Session DetailsFormal House Session 9

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House will be in order. [INAUDIBLE] now moves that the House stand in recess till the hour of 1:50? 1:50. All those in favor, say aye, All those opposed, no. The ayes have it. House stands in recess to the hour of 1:50.

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House will be in order. Mr. Jones of North Reading [INAUDIBLE] the presence of a quorum. Chair can ascertain a quorum is not present. [INAUDIBLE] officers, summon the members. Indicate a roll call quorum is now in progress.

Mr. Jones of North Reading removes his requests for a roll call vote. The chair objection-- the chair has none. Could all members please take their seat.

Today we have the opportunity to honor the courageous work of 60 CR Park Rangers. Earlier this month, DCR Park Ranger Steven Crombie suffered a medical episode while on duty at the Statehouse. He was found in a gut check, not breathing and unresponsive.

With determination and teamwork, a group of Rangers performed CPR and administered an AED. Excuse me. Because of their quick thinking, Steven was breathing by the time emergency services arrived. He was transported to the Mass General Hospital and was discharged to go home a few weeks later.

Steven is alive because of the action of the six Rangers. I want to offer my personal gratitude. In addition to being a colleague, Steven is also a Winthrop native who I've known for many years and have known his family for some time as well.

I am honored that we have with us here today Rangers [? Godding, ?] [? Boze, ?] Brown, [? Melee, ?] [? Rego, ?] and Lieutenant [? Dowd ?] for their quick thinking and heroism on January 3, 2018, which saved the life of DCR park ranger Steven Crombie. Before I have their respective state representatives present citations to them, I not only want to thank these Rangers, but I want to thank all of the members of the DCR Park Rangers that we have in the statehouse. And I want each of you to know how greatly we appreciate the fact of the service that you provide to us, the public safety you provide to us, and the attention that you provide to us as members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. That your hard work does not go unnoticed. And for that, we sincerely thank all of the DCR Park Rangers.

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And also we have four rangers in the back. I want to thank you as well. With that, I would now like to have the presentation of the citations, if we may, to James [? Godding ?] of Quincy, citation to be presented by representative Tackey Chan.

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Representative Tom [? Boze, ?] presentation to be made by representative Mark Cusack.

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Oh. Lloyd Brown, presentation by Representative Barber.

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Sean [? Melee, ?] presentation to be made by Representative Cutler.

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Eric Rego, presentation to be made by Representative Lyons.

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And Mike [? Dowd, ?] presentation made by Representative Ryan.

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Thank you and congratulations to all of our DCR Park Rangers.

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The chair would also like to offer our congratulations to a new grandfather-- or he's been a grandfather before. A newly grandfather-- baby born in Israel, I believe. Correct? Please-- Representative Lou Kafka, congratulations.

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When I said he was not a new grandfather-- this was his 14th grandchild, by the way.

Mr. Honan of Boston. Moves for the suspension of rule 47 to take calendar item 279 on page 24.

Question comes on that motion?

Question comes on that motion? All those in favor, say aye. Opposed, no. The ayes have it. The rule is suspended.

Third reading of the bill.

An act, financing the production and preservation of housing for low and moderate income residents.

Question comes on passing the bill to being grossed. The chair recognizes Mr. Honan of Boston. Members are pleased ask to take these seats and subdue their conversations.

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Mr. Honan of Boston.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and through you, the members. I rise today in support of House Bill 4134. This is the housing bond bill, an extension of tax credits.

I want to thank the Housing Committee for all their work. I also want to thank the gentlemen from New Bedford and the Bonding Committee for their work on this bill. And the gentleman from Jamaica Plain and the Ways and Means Committee for their work.

I also want to thank you, Mr. Speaker. You're a true housing champion. And thank you for taking this important bill up right at the beginning of the new year.

It's the critical time in the Commonwealth in terms of housing. The metro Boston area has the third highest housing costs in the country behind New York and San Francisco. Greater Boston, more than 52% of the households are paying more than 30% of their income, and statewide 70% of the low income and extremely low income households are struggling in the same way.

