Section 108 Local Property Tax Exemption Study

The executive office of housing and livable communities, in consultation with the executive office for administration and finance, the division of local services and the department of revenue, shall study the feasibility and impact of allowing municipalities, by local option, to exempt new affordable housing developments from paragraphs (b) and (f) of section 21C of chapter 59 of the General Laws. The study shall include, but not be limited to: (i) potential revenue benefits; (ii) potential new affordable housing units created; (iii) the impact of allowing municipalities, by local option, to exempt new affordable housing developments at multipliers of 5 and 10 times the value prescribed in said paragraphs (b) and (f) of said section 21C of said chapter 59; (iv) the impact on housing developments with different percentages of affordable units; (v) the impact of requiring affordability thresholds to qualify for such exemptions; and (vi) a comparison of potential impacts across different municipalities. The executive office of housing and livable communities shall submit a report of its findings to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the joint committee on housing, the joint committee on revenue and the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than March 1, 2026.