HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3877        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3721

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Michelle M. DuBois

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to avoiding Senior homelessness and maintaining Senior housing-stabilization of rents.

_______________

PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3877        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3721

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1316 OF 2019-2020.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

An Act relative to avoiding Senior homelessness and maintaining Senior housing-stabilization of rents.

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. Chapter 40P of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding after "Voluntary and uncoerced" the following-

(except as described in Chapter 40P section d)

SECTION 2. Chapter 40P of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby further amended by adding section (d)-

Section (d). Exception. When individuals over 60 years reside in rental properties sold to a new owner there shall be a limit on the size of annual rent increases for the individual's rental unit within its jurisdiction if the tenant shows they are on a wait list for public housing, provided that:

(1)Said annual limit shall not exceed the annual change in the Consumer Price Index for the applicable area in which the city or town is situated, or five percent, whichever is less, for the term of 5 years;

(2)Any dwelling unit offered for rent shall be subject to this act; however, any such unit in an owner-occupied building with two dwelling units or less or any unit whose rent is otherwise subject to regulation by a public authority shall be expressly excluded from this provision. This provision shall apply to dwelling units in the private housing market in which housing vouchers are used; 

(3)Acceptance of this act shall include a set term for its duration; however, subject to formal review by the town or city, said term may be renewed.

(4)Any city or town that adopts a limit on the size of annual rent increases measures in accordance with this measure shall ensure that dwelling units governed by such measures are only eligible for those individuals whose income is 80 percent or less of Area Median Income.