State Updates
Joe Landers Joining HBRAMA as State Executive Officer
HBRAMA is pleased that Joe Landers has begun to serve as Executive Officer of our Association, as of January 15th. Joe has vast experience in the home building industry, as a single family builder in New Hampshire for many years before starting Customized Structures Inc., a custom manufacturer of single family, multifamily, and commercial modular and panelized structures. Joe started the business in 1984 and sold it in 2004 to a private equity firm. He has served in multiple senior positions in the volunteer leadership of NAHB, including the Executive Committee, Resolutions Committee, the Budget and Finance Committee, and Chair of the Building Systems Council. Joe has worked closely with fellow HBRAMA member Andrew Chaban to develop a successful pilot program changing how NAHB charges dues to members.
According to HBRAMA President Gary Campbell, “We are extremely fortunate to bring Joe into HBRAMA as our new Executive Officer, as he brings a wealth of experience in many phases of the Home Building industry, as a builder, an entrepreneur, and highly active volunteer leader at NAHB. This ushers in a new phase of our Association, as we work hard to promote the interests of our members. We have a great team in place, and look forward to collaborating with Governor Baker and Lt. Gov. Polito, as well as the House and Senate leadership. All of us agree that producing more housing is of paramount importance to our economic future, and we will work hard to achieve that goal.”
Joe Landers can be reached at
JLanders@hbrama.com
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Starter Home Program Regulations and Guidance Promulgated
After many months of working with the Administration to develop the Starter Home Program, we are pleased to announce that the DHCD has issued amended regulations and guidance for Chapter 40R (Smart Growth Districts and Starter Home Zoning Districts) which
became effective on December 29, 2017
. As a result of the HBRAMA’s efforts to work with the Legislature and Administration, the Starter Home Program amendments to Chapter 40R became law as a part of the Baker-Polito Economic Development Legislation in August-2016. Amendments to the Chapter 40R regulations at 760 CMR 59.00 *(see below) were principally adopted to implement the Starter Home Program. In addition to the new regulations, the DHCD has issued updated guidance to correspond with the regulatory amendments and is described as “GUIDANCE for M.G.L. c. 40R and 760 CMR 59.00: SMART GROWTH ZONING AND SHARTER HOME ZONING (December 29, 2017
) *(
see below).
Other information on the Starter Home Program and related Chapter 40R resources can be found at the below link. Over the coming months, the HBRAMA will work with the DHCD to develop a plan for rolling out the new Program.
*Access link to Chapter 40R resources
here
We as an Association, can be proud of the efforts taken to bring this Program to reality. Many thanks to those Association members who have contributed to this effort, including but not limited to: Mark Kablack, Esq., Jeff Rhuda, Ben Fierro, Esq. Mark Leff, Tom DiPlacido, and so many others over the years. Stayed tuned for more information as it becomes available.
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Updates
MassHousing Appoints Chrystal Kornegay as Its Executive Director
On January 9, 2018, MassHousing’s Board of Directors voted to appoint Chrystal Kornegay as the Agency’s new Executive Director. See Press Release
here
.
Kornegay, who currently serves the Baker-Polito Administration as Undersecretary of Housing and Community Development, will assume the Executive Director role following a brief transition period. Kornegay currently serves as Undersecretary of Housing and Community Development, a position she has held since January 2015.
Prior to joining the Baker-Polito Administration, Kornegay served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the community development corporation Urban Edge. We congratulate Undersecretary Kornegay and look forward to working with her in her new position at MassHousing.
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Other News of Note
MHP, CHAPA create housingtoolbox.org to help communities build housing strategies
On January 3, 2018, a new website – Housing Toolbox for Massachusetts Communities – has been launched to help local officials and volunteers provide more affordable housing opportunities. Developed by the quasi-public Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) and the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA),
www.housingtoolbox.org
is designed to be a one-stop resource to help municipalities execute effective housing strategies. The Housing Toolbox is part of the state’s ongoing effort to support municipalities through programs like the Community Compact Initiative, Community Scale Housing Initiative, Workforce Housing Initiative and the recently announced Housing Choice Initiative.
The mobile-friendly web site is organized into six sections:
•
Assessing Needs
– The first step in creating realistic housing goals, featuring sections on what to ask, gathering and analyzing data and turning information into action.
•
Local Support
– How to build a broad understanding of housing needs in your community, the next step in building support that is crucial in getting favorable votes from local decision-making bodies on permitting and funding.
•
Zoning and Land Use
– The most cost-effective way to make progress is understanding zoning laws and strategies that can result in more flexible land use regulation.
•
Fair Housing
– Most housing activities must comply with Fair Housing laws. This section provides an overview that will help you follow the law and build housing that provides opportunity for all.
•
Housing Development Process
– This section details the major phases of development and the role a municipality plays in initiating and monitoring the development before, during and after. This section assumes that publicly-owned land is being used for affordable housing.
•
Financing and Funding
– Developing income-restricted housing requires a variety of local, state and federal funding. This section explains the basics of how affordable housing is financed. The website can be accessed at
www.housingtoolbox.org
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Consider Joining a State Committee
Committee participation involves an average of less than an hour per month of your time, and Committee participation is typically by conference call in order to be respectful for everyone's time. For more information about how you can participate, please contact HBRAMA Executive Officer, Joe Landers, at
JLanders@hbrama.com
or
President , Gary Campbell, at
garyc@campbellapts.com
.
Additional information on Committee meetings will be provided.
HBRAMA's State Committees and Committee Chair to date are as follows:
- Governmental Affairs/Public Policy - John Smolak;
- Long-Range Planning Committee & Finance Committee - Matt Anderson
- Nominating Committee & Service Awards Committee - Hunter Marosits
- Building Codes & Standards Committee - Emerson Klauss III
- By-Laws Committee - Mark Kablack
- Membership Committee - TBA
- Communications Committee - TBA
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We look forward to seeing you at the next Governmental Affairs Committee and State Board of Directors meeting:
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
At the Chateau Restaurant in Westboro
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The Official Commercial Insurance Provider of HBRAMA.
For more information, Contact John Varitimos at 508-263-2205 or
john.varitimos@arcadia-ins.com
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We have a new address:
Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Massachusetts, Inc.
465 Waverley Oaks Rd
Suite 421
Waltham, MA 02452
P: 617-773-3305
F: 781-647-7222
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