Keep Affordable Housing Law in Tact

The Vote No on Question 2 is seeking to prevent the repeal of the affordable housing law known as Chapter 40B. The group spokesperson Francy Ronayne spoke with Patch correspondent about the effort to preserve the existing measure.

Q. Is your campaign online? Can you point me to a web site where I can
read more about your views?

A. Our website is www.protectaffordablehousing.org. We are urging people to
vote "no" on 2 to protect the affordable housing law because it is the
primary statewide law that promotes the development of affordable
housing and we can't let it be taken away from the seniors and working
families who need it. This is particularly concerning given the very
serious economic struggles seniors and working families are facing.

The affordable housing law is responsible for 80 percent of the affordable
housing created in Massachusetts, outside the major cities, over the
past decade. Almost half of all of the affordable units created using
this law were developed by non-profit organizations, like Habitat for
Humanity, and by local housing groups.

If the affordable housing law is repealed, 12,000 units of housing in
the pipeline would never get built and we would lose the construction
jobs and economic activity that go along with those developments.

Q. What organizations endorse your campaign to support 40B?

A. We are a grassroots coalition of more than 400 individuals and
organizations, representing hundreds of thousands of residents. Our
coalition includes civic, business, religious, and academic leaders as
well as senior, environmental, housing, and civil rights groups.
Everyone is listed on our website.  Also this truly is a non-partisan
effort. We have the support of all three candidates for governor. It
doesn't matter what party you belong to, no one wants to hurt seniors
and working families.

Q. Can you point to successful uses of 40B to generate affordable
housing, and benefit the commonwealth?

A. There are so many successful developments. Many are on our website. I am
finding you a few specific examples in your area that I will pass along.

Q. Would you propose any changes to affordable housing rules to better
serve the commonwealth?

A. We certainly support efforts to improve on this already very effective
law, but that is not what this dangerous ballot question is asking. It
asks whether we should get rid of the law all together. And the answer
to that is an overwhelming no. Governor Patrick, Charlie Baker, Tim
Cahill, AARP, Habitat for Humanity, the Environmental League of
Massachusetts and so many others stand with us on this issue and are
also urging people to Vote "NO" on 2.

Q. Can you see any merit to the claims of the critics of 40B?

A. We think this is a dangerous and reckless attempt to get of the most
effective tool for creating affordable housing in our state. We think
this is the worst possible time to take away construction jobs and
economic activity that the creation of affordable housing would bring to
our area.