HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 915        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2711

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relative to expanding the historic rehabilitation tax credit within the gateway cities..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.   Section 3A of Chapter 23A is hereby amended by adding the following definition:-

“Gateway cities” or “gateway city”, a municipality in the commonwealth designated by the secretary of housing and economic development pursuant to section 3I.

SECTION 2.  Chapter 23A is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

“The secretary of housing and economic development shall designate municipalities which meet the following criteria as a gateway city, no later than January 31 of each year:

(a) population exceeding 35,000 people;

(b) median household income below the state average;

(c) per capita income below the state average; and

         (d) an educational attainment rate of a city or town below the state’s average with a minimum attainment of a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Any municipality named a gateway city shall remain a gateway city for at least three consecutive calendar years.”

SECTION 3. Paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of section 6J of chapter 62 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out clause (i) and inserting in place thereof the following clause:-

“(i) The commissioner, in consultation with the Massachusetts historical commission, shall authorize annually, for the 6 year period beginning January 1, 2006 and ending December 31, 2011, under this section together with section 38R of chapter 63, an amount not to exceed $80,000,000 per year.  The Massachusetts historical commission shall determine the criteria for eligibility for the credit, such criteria to be set forth in regulations under this section; but at least 25 percent of the tax credits shall be allowed to projects that contain affordable housing and 30 percent of said credits shall be awarded to projects within Massachusetts’ gateway cities, whenever possible and consistent with such criteria.”