Advocate Urges Committee Not to Expand HDIP, Citing Cost and Limited Benefit to Lowest‑Income Households

Judith Leventhal (transcript: Judith Levente), a housing attorney with the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, told the committee she opposed House and Senate bills to expand the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP). "I am here today to urge you not to approve House Bill 3300339 and Senate Bill 19 40 46," she said. Leventhal argued that HDIP channels large annual state tax credits toward market-rate housing in gateway cities and excludes the lowest-income families.

She said the Commonwealth had already spent substantial sums on HDIP credits and that proposed increases would divert scarce housing dollars during a period when federal housing supports have been reduced. "When every housing dollar is precious, we have spent a total of about $170.78 million in tax credits for over 5,000 unaffordable units," she said (figures quoted in testimony). Leventhal highlighted the recent pause in MRVP (Mass Rental Voucher Program) voucher issuance and said expanding HDIP while some affordable supports are constrained was a misplaced priority.

Leventhal gave examples of high rents in HDIP-subsidized developments in several gateway cities to show the program’s market-rate focus and said advocates expect continued large annual HDIP credit awards if expansion proceeds. She asked the committee to consider those trade-offs before increasing annual HDIP allocations.