Rep. Driscoll Statement on the Passage of the Housing Bond Bill

JUNE 7, 2024

Representative Driscoll issues the following statement regarding the recent passage of the Housing Bond Bill:

"During the course of debate in the House this week, I cosponsored and voted for dozens of amendments aimed at strengthening H.4707, An Act relative to the affordable homes act. However, when it came to final passage of the bill I voted no. This legislation does not protect our residents from increased rents and further inflated housing costs when it comes to accessory dwelling units. As it stands now, if passed by the Senate and signed by the Governor the section on ADUs opens the door to corporate entities and investor-owned properties building ADUs by right and not specifying support for owner occupied and expanded family housing.

Without a doubt there is a housing crisis across the Commonwealth today and the legislation prohibits any local ordinances requiring even a single owner-occupied unit exist prior to construction of an ADU. Corporate and even international real estate speculation, along with significant short-term rental unit growth, has played a major role in our housing crisis and this bill does nothing to abate either problem.

The unintended consequences of one-size-fits all legislation to fix a housing crisis on paper and nowhere else has already yielded brutally divisive consequences for my constituents and my concern over this legislation is that once again we aren’t thinking critically enough. I believe that taking away reasonable local control on ADUs is the wrong approach and for that reason I voted no on the bill."

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