At the same time, our economy is growing. And Massachusetts is clearly a great place to live with all of museums, colleges, universities, and hospitals. But we know that housing is the cornerstone of our economy and our society, and we must build and maintain strong, vibrant, affordable, and diverse neighborhoods.

That's what this bill seeks to do here today. This bill is all about production and preservation of affordable housing all across Massachusetts.

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a ribbon cutting at 48 Boylston Street in downtown Boston. It was at the historic Young Men's Christian Union building that was built in 1875. So St. Francis House partnered with the archdiocese of Boston along with the city, the state, and private banks, and preserved and developed 46 units of affordable housing, of which 26 are for formerly homeless people. Now that's right in downtown Boston. You can't do that without bond funds and tax credits.

The bond funds and tax credits that we're re-authorizing today are used in very creative fashion here in Boston to help people who are in need-- and in Massachusetts. Those two bond accounts that we used there are re-authorized here today. The Housing Innovations trust fund, $100 million dollars, and $400 million for the Affordable Housing Trust fund.

The Affordable Housing Trust Fund is a very flexible bond fund that's used for work force housing, mixed use, and preservation. Down at North Station you've probably seen a new, big building developed there called the Beverly, and its 239 income-restricted units right at North Station. It's a 100% affordable and workforce housing development. That's the first time in the city of Boston in 25 years that they've built a 100% affordable development. Bedford-- Bedford Green Apartments, 70 units in Bedford, and it's for low income veterans and on site VA caseworkers.

Today, we recommit ourselves to the elderly, disabled, and homeless. The home modification loan program, the $60 million in that, and that's to allow seniors to age in place and other individuals to live independently in their communities. $65 million for the Facilities Consolidation fund, and $55 million for community-based housing. These accounts are for supportive housing, and they're for clients of GMH and DDS. And today we build on the successes of those programs, which the Facilities Consolidation fund has allowed for 2,400 units of serviced-enriched housing.

There's $150 million for the Housing Stabilization fund. This helps first time home-buyers and promotes reinvestment in weak markets. Some of the projects that it has funded in Midfield on a vacant parcel, four buildings with 92 affordable units in Northampton, 16 units for women who are veterans. In Holyoke, a multi-million dollar rehab which will bring market rate and affordable housing under one roof. There is $600 million in this fund for state-assisted public housing.

Now, I know many of you have great relationships with your public housing authorities. I see you always at the narrow events. And this is money that they critically need to rehabilitate, produce, and modernize public housing.

Our committee last session visited 25 housing authorities across Massachusetts. We met with the boards of directors. We met with tenant's groups, and we met with the staff, with the superintendents of these buildings. And we realized in a firsthand way how significant it was to do these repairs.

The senior citizens who live in public housing, the most important thing for them, when we were doing our housing reform bill as it pertains to public housing, was knowing the building superintendent, and their desire for long term delays and repairs to be taken care of. Roof replacements, ADA upgrades, and elevators. These are tangible upgrades that benefit our most vulnerable residents, including our seniors. There's also $50 million in there for public demonstration projects that are going on across the across the state.

There's a $125 million in this bill for capital improvement and preservation fund. We passed 40T in 2009 that allows municipalities to designate certain areas within their municipalities for more denser development-- it's smart growth-- and this particular fund will help with those projects. 40T has helped preserve 11,000 units in Massachusetts.

We are facing a real, serious problem here in Massachusetts. We have 2,875 what are called 13A units. Those are expiring use buildings that were-- units that were funded by the Commonwealth. They run the risk in the next two years of losing their affordability.

We just had a hearing yesterday, and the members of the housing committee who are here will tell you the fear that the seniors and the residents who live in these buildings-- and they're mostly seniors-- the fear that they're living in is quite real. And it's important for us to fund this particular fund, the capital improvement preservation fund, to try to preserve these 13A units.

