Transcript Highlights:

• How many units have we built?
• So it goes 30% units, you know, even 50% units. We just are not going to get that from the market.
• The bond could help produce 40,000 new units and critically preserve 5,500 affordable units.
• going from 500 units a decade ago to maybe 25,000 or 30,000 units today.
• going from 500 units a decade ago to maybe 25,000 or 30,000 units today.

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Housing Finance and Affordability held its first hearing of 2025 to examine California’s housing finance system, with opening remarks emphasizing the state’s severe housing shortage, high costs, and the need for practical recommendations to the Legislature and Governor. Co-chairs described the committee as an educational and problem-solving forum focused on financing housing production, first-time homeownership, mixed-income developments, and affordability across the income spectrum. Witnesses from state agencies and the development sector were invited to explain how housing is financed and where the system is breaking down. Panelists from the California Housing Partnership, the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, the Tax Credit Allocation Committee/State Treasurer’s Office, CalHFA, and Related outlined the “capital stack” used to finance affordable housing, stressing that projects typically rely on multiple public and private sources, including federal and state low-income housing tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, state subsidies, local funds, and rental income. Speakers noted that affordable housing rents generally cannot support full project costs without public subsidy, and that recent federal changes—especially the expansion of the 4% and 9% tax credit programs and the reduction of the bond financing threshold for 4% credits—should allow California to finance substantially more units. CalHFA also described its homeownership programs, including My Home, Dream For All, and disaster-related mortgage assistance, as well as its multifamily lending and bond issuance programs. Several witnesses and committee members emphasized that the system remains too complex, too slow, and underfunded. They pointed to the need for more state funding, a housing bond, a permanent funding source, and better coordination among agencies, while also citing recent streamlining efforts such as AB 434’s SuperNOFA, AB 519’s one-stop-shop working group, and the planned California Housing and Homeless Agency reorganization. Members raised concerns about equity, access, missing-middle housing, gender and racial disparities, and whether current programs adequately serve extremely low-income households and those at risk of homelessness. No formal votes or actions were taken during the hearing; the discussion ended with committee members and witnesses agreeing that both funding and administrative reform are needed to increase production and improve affordability.

Transcript Highlights:

• Massachusetts and it's true in the United States as a whole.
• know that many of the three-bedroom units in the...
• by only one or two people, especially the homeownership units.
• Building some of these smaller units is a key part of our strategy.
• units to meet existing demand.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on the Census

Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census, chaired by Senator Will Brownsberger with Senator Liz Miranda and other members participating, held a hearing on mid-decade population estimates and projections for Massachusetts. Susan Strait of the UMass Donahue Institute presented the latest Census Bureau estimates and explained the main components of population change: births, deaths, domestic migration, and international migration. She said Massachusetts has continued to grow, but much more slowly than in the immediate post-2020 period, largely because net international migration has fallen sharply after a pandemic-era surge. She also reviewed fertility and aging trends, noting that births are concentrated among women in their 30s, that the state’s population is aging, and that the share of residents 65 and older is projected to rise substantially, increasing the dependency ratio. Strait and committee members discussed the role of immigration in Massachusetts’ population growth, the concentration of immigrants in Greater Boston and other regions, and the effect of immigration on births and the labor force. They also discussed domestic out-migration, especially among young adults, and the possibility that housing affordability is a major driver. Senators raised questions about how the Census counts people in group quarters such as prisons and dormitories, and Strait explained that the Census counts incarcerated people where they are housed and generally does not treat dormitory residents as migrants in the same way as household residents. She said the Census Bureau is still working on methodological issues such as extending a “college fix” to more areas. Jesse Partridge Guerrero of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council described how MAPC uses Donahue Institute population projections, household headship rates, and UrbanSim to allocate projected households down to regional, municipal, and sub-municipal levels. He said the projections used for MassDOT’s long-range transportation plan anticipated slower statewide growth and regional decline in the Cape and parts of western and central Massachusetts. Tim Reardon of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities then explained how those projections feed into the statewide housing plan, including three population scenarios and associated housing needs. He said the plan estimates a need for about 115,000 homes to address existing shortages and another 73,000 households even under a low-growth scenario, with total housing needs rising to roughly 222,000 units under the middle scenario and 262,000 under the high scenario. Members pressed him on whether the scenarios may understate future need given the recent drop in immigration and ongoing affordability problems, and he said the state is also pursuing housing production, rental assistance, shelter response, seasonal conversion prevention, and infrastructure support for communities. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're looking at rental units as well as homeownership units.
• We need more units in the inventory, simply put, whether it's happening at the most subsidized unit level
• hundreds of units of multifamily, we need more units.
• Level or if it's happening at the hundreds of units of multifamily, we need more units.
• and we're building fewer units.

