Westchester County’s Post

We are thrilled to witness developments being made in Arizona to offer solutions that bring hope and stability to working families statewide. Leading this charge is the Arizona Starter Homes Act, a promising initiative aimed at simplifying the home-building process. By removing unnecessary barriers and expediting construction, this initiative seeks to make homeownership more accessible and affordable for all Arizonans. This heartwarming proposal is a huge step towards a better community. We believe that every hardworking individual deserves the opportunity to have a place to call home. Complementing this, SB1415 proposes the legalization of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), or casitas, in our larger cities. This move opens up new possibilities for creating intimate, community-oriented living spaces, enriching our neighborhoods with additional warmth and character. Besides that, HB2374 also introduces a forward-thinking approach by proposing the elimination of parking minimums for certain housing developments, potentially making way for more residential spaces and less unused asphalt. Alongside, other commendable proposals aim to enhance the state Low-Income Housing Tax At A New Leaf, we are heartened by these efforts and their potential to significantly impact our communities. The vision of more accessible and affordable housing aligns with our mission to support individuals and families on their path to stability and self-sufficiency. These initiatives signal a big move towards a future where every Arizona neighbor has access to a stable, affordable home. The journey towards finding an affordable home may soon become easier, thanks to these significant development aimed at addressing the housing affordability crisis. https://lnkd.in/gscETQGt

On August 5, 2024, Governor Maura Healey signed the Affordable Homes Act, a robust $5.16 billion housing bond bill that includes several key policy priorities for Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. Most of the Affordable Homes Act lays critical groundwork for the necessary resources and zoning changes to increase housing production and protect residents. The Healey administration projects that the Affordable Homes Act will support the production, preservation, and rehabilitation of more than 65,000 homes statewide over the next five years. It is the most significant housing bond bill ever filed in Massachusetts, at over triple the spending authorizations of the last housing bill passed in 2018. Learn more about the Affordable Homes Act at https://lnkd.in/eRACen97 >>

Last week, NAIOP CEO Tamara Small testified in support of Governor Maura Healey's Affordable Homes Act. As a member of the Governor’s Economic Development Advisory Council and the Administration’s Affordable Homes Act Steering Committee, NAIOP Massachusetts believes that the Affordable Homes Act is a critical step in securing housing stabilization and expanding access to housing in the Commonwealth. From capitalizing the HousingWorks Infrastructure program to creating a new Momentum Fund seeded by the state, the bill’s bonding provisions are a bold step forward for the Commonwealth. However, NAIOP is opposed to two policy provisions within the bill, both of which have been shown to negatively impact housing production and affordability. The first is the proposed municipal opt-in transfer tax. The second is a provision which lowers the adoption threshold of Inclusionary Development Zoning from a two-thirds majority to a simple majority. Looking forward to continuing our work in advancing pro-growth policies that foster housing creation through the end of the session and beyond.  #AHA4MASS #mapoli

Senate Bill 937 passed the Assembly Local Committee today and has to pass one last policy committee before it's signed into law! SB 937 is a potentially transformative piece of legislation that we sponsored with pro-housing champion Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) to revitalize housing development in California. As homebuilders grapple with financial barriers to housing development, one thing is clear — it's currently too expensive to build the housing we need. With inflation, soaring interest rates, high construction costs, and exorbitant impact fees, cities across California have fallen behind on their housing goals. We sponsored SB 937 to address these challenges and help jumpstart housing production across our region and state. Can you support HAC’s vital work today? >> Senate Bill 937 will address the financial barriers facing the housing industry by amending two key policy areas: (1) extending the timeline for entitled housing projects (2) changing the fee payment schedule for new housing projects. Extending Housing Entitlements: With a signifcant number of entitled projects unable to move forward due to financing challenges, the bill would extend all housing entitlements by an additional 24 months.   New Fee Payment Schedule: SB 937 would also defer the collection of development fees until project completion.  In combination, the bill provides homebuilders with the flexibility and financial relief necessary to move housing projects forward despite challenging market conditions.

