(Boston–03/24/2023) The Massachusetts State Senate on Thursday passed a reorganization plan to create a state Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities, a cabinet-level position which will assist the Commonwealth with meeting its long-term goals in addressing the housing crisis and expanding safe, accessible, and affordable housing for residents.   

In Massachusetts, housing-related issues are currently addressed by the administration through the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development. The reorganization plan passed in the Senate would elevate housing issues to a separate executive agency tasked with supporting housing availability and assessing the Commonwealth’s progress in this area.   

“Separating housing into its own designated executive office is a key step towards dedicating the proper resources for housing production and exploring avenues for optimizing the Commonwealth’s housing response. The bottom line is we need more housing across the Commonwealth on all fronts, and I commend this move from the Governor to give housing the focus it needs so that Massachusetts is accessible to the hard-working people who form the backbone of our communities, said State Senator Paul Feeney (D-Foxborough).  

In response to ongoing concerns over housing availability, last session, the Massachusetts Legislature allocated over $1 billion in direct appropriations to support affordable housing in Massachusetts. This followed a session that saw the long-awaited ‘housing choice’ legislation become law with important housing production incentives, including requiring multi-family zoning near transit.     

The reorganization plan is also in the House of Representatives for consideration.  

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