Massachusetts Governor Commits New Affordable Housing Funds

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick (D) announced a $67 million investment to build and preserve affordable housing units across the state on February 7. The Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA), an NLIHC state coalition partner, is pleased with the development, which reflects the governor’s commitment to address homelessness, increase affordable housing options, and create jobs. In November 2012, Governor Patrick announced a goal to create 10,000 multifamily units of housing annually, the first production goal of its type set by any state. The Patrick administration’s comprehensive plan to improve housing includes increasing the amount of market-rate housing and significantly investing in the public housing stock. The state has made progress toward preserving and improving 46,000 housing units through increased capital funding and operating subsidies, and made changes in their management. Since 2009, Governor Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray have worked with the state legislature and Congress to direct more than $700 million in federal and state tax credits and state housing program subsidies to projects that have generated more than 14,000 jobs and 10,000 housing units, nine thousand of them affordable.The $67 million investment includes more than $47.7 million in state and federal housing program subsidies, $9 million in federal low income housing tax credits (LIHTC) and $7.7 million in state LIHTC. Funding 23 developments in 21 communities, it will create 1,326 units of housing, almost all of them affordable to low and moderate income people, and approximately 1,710 construction jobs.In the meantime, CHAPA has advanced its campaign to recapitalize the State Department of Housing and Community Development’s bond-funded programs for the production and preservation of housing for low and moderate income residents. Last signed into law in 2008, a housing bond bill authorized the state to sell $1.275 million in bonds over five years to finance affordable housing programs. The new bill would invest $1.4 billion in such housing programs as the state’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Public Housing Modernization program, and its Community-Based Housing and Housing Stabilization funds. CHAPA and its allies have worked to secure 80 legislative cosponsors for the bill, 40% of the state legislature. CHAPA has teamed with the Children’s Investment Fund and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and the Merrimack Valley to promote the bill, which establishes a program for early childhood education and out-of-school-time facilities for high-needs children. Advocates are requesting $45 million over five years for capital improvements to address health and quality standards in the facilities. The bill also expands the Commercial Area Transit Node Housing Program to include funding for commercial spaces within mixed use buildings, and extends the state’s LIHTC at $20 million.Governor Patrick is expected to file his own housing bond bill within weeks. “These resources are critical to help us address housing and homelessness issues in Massachusetts,” said Brenda Clement, CHAPA’s executive director and NLIHC board member. “Coupled with funds from the operating budget, the housing bond will help us move closer to our goal of safe and affordable homes for all Massachusetts residents.”  For more information, contact Rachel Heller, CHAPA policy director, [email protected].