Jun 1, 2009 8:16 pm US/Eastern
Report: MA Must Overhaul Affordable Housing Law
BOSTON (AP) ―
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A new report is calling for greater transparency and accountability in the state's affordable housing law.
The Massachusetts law, known as Chapter 40B, allows developers to ignore local zoning laws if they agree to build a certain number of affordable housing units.
The law has been a constant source of friction.
Municipal leaders say it lets developers run roughshod over the character of local towns. Housing advocates say communities could avoid the problem by building enough affordable housing on their own.
The report from the Senate Post Audit and Oversight Committee calls for a more thorough process for certifying costs under the program and stricter regulation of key parts of the law, including allowable density limits.
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