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Welcome to Affordable Housing Now

Affordable housing is important to all of us.  Whether you're a recent graduate looking for a house close to work or a senior citizen who wants to remain near family and friends, we understand why Massachusetts is stronger when people can live where they should be able to.

We thought that the Comprehensive Permit Statute (40B) was meant to produce affordable housing. The problem is that it helps only a tiny range of people, and works to block affordability for almost everyone else.  No other state has anything like it. We need to work to provide real affordable housing now. To read people's stories, click here

10.28
Fall 2008 Housing Report Card Continues to Track Deterioration of Housing Affordability - Massachusetts Housing Crisis Growing Worse

5.08
Reform group reports troubling losses in affordability Read about it here

4.08
Housing situation grows worse as more unnecessary, expensive homes built

2.08
Latest statewide housing report calls for major change. Read the full report

12.07
Affordable housing advocacy groups back repeal of 40B. Click here to read more.

11.07
Recent data about Massachusetts from the U.S. Census reports that in the last five years :

  • Median gross rent rose by 21% while median renter incomes declined by 2%.
  • Half of Massachusetts renter households are paying more than a third of their income for housing in 2006 (up from 36% in 2001).
  • The percentage of renter households paying more than half of their income for housing rose from 17% to 24% in the last five years.
  • Median homeowner costs rose by 31% for those with mortgages and 40% for those without mortgages while income only rose 15.4%

These damaging trends in affordability are caused by the increased development of 40B projects that are driving up the price of land and using space that could be otherwise used for affordable housing.

9.20.07
Affordable housing advocates outraged: The lack of oversight and abuse of our state's affordable housing programs might be best illustrated by the recent actions of MassHousing, an agency created to promote affordable housing. It awarded $20 million in low-interest loans earmarked for affordable housing to a single high-end market-rate condominium complex!

9.18.07
Not enough funding: Communities are being told by the state that there is no funding for their projects that would consist entirely of 100% affordable units for lower income families (earning 50% of the avg. median income) while state continues to give massive tax give-aways to 40B developers.

Did you know that since 40B projects have been developed at increased rates, affordability in Massachusetts has grown worse?
The statistics speak for themselves. The number of 40B units developed since 2000 exceeds all 40B developments of the previous 30 years combined (28,109 v. 26,264)! The number of affordable units being produced, however, is now a pathetic 40% of what was achieved prior to 2000. This dangerous policy continues to hurt the residents of our state. We desperately need your help.

If you are interested in helping us, please click here.