As written, House Bill 4138 “The Affordable Homes Act” which is the Housing Bond Bill proposed by the Governor, eliminates single-family zoning across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  

Please sign and let your State Legislatures know you are opposed!!

We are opposed to the state mandate allowing the creation of rental ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units) by right across the Commonwealth that takes away the ability of each individual town and city to determine what is appropriate for each of their own communities.  The ADU language in H.4138 The Affordable Homes Act does not require that homeowners live in either unit.  The current ADU language in H.4138 allows the creation of two-family rental homes in every single-family zone in each town and city across the Commonwealth, in essence eliminating single-family zoning across the Commonwealth.  We oppose this one-size fits all approach.

We are supported in this position by the Massachusetts Municipal Association who stated in their letter to the Joint Committee on Housing:

“…we oppose the unilateral preemption of local zoning and the one-size-fits-all mandate in this legislation. We strongly encourage efforts to further support municipalities in ADU development locally, which many communities already allow through existing ADU policies or through special permits.  For cities and towns that have created and passed their own ADU bylaws, overriding these already-existing bylaws would present an unnecessary and frustrating challenge for communities that have already acted on this issue.  Local officials need resources, tools, incentives and flexibility to successfully deliver a community-driven vision for zoning and planning – not the rigid mandate provided in Sections 12 and 13.”

Every town and city in the Commonwealth are different and unique which makes Massachusetts such a desirable place to live.  We believe zoning laws should remain under the control of these local municipalities so they may change and grow to meet the needs of their unique communities.  Passing the rigid mandates in H.4138 will strip the residents of towns and cities of their ability to determine what is appropriate for the very communities they live in.