Recent Policy Work from Housing Forward-MA

Through the end of 2023 and Q1 of 2024, Housing Forward-MA continued to advance our pro-housing agenda by publishing several policy guides and advancing our research on the benefits of increased density and affordability.

Policy Publications

Housing Policy Blueprint for the Healey Administration

HFMA published a list of priorities for the Healey Administration in its effort to support smart growth and housing affordability in the Commonwealth. Our recommendations fall into the following categories:

  1. Support zoning reform for smart growth and by-right production

  2. Double down on successful state-level programs to further add to housing production

  3. Encourage the expansion of 40R Districts and related state funding

  4. Provide additional funding for state-level housing programs and positions

Proposed Changes to the Community Preservation Act

A report published by MA Housing Solutions in June 2023 indicated 70 communities that have enacted the Community Preservation Act (CPA) have not allocated the required minimum funds (10% of total CPA funding) to advance affordable housing. HFMA has published a policy guide advocating for more stringent enforcement of the enacted CPA standards and supporting increased requirements for affordable housing funding under the statute.

Created Accessible, Informative Primers for State Policies

To increase awareness and familiarity with various state housing policies, HFMA created a series of research guides and primers explaining the background and fundamentals of programs designed to help increase the supply of housing. These included the MBTA Communities Act, the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP), and other programs that are helping to preserve and rehabilitate affordable units.

Wrote Housing-Related Literature Reviews

HFMA also continues to monitor the most recent updates in the Housing-related economics literature. Most recently, we posted a guide to the new report “Supply Skepticism Revisited,” a publication by a research team at New York University’s Furman Center. This document gives a review of the literature surrounding the debate about how increasing housing supply impacts affordability, displacement, and filtering of older units to lower-income households.

Research Initiatives

Survey of Peer Housing Laws

In her 2023 comprehensive housing plan, New York Governor Kathy Hochul pulled a number of housing policy ideas from various states. While the proposal ultimately was not passed in the state legislature, it demonstrated a common-sense approach to housing policy: analyze the programs of your peers and steal their ideas if they appear to be working. HFMA published a guide to housing policies from around the nation, providing a space for thought and conversation about which of these policies might be well-applied to Massachusetts.

Monitoring Florida’s Live Local Act

In March 2023, Florida enacted the “Live Local Act,” aimed at streamlining approvals for multi-family housing and providing financial incentives to encourage production. If successful, this law reflects a radical shift of easing land-use restrictions by limiting local veto power. This is likely to be reflected in significant housing supply growth. However, many Florida municipalities are challenging the law or stating they will not comply. HFMA is monitoring the status of the Live Local Act, both in tracking new development and in monitoring the legal decisions through the courts.

Talks, Committees, and Appearances

Executive Director Josh Zakim has also had a number of opportunities to speak publicly advocating for smart growth policies. A few of these are listed below:

Boston Zoning Commission

On October 18, 2023, Josh testified at the Boston Zoning Commission in support of PLAN: Charlestown, a much needed modernization of zoning in Boston’s Charlestown neighborhood. The Zoning Commission adopted the proposed zoning reforms which will lead to the creation of more housing of all types in Charlestown.

On January 10, 2024, Josh again testified at the Boston Zoning Commission, this time in support of zoning reforms that would allow the city to waive certain requirements during the review process to speed the production of new affordable housing. Although there was opposition from some anti-housing people and organizations, the Zoning Commission adopted the reforms. These changes will make it much quicker and easier for new affordable homes to be created in Boston.

Panels in Beverly and Salem

In November 2023, Josh spoke on a panel at the Beverly Library to an audience of community activists and local elected officials. Much of the conversation focused on the importance of zoning reform and production to address the region’s housing shortage.

In December 2023, Josh was a panelist for the LEADS Fellows at their housing panel in Salem. Alongside service providers, affordable and market rate developers, Josh shared much of our new research and also discussed the need for zoning reform, local activism, and increased housing production.

Panel on Housing Policy with Secretary Augustus

On January 26, Josh was a speaker at the Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts for a housing policy discussion alongside Massachusetts’ new Secretary of Housing, Ed Augustus, and Carolyn Chou of Homes for All Massachusetts.