Housing
194th General Court (2025-2026)
An Act Relative to the Massachusetts Lead Law and Promoting Equal Access to Lead-Free Housing
Loopholes in the Massachusetts Lead Law has incentivized housing discrimination against families and have failed to achieve the statute's original aim. This bill will addresses these failures by implementing policy that will prevent childhood lead poisoning, housing discrimination and eliminate racial inequities in lead poisoning.
An Act to Regulate Junk Fees in Rental Housing
Tenants are already being crushed by the cost of rent in Massachusetts. This bill would limit the upfront cost of moving into a new unit by limiting what a landlord can charge a new tenant to first month's rent and then last month's rent or a security deposit. Furthermore, it would close a loophole in current law that allows real estate brokers to charge fees that landlords are not able to like application fees, background check fees or credit check fees. It would also make sure that additional rental fees are clearly stated in the lease, limit the use of late fees and regulate the ability of landlords to require tenants to pay attorneys fees.
An Act to Promote Housing Cooperatives
Across Massachusetts the affordable housing crisis has become a burden falling hardest on low- and middle-income families in urban, suburban and rural communities. Addressing this crisis requires a variety of solutions, including cooperative approaches to housing access and stability. With traditional homeownership out of reach for many families, interest in multi-family and manufactured housing cooperatives is on the rise. This bill invests public support and public resources into this overlooked sector of affordable housing to create and preserve housing cooperatives throughout the commonwealth.