On Thursday January 19, MAHT joined a chorus of community and legislative representatives to support Governor Healey’s $4.1 billion Housing Bond bill at a packed hearing of the Joint Committee on Housing!

In particular, MAHT supported the provisions in the bill that would most benefit low income tenants, such as $1.6 billion for Public Housing; the Local Option for Real Estate Transfer Fees, that would generate funds for low income tenants; and Eviction Sealing and Fair Housing legislation.  

MAHT also urged the Committee to “codify” and increase funds for the Mass Rental Voucher Program to increase the portion of new housing that could be available for extremely low income tenants, beyond the 4,000 (out of 37,000) new rental housing units in the bill. 

MAHT Board member Rana Jezzini also made a passionate appeal to add no-cost legislation to Lift the Ban on Rent Control and allow local governments to regulate rents and evictions.

See MAHT’s testimony here. Watch MAHT’s Michael Kane and Rana Jezzini testify here. Testimony starts at 9:52:30