Advocates Testify on Legislation Supportive of Cooperative Housing

Too many people are being displaced by the rising cost of housing, driven by luxury conversions. To preserve affordable housing, proposed legislation would grant tenants the right of first refusal when a building is sold. This allows tenant groups to work out a mutually beneficial deal with their landlord at a time of transition, preventing displacement and preserving affordable housing.

Jason Paris photo | Creative Commons license

The Massachusetts legislature is considering this bill (H3017: An Act to Preserve Affordable Housing through a Local Option Tenant's Right to Purchase).

At a hearing at the State House on October 17, testimony was presented by the Massachusetts Association of Housing Co-ops, Cooperative Fund of New England, Local Enterprise Assistance Fund, Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, City Life, Somerville CDC, Boston City Councilors Tito Jackson and Ayanna Pressley, co-op organizers from Washington, D.C., and other activists.

Subsequent to the hearing, the Boston City Council unanimously adopted Councilor Pressley’s Resolution of support.

This is an opportunity to create more permanently affordable housing, including housing cooperatives, and to stabilize neighborhoods and communities by preventing displacement. You can support it by contacting your state legislators.