Summary: The committee met to hear a panel on workforce and attainable housing, with presentations from Florida Housing Finance Corporation, Pensacola Habitat for Humanity, Wendover Housing Partners, the City of Tallahassee, and Escambia County. Speakers described how state and local tools such as SHIP, the Live Local Act, land trusts, accessory dwelling units, infill development, and public-private partnerships are being used to expand housing supply and preserve long-term affordability. Several panelists emphasized that housing demand is rising across income levels, that workforce households often need subsidy to buy or rent, and that housing location, transportation access, and proximity to jobs and services are critical. They also highlighted challenges including rising construction costs, limited land, insurance, NIMBY opposition, and the need for more flexible financing tools and employer participation. Members asked about area median income thresholds, whether current programs are reaching the households most in need, and what additional tools might help. Florida Housing said its traditional rental programs generally serve households at or below 60% AMI, while need is increasingly reaching up to 80% AMI statewide and higher in some regions; staff also provided examples of AMI levels by county. Other discussion focused on the impact of local government opt-outs, tax abatements, corporate ownership of single-family homes, insurance costs, Fortified construction standards, and whether bonuses or other income calculations can unintentionally disqualify applicants. Panelists urged more political will, more local flexibility, and additional incentives for employers and landowners to support housing near jobs. The committee also used an anonymous interactive polling exercise, and members identified partnerships, SHIP funding, local government action, cost, and insurance as key issues. In closing, the chair said the committee would continue a member-driven process and likely hold a workshop on housing-related topics. No formal votes or bills were taken up in the meeting, and the session adjourned after the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Massachusetts, and it's true in the United States as a whole.
• As was now, as she said, so there's the United States.
• know that many of the three-bedroom units in the...
• by only one or two people, especially the homeownership units.
• units to meet existing demand.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on the Census

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that</c><01:02:58.000><c> on</c> accessory unit uh dwelling unit that on accessory unit uh dwelling
• </c> units probably more than 60,000 units units probably more than 60,000 units too<01:11:08.480><c>
• So, 180 units, one person per unit, 180 people.
• needed per unit.
• </c> considered one family unit. considered one family unit.

Committee: House Housing

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And if they do want to let the renter install these units.
• the unit falls out the window and hits somebody or does something like that?
• Many units cannot support it electrically.
• Air conditioning units were not allowed.
• There is simply not enough affordable housing units in our communities.

