Healey administration pitches Affordable Homes Act, local partnerships in Lynn roundtable

Governor Maura Healey on Thursday urged local and municipal leaders in Lynn to accelerate housing production and preservation as she promoted the administration’s Affordable Homes Act and other state tools.

"Housing is the single biggest challenge facing Massachusetts," Healey said, thanking Lynn Mayor Nicholson and regional officials for convening the roundtable. She highlighted the MBTA Communities Law and the proposed Affordable Homes Act as central mechanisms to increase housing supply.

The administration framed the effort as a partnership with cities and towns. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said the housing shortage is hurting the state’s workforce, singling out service workers and caregivers who are being priced out of communities. "We have got to lean in and act," Driscoll said.

Ed Augustus, the secretary for Housing and Livable Communities, described the Affordable Homes Act as "the largest, most significant housing bill in the history of the Commonwealth" and said the administration is developing the state's first five‑year housing plan to guide production and preservation efforts.

Adam Chaplin, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, urged passage of the bill and said, "The bill includes $4,000,000,000 proposed for bond authorizations," a five‑year financing figure he called critical to address affordability. Chaplin also listed programs and tools he said would support municipalities, including a housing works fund, rehab and preservation financing, a local option transfer fee and inclusionary zoning.

Mark Drayson, executive director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, emphasized that both expanding market‑rate supply and protecting affordable units are necessary and pointed to policy items such as allowing accessory dwelling units by right as practical solutions that cities can adopt.

Lynn Mayor Nicholson opened the session by describing local housing pressures and local policy work: the city has recently completed a comprehensive plan, is rewriting its zoning ordinance with the help of a state grant, and said a portion of units now under construction are designated as affordable. The transcript contains a figure for units "in the pipeline" that is unclear in the record; the mayor also said roughly 15% of the mentioned pipeline units are affordable.

The roundtable closed after speakers summarized next steps and offered to take questions from attendees. No formal votes or motions were recorded at the event.