Government Affairs

GA Blog: Smart Growth

Showing blogs: 7–12 of 16

6.20.08 303-Unit Downtown Housing Complex to be Completed in Haverhill this Fall

According to the Newburyport News, the largest and most expensive housing development in city history is expected to have people living in it by October, Mayor James Fiorentini said. Forest City Enterprises of Cleveland is moving towards the completion of 303 1 and 2 bedroom upscale downtown apartments. The apartments are being built in old shoe factory buildings at the former Stoller building on Essex Street and the Lagasse building on Duncan Street.

The development is the 2nd in a Haverhill’s Chapter 40R Zoning “Smart Growth” district, approved by the City Council in 2007. Chapter 40R provides financial incentives to communities that help developers build affordable housing near transportation centers and existing urban infrastructure. Haverhill will receive a one-time payment from the state of $3,000 per new home built in the zone — more than $900,000 when the Forest City development is completed and fully occupied.

Read the entire Newburyport News article.

11.10.07 November 9, 2007 Legislative Breakfast

On Friday, November 9th, NSAR sponsored its 4th Legislative Breakfast in 2007, attended by State Senator Steven Baddour (D-1st Essex) and State Representative Harriett Stanley (D-2nd Essex).

The Breakfast was held at ABC Home Inspections, Inc. and ABC Real Estate Training Institute in Haverhill; NSAR would like to thank Affiliate Member Andy Consoli for allowing us to use his conference room and facilities (seen here).

MAR Associate Counsel, Margy Grant, presented the five legislative topics on the agenda and gave the legislators the Realtor® position on each issue. These issues included:

1. Transfer Taxes. Realtors® oppose real estate transfer taxes as bad tax policy for several reasons including: a community wide responsibility should be paid for by the entire community; a transfer tax is inequitable and discriminatory as it singles out a small segment of the population [specifically home buyers & sellers] to pay for a community wide need; a transfer tax is exclusionary because it would increase the cost of home ownership; a transfer tax would be an unstable source of revenue due to the instability of the real estate market; a transfer tax would subvert the Proposition 2 ½ override process; the state legislature has already given cities and towns many equitable tools to create affordable and workforce housing through passage of Community Preservation Act, Chapter 40B, and Chapter 40R and 40S.

2. An Act Protecting Children from Poisoning. Proposed legislation SB. 1230 would (a) require lead inspections on all sales of property, instead of at the buyer’s option; (b) require owners and sellers of property to abate lead in soil and tap water; and (c) require letters of compliance for rental units to be renewed every two years, regardless of whether children reside in the unit, or whenever there is a change in occupancy, if that is earlier.

3. An Act Providing Information to Real Estate Buyers. Proposed legislation H. 323, S. 201 is a little unclear but seems to suggest that a homeowner would be expected to review the databases of nearly a dozen different governmental agencies and then create some type of report or hire and pay someone to do it for them. It is not clear how many millions of dollars this could cost Massachusetts homeowners every year or that buyers and sellers could review this data and provide an accurate assessment of what implications, if any, information on one of these databases would have on a home.

4. An Act Relative to the Disclosure of Wetlands on Property. Proposed legislation H. 767 seeks to require that a real estate broker disclose to prospective buyers that a property to be sold may be in its entirety, or in part a wetland as defined in Chapter 131 of the General Laws of or any other regulation or local by-law of the municipality where the property is located. It is the Realtor® position that however well intentioned this proposal may be, it would create an impossible standard for real estate licensees to meet and generate confusion for consumers.

5. An Act Relative to Smart Growth Housing Trust Fund (S. 132) and An Act Relative to Financing the Smart Growth Housing Trust (H. 160). Realtors® support both these bills, as it would create a steady stream of revenue to support the continued success of 40R Smart Growth districts.

10.30.07 Chapter 40R Smart Growth Districting

As an organization, Realtors® support “Smart Growth” special zoning overlay districts under the Commonwealth’s Chapter 40R provisions. According to the Massachusetts Association of Realtors®, as of October 14, 2007, approximately 19 communities in Massachusetts have enacted or were in the process of establishing Chapter 40R overlay districts, which provide financial rewards to communities that adopt special zoning districts allowing as-of-right high density residential development. Here are several summaries/literature on Chapter 40R Smart Growth Districting:

You can read about NSAR's post regarding Haverhill's Smart Growth districting here.

10.30.07 Next Legislative Breakfast: Friday, November 9, 2007, 8:30am

The next North Shore Association of Realtors® Legislative Breakfast will be held on Friday, November 9, 2007, from 8:30am to 10:00am. All NSAR members who live in Amesbury, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Merrimac, Newburyport, North Andover, and/or West Newbury are encouraged to attend.

Topics will likely include:

1. Transfer Taxes.
2. An Act Protecting Children from Poisoning (SB. 1230)
3. An Act Providing Information to Real Estate Buyers. (H. 323, S. 201)
4. An Act Relative to the Disclosure of Wetlands on Property. (H. 767)
5. An Act Relative to Smart Growth Housing Trust Fund (S. 132) and An Act Relative to Financing the Smart Growth Housing Trust (H. 160).

Sign up today using this form, by calling 978-232-9410, or by emailing Jeff@NorthShoreRealtors.com!

Please note: this Legislative Breakfast will be at ABC Real Estate Training Institute, 21 Wingate Street in Haverhill.

For directions, click here.

10.26.07 October 24, 2007 Legislative Breakfast

On October 24, 2007, NSAR hosted its third Legislative Breakfast in 2007. The event was attended by State Representative Anthony Verga (D-5th Essex), Representative Brad Hill (R-4th Essex), and Dan Pawson, Legislative Director for Senator Bruce Tarr (R-1st Essex & Middlesex).

MAR Associate Counsel Margy Grant presented the Realtor® position on the following topics:

1. New proposed Transfer Taxes (S. 1776; S. 1773; H. 3959)
2. New proposed Lead Paint law (SB. 1230)
3. New proposed mandatory Seller’s disclosure in connection with environmental issues (H. 323, S. 201)
4. New proposed mandatory disclosures for real estate licensees in connection with Wetlands (H. 767)
5. Smart Growth funding for Chapter 40R (S. 132, H. 160)

NSAR and the Government Affairs Committee extends a sincere appreciate to the legislators who participated and to all those that attended.

10.10.07 Next Legislative Breakfast: Wednesday, October 24, 2007, 8:30am

The next North Shore Association of Realtors® Legislative Breakfast will be held on Wednesday, October 24, 2007, from 8:30am to 10:00am. All NSAR members who live in Boxford, Essex, Gloucester, Hamilton, Ipswich, Manchester, Newbury, Rockport, Rowley, Wenham, Byfield, and/or Middleton are encouraged to attend.

Topics will likely include:

1. Transfer Taxes.
2. An Act Protecting Children from Poisoning (SB. 1230)
3. An Act Providing Information to Real Estate Buyers. (H. 323, S. 201)
4. An Act Relative to the Disclosure of Wetlands on Property. (H. 767)
5. An Act Relative to Smart Growth Housing Trust Fund (S. 132) and An Act Relative to Financing the Smart Growth Housing Trust (H. 160).

Sign up today using this form, by calling 978-232-9410, or by emailing Jeff@NorthShoreRealtors.com!

The Legislative Breakfast will be at the NSAR office at 398 Essex Street in Beverly. For directions, visit our website by clicking here.