Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H3941 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3483 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3941
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Mike Connolly
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act financing housing first programs and housing for all in Massachusetts.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Mike Connolly26th Middlesex1/20/2023Bud L. Williams11th Hampden1/20/2023 1 of 4
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3483 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3941
18	18	By Representative Connolly of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3941) of
19	19	Mike Connolly and Bud L. Williams for legislation to authorize supplemental financing of
20	20	housing first programs, state public housing renovations, and other housing programs and to
21	21	make related changes in certain laws. Housing.
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
25	25	(2023-2024)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act financing housing first programs and housing for all in Massachusetts.
28	28	Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to
29	29	authorize forthwith supplemental financing of housing first programs, state public housing
30	30	renovations, and other housing programs and to make related changes in certain laws, therefore it
31	31	is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the
32	32	public convenience.
33	33	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
34	34	of the same, as follows:
35	35	1 SECTION 1. To provide for a capital outlay program to rehabilitate, produce, subsidize
36	36	2and modernize housing developments to achieve functional zero homelessness in the
37	37	3commonwealth and to help resolve the ongoing affordable housing emergency the sums set forth
38	38	4in section 2, for the several purposes and subject to the conditions specified in this act, are
39	39	5hereby made available subject to the laws regulating the disbursement of public funds.
40	40	6 SECTION 2.
41	41	7 EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND LIVABLE COMMUNITIES 2 of 4
42	42	8 7004-XXXX. For state financial assistance in the form of loans and grants for the
43	43	9development of housing to eliminate homelessness in the commonwealth; provided, that the
44	44	10department may develop or finance such housing or may enter into subcontracts with nonprofit
45	45	11organizations, established pursuant to chapter 180 of the General Laws, or organizations in
46	46	12which such nonprofit corporations have a controlling financial or managerial interest or for-profit
47	47	13organizations; provided, however, that preference for the subcontracts shall be given to nonprofit
48	48	14organizations; provided further, that the department shall consider a balanced geographic plan
49	49	15for such housing when issuing the loans and grants; and provided further, that the department
50	50	16shall promulgate regulations under chapter 30A of the General Laws to implement, administer
51	51	17and enforce this item...............................................$2,000,000,000
52	52	18 7004-XXXX. For the further capitalization of the proposed Social Housing Production
53	53	19Fund established in section 13C of chapter 708 of the acts of 1966 to provide state financial
54	54	20assistance in the form of loans and grants for the purpose of facilitating the development of
55	55	21mixed income social housing; for the initial costs of establishing a “right to counsel” program in
56	56	22the department for free legal assistance and full representation to eligible individuals in eviction
57	57	23proceedings; provided, that the department shall contract with the Massachusetts Legal
58	58	24Assistance Corporation for the administration of the program; for support of community land
59	59	25trusts; for programs administered by cities and towns throughout the commonwealth for the
60	60	26preservation and production of income restricted housing affordable to households at or below
61	61	2780 per cent of median income; and for the initial costs of an expansion of the Massachusetts
62	62	28rental voucher program and the rental assistance for families in transition program administered
63	63	29by the department; and provided further, that the department shall promulgate regulations under 3 of 4
64	64	30chapter 30A of the General Laws to implement, administer and enforce this
65	65	31item............................................................................................$2,000,000,000
66	66	32 7004-XXXX. For renovation, maintenance, and upgrades to state funded public housing,
67	67	33including efforts to address the accumulated backlog of deferred capital projects; and provided
68	68	34further, that the department shall promulgate regulations under chapter 30A of the General Laws
69	69	35to implement, administer and enforce this
70	70	36item.............................................................$8,500,000,000
71	71	37 SECTION 3. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, to meet the
72	72	38expenditures necessary in carrying out section 2, the state treasurer shall, upon receipt of a
73	73	39request by the governor, issue and sell bonds of the commonwealth in an amount to be specified
74	74	40by the governor from time to time but not exceeding, in the aggregate, $12,500,000,000. All
75	75	41bonds issued by the commonwealth, as aforesaid, shall be designated on their face
76	76	42“Commonwealth Housing First and Housing for All Act of 2023”, and shall be issued for a
77	77	43maximum term of years, not exceeding 30 years, as the governor may recommend to the general
78	78	44court pursuant to section 3 of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution; provided,
79	79	45however, that all such bonds shall be payable not later than June 30, 2058. All interest and
80	80	46payments on account of principal on such obligations shall be payable from the General Fund.
81	81	47Bonds and interest thereon issued under the authority of this section shall, notwithstanding any
82	82	48other provision of this act, be general obligations of the commonwealth.
83	83	49 SECTION 4. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, any project
84	84	50of construction and development activity pursuant to this act shall be deemed to be a public work
85	85	51under section 26 of chapter 149 of the General Laws and shall be subject to all laws, rules and 4 of 4
86	86	52regulations related to the payment of wages at rates set by the director of the department of labor
87	87	53standards pursuant to said chapter 149.
88	88	54 (b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, any contract for
89	89	55construction, reconstruction, installation, demolition, maintenance or repair of any building for
90	90	56the purposes of development of social housing pursuant to this act shall be subject to public
91	91	57procurement and bidding laws, including section 44A to section 44J, inclusive, of chapter 149 of
92	92	58the General Laws.