Affordable Housing for all Families
As a member of organizations like the Acton Housing Authority and the Habitat for Humanity, Jamie has worked hard to promote affordable housing to allow Massachusetts families an opportunity to achieve the American Dream, and ensure that families of all economic levels can live in safe, clean, housing across the district..
Our communities are stronger when all families have access to affordable housing options. However, housing prices in Massachusetts can be incredibly expensive, and too many families and individuals are priced out of our communities, unable to live where they work or grew up. At the same time, the amount of “affordable housing” available is often not enough to meet the demands. Jamie support policies to increase the availability of affordable housing in our communities.
Jamie has also been a leader for Chapter 40B reform, advocating for sensible changes to the law which will help communities more reasonably reach the state’s 10% affordable housing requirement. He’s proposed legislation that would permit more local control over affordable housing developments to allow for wetland preservation as well as comprehensive development planning. Recent efforts to repeal Chapter 40B in its entirety have gained strength, including a recent attempt at a citizen initiative petition to repeal the law. Jamie’s legislation is a sensible compromise designed to help preserve Chapter 40B and advance the overall purpose of the law - more affordable housing.
The growing foreclosure crisis is another affordable housing issue that has had a serious effect on our district. This session, Jamie is supporting legislation that would increase neighborhood stability by creating protections for tenants in foreclosed properties and requiring banks and financial institutions to ensure proper upkeep and maintenance of foreclosed properties.
Helping to find affordable housing for homeless families - and helping prevent homelessness in the first place - are also priorities for Jamie. He recently was a leader in the successful effort opposing regulation changes that would have needlessly put hundreds more homeless on the streets. He’s also a strong supporter of transitional programs designed to help move families out of shelter and into permanent housing, such as the Mass Rental Voucher Program, Rental Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT), and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.