Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
Dear Representative,
We are writing to express our appreciation for the many investments and provisions included in the House’s economic development bill proposal (H. 5562). We are grateful for the dedicated work by so many on this bill, and for moving it forward for debate this Wednesday. H. 5562 includes many policies that build off of the framework of the historic “Mass Leads Act” of 2024, providing programs and policies that aim to support community development and revitalize local economic hubs.
With more than $425 million in bonding authorizations and grants included in this bill, we believe the economic development investments proposed will help support our communities and ensure our cities and towns remain the best place to live and thrive. That includes:
• $25 million to support the Downtown Vitality Program
• $25 million for Creative Economy and Cultural Infrastructure grants
• $50 million for grants and technical assistance for municipalities working to convert commercial properties into residential housing, and much more.
Additionally, there are several policy changes proposed in this bill, and since many impact municipalities, you can understand the unique perspective cities and towns would have on these matters:
• Multifamily housing by-right on land owned by religious organizations: The MMA strongly opposes these provisions in the bill. While we understand the need for housing across Massachusetts, we also know that the most effective way to build housing is through a partnership, not preemption. These types of carve outs undermine community-driven planning and remove the voice of residents in this important process. Allowing the development of multifamily housing by-right on land owned by religious organizations bypasses standard community input, undermines elected municipal officials, and ignores infrastructure needs. Recent progress on federal housing legislation proves you can promote bipartisan housing supply solutions without preempting local government.
• Site plan review: The MMA continues to support a standardized site plan review process. We understand the benefits of a uniform framework, which can create predictable and transparent timelines for all parties, including local officials, developers, and residents. This opportunity could assist all parties in moving projects from the drawing board to breaking ground more quickly and efficiently.
• Commercial conversion: The MMA supports accelerating the conversion of underutilized commercial properties and building upon the Commercial Conversion Tax Credit Initiative through an opt-in commercial conversion program. Streamlining commercial conversion practices and allowing for building code flexibility will better allow for these renovation and conversion projects to more quickly become a reality. However, the MMA has concerns over language that could give preference to HousingWorks funding through section 27 ½ of Chapter 23B to communities that have adopted the commercial conversion program. HousingWorks funding is critical statewide for producing, preserving, and rehabilitating affordable housing. Prioritizing communities who have adopted the commercial conversion program could leave many communities further behind in their affordable housing work, essentially turning this incentive into a penalty for others who may not have feasible commercial conversion opportunities.
• Micromobility standards and definitions: The MMA supports the included definitions and provisions around micromobility devices. The clear and predictable speed tier classification system removes the guesswork for local law enforcement and municipal planners, and allows for sensible rules regarding who can operate these vehicles and where they can safely travel.
In this letter, we welcome the opportunity to offer insights on proposed amendments during your deliberations this week. Please see below on two areas of amendments we know would empower municipal governments, local officials, and the residents they serve:
Local Housing Solutions
Please support and cosponsor the following amendments:
• Amendment #667 (Local Option)
This amendment would allow municipalities to opt-in to multifamily housing by-right on land owned by religious organizations, instead of a one-size fits all mandate.
• Amendment #395 (Special Permits)
This amendment would allow a municipality to require a special permit for multifamily housing on land owned by religious institutions and would mandate any resulting housing to be owned and operated by a separate legal entity from the religious entity.
• Amendment #393, #394, #396 and #672 (Threshold Compliance)
These amendments would allow a municipality to retain local zoning control over housing if they have achieved a certain threshold of their units as low to moderate income.
Modernizing Municipal Tools and Providing Administrative Relief
Please support and cosponsor the following amendments, which would modernize various municipal practices while providing additional tools to streamline and update services, including:
• Amendment #406 (Modernizing Municipal Meetings)
This amendment would permanently codify the existing remote meeting authorizations and allow municipalities that were already successfully utilizing the temporary authorization for their remote town meetings and caucuses to continue with remote participation.
• Amendment #81 and #318 (Chapter 30B Procurement Reforms)
These amendments would update Chapter 30B procurement law, allowing for the procurement of both goods and services, and bring all municipal purchases in line with the School Operational Efficiency Act passed in 2022. These commonsense updates would help to prevent unintentional errors and are reflective of the impact on costs from inflation.
• Amendment #231 (Double Poles)
This amendment would create a double utility pole commission and establish a single visit transfer pilot program designed to expedite the removal of double poles.
• Amendment #230 (Means Tested Senior Citizen Property Tax Exemption)
This amendment would allow municipalities by local option to establish a means tested property tax exemption for senior citizens, preventing older adults from being priced out of their homes as property values rise.
• Amendment #678 (Funding for Community Media Programming)
This amendment creates a streaming entertainment fund, allowing municipalities and the state to recover money from streaming companies using public rights of way. The collected funding would be used for public access media centers, a critical tool for local government transparency and public access.
• Amendment #644 (Local Housing TIF)
This amendment would allow municipalities to adopt local housing tax incremental financing agreements, helping to fund needed public improvements and encourage development.
Summary
Thank you for your attention to the municipal perspective on these issues and for your ongoing work. With your partnership, municipalities are eager to find locally-driven solutions to support economic growth across the Commonwealth.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to have your office contact me, MMA Senior Executive and Legislative Director Dave Koffman at [email protected], or Legislative and Policy Counsel Ali DiMatteo at [email protected] at any time.
Sincerely,
Adam Chapdelaine
MMA Executive Director and CEO