MA Housing Bond Bill Passes Both Houses; Conference Committee to Negotiate Differences

July 16, 2024 Government & Community Affairs

The Massachusetts State Senate recently completed its work on the housing bond bill (S.2834)and the House of Representatives passed its own version of the bill.. The legislation will now go to a conference committee, where a collaborative effort between members of both houses will reconcile the differences between the two bills, ensuring that all voices are heard.

As drafted, the Senate bill includes over $5 billion in bonding and tax incentives for housing. It also has strong statewide ADU authorization mirroring the House's version, enhanced protections against frivolous anti-development abutter appeals, and zoning reforms to promote starter home construction.

Most notably, the Senate bill does not include transfer taxes which is a big win for the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® advocacy efforts.

The Senate version adopted several REALTOR® advocacy priorities, including:

  • Establishment of first-time homebuyer savings accounts

  • A commission to study how the Community Preservation Act (CPA) can be used to increase housing production, which includes a designated MAR seat on the commission

  • Mandatory fair housing education for pre-licensing and continuing education

  • A pathway to unwind grandfathered merged lots. Read more about this issue, here.


Additionally, MAR advocacy prevented dozens of harmful amendments in the Senate version, including:

  • Rent control

  • Tenant’s opportunity to purchase (TOPA)

  • Increasing taxes on short-term rentals


However, one amendment MAR opposed was passed: mandating home inspections in order to close a transaction. This provision was not included in the House bill, and MAR advocacy will work to keep this out of the final bill.


Both the House and Senate versions contain many items we support, which means it is extremely likely these provisions will become law when the final bill passes:

  • Significant funding for housing

  • Statewide authorization of by-right ADUs

  • New programs and tax incentives aimed at housing production


CCIAOR will continue to monitor and report on the progress of this bill as it works its way through the conference committee.