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S 958

Relates to making certain housing programs available regardless of immigration status

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Brian Kavanagh

The bill requires state housing planners to ensure geographic equity in scoring and to track and publish data on state housing funding distribution from 2025–2029, with annual repo

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Bill Summary · S 958

Summary — S. 958 (2025): An Act promoting geographic equity in state-funded housing development

Note: the bill text filed as Senate No. 958 (filed 1/16/2025; introduced 3/11/2025) addresses geographic equity in state-funded housing development. This differs from the brief title line provided at the top of the packet (which referenced immigration status); the detailed bill language concerns geographic equity and reporting.

Purpose

To require the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), in coordination with quasi‑public housing funders, to (1) ensure scoring criteria for state housing plans promote geographic equity, and (2) track and publicly report comprehensive data on state financial assistance for housing projects to evaluate geographic distribution of resources.

Key provisions

  • Amends clause (xvii) of subsection (b) of section 1 of chapter 23B to require that, when developing the housing plan, the executive office ensure scoring criteria “effectively ensures geographic equity.”
  • Mandates EOHLC, with all quasi‑public agencies that fund housing, to track and report on geographic equity for:
    • All expenditures under chapter 150 of the Acts of 2024; and
    • All low- and no‑interest loans, grants, subsidies, credit enhancements, and other state or quasi‑public financial assistance for housing development/production between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2029.
  • Requires two formal reports:
    • Interim report due March 1, 2028; and
    • Second report due March 1, 2035.
  • Reports must be published on EOHLC’s website; unit-level data must not be posted publicly for projects with fewer than 3 units.

Required data elements (selected)

For each municipality and county, and for each housing project:
- Total and per‑capita number of housing projects funded and housing units produced (including accessible units).
- Unit mix: number of units, accessible units, bedroom sizes, affordability levels, and total cost per unit.
- Whether units were developed for rent or ownership and types/levels of affordability restrictions.
- Total state assistance per project and breakdown by each state funding program and agency.
- County‑level total and per‑capita dollar amounts of state assistance.

Who is affected

  • Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (administrative/reporting duties).
  • Quasi‑public agencies that provide housing finance.
  • Municipalities and counties (data will reflect local receipts of state housing funds).
  • Housing developers and projects receiving state or quasi‑public financial assistance.
  • Policymakers and the public (greater transparency for funding distribution).

Potential impacts

  • Increased transparency and data-driven assessment of geographic distribution of state housing funds.
  • Possible changes to scoring and award decisions to better distribute funds across regions.
  • Administrative and data collection burden on EOHLC and funding agencies.
  • Privacy protection for very small projects (fewer than 3 units).

Procedural status & timeline (selected)

  • Filed: 1/16/2025 (Senate Docket No. 1298); introduced 3/11/2025.
  • Read twice and referred to committee; associated committee actions include hearings (6/25/2025) and a favorable committee report (10/23/2025) referring the bill to Senate Ways and Means.
  • Interim report due by March 1, 2028; second report due March 1, 2035.

Sponsors / Related bills

  • Presented by Joanne M. Comerford (filed). Other sponsors listed: Dan Sullivan (cosponsor), Brian Kavanagh (primary).
  • Related/prior-session filings: SD 1298 (replacement), S 9416, S 1631; companion A 1503.

If you want, I can extract and format the specific statutory text changes and the precise chapter/section references for legal review.

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

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