And again, we should be very proud that in 2009, this house put through 40T, which did give the right of first refusal to the Commonwealth to purchase these buildings that have protected the tenants from three to five years. Those are in HUD buildings, HUD expiring use, again in 13A.

We put $50 million into the Capital Area Transit Node Housing Program. This is for smart growth. These are the 40R districts that we allow municipalities to create. And again, some people have a real problem with 40B, but this is 40R. So this empowers the local municipality.

It needs to be a better known program, the 40R program. This empowers the municipalities, again, to designate areas within their municipality for more denser development.

The tax credit. This reauthorizes important tax credits that are used to develop housing and economic opportunities across the state. There's a low income housing tax credit created in 1999. It has helped create 10,000 units of affordable housing. It reauthorizes this month for five more years.

The Community Investment Tax Credit is something that you may have heard from your Community Development Corporation. It's a very successful program. It's funded at $6 million, and it's to prove economic and housing opportunities for low and moderate income households.

Brownfield Tax Credit-- I've heard from many of you about this fund, which your municipalities have utilized to revitalize sections of your municipalities, complete environmental cleanup and remediation in economically distressed areas. There's also the Housing Development Center Program-- promotes mixed income housing in gateway cities.

Also funding for the renovation and construction of facilities serving low income children. It's a daycare fund that we also have included for wrap around services in housing developments.

We are experiencing a housing crisis here. I know you all know that. I think that one of the key constituent service issues we all receive is the desperate need for affordable housing from people who call our offices. We did have a hearing in July. Many of our members testified before the committee and expressed the urgent need for affordable housing in their districts.

And these funds are critical. They're tried and true tools that have been used here in Massachusetts, that have been successful. And Mr. Speaker, while our work is far from over, passage of this bill signifies the commitment of this house to affordable housing and to the working people of our commonwealth, and the vulnerable and those facing homelessness.

The Housing Bond Bill is a tangible commitment of this house to affordable housing. And Mr. Speaker, I move that when a vote is taken, it be taken by a call of the ayes and nays.

Mr. Honan of Boston asked when the matter is taken, it be taken by call of the yeas and nays. Those joining with him arise. The monitor will return the count. First division, eight. Second division.

27.

27. Sufficient number have arisen. Matter taken. Taken by the calls yeas and nays. Chair recognizes Mr. Sanchez of Boston.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and through you, to the members. First and foremost, I'd like to thank you, Mr. Speaker, for bringing this bond authorization bill before us today, before the members. And I'd like to thank the gentleman from Brighton for his hard work not only now on this, but on the many, many years that he's committed his life to making sure that we committed ourselves to the needs of our constituents through a fundamental need, housing.

Not only in the building, but also in terms of making sure the adequate supports and so many other programs that have made a difference and will make a difference today in the lives of so many people here in the Commonwealth. As well as his able staff that worked so hard on this that we're so proud of, and also our staff in Ways and Means. And your staff, Mr. Speaker, that worked diligently on it as well.

And this was the first major bill that my new general counsel has worked on, so we're extremely proud of her in putting and working with so many of you in making sure that we had such a strong bill before us today. As well as the hard work of the gentleman from New Bedford who, he and his staff, put a significant amount of work on this as well.

This bill comes at a very important time, because bond authorizations for certain housing programs are running low while projects are continuing to apply for funding. And since some of these programs are forward funded, they have to be reauthorized so that these deals can move forward in a timely manner.

We know that some of the tax credits that are out there, they're about ready to sunset in 2019 and they have to be extended. Not only that, we are facing-- and all of us know-- a serious affordable housing crunch. According to the Census Bureau's 2015 ACS survey, Massachusetts had the seventh highest rents in the country with Boston area ranked as the fourth most costly urban area for housing.

Not only that, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard, nearly 50% of all renters in Massachusetts are rent burdened, pay more than 30% of their income for rent. Very dramatic. The last time we did this housing bill back in 2013 under the great leadership of the gentleman from Brighton and yourself, Mr. Speaker, we authorized about $1.4 billion.