Summary: The committee heard public hearing testimony on House Bill 2265, which would expand tenant protections during extreme heat. Staff explained that the bill would bar landlords from restricting portable cooling devices, require written notice of tenant rights and landlord immunity for tenant-installed devices, add a cooling duty under the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, and prohibit sheriffs from physically evicting tenants during defined extreme heat periods. Representative Mena said the bill responds to the 2021 heat dome and is intended to address a gap in housing law, while committee members and the sponsor discussed unresolved questions about what “reasonably required” cooling means, how the eviction pause would work, and whether the bill could raise rents or create liability and operational burdens for landlords. Supporters, including climate, public health, tenant, and clean energy advocates, said extreme heat is a growing health threat and that renters need a right to cooling; opponents from multifamily housing, property management, and rental housing groups argued the bill is too vague, could effectively mandate costly cooling upgrades, create safety and insurance issues, and complicate eviction enforcement. The hearing also included testimony from landlords and housing providers who said the bill should be narrowed or amended, and from tenants and advocates who said it does not go far enough because it mostly permits tenant-installed cooling rather than requiring landlords to provide it. The committee then heard House Bill 1974, a proposed substitute authorizing land banks. Staff described the bill as allowing public corporations, housing authorities, and nonprofit corporations to acquire, hold, improve, lease, transfer, or dispose of property for affordable housing, with 30-year affordability requirements, annual reporting, tax exemptions, and priority transfer of certain tax-foreclosed properties. Vice Chair Hill said the bill was scaled back from earlier versions and is meant to create a flexible tool for turning difficult parcels into housing-ready land aligned with local housing plans. Testifiers from the Spokane Regional Land Bank, housing authorities, developers, youth shelter providers, and housing advocates supported the bill as a way to lower land costs, clear title issues, reduce displacement, and create a pipeline of permanently affordable housing. A counties representative also supported the concept but said they would like the grant program restored. One committee member raised a question about whether the tax-foreclosed property language could bypass the normal surplus distribution process, and staff said the provision is placed in the chapter governing properties that have already gone through foreclosure and auction, though the wording may need further review. Finally, the committee opened House Bill 2452, which would change how rent increase notices are served. Staff said the bill would remove the current requirement that rent increase notices be served like unlawful detainer notices and instead allow service by personal delivery, mail, or posting on the dwelling unit, with service by mail complete when deposited in the mail; the manufactured home version would follow the general notice rules under that act. Representative Connors said the bill responds to problems created when prior legislation required certified mail, which she said has led to tenants not receiving notices and housing providers facing higher costs and administrative burdens. Housing provider and industry witnesses supported the bill, saying certified mail is expensive, inefficient, and often not actually received, while tenant advocates opposed it, arguing that mail-only service weakens notice protections and can cause missed rent increases and displacement; they urged the committee to preserve stronger in-person or posting requirements. Some witnesses also suggested broader changes, including electronic notice, while others said the bill should be expanded to fix certified mail requirements for more than just rent increase notices.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:02:53.079><c> States</c> take it up only the United States take it up only the United States
• </c><03:12:04.920><c> States</c> their investment in the United States their investment in the United
• </c> businesses investing in the United businesses investing in the United States States States I<03:
• </c> the Indo Pacific in 2024 the United the Indo Pacific in 2024 the United States<03:30:46.359><c>
• </c> message to the Congress of the United message to the Congress of the United States<06:53:13.120>

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• On one occasion, she voted against funds to the United Nations.
• China interferes in elections around the world, including in the United States.
• Taken together, these malign actions are a threat to the United States.
• That would be similar to what United Front Work is.
• The CCP's United Front sees this as a tool to achieve its goals.

Committee: Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the area of see this is an accessory dwelling unit policy.
• Because I think it's played a key role, particularly in single housing units.
• The dark green are single-family units, and the light green are all units combined.
• Do we count units that have more than one bedroom, or do we just count single-bedroom units?
• We have three to four million units nationally that we need to build.

Committee: House Local Government

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on housing affordability and land-use policy, with presentations from Emily Hamilton of the Mercatus Center and Chris Cargill and Maddie Clark of the Mountain States Policy Center. Hamilton argued that housing shortages are driven largely by zoning, permit delays, parking mandates, and building-code rules, and cited examples where deregulation increased housing supply and moderated rents. She also discussed accessory dwelling unit reforms, state-local cooperation on zoning, possible building-code changes such as allowing single-stair mid-rise apartments and more units under the residential code, and said limited federal land releases near existing development could help in some cases. Members asked about single-stair buildings, the role of large institutional investors, the shift toward “missing middle” housing, whether zoning is really a problem in Idaho, and whether federal land should be opened for development. Hamilton said investor demand is often attracted by supply constraints and that easing construction is the best long-term way to expand homeownership. She also said recent price increases were driven by both demand shocks since 2020 and long-term supply constraints. Several members expressed concern that the state is moving away from single-family zoning and that many Idaho residents still prefer detached homes. Cargill and Clark presented polling and research from the Mountain States Policy Center showing strong public concern about housing costs: 86% of Idahoans called affordable housing a serious problem, 78% said legislators should act, 87% supported more flexibility for ADUs, and 69% supported automatic permit approval if regulators miss a reasonable deadline. They said respondents were divided on rent control and public housing versus reducing regulations, and argued that education is needed about the downsides of rent control. An Association of Idaho Cities representative noted Idaho already approves more building permits per capita than any other state and cautioned that automatic approvals could raise safety concerns. No votes were taken; the chair said the hearing was informational and adjourned after thanking the presenters.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the area of see this is an accessory dwelling unit policy.
• Because I think it's played a key role, particularly in single housing units.
• The dark green are single-family units and the light green are all units combined.
• Do we count units that have more than one bedroom, or do we just count single-bedroom units?
• We have three to four million units nationally that we need to build.

