Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H227 Compare Versions

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22 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3728 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
33 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 227
44 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
55 _________________
66 PRESENTED BY:
77 Antonio F. D. Cabral
88 _________________
99 To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
1010 Court assembled:
1111 The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
1212 An Act relative to neighborhood stabilization and economic development.
1313 _______________
1414 PETITION OF:
1515 NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Antonio F. D. Cabral13th Bristol1/20/2023Patricia A. Duffy5th Hampden1/26/2023Christopher Hendricks11th Bristol1/26/2023Carol A. Doherty3rd Bristol1/30/2023Paul A. Schmid, III8th Bristol2/1/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/1/2023Carole A. Fiola6th Bristol2/7/2023 1 of 11
1616 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3728 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
1717 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 227
1818 By Representative Cabral of New Bedford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 227) of
1919 Antonio F. D. Cabral and others relative to neighborhood stabilization and economic
2020 development. Community Development and Small Businesses.
2121 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
2222 _______________
2323 In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
2424 (2023-2024)
2525 _______________
2626 An Act relative to neighborhood stabilization and economic development.
2727 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
2828 of the same, as follows:
2929 1 SECTION 1. Section 3 of chapter 70B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
3030 2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the colon, in line 21, the following words:
3131 3“neighborhood stabilization,”.
3232 4 SECTION 2. Section 1 of chapter 121A, as so appearing, is hereby amended by replacing
3333 5the definitions of “decadent area”, “sub-standard area”, and “project” with the below definitions
3434 6of those terms, and inserting the following additional definitions after the definition of “project”-
3535 7 “Decadent area”, an area, including a spot rehabilitation property, which is detrimental to
3636 8safety, health, morals, welfare or sound growth of a community because of the existence of a
3737 9building or buildings which are out of repair, physically deteriorated, unfit for human habitation,
3838 10or obsolete, or in need of major maintenance or repair, or because much of the real estate in
3939 11recent years has been sold or taken for non-payment of taxes or upon foreclosure of mortgages,
4040 12or because a building or buildings have been torn down and not replaced and in which under 2 of 11
4141 13existing conditions it is improbable that the building or buildings will be replaced, or because of
4242 14a substantial change in business or economic conditions, or because of inadequate light, air, or
4343 15open space, or because of excessive land coverage, or because diversity of ownership, irregular
4444 16lot sizes or obsolete street patterns make it improbable that the area will be redeveloped by the
4545 17ordinary operations of private enterprise, or by reason of any combination of the foregoing
4646 18conditions.
4747 19 “Sub-standard area”, an area, including a spot rehabilitation property, upon which there is
4848 20a dwelling or wherein dwellings predominate which, by reason of dilapidation, overcrowding,
4949 21faulty arrangement or design, lack of ventilation, light, or sanitation facilities, or any
5050 22combination of these factors, are detrimental to safety, health, morals, welfare or sound growth
5151 23of a community.
5252 24 “Project”, any undertaking consisting of the construction in one or more specified
5353 25blighted open, decadent or sub-standard areas of decent, safe and sanitary residential,
5454 26commercial, industrial, institutional, recreational or governmental buildings and such
5555 27appurtenant or incidental facilities as shall be in the public interest, and the operation and
5656 28maintenance of such buildings and facilities after construction. A “project” may include as
5757 29incidental thereto any one or more of the following:— (a) acquisition and assembly of the land
5858 30(and buildings and structures and other improvements thereon, if any) within a blighted open,
5959 31decadent or sub-standard area or areas; (b) clearance of the land within a blighted open, decadent
6060 32or sub-standard area or areas; (c) acquisition, assembly and clearance of land, buildings or
6161 33structures not in themselves blighted, decadent, or sub-standard if their inclusion is necessary for
6262 34the clearance, redevelopment, reconstruction or rehabilitation of a blighted open, decadent or
6363 35sub-standard area or areas; and (d) installation, construction, and reconstruction of public and 3 of 11
6464 36private ways, public utilities and services, and site improvements essential to the preparation of
6565 37blighted open, decadent or sub-standard area or areas for beneficial development or
6666 38redevelopment.
