| 1 | 1 | | 1 of 1 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1465 FILED ON: 1/19/2023 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 134 |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | Jason M. Lewis, (BY REQUEST) |
|---|
| 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 for community housing packages. |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Vincent Lawrence Dixon60 Lake Street Unit D, Winchester MA |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | 01890 1 of 3 |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1465 FILED ON: 1/19/2023 |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 134 |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | By Mr. Lewis (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 134) of Vincent |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | Lawrence Dixon for legislation for community housing packages. Community Development and |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | Small Businesses. |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 152 OF 2021-2022.] |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (2023-2024) |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | _______________ |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | An Act for community housing packages. |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | of the same, as follows: |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | 1 SECTION 1. The Massachusetts General Laws are hereby amended by inserting the |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | 2following new chapter: |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | 3 An Act for Community Housing Packages. |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | 4 PURPOSE OF THIS ACT: |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | 5 Over a period of many recent years, it has been concluded by many communities, |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | 6especially in Eastern Massachusetts, that the supply of affordable, high-quality, and/or housing |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | 7of almost any kind, has fallen short of the actual needs, thereby creating severe economic |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | 8pressures, often for, both employees, and employers, in convenience to actual work places. 2 of 3 |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | 9 Only by, creating improved incentives, and distinct standards, might these problems be |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | 10eased, to the extent that it is possible, and these matters, are the business, and purpose of this act. |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | 11 SECTION I |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | 12 1.) The Department of Communities and Development, shall be authorized to create, after |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | 13due consideration, Community Housing Packages (CHPs), for helping to create, and recruit, |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | 14improved economics, across the 351 municipalities of Massachusetts, to expand, and strengthen |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | 15local communities, and especially affordable, safe, and durable housing units. These CHPs, shall |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | 16be part of a comprehensive state planning, and coordination process, intersecting with Master |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | 17Planning processes, as needed, and appropriate. |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | 18 2.) The Department of Communities and Development, shall be authorized to create |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | 19suitable Regulations, to provide for the provisions of this statute, taking into account, particular |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | 20local preferences for, and including strengthened, safe, and durable housing units; that reflect |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | 21state-of-the-art, fire-resistant, and energy-efficient standards. |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | 22 3.) Such Community Housing Packages shall be based on encouraging, where possible, |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | 23mixed-use development, and by consulting a recognized list of pre-screened, neighborhood, and |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | 24community-friendly developers, and contractors, with high-quality lasting construction |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | 25standards. |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | 26 4.) The Department of Housing and Community Development, shall establish, keep, and |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | 27annually renew, a listing of high-quality, neighborhood, and community-friendly developers, by |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | 28welcoming, pre-screening, of such companies, interviewing them, and publicizing such |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | 29businesses, in various appropriate positive publicity, by public announcement, and general |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | 30media. 3 of 3 |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | 31 5.) Community Housing Packages (CHPs), shall take into account relevant modest, to |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | 32medium intensity regional transit options, in helping newer local economic development; and |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | 33intersect with state transportation planning. |
|---|