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HD 292

An Act relative to the state’s requirements for calculating the municipal land area for subsidized housing inventory (SHI)

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Joe McKenna

HD 292 redefines how Massachusetts towns calculate municipal land area for affordable housing inventory compliance, affecting Chapter 40B zoning override eligibility.

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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HD 292

Legislative bill overview

HD 292 modifies how Massachusetts municipalities calculate their municipal land area when determining whether they meet the state's Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) requirements. The bill adjusts the methodology used to measure available land for affordable housing purposes. This affects how cities and towns assess compliance with the state's affordable housing mandate (Chapter 40B).

Why is this important

Massachusetts' SHI requirement mandates that municipalities maintain at least 10% of their housing stock as subsidized affordable units, or face state-approved affordable housing development on their land. How municipalities calculate their total land area directly determines whether they meet this threshold—a narrower calculation could make compliance easier or harder. This impacts local zoning control, tax revenues, and the state's ability to drive affordable housing production through regulatory pressure.

Potential points of contention

  • Local control vs. state mandate: Communities may resist changes that make it easier for developers to bypass local approval processes under Chapter 40B's expedited permitting rules
  • Fairness of calculation standards: Questions about whether the new methodology equitably treats different municipalities (coastal vs. inland, developed vs. undeveloped) or favors certain regions
  • Housing supply impact: Changes that make compliance easier could reduce pressure on municipalities to produce affordable housing; changes that make it harder could increase pressure unfairly on specific towns

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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