Those bonds supported over 40 projects and created over 12,137 total housing units, of which 90% were affordable and were spread throughout the Commonwealth. This bill authorizes $1.7 billion to build on that success. We know that successful Housing Finance is a patchwork of state programs, grants, partnerships that includes so many, including the banks. Sometimes, the money that the Commonwealth puts is first in the different patchwork of programs.

But one thing that we know that it can start and end with us in terms of making sure that that happens. We all know how important it is to help families find a place to call home, and this bill ensures that the Commonwealth is able to hold up its end of the deal.

The chairman Honan did a good-- the chairman did a great job in outlining the details. And Mr. Speaker, I hope that when a vote is called, it is called by a call of the yeas and nays. Thank you.

Gentleman from Brighton has already requested that and voted. Chair recognizes Mr. Hill of Ipswich.

This is a bill that I think we all support, and it's certainly a subject matter that we all work with our communities on and our nonprofits on. But we have to remember one word that we have heard from the last two speakers, and that is bond. The dollars that will be passed today will be for authorizations for bonding.

My question to either of the speakers before me would be, can you inform the membership where we are in regards to ratings of our bonds as it sits today? And if this is to be passed today, how that affects our bond rating moving forward? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

House will be in a brief recess.

Chair recognizes Mr. Cabral of New Bedford.

Through you, Mr. Speaker, if I may. This bond bill before us will not have any impact on the bond rating itself. We have one of the highest bond ratings in history. We have a AA, AA plus, and AAA if its the transportation account. So I think we have one of the best ratings in the country, never mind in history of the Commonwealth.

Also, as you said when you-- before you asked the question, this is an authorization bill. The last authorization was in 2014, so we need to authorize additional possibilities for additional programs. But also, we need-- we needed also to reauthorize previous line items as well, or else the governor would not be able-- or the administration would not be able to go out and issue bonds for specific programs that they want to pursue.

As you heard last night, the governor would like to have-- to build about 135,000 units of housing on the next several years. I think he gave a specific date. This bond bill is crucial, very crucial for that particular goal of the governor.

House will be in a recess.

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House will be in order. To Petrolati of Ludlaw, offers an amendment to the hands of the clerk. Clerk will read the amendment.

Amendment number 10. Mr. Petrolati of Ludlaw moves to amend a bill by adding the following section. Amend [INAUDIBLE] chapter 40A, section six, fourth paragraph by inserting the following language after the first sentence. Any such increase will also not apply if after such recording or endorsement the lot is held at any time in common ownership with the adjoining land.

Question now on the amendment. All those in favor, say aye. All those opposed, nay. The nays have it. The amendment is not adopted.

Brief recess.

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House will be in order.

Mr. Jones of North Reading offers an amendment in the hands of the clerk. Clerk will read the amendment.

Amendment number 39, Mr. Jones of North Reading and other members of the House move to amend the bill by striking out section 22 in its entirety and inserting [INAUDIBLE] the following section, section 22. Section 125 of chapter 287 is hereby amended by striking out the following, 46, 48, 56 a, 61, 63, [INAUDIBLE].

The question now is on the amendment. All those in favor, say aye. All those opposed, no. The ayes have it. The amendment is adopted.

Ms. Peake of Provincetown offers an amendment in the hands of the clerk. The clerk will read the amendment.

Amendment number 44 has changed. [INAUDIBLE] Peake of Provincetown moves to amend the bill by inserting after Section 10 the following new section, section 10A, Subsection [? I ?] of said section, 6M of said chapter 62 is amended--

If there be no objection, the clerk will dispense with the reading of the paper. The chair has none.

Question on the amendment. All those in favor, say aye. All those opposed, nay. The ayes have it. The amendment is adopted.

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House will come to order. Mr. Jones of North Reading offers an amendment in the hands of the clerk. The clerk will read the amendment.

