By Christine Rasmussen
 

Readers of Stockbridge Updates are aware that Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey is a national leader in addressing the need for more housing that meets the needs of residents. Her guidance is evidenced by the passage of the 2024 Affordable Homes Act. (AHA). This historic legislation authorizes $5.16 billion to be spent by implementing 49 policy initiatives to build and preserve more than 65,000 homes statewide over the next five years by giving municipalities new tools to encourage building more year-round housing.

One of those initiatives is aimed at communities like Stockbridge where 43.6 percent of its housing units are NOT being used as permanent housing. In that case, voters are allowed to accept or deny the designation as a Seasonal Community A Seasonal Community designation makes it easier to create year-round housing that is not allowed under our current zoning bylaws.

At their April 3rd Select Board meeting, the carrots, sticks, and unknowns (such as the regulations not expected to be available until September) regarding how this designation will impact the town are expected to be addressed as the board determines whether the measure should be placed on the May Town Meeting warrant.

One of the carrots is that AHA authorizes $50 million for a Seasonal Community Housing Innovation Program. While the regulations for using these funds have not been published, it is believed that over the next five years, some of the funds will be allocated to provide for infrastructure improvements like sewers and water lines that can be barriers to creating housing, as well as to provide grants or loans for developers to build affordable housing.

Acceptance also unlocks housing production policies that are undoubtedly going to be controversial, including: •

• Develop housing with a preference for municipal employees, including those in public safety, education, the Department of Public Works, and town administration and support positions. 
• Establish a Year-Round Housing Trust Fund to create and preserve affordable and attainable housing for year-round residents 
• Create year-round housing for artists 
• Allow the development of a comprehensive housing needs assessment. 
• Adopt bylaws to permit the construction by right of tiny homes with a floor area of 400 square feet or less, excluding any loft space. A tiny movable home shall be registered with the registry of motor vehicles, as applicable. 
• Additionally, under certain conditions, housing on undersized lots can be permitted for use as year-round housing. 
• Allow for an increase in the property tax exemption for the owner’s primary residence from its present 35 to 50 percent. You can expect more information to be available on this issue as it becomes available; this is my understanding as of today.

Editor’s note: Those who oppose Seasonal Communities are concerned “it takes an axe to local zoning bylaws.”