6767 39 “Spot Blight Project Sponsor”, a community development corporation certified under
6868 40chapter 40H; a bona-fide non-profit organization, established under chapter 180 that has, in the
6969 41determination of the housing board, satisfactory and sufficient experience in the construction or
7070 42rehabilitation of residential or non-residential buildings, the creation or provision of affordable
7171 43housing, the restoration of abandoned property, the revitalization and improvement of
7272 44neighborhoods, or a similar purpose; a redevelopment authority established under chapter 121B;
7373 45or a partnership of two or more of any of the foregoing; that is approved under this chapter to
7474 46rehabilitate a spot rehabilitation property.
7575 47 “Spot Rehabilitation Property”, a residential single-family home, a residential building
7676 48with not more than four separate units, a commercial property under 10,000 square feet with a
7777 49building or buildings thereon, or any building under 10,000 square feet with a mix of residential
7878 50and commercial uses that meets the following criteria: (a) the building or buildings on the
7979 51property have been vacant for the last twelve months, (b) construction has not begun pursuant to
8080 52a building permit that has been issued to conduct rehabilitation of the building or buildings on
8181 53the property for the purpose of making the property habitable or useable for commercial
8282 54purposes, and (c) the municipality has made a determination that the building or buildings are
8383 55distressed, upon consideration of the following: the building or buildings are out of repair,
8484 56physically deteriorated, unfit for human habitation, or obsolete, or in need of major maintenance
8585 57or repair, or because the building has been sold or taken for non-payment of taxes or upon
8686 58foreclosure of mortgages. 4 of 11
8787 59 “Spot Rehabilitation Project”, any project, the subject of which consists exclusively of
8888 60spot rehabilitation properties.
8989 61 SECTION 3. Chapter 121A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further
9090 62amended by deleting section 7A and inserting in its place the following:
9191 63 Section 7A. A corporation organized under section three or an insurance company or a
9292 64group of insurance companies or a savings bank or group of savings banks operating under this
9393 65chapter or a spot blight project sponsor may purchase or lease from a housing authority,
9494 66redevelopment authority, municipality or other public body real estate acquired by such
9595 67authority, municipality or public body for land assembly and redevelopment or urban renewal
9696 68purposes under chapter one hundred and twenty-one B, upon such terms and conditions,
9797 69consistent with this chapter, as shall be approved by the housing board and may erect and
9898 70maintain a project upon the land so acquired. Such corporation shall not be required to offer its
9999 71stock to the owners of the real estate within the location of the project and such owners have no
100100 72preferential right to subscribe thereto; but in all other respects the provisions of this chapter shall
101101 73be applicable to corporations acting thereunder and their projects.
102102 74 SECTION 4. Section 11 of chapter 121A, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by
103103 75inserting the following paragraph after the third paragraph:
104104 76 A spot blight project sponsor shall have the power, with the approval of the local
105105 77municipality, to sell, exchange, give or otherwise transfer in whole or in part the land or interests
106106 78therein, including air rights, leased or acquired by it under this chapter, with the buildings or
107107 79other structures thereon, constituting a project or portion hereunder to any entity identified in the 5 of 11
108108 80foregoing paragraph, or may sell or lease the spot rehabilitation property to any individual or
109109 81group of individuals intending to use said property for residential use.
110110 82 SECTION 5. Chapter 121A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further
111111 83amended by inserting after section 18D the following section:
112112 84 Section 18E. A spot blight project sponsor may undertake on land owned or to be
113113 85acquired by it one or more spot rehabilitation projects under this chapter, or acquire spot
114114 86rehabilitation projects or any severable portion thereof from corporations, individuals or entities
115115 87authorized to undertake or acquire spot rehabilitation projects under this chapter, and the
116116 88provisions of this chapter, specifically including the powers granted by sections six A and eleven
117117 89and the procedures set forth in section eighteen B shall, to the extent applicable, apply to such
118118 90spot blight project sponsor and such spot rehabilitation projects, excepting the following:
119119 91 (a) The term “corporation” as used in section six A, seven A, section ten, section eleven,
120120 92section twelve, section thirteen, section fourteen, and section fifteen shall be deemed to mean
121121 93spot blight project sponsor with respect to spot blight projects.
122122 94 (b) Section three shall not be applicable to such spot blight project sponsor; and provided
123123 95further, a spot blight project sponsor may undertake more than one spot rehabilitation project.