Committee: House Local Government

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> units.
• </c> four or more units. four or more units.
• </c> four or more units. four or more units.
• We had air units. So air units, window units, would be permitted here.
• We had air units. So air units, window units, would be permitted here.

Keywords: House streaming session for Thursday, March 5, 2026, 957, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and also attainable units.
• Might want more missing middle housing, affordable units, and also attainable units, and that they would
• Number two, a minimum of 20% of So they're rental units.
• units.
• units.

Bills: HB310 , HB323 , HM51 , HB194

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Keywords: museum, cultural affairs, lowrider, Espanola, appropriation, feasibility study, broadband access, low-income, rural areas, Indian nations, affordable internet, employment opportunities, detention centers, immigration, economic development, repurposing facilities, job transition, rural development, housing, affordable housing

Summary: The committee first heard HB 310, which would appropriate $1 million to continue planning and development for a Lowrider Museum in Española. The sponsor said the project had already received prior capital outlay support and that the new funding would help complete the study and planning phase for a future world-class museum. Members asked about the increase from prior funding levels and discussed the broader cultural and economic value of the museum. The bill received a do pass recommendation. The committee then considered House Memorial 51, which addresses the economic and community impacts of ending civil immigration detention in affected rural counties. Sponsors said the memorial would call for planning around workforce retraining, economic diversification, community services, and possible repurposing of detention facilities. Testimony and discussion focused on the short-term harm to workers and local economies, the role of Workforce Solutions, and concerns about family disruption, housing, property tax revenue, and whether facilities might close or be repurposed. The memorial passed on a 7-0 vote. Finally, the committee took up HB 194, which would expand the Metropolitan Redevelopment Code to support housing shortage areas and workforce housing through property tax freezes and related incentives. The sponsor and Apartment Association representative described the bill as a tool to increase missing-middle housing, with affordability requirements, voucher acceptance, audits, and reporting provisions. Members raised concerns that the amendment was very large and difficult to absorb in the committee timeframe, and several said they preferred to see it as a substitute bill. No motion was made to adopt the amendment, HB 194 was rolled, and HB 323 was also rolled because the sponsor was unavailable. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The state has 3 million total units, but in 2023, 1.6% of those units were available for sale or rent
• There's only about a thousand vacant units right now.
• The income-restricted units are for our workforce.
• Preserving a unit is dramatically less expensive than producing a new one, and every unit that we let
• It turns the 220,000 units into 221,000 units.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Housing

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing opened its second hearing of the session with remarks from Chairs Haggerty and Cyr emphasizing that the hearing was a broad look at Massachusetts’ housing crisis rather than a single bill. They highlighted topics including zoning, permitting, rental assistance, public housing, homelessness prevention, and housing production. The first witness, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Augustus, reviewed implementation of the Affordable Homes Act and the state’s new housing plan, citing a 1.6% vacancy rate, a projected need for 222,000 new homes over 10 years, and ongoing efforts such as ADUs by right, fair housing enforcement, eviction record sealing, seasonal communities planning, and new funding for affordable housing, public housing, and the Momentum Fund. He also discussed infrastructure support for municipalities, technical assistance for ADUs, and concerns about possible federal funding cuts. Committee members questioned the secretary about ADU financing and technical assistance, the likely unit yield from the Affordable Homes Act, infrastructure barriers in suburban and rural communities, public housing waitlist management, supportive housing, and federal budget risks. MassNAHRO then testified that public housing authorities are facing rising operating and capital costs, a statewide waitlist nearing 300,000, and uncertainty over federal Section 8 and HUD funding. Witnesses described recent state support for operating subsidies, capital improvements, vacancy turnover teams, and resident service coordinators, while warning that proposed federal cuts could sharply affect voucher issuance and agency operations. CDAC’s executive director Roger Herzog described the agency’s role as a quasi-public source of early-stage financing and technical assistance for nonprofit housing developers, noting its loan capital, supportive housing bond programs, home modification loans, and preservation work under Chapter 40T. He said CDAC has helped produce or preserve more than 55,000 units and stressed the importance of patient capital and preservation tools. CHAPA CEO Rachel Heller urged the committee to focus on production, preservation, planning, and political will, supporting goals for affordability, supportive housing, and homeownership, and endorsing policy changes such as YIGBY, clearer site plan review rules, stronger fair housing funding, and more support for vouchers and public housing. MassHousing then outlined its financing role, including mortgage lending, down payment assistance, the Community Climate Bank, and the Momentum Fund, while noting that permitting delays, capital gaps, and possible federal changes could affect production. Members also asked about transparency, prevailing wage compliance, and a recent internal restructuring related to diversity and business engagement.

