth” zoning in town centers and near transit.
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Allowing the development of accessory dwelling units, or “in-law” apartments.
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Approving Smart Growth or Starter Homes districts that put housing near existing activity centers.
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Granting increased density through a special permit process.
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Allowing for the transfer of development rights and enacting natural resource protection zoning.
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Reducing parking requirements and dimensional requirements, such as minimum lot sizes.
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.
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