Amendment number 40 has changed. Mr. Jones Of North Reading moves to amend the bill in section two by striking out in line 33 to 34 the following words--

If there be no objection, the clerk will dispense with the further reading of the amendment. Does the chair objection? Chair has none.

Question comes on adoption of the amendment. All those in favor, say aye. Opposed, no. The ayes have it. The amendment is adopted.

Mr. Sanchez of Boston offers an amendment in the hands of the clerk. The clerk will read the amendment.

Amendment number 55. Mr. Sanchez of Boston moves to amend the bill in section 29 by striking out line [? 518, ?] the figure 10 inserting in place--

If there be no objection, the clerk will dispense with the further reading of the amendment. Does the chair have objection? Chair has none.

Question comes on adoption of the amendment. All those in favor, say aye. Opposed, no. The ayes have it. The amendment is adopted.

House will be in a brief recess.

Mr. Donato of Medford doubts the presence of a quorum. The chair can ascertain that a quorum is not present. Therefore, the court officers will please summons the members, indicate to them that a roll call is in progress and will remain open for three minutes.

Have all members voted who wish to do so? [INAUDIBLE]

Yeah, he sent a letter.

Have all the members voted who wish to do so? The time for voting has expired. The clerk will displayed the tally, there being 148 members present. The chair can ascertain that a quorum is present.

Members will take their seats.

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Members will please take their seats and subdue their conversations.

Members will please take their seats and subdue your conversations. The chair recognizes Mr. McGonagle of Everett.

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Members will please subdue their conversations. Mr. McGonagle of Everett.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and through you to the members. I come from a very different background than most of you. I never saw house chamber until I was elected. And Mr. Speaker, I've never told you this, but I actually had to take the statehouse tour to find out where your office was, and that's the truth.

But Mr. Speaker, when I first walked into this chamber, two things struck me. Number one, I hope that my mom and dad are proud of me. And number two, I hope that I can live up to the legacy of Speaker Keverian, Representative [? Connolly, ?] and those before them, and earn the trust and the confidence that the people of Everett have placed in me.

When we met, Mr. Speaker, I was overwhelmed, but you made me feel welcome and gave me confidence. You gave me advice and offered kind words that I am forever grateful for. And please bear with me. I know it's been a long day, but there's just a few more people I'd like to thank.

I'd like to thank our majority leader, the gentleman from Quincy-- the gentleman from Quincy-- for his words of wisdom the first time I met him. And for those of you who know the majority leader, you know that I can never share those words with you--

[LAUGHTER]

--or repeat them in public. So thank you, Mr. Leader. And as many of you know, Everett has a strong tradition of leading this House. Speaker Keverian held this honor for six years. So once again, I would like to thank the assistant majority leader, the gentlemen from Medford, who gave me this honor for six minutes in an informal session.

Now everybody gets at least three minutes of fame in their life. Mine was six minutes. And being from Everett, I'll take it.

But Mr. Speaker, some colleagues when they found out about my fame joked on Twitter, god help the Commonwealth. Not God save, god help the Commonwealth, Mr. Speaker. And I know who you are.

[LAUGHTER]

And finally, finally, ladies and gentlemen, on a more serious note, I would like to thank the gentleman from Brighton, our housing chair, for his guidance, his advice in giving me the opportunity to address you as Vice Chair, and speak to you on such an important piece of legislation. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I don't have my glasses, Mr. Chair. Mr. Speaker, I think he's hiding on me.

Do you know who he is?

I think he's hiding on me.

I'm glad you know who he is.

[LAUGHTER]

It's a tough audience. But anyways.

[LAUGHTER]

Mr. Speaker [? SEAM ?]

Since my first day in office the most important issue I have faced in Everett is housing. And this housing bond bill is one of the most impactful pieces of legislation for my city in the Commonwealth right now. In Everett, we are doing everything we can to provide housing, specifically affordable housing.