One of the most significant flaws in modern city planning is our inability to thoroughly analyze the financial obligations and impacts of development. Despite dedicating considerable time to reviewing fire access, building height, setback encroachments, traffic impacts, etc., we often fail to answer the fundamental question of how we will finance and sustain the public infrastructure required by the development in the next 20 years. In my opinion, educating our communities on the financial impacts of development is one of the most crucial opportunities we have. It is imperative that governing officials, staff, residents, and community partners understand that land use plays an indispensable role in city budgeting and the city's ability to provide expected quality services to taxpayers. #planbetter #cityplanning #communitydevelopment #strongtowns #dothemath

FEDS SEEK TO CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Last month, in the House of Reps the "Downtowns and Main Streets Act" was reintroduced by Congressmen, Mike Carey (R) and Jimmy Gomez (D). It provides tax incentives for converting old and underutilized commercial properties into housing especially affordable housing. Feds would pay 20-35% of eligible property conversion expenses. Higher credits given for qualified low-income or difficult development areas and for historic preservation in rural regions. For 30 years after conversion, at least 20% of residential units must be rent-restricted and designated for individuals earning at or below 80% of the median income. Roy S. Fenichel, Esq. "Title is Vital"(R)

Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Housing Development Authority are proud to announce this year's 2024 federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) developments. The IHDA Board approved $23.8 million in LIHTC that will finance the creation and preservation of 16 affordable housing developments in 10 counties throughout Illinois. Once completed, the developments will offer 792 affordable units for low- to moderate-income families, seniors, and persons with special needs. Over the past five years, IHDA has financed the creation and/or preservation of 157 developments with 8,639 affordable housing units through LIHTC. This public-private program is the largest generator of affordable housing in that nation and allows for IHDA to continue to produce new housing annually for low-income renters across Illinois. Read more about the developments at https://ow.ly/7IOG50SIv8E

Exciting news for affordable housing in Massachusetts! The passing of the state’s $5.2 billion housing bond bill marks a transformative moment in addressing the housing crisis. Key initiatives include: $2 billion invested in public housing improvements. ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units) aiming to create 8,000–10,000 new homes. Support for mixed-income developments to foster diverse, inclusive communities. New protections for tenants by sealing certain eviction records. At #ECM, we are thrilled to see this bold action being taken to expand #affordablehousing. This legislation is a major win for ensuring that more families have access to safe, stable, and affordable homes across the state!

⚠️ Action alert ⚠️ Oregon’s legislative short session starts on Monday, giving us just five weeks to pass a housing bill that will swiftly help reduce the state’s deficit of approximately 140,000 homes. Two-thirds of Oregonians who need that housing are people making moderate or lower incomes. HOW we do this – where we build, the kind of housing we build – is just as important as the numbers. Senate Bill 1537 is being introduced this session by Governor Kotek. 1000 Friends of Oregon supports many elements of the bill – including needed infrastructure funding and climate-smart housing incentives – and appreciates Governor Kotek's focus on housing investments. However, SB 1537 also allows cities to override land use laws to expand their urban growth boundaries (UGBs) by at least 75 or 150 net residential acres, depending on population size. 1000 Friends of Oregon cannot support a bill that bypasses our land use laws, even when the rest of the bill is admirable. Sidestepping land use laws to expand UGBs to build primarily private-sector, high-end housing at the edges of cities will undermine our efforts to build the housing most Oregonians need. So it's time for Oregonians to act. If you are an Oregon resident, use our quick form to ask your legislators to amend SB 1537 to remove the large UGB expansion provision. Let's kick this session off right.

Oregon’s housing crisis is not a land supply problem, it’s inefficient single-family zoning and lack of infrastructure funding. We don’t need to create additional housing problems by allowing sprawl! Ask your state representatives to amend SB 1537 and remove the UGB expansion proposal. Other parts of SB 1537 are what we need to help solve the housing crisis, but not at the expense of environmental land and healthy, affordable, and dense communities.