124124 96 (c) Section five shall not be applicable to a spot blight project; provided, however, that
125125 97the spot blight project sponsor shall submit an application for the approval of a spot
126126 98rehabilitation project, in the form required pursuant to section five to the municipality for its
127127 99approval. 6 of 11
128128 100 (d) So much of section six as relates to the agreement of association shall not be
129129 101applicable to such spot blight project sponsor. The first, eighth, ninth, and tenth paragraphs of
130130 102section six shall not be applicable to a spot blight project. The municipality where the spot blight
131131 103project is located shall have full responsibility for approval of the proposed spot blight project as
132132 104set forth in the second through seventh paragraphs of section six. The municipality shall transmit
133133 105its final decision to the housing board for record keeping purposes only.
134134 106 (e) The second paragraph of section six B shall not be applicable to such spot blight
135135 107project sponsor, except that the planning board at least fourteen days before the day of the
136136 108hearing shall mail a notice to each owner of land that is within the proposed spot blight project.
137137 109If service cannot be made, then service shall be made by posting a copy of the notice upon a
138138 110portion of the property facing a public way, by publication of a copy of the notice in one
139139 111newspaper of general circulation, and posting on the municipality’s website.
140140 112 (f) Section seven shall not be applicable to such spot blight project sponsor.
141141 113 (g) So much of section eight as provides that “Every such corporation shall be deemed to
142142 114have been organized to serve a public purpose” shall be construed to mean “Every such project
143143 115shall be deemed to have been undertaken to serve a public purpose”. The term “housing board”
144144 116as used in section eight shall be deemed to mean “municipality”.
145145 117 (h) Section nine shall not be applicable to such spot blight project sponsor.
146146 118 (i) The term “shall” as used in the first and third paragraphs of section ten shall be
147147 119deemed to mean “may” with respect to a spot blight project sponsor. A spot blight project
148148 120sponsor that elects to forego the tax exemptions provided under section ten shall not be required 7 of 11
149149 121to comply with the other provisions of that section, and shall not be required to obtain signatures
150150 122of a majority of the assessors under section six A.
151151 123 (j) So much of section fifteen as relates to reducing the indebtedness of a corporation
152152 124shall apply only to indebtedness incurred in connection with a spot rehabilitation project. The
153153 125term “operating and maintenance expenses” shall be deemed to include rehabilitation costs,
154154 126including any principal and interest on loans used for the project, and costs other than direct
155155 127rehabilitation costs, as well as a developer’s fee to the spot blight project sponsor, which fee shall
156156 128not exceed 20% of the combined cost of acquisition and rehabilitation of the spot rehabilitation
157157 129property.
158158 130 (k) The provisions of sections five, six A, and eleven shall, as modified by this section
159159 13118E, apply to a spot rehabilitation project whether said spot rehabilitation project is in Boston,
160160 132Springfield or another municipality.
161161 133 SECTION 6. Section 2 of chapter 21E, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking
162162 134section (f) within the definition of “Owner,” or “Operator”, and inserting in its place the
163163 135following:
164164 136 (f) A redevelopment authority, redevelopment agency, community development
165165 137corporation, economic development and industrial corporation, or a spot blight project sponsor
166166 138pursuant to chapter 121A shall not be deemed an owner or operator if all of the following
167167 139requirements are met:
168168 140 (1) the redevelopment authority, redevelopment agency, community development
169169 141corporation, economic development and industrial corporation or spot blight project sponsor has 8 of 11
170170 142acquired its portion of the site in accordance with the provisions of chapter 40F, chapter 121A,
171171 143chapter 121B or chapter 121C or any applicable special acts;
172172 144 (2) no act or failure of duty of the redevelopment authority, redevelopment agency,
173173 145community development corporation, economic development and industrial corporation or spot
174174 146blight project sponsor or of any employee or agent thereof, caused or contributed to, or
175175 147exacerbated any release or threat of release of oil or hazardous material at or from the site;
176176 148 (3) the redevelopment authority, redevelopment agency, community development
177177 149corporation, economic development and industrial corporation or spot blight project sponsor
178178 150satisfies all of the following conditions:
179179 151 a) notifies the department in compliance with this chapter and regulations promulgated
180180 152thereto upon obtaining knowledge of a release or threat of release of oil or hazardous material for
181181 153which notification is required pursuant to this chapter and regulations promulgated pursuant
182182 154thereto;
183183 155 b) provides reasonable access to the site or portion of the site under its control to
