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H 3183

Young Farmer Loan Program

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Lucas Atkinson and 5 co-sponsors

Authorizes Tax Increment Financing to spur housing via rehab and conversion of neglected buildings; designates TIF areas and requires EACC approval.

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Atkinson
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Bill Summary · H 3183

Summary — H 3183 (House Docket No. 1422) — Tax Increment Financing for Housing

Note on sources: the packet provided contains two different texts (a Massachusetts bill and an unrelated South Carolina "Young Farmer Loan Program"). This summary focuses on the Massachusetts bill filed as House No. 3183 (House Docket 1422), whose text amends chapter 23A (TIF authority) to explicitly allow use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) as an incentive for housing (residential rehabilitation or commercial-to-residential conversion).

Main purpose

To authorize and clarify statewide use of municipal Tax Increment Financing (TIF) agreements as an economic development incentive specifically to encourage residential rehabilitation and the commercial-to-residential conversion of neglected, dilapidated, or underutilized buildings — thereby increasing housing supply in Massachusetts municipalities.

Key provisions

  • Amends Section 3E(b) of chapter 23A of the General Laws (replacing current subsection (b)).
  • Expands who may receive TIF:
    • Allows municipalities to offer TIF to “the controlling business of a certified project,” and to “any person or entity undertaking a real estate project or expanding a facility” located in an area designated by the EACC as TIF‑eligible.
  • Defines EACC authority and designation criteria:
    • The Economic Assistance Coordinating Council (EACC) may designate an area as TIF‑eligible upon municipal petition if it finds a strong likelihood, within a specific and reasonably proximate period, of one or more of:
    • Significant influx/growth in business activity;
    • Creation of a significant number of new jobs (not mere relocation/ replacement within the Commonwealth);
    • A private project/investment that substantially improves local economic resiliency; or
    • Conversion/rehabilitation of neglected, dilapidated, or underutilized building structures into usable dwelling units.
  • Approval and documentation requirements:
    • If a municipality offers TIF to a certified project owner, the municipal project endorsement must include a fully executed copy of the TIF agreement (pursuant to G.L. c. 40, §59).
    • Any municipal TIF agreement must be approved by the EACC to be valid/enforceable.
    • EACC approval must be pursuant to its regulations and include a minute‑recorded finding that the agreement complies with c. 40, §59 and furthers the public purpose of encouraging industrial capacity, commercial activity, and housing supply.

Who is affected

  • Municipalities: empowered to structure and offer TIFs that explicitly target housing rehab and conversions.
  • Developers/property owners: expanded eligibility to receive TIF for residential rehab and conversions in designated areas.
  • EACC: increased role in designating TIF‑eligible areas and approving TIF agreements; must adopt/implement related regulations.
  • Local taxpayers and public services: incremental tax revenues deferred or reduced under TIF agreements could affect municipal revenue allocation (schools, public safety, other services) depending on each TIF’s structure.

Potential impacts

  • Could accelerate adaptive reuse of commercial and blighted properties into housing, increasing supply in municipalities that choose to use TIF this way.
  • Encourages local economic resiliency and job growth where designation criteria are met.
  • May shift near‑term incremental tax revenue from general municipal funds to TIF beneficiaries, requiring careful municipal budgeting and EACC oversight.
  • Places procedural obligations on municipalities and the EACC (documentation and approval) to ensure public benefit.

Legislative status & timeline (selected)

  • Prefiled: 12/05/2024
  • Introduced (House) and read first time: 01/14/2025
  • Referred to Committee on Ways and Means: 01/14/2025 (later noted referral to Revenue committee 02/27/2025)
  • Senate concurred: 02/27/2025
  • Sponsors include Representatives John J. Marsi and Donald R. Berthiaume, Jr.; other sponsors added later (Atkinson; Davis; M. M. Smith).
  • Hearing scheduled: 09/15/2025 (01:00 PM–05:00 PM, room A‑2).

If you want, I can:
- Produce a short pros/cons analysis for municipal officials or developers,
- Outline model questions for the EACC to use when evaluating TIF applications under the new language, or
- Draft a plain‑language one‑page summary for public outreach.

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

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