Housing

The housing crisis in Massachusetts is an emergency we must address urgently and comprehensively. There is a wide gap between the amount of market rate and affordable units we need and the amount available. This shortfall has led to countless moderate- and low-income individuals and families struggling to find housing. Since affordable housing is so limited, many people are forced into unsafe and overcrowded housing situations leading to physical and mental health safety risks. Children in unstable housing situations are also more likely to develop chronic conditions as they grow up.

We must protect vulnerable groups of people while we navigate the housing crisis as a Commonwealth. Although new housing developments will eventually lead to more affordable housing, I believe in more immediate results which is why I filed a bill (S.863) to improve the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP), requiring at least 20% of new HDIP developments to contain affordable housing.

We know we need more affordable housing, but we don’t have the best information on exactly which regions are facing the biggest shortage. Reliable and consistent information is a powerful tool and is something we can use to alleviate the housing crisis. Currently, municipalities in the Commonwealth lack access to high-quality housing data. In an effort to give our communities a true high-definition image of local affordability, I am proposing a bill (S.865) that would require the collection of comprehensive housing data. This will help us get a better understanding of how many affordable units are available in our state so we can effectively allocate funding and build new affordable housing where it is most needed to address this emergency.

Once people have housing, we need to make sure they can stay in their homes because evictions are traumatic events for tenants. They follow tenants on a permanent record which makes it harder for them to acquire housing in the future. In Massachusetts eviction cases, more than 75% of landlords and fewer than 10% of tenants have legal counsel. This creates an unfair playing field, leading to poor outcomes for tenants in housing court, especially for those with lower income. This is why I introduced a bill (S.864) to provide low-income tenants and owner-occupant landlords with access to legal representation in eviction cases. Access to counsel will help protect tenants and will encourage mutually beneficial agreements which can result in positive outcomes for renters and landlords.

We live in one of the richest states in the world’s richest country, so I know we can afford to guarantee housing as a right for every person and family. As a State Senator, I will continue advocating for legislation that creates a more equitable housing market and provides homes for residents across incomes.