184184 156employees, agents and contractors of the department for all purposes authorized by this chapter,
185185 157and to other Persons for the purpose of conducting response actions pursuant to this chapter and
186186 158regulations promulgated thereto;
187187 159 c) takes reasonable steps (i) to prevent the exposure of people to oil or hazardous material
188188 160by fencing or otherwise preventing access to the portion of the site under its ownership or
189189 161possession, and (ii) to contain any further release or threat of release of oil or hazardous material
190190 162from a structure or container under its ownership or possession; 9 of 11
191191 163 d) if there is an imminent hazard at or from the portion of the site under its control,
192192 164controls the potential risk to public health, safety, welfare, or the environment at or from the site
193193 165by taking immediate response actions at the portion of the site under its ownership or possession,
194194 166in compliance with this chapter and regulations promulgated thereto;
195195 167 e) conducts any response action undertaken at the site in compliance with this chapter and
196196 168regulations promulgated thereto; and
197197 169 f) acts diligently to sell or otherwise to divest itself of ownership or possession of its
198198 170portion of the site in accordance with the provisions of chapter 40F, chapter 121A½, chapter
199199 171121B or chapter 121C, or any applicable special acts. Whether the redevelopment authority,
200200 172redevelopment agency, community development corporation, economic development and
201201 173industrial corporation or Project Sponsor is acting or has acted diligently to sell or otherwise to
202202 174divest itself of ownership or possession of its portion of the site shall be determined by
203203 175considering the same criteria applicable to secured lenders set forth in subclause (iii) of
204204 176subparagraph (F) of clause (5) of paragraph (c).
205205 177 (4) if the redevelopment authority, redevelopment agency, community development
206206 178corporation, economic development and industrial corporation or spot blight project sponsor
207207 179acquired ownership or possession of a site or portion of a site prior to the effective date of this
208208 180act, the redevelopment authority, redevelopment agency, community development corporation,
209209 181economic development and industrial corporation or spot blight project sponsor notifies the
210210 182department of any releases of oil or hazardous material of which it has knowledge in accordance
211211 183with section 7 and the regulations promulgated thereunder, and shall meet the requirements in 10 of 11
212212 184clause (3) of this paragraph relative to such releases within six months of being notified by the
213213 185department of the requirements in this paragraph.
214214 186 SECTION 7. Chapter 121A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
215215 187adding the following section:
216216 188 Section 20. There shall be a commission to study strategies to improve the quality of the
217217 189housing stock in weak markets with the goal of making these properties safer, more accessible to
218218 190residents with disabilities, and more resilient to climate change. The commission’s review shall
219219 191include, but not be limited to---the use of guidance documents to consistently grant relief from
220220 192building codes in common circumstances where appropriate; provisions to reduce the time and
221221 193cost associated with obtaining variances in circumstances that are consistent with these guidance
222222 194documents; dissemination of creative strategies to use new technologies to address common
223223 195challenges bringing older structures up to code; the deployment of energy efficiency programs,
224224 196Home Modifications Grants, elevator and sprinkler funds, and other resources to help building
225225 197rehab projects in weak markets meet health and safety standards.
226226 198 The commission shall consist of: 2 members of the Senate, 1 of whom shall represent a
227227 199Gateway Municipality as defined in section 3A of chapter 23A of the General Laws and shall
228228 200serve as co-chair; 2 members of the House of Representatives, 1 of whom shall represent a
229229 201Gateway Municipality and shall serve as co-chair; 2 members appointed by the governor, 1 of
230230 202whom shall represent the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations;
231231 203and 1 of whom shall represent the Rural Policy Advisory Commission; and 6 members appointed
232232 204by the Secretary of Housing and Economic Development: one of the appointive members shall
233233 205be an architect licensed to practice in the commonwealth; one of the appointive members shall be 11 of 11
234234 206a licensed building inspector; one of the appointive members shall be a Gateway Municipality
235235 207housing director; one of the appointive members shall be a fire official from a Gateway
236236 208Municipality; 2 of the appointive members shall be selected after consultation with advocacy
237237 209groups on behalf of persons with disabilities. The commission shall file a report of its findings
238238 210and recommendations, including, but not limited to, legislative, regulatory, and procedural
239239 211changes, with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the chairs of the joint
240240 212committee on housing not later than December 31, 2024.