Font Size

Boston Area News

E-mail

Close Window E-mail This Page

Report: MA Must Overhaul Affordable Housing Law

Required fields are marked with an asterisk(*)

Recipient E-mail:*
- Your Name:*
- Your E-mail:*
Add a Message:
Send me a copy of this e-mail.

Type the characters in this picture:*

Click here to refresh with new letters

The information you provide will be used only to send the requested e-mail and will not be used to send any other e-mail communications. Read more in our Privacy Policy

Send E-mail

Print Share + Comments

Jun 1, 2009 8:16 pm US/Eastern

Report: MA Must Overhaul Affordable Housing Law

BOSTON (AP) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: (File Image)
Rich Pedroncelli/Getty Images

Close

numSlides of totalImages

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.