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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3496 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1320
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Carmine Lawrence Gentile and Ryan M. Hamilton
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to promote housing cooperatives.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Carmine Lawrence Gentile13th Middlesex1/20/2023Ryan M. Hamilton15th Essex1/20/2023Susan Williams Gifford2nd Plymouth2/17/2023Kathleen R. LaNatra12th Plymouth2/23/2023 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3496 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1320
By Representatives Gentile of Sudbury and Hamilton of Methuen, a petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 1320) of Carmine Lawrence Gentile, Ryan M. Hamilton and others for
legislation to promote housing cooperatives. Housing.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to promote housing cooperatives.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 40H of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
2following section:-
3 Section 10.
4 There is hereby established a Massachusetts center for housing cooperatives within
5CEDAC. The Massachusetts center for housing cooperatives shall provide education, conduct
6outreach and promote efforts to create an overall environment in the commonwealth to: (i)
7expand and enhance cooperative resident ownership; (ii) preserve the existing and increase the
8number of cooperatively owned properties; (iii) publicize and promote the benefits of resident
9cooperative housing to policy makers and the general public; (iv) encourage collaborative
10outreach efforts regarding involvement and cooperative housing ownership; (v) research and
11evaluate cooperative housing ownership in the commonwealth; (vi) showcase cooperative
12housing initiatives in the commonwealth; (vii) facilitate and coordinate the sharing of existing 2 of 3
13information and resources; and (viii) provide grants pursuant to this chapter. The Massachusetts
14center for housing cooperatives within CEDAC shall focus its efforts to promote housing
15cooperatives for low to moderate income people in the commonwealth.
16 (1) The director of the Massachusetts center for housing cooperatives shall have the
17power to hire staff, appoint any specific committee or task force and contract with consultants,
18agents or advisors deemed necessary to further the purposes of this section.
19 (2) The director may accept gifts or grants of money or property from any source to
20further the work of the center; provided, however, that any money received shall be deposited
21with the state treasurer to be kept in a separate fund in the treasury to be named the
22Massachusetts Center for Housing Cooperatives Fund dedicated to the center and for expenditure
23without appropriation by the director of the center in accordance with the conditions of such a
24gift or grant. Amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the
25General Fund and shall be available for expenditure in subsequent fiscal years.
26 (3) The director shall issue rules, regulations and procedures governing the
27application for and delivery of services which are deemed necessary for the proper performance
28of the duties of the center.
29 (4) Annually, the director shall file a report with the clerks of the house of
30representatives and senate, including an inventory of housing cooperatives in the state and the
31specific activities taken by the center to support and promote the transition of traditionally
32structured properties to a cooperative resident ownership model.
33 (5) The director shall be a full-time employee of CEDAC and shall be appointed by
34and report directly to the director of CEDAC. 3 of 3
35 SECTION 2. The commonwealth shall appropriate $100,000,000 in fiscal year 2024 for a
36reserve to promote housing cooperatives throughout the commonwealth for low to moderate
37income people, including, but not limited to acquiring real estate to establish housing
38cooperatives, preserving, rehabilitating and satisfying the capital needs of existing cooperatives
39through programs administered by the department of housing and community development
40directly or through 1 or more of the following: (i) Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency; (ii)
41Massachusetts Housing Partnership; and (iii) Community Economic Development Assistance
42Corporation; provided further, that within 180 days of the effective date of this Act, the
43department shall submit a report to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the
44joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies on recommendations for
45creating and preserving housing cooperatives throughout the commonwealth.