But we can't do it alone because of the high costs of acquisition, construction, and the difficulty of financing affordable developments. We need funded state initiatives with federal incentives in order to get these projects built.

Mr. Speaker, I recently returned from a trip to Haiti. I came back last Sunday. Each year I travel there with Reverend Mimi and Pastor Paul. We bring school supplies, donated clothes, and even wedding dresses so families can dress up and celebrate one of the most important days that families share.

We are in the process of building a bread factory, something so many of us take for granted. And I have witnessed tens of thousands of men, women, and children living with very little shelter or no shelter at all. And Mr. Speaker, I relate this to our own work here in Massachusetts, because so many families are struggling to make ends meet and afford a stable place to live, a place to call home. And shelter is one of the most basic needs for human beings.

We hear charity begins at home. Home is where the heart is. Home sweet home. They're cliches, but they are true nonetheless.

We hear these statistics, even earlier today, from both chairmen and studies calling for the need for affordable housing. Massachusetts, third most expensive housing market in the country. Massachusetts, large housing shortage. In Massachusetts, the lack of housing will create a drag in our economy. They're all true.

But I-- I choose to simplify things and look at issues with common sense. Because home is the heart and soul of the family. Whether it's a house, condo, or apartment, whether occupied by a senior citizen, an empty nester, a veteran, a growing family, or an immigrant from Haiti, everyone deserves a roof over their head and we must act.

This housing bond bill contains so many opportunities to help our communities build the kind of housing stock we need to benefit all of our residents and continue to grow our economy. Ladies and gentlemen, this bill takes a giant step in turning, someone should do something about this, into someone is doing something about this.

So that, Mr. Speaker, is why I rise in support of this bill. And I ask my colleagues to join me in doing something that makes having a roof over your head and a place to call home affordable, attainable, and a reality for all. Thank you.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

Roll call being honored. Roll call be honored forthwith and will remain open for three minutes.

For the edification of the members, there'll be no further roll calls today. We will be meeting tomorrow in an informal session, but there will be no further roll calls today.

The clerk will make an announcement.

The voting stations from representatives Dwyer and Kocot are locked.

Have all members voted who wish to do so? Time for voting has expired. Clerk will display the tally. In this matter, 151--

150.

150 have voted in the affirmative, 1 in the negative. The item is passed to be engrossed. Message from His Excellency, the governor.

A message from His Excellency, the governor, submitting the annual budget of the Commonwealth for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018. House number [? two ?] was [INAUDIBLE] office of the clerk this afternoon at 3:19 PM.

The message will be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. Mr. DeLeo of Winthrop offers an order in the hands of the clerk. The clerk will read the order.

Order that when the house adjourns today, it adjourn to meet tomorrow at 11:00 AM.

Question comes on adoption of the order. All those in favor, say aye. Opposed, no. The ayes have it. The order is adopted.

Members and guests are asked to rise for a moment of silence. Ms. Peake of Provincetown asks that the House have a moment of silence for Mr. Olson, graduated from the Roxbury Latin School in 1960, Harvard College in 1964, and Harvard Law School in 1968. He was a member of the US Coast Guard reserves from 1965 to 1972, and he served as Bond Counsel at Palmer and Dodge in Boston until his retirement in Provincetown in 1988.

In addition to his love and support of arts organizations in both Boston and Provincetown, he embraced public service. He served on the Provincetown Board of Selectmen for five years, four of which overlapped with representative Peake's service on the board. In addition, he also served five years on the planning board, and later became chair of the Cemetery Commission, a post he held until 2017.

He passed away on July 3rd. He was 75 years old.

Thank you.

Thank you, [INAUDIBLE]. It would mean the world to him.

Thank you.

Ms. Williams Gifford moves that the House now stand adjourned, should meet tomorrow in an informal session at 11:00 AM.

Question comes on that motion. All those in favor, say aye. Opposed, no. The ayes have it. The motion is carried. House stands adjourned.

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