Transcript Highlights:

• to 12-unit developments.
• It's the state process when you're building 300 units, but when you're building 8, 12, 15 units, it's
• It's the state process when you're building 300 units, but when you're building 8, 12, 15 units, it's
• our 150 state public units.
• We have a 220,000-unit home gap—not a unit gap, a home gap.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Housing

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing held its second introductory hearing to frame the session’s housing agenda. Chairs Cyr and Haggerty described the hearing as a chance to hear a wide range of perspectives on Massachusetts’ housing crisis, including underbuilding, zoning and permitting barriers, rising costs, and the need for both state and local action. The committee heard from court, municipal, advocacy, and regional housing leaders, with recurring themes of increasing supply, preserving existing housing, preventing displacement, and expanding resources for renters and homeowners. Chief Justice Diana Horan of the Housing Court said the court is handling more than 40,000 new filings annually with only 15 judges, and estimated the court would need about 21 judges to meet demand. She described complications from RAFT-related stays, mental health and guardianship issues, aging housing stock, and the new eviction sealing law, which she said was being implemented smoothly but may require additional resources if filings continue to rise. The Massachusetts Municipal Association and MAPC emphasized that municipalities need flexibility, funding, and better tools such as MassWorks, Housing Works, H-DIP, 40R reforms, inclusionary zoning changes, and a local option transfer fee; they also said local control concerns and long permitting timelines remain major barriers. MAPC and others stressed that supply growth alone will not solve the crisis and urged continued support for subsidized housing, access to counsel, and modular/off-site construction. Advocates and housing providers focused on displacement, preservation, and tenant protections. Homes for All Massachusetts and Mass Law Reform Institute called for rent stabilization, stronger tenant protections, foreclosure prevention, elimination of junk fees, continued funding for RAFT and HomeBASE, and expanded access to counsel. Mass Union of Public Housing Tenants said the state needs far more extremely low-income housing, more operating subsidy, and major investment to repair public housing, while also supporting tenant technical assistance during redevelopment. Franklin County’s housing authority warned that rural communities are being left out of many state programs and asked for a rural LIHTC set-aside, a permanent rural credit boost, and a review of housing choice programs. A Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation researcher presented findings that communities that add housing generally see stronger municipal finances, and that housing growth can improve property tax and state aid outcomes. Seasonal community representatives from Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket described extreme affordability pressures and the need for tailored tools. Nantucket’s housing trust chair said the island has made progress through local funding, inclusionary zoning, and deed-restricted units, but still needs a real estate transfer fee and faster ways to preserve year-round housing. Across the hearing, members and witnesses repeatedly returned to the need for a mix of production, preservation, tenant protections, and local flexibility, rather than relying on any single policy solution.

Transcript Highlights:

• As was not as she said, so there's the United States.
• know that many of the three-bedroom units in the... ...We know that many of the three-bedroom units in
• units to meet existing demand.
• What is our, you know, how many new units are we permitting a year?
• And we know that a lot of those units don't even end up getting built.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on the Census

