Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Social Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Rep. Connolly urges $100 million bonding for state social housing pilot
Summary
Representative Connolly told the Joint Committee on Housing that H1478 would create a $100 million revolving loan fund to support publicly owned, mixed‑income social housing, and asked the committee to advance the bill.
Representative Connolly, a sponsor of H1478, told the Joint Committee on Housing he was testifying “in support of my bill, H1478, enact advancing the Massachusetts social housing program.” The bill would authorize up to $100 million in bonding to capitalize a statewide social housing production revolving loan fund to be administered by MassHousing or a designee, Connolly said.
Why it matters: Connolly framed social housing as an approach that produces permanently affordable units without relying solely on vouchers or low‑income housing tax credits. He described social housing as “publicly owned, publicly financed, mixed income housing” and said it can “yield affordable units without drawing upon other scarce forms of public subsidy.”
Details: Under H1478, the fund would be empowered to partner with other entities to facilitate mixed‑income housing that serves the public interest. Connolly pointed to early examples cited in his testimony: Montgomery County, Md.’s social housing initiatives, Boston’s recently created housing accelerator fund, and a Chicago City Council vote to establish a $135 million green social housing program. He also noted the Legislature’s Affordable Homes Act included language authorizing a pilot on social housing and said the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities is convening stakeholders this spring to operationalize options.
What supporters asked the committee to do: Connolly closed by asking the committee to advance the bill again this session, saying the committee had previously “advanced this bill favorably” and asked for similar action this year.
Context and limits: Connolly’s testimony summarized examples and high‑level program design. The bill text would define the fund’s administration, eligibility, underwriting, and reporting requirements; Connolly’s oral testimony described the program goals but did not provide final implementing language. No formal committee vote or direction was recorded at the hearing.
Ending note: Committee members heard the proposal and then proceeded to other bills on the housing production docket.
