Senate Commerce hears 'HOPE Act' to transfer unused state parcels to towns, with $20M infrastructure grants and owner-occupancy deed restrictions

Senate Commerce received testimony on Senate Bill 82, the HOPE Act, which directs state agencies to identify unused state-owned parcels that could be repurposed for workforce housing, permits the state to transfer eligible parcels to towns at no cost provided they develop housing within a set timeframe, and creates a $20 million infrastructure grant program to assist municipalities.

Senator Denise Ricciardi, sponsor and state senator for District 9, introduced a replacement bill focused on state land and described three central features: (1) identification and submission of surplus state parcels to the governor and executive council for potential transfer, (2) transfer at no cost to municipalities that commit to development within a specified window and to income-restricted owner-occupied units, and (3) a $20,000,000…