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Bill to let faith organizations build housing on their land draws support from developers and nonprofits
Summary
The committee heard testimony supporting a 'Yes in My Backyard' proposal to allow religious institutions to build housing by right on land they own, paired with affordability requirements. Proponents said faith groups control thousands of parcels that could host housing; developers and nonprofit advocates backed the bill as a production tool
Advocates for increased housing supply told the joint committee that spiritual institutions hold a significant amount of developable land that could be used for housing if state law allowed by‑right development on faith‑owned parcels. Courtney Brunson of the Boston Foundation and Darcy Jamieson of Beacon Communities described S.1430 (the Senate “Yes in My Backyard” measure discussed at the hearing) as a tool that would unlock parcels already held by churches, synagogues and…
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