HYANNIS — An optional real estate transaction fee for Massachusetts towns was on the mind of a featured speaker at the annual Housing to Protect Cape Cod conference on Thursday.
The state's top housing official, Edward Augustus, told Cape and Islands housing supporters to keep advocating for legislation that would allow Massachusetts cities and towns to adopt a real estate transaction fee on pricey home sales.
Last year, Gov. Maura Healey had proposed the local option transfer fee as part of her $4.1 billion housing bill . The fee would have given communities the option to adopt a real estate transaction fee of 0.5% to 2% on part of a property sale over $1 million.
That fee would then be used to fund affordable housing within the community. But the House later dropped the proposal from a revamped version of the bill.
"I think folks should continue your advocacy not only with the administration but with the Legislature," said Augustus, the Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities . "Talk about why that is an important tool to you and don't give up."
State Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Provincetown, also threw his support behind the proposal, urging Cape towns to file a home rule petition in support of the concept if they have not yet already.
On Thursday, housing advocates across the region attended the annual summit at the Cape Cod Irish Village.
Formed in 2022 to push for year-round affordable housing, the Housing to Protect Cape Cod Coalition is comprised of Housing Assistance Corporation , Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce , Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Cape Cod , and Cape Cod and Islands Association of Realtors , according to the website.
The new Affordable Homes Act, signed into law by Healey on Aug. 6, implements 49 policies to address the housing crunch and authorizes $5.16 billion in spending over the next five years. State officials also estimate it will support the building and preservation of more than 65,000 homes statewide over the next five years.
Report on new housing in each region expected
A spokesperson for the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities said the Housing Advisory Commission is putting together a five-year housing plan that will include an estimate of how much housing is needed in each region of the state. That document would help determine where resources are spent in the state and is likely to come out early next year.
At the event, Housing Assistance Corporation CEO Alisa Magnotta presented awards to four "Housing Champions": Cyr, Tara Vargas Wallace, Michael Galasso, and Lynne Rhodes.
Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com . Follow her on X @zanerazz .
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Real estate transaction fee a focus at Cape Cod housing summit. Here's what was said.
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