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Northampton partnership reviews CHAPA’s 2025–26 housing legislation list including broker-fee elimination and voucher codification
Summary
The Partnership reviewed a CHAPA list of 2025–26 state legislative priorities—bills covering rental vouchers, broker-fee elimination, access to counsel in eviction cases and other measures—and agreed to share the materials with members.
At its June 2 meeting, the Northampton Housing Partnership reviewed a CHAPA (Citizens' Housing and Planning Association) summary of prioritized state bills for 2025–26 and asked staff to circulate the list to members for follow-up.
Keith (staff member) read several items from the CHAPA priority list and said he would post the link in the chat and add it to the minutes. Items discussed included codification of a Massachusetts rental voucher program (listed in the meeting as HD 2020 and SD 1573), updates to the alternative housing voucher statute (HD 1953 and SD 1708), access to counsel for tenants in eviction cases (HD 3912 and SD 1771), elimination of mandatory broker fees for tenants (SD 35), and a match-savings program to encourage homeownership (HT 3851 and SD 2106). The group also heard about local-option real estate transfer fees, an interagency housing finance strategy board, and a statewide housing production goal.
Housing Partnership member Ben Wood asked about CHAPA’s policy focus and whether the Partnership should take an advocacy stance. "CHAPA is having, policies that they're focusing on..." Wood said, and members agreed it would be useful to have the full list and links for members to review independently.
No formal endorsement or letter was approved at the meeting. Staff committed to post the CHAPA materials and to add the link to the Partnership’s minutes for members to examine and consider between meetings.
The Partnership also discussed related local issues — including a city-level debate on broker fees and prior public comment at City Council meetings — but took no municipal policy action at this session.