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census heard presentations on Massachusetts population trends and how they affect state housing planning. Susan Strait of the UMass Donahue Institute reviewed recent Census Bureau estimates, saying Massachusetts grew strongly over the last decade but that growth has slowed sharply in the newest estimates, largely because net international migration has fallen from a post-pandemic surge. She also described the four components of population change—births, deaths, domestic migration, and international migration—along with aging trends, declining fertility, the importance of the millennial cohort, and the role of foreign-born residents in births and the labor force. Committee members asked about college students in group quarters and about counting incarcerated people, and Strait explained the Census Bureau’s current methods and noted that some issues remain under discussion. Jesse Guerrero of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council then explained how MAPC uses UMass Donahue population projections to build household and local land-use forecasts for MassDOT and the statewide housing plan. He said the earlier transportation projections anticipated slower statewide growth and regional decline in western Massachusetts and on the Cape, with more growth in eastern Massachusetts. He also described how household formation, development patterns, zoning, and affordability are modeled, and noted that newer housing-plan scenarios use updated Census data and different assumptions about migration. Senator Miranda raised concerns about Cape Cod population loss and whether seasonal residents are being counted, and Guerrero and Strait said the projections focus on permanent residents, not seasonal populations. Tim Reardon of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities tied the demographic forecasts to the statewide housing plan, saying housing demand exists even under low-growth or slight-decline scenarios. He said the plan estimates about 115,000 homes are needed to address existing shortages, including doubled-up households, shelter families, seasonal conversion losses, and the need for healthier vacancy rates, plus additional units tied to future household formation. He added that the state’s total housing target is about 222,000 units, or as high as 262,000 under a higher-growth scenario. Senators pressed him on whether the scenarios are now too high given the recent drop in immigration, on affordability and out-migration, and on whether the housing plan adequately reflects homelessness and overcrowding in Boston and elsewhere. Reardon said the plan includes production, rental assistance, shelter prevention, and preservation strategies, and noted that HLC is also using grant programs and MBTA Communities-related infrastructure funding to support housing production statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• or four units.
• When we say up to eight units, we mean only up to eight units. We've already passed this law.
• Up to eight units means only up to eight units. We've already passed this law.
• So we want to make clear that this will be allowing eight units inclusive of the current unit, and so
• Under the bill, HCD would approve modular unit plans by unit serial number.

Summary: The committee first heard AB 1157, the Affordable Rent Act, which would lower California’s annual rent cap, remove the single-family home exemption, and eliminate the sunset on existing tenant protections. The author and supporters argued that renters are facing severe affordability pressures, especially in single-family rentals, and that stronger statewide rent stabilization is needed to prevent displacement and homelessness. Opponents, including apartment, building, and property-owner groups, said the bill would discourage housing production, harm small landlords, and override a deal they said was intended to be temporary while the state focused on building more housing. Public testimony on AB 1157 was extensive, with many renters, tenant advocates, labor groups, and community organizations speaking in support, while many landlords, business groups, and property-owner representatives spoke in opposition. Committee members were split: some praised the bill as a necessary response to the rent crisis, while others warned it could reduce investment and worsen the housing shortage. The committee ultimately voted 7-5 to pass AB 1157 to the Assembly Judiciary Committee. The committee then approved the consent calendar, including AB 413, AB 1152, and AB 1275, on a 9-0 vote. It also heard ACA 3, which would require the University of California to make available a limited number of down payment loans for eligible long-term support staff who are first-time homebuyers. Supporters said the measure would help lower-wage UC workers afford homeownership and improve retention, while UC and other opponents argued the proposal was duplicative of existing state programs, unnecessary, and potentially harmful to UC finances. The discussion focused on financing mechanics and the relationship to CalHFA, but no final vote on ACA 3 was included in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Eighteen states have broadly legalized these units, but only the states in bold, I would argue, have
• what I would consider strong ADU laws that make these units broadly feasible for homeowners to add to
• The city of Dallas, for example, has expanded their residential code to cover up to eight units.
• I've heard in-law units. I've heard mother-in-law suites.
• , and then the dark green are the single-family home units.

