State House weekly wrap up includes internet access, housing

BOSTON (WWLP) – Before putting their agenda on pause to celebrate Independence Day this week the State Senate passed their version of the housing bond bill and the Healey-Driscoll administration provided state funding on two crucial issues: internet access and housing.

The Senate’s $5.4 billion housing bond bill looks to prohibit home sales that are contingent on the buyer waiving home inspection and will ensure that rural western Massachusetts communities will be eligible for the Homeownership Tax Credit.

“Everyone acknowledges that Massachusetts is in the midst of a housing crisis,” remarked Westfield Senator John Velis. “But what sometimes gets left unsaid is that ‘housing crisis’ manifests itself differently depending on where you’re located in the state.”

The bill now moves to conference committee.

The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced awardees of two funding programs this week, one that provides improved internet access to underserved communities through grant money and partnerships with providers and one that gives tax credits to developments in gateway cities that will free up funding to create more market-rate housing. Communities in western Massachusetts were selected for both the internet-improving grant program and the housing incentive tax credits.

“We are a team here in Massachusetts,” said Governor Maura Healey. “It takes local and state partnership, it takes public and private partnership, it takes support from the NGO community.”

Also this week, five statewide questions turned in their final signatures to be placed on the November ballot. Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin plans to announce which questions will be on the ballot within the next few weeks.

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