Massachusetts Comprehensive Permits and Regional Planning Initiative | |||||||||||||||||||
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TheMassachusetts Comprehensive Permits and Regional Planning Initiative, also known asQuestion 2, appeared on theNovember 2, 2010 ballot in the state ofMassachusetts as an initiative. Question 2 was rejected by the Massachusetts voters by 1,254,759 "No" votes to 900,405 "Yes" votes.[1] The measure had been sponsored by Better Not Bigger, a local advocacy group in the state.[2][3][4]
The proposed measure would have repealed a state law, theComprehensive Permit Act (MGL ch. 40B), that allows an organization that is proposing to build government-subsidized housing that includes "low- or moderate-income units to apply for a single comprehensive permit from a city or town's zoning board of appeals." According to the official summary of the measure, the repeal would take effect on January 1, 2011. According to Chemaly, "It's not based on helping poor people. It's all about how can we sell as many units as possible and for them to still be federally and legally (dubbed) affordable"[5]
Details of Chapter 40B include:[6]
The initiative was reviewed by theMassachusetts Legislature. TheMassachusetts Legislature did not approve of the initiative by the May 4, 2010 deadline, according to the Massachusetts Elections Division, leaving petition organizers to obtain additional signatures from about 1/2 of 1% of voters who voted in the last governor election and submit them before or on July 7, 2010. According to the Massachusetts Secretary of State's office, that number amounted to 11,099 signatures. The measure submitted enough signatures to be placed on the ballot.[5][7]
The summary of the measure reads:[8]
This proposed law would repeal an existing state law that allows a qualified organization wishing to build government-subsidized housing that includes low- or moderate-income units to apply for a single comprehensive permit from a city or town's zoning board of appeals (ZBA), instead of separate permits from each local agency or official having jurisdiction over any aspect of the proposed housing. The repeal would take effect on January 1, 2011, but would not stop or otherwise affect any proposed housing that had already received both a comprehensive permit and a building permit for at least one unit ...
A YES VOTE would repeal the state law allowing the issuance of a single comprehensive permit to build housing that includes low- or moderate-income units.
A NO VOTE would make no change in the state law allowing issuance of such a comprehensive permit.
The following contributions have been made in opposition to the measure:[10]
| Contributor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts Association of Realtors | $235,000.00 |
| Citizens Housing and Planning Association | $100,000.00 |
| Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations | $61,000 |
| National Apartment Association | $50,000 |
| Greater Boston Real Estate Board | $47,250 |
| Home Builders Association of Massachusetts | $25,000 |