Summary: The Local Government and Taxation Committee met on January 22, 2026, to hear presentations on housing affordability and supply. Emily Hamilton of the Mercatus Center discussed how zoning and building code reforms in places like Minneapolis, Buffalo, Houston, Montana, and other cities have increased housing supply and moderated rent growth. She emphasized that reducing parking requirements, legalizing accessory dwelling units, allowing smaller lots and more flexible density, and revisiting building code rules such as single-stair apartment limits and residential code thresholds can lower construction costs. She also said ADU reforms tend to have gradual, neighborhood-level impacts and that new housing can be fiscally neutral or beneficial when local costs are properly matched to development. Committee members asked about local government concerns, including infrastructure, parking, neighborhood character, and the fiscal effects of density. Hamilton said permit fees should reflect actual service costs, that parking reform should be paired with street-parking management, and that infill development often shares existing infrastructure efficiently. She also said more housing supply would reduce scarcity that can attract large institutional investors. Members discussed Idaho’s housing shortage, with Hamilton citing a roughly six-to-one ratio of median home price to median income in Idaho, compared with about three-to-one in Houston. Chris Cargill and Maddie Clark of Mountain States Policy Center presented Idaho poll results and housing supply data. They reported strong public concern about affordability, broad support for allowing smaller homes and ADUs, and substantial support for permit “shot clock” deadlines, while support for duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes was more mixed. Clark described housing as an “attainability” problem driven by both limited supply and incomes that have not kept pace, and argued for streamlining regulation, expanding land availability, avoiding policies that favor one housing type over another, and improving demand-side conditions through economic growth. No votes were taken, and the meeting ended after the chair noted that housing proposals would likely come before the committee later in the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• So total price transparency ensures that a unit Total price transparency ensures that a unit advertised
• I mean, it exists just to hold that unit off the market.
• So now I'm sitting down with a vacant unit.
• In other words, so I apply for... ...so I apply for, you know, unit 103 and you also have unit 107, which
• Thank you. ...same unit.

Keywords: Virginia Housing Commission - Fees in Residential Rental Agreements Workgroup, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This first and importantly includes support units.
• totals into support units.
• that raised it from $13,300 per unit to $21,900.
• And so that's where the support units are going to play in, because how many support units I have as
• “Is tied to those units and variables tied to other statutory formulas unrelated to support units still

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy presentation on the K-12 public school support budget, including how support units, career ladder funding, health insurance, discretionary funding, transportation, facilities, and the Public Education Stabilization Fund (PSIF) work. Legislative Services explained that FY 2026 support units were revised downward, creating a $22.3 million ongoing general fund reduction, and walked through the FY 2027 agency request and governor’s recommendation. The governor recommended no increase for population forecast adjustments, but did recommend some statutory and policy changes, including shifting certain interest earnings to the general fund and reducing funding for some virtual school and IDLA-related items. The agency request also included one-time proposals for a high-needs special education fund and a regional service model for related services. Members asked extensive questions about how career ladder dollars are distributed, how health insurance and discretionary funds interact, why the health insurance increase in the budget differed from current plan estimates, and how facilities money under House Bill 292 is used. There were also questions about the size and use of the Idaho Career Ready Students fund, the maintenance-of-effort implications of special education funding, and whether some special education costs are being used for student housing or other noninstructional expenses. The superintendent and budget staff emphasized that many of the budget lines are formula-driven or statutorily required, that local districts determine actual staffing and spending within those formulas, and that special education costs continue to outpace available funding. Superintendent Debbie Critchfield then framed the budget request around enrollment trends, shifting demographics, and the need for more flexibility in how districts use existing dollars. She highlighted proposed categorical flexibility for some funds, changes to digital content and curriculum distribution, continued literacy gains, growth in career technical education programs funded through Idaho Career Ready Students, and the importance of endowment and Millennium Fund support. She also described the special education proposals as a temporary bridge while the state considers larger formula changes and noted a near $100 million gap between special education spending and funding. She further outlined planned federal waiver requests on assessments and flexibility, and said the department is seeking more state control over testing and reporting requirements. The committee did not take final action on the budget during this portion of the meeting. Members raised concerns about interest transfers from dedicated funds, the complexity of the funding formula, special education accountability, and whether the state should revisit the overall school funding model. Several follow-up data requests were made, including information on health insurance participation, regional special education service needs, and school contingency fund balances.

Transcript Highlights:

• Anyone would be happy to live in these factory-built housing units.
• Members, it is less expensive to build these types of units.
• And these were not for family units.
• That way, we can mix and match any type of unit.
• They're giving a flat fee on a per-unit cost. Okay.

Keywords: 988, house, all