September 2023

Plan now to attend this year’s event which will take place on Thursday, November 9^th 2023 at the Seacrest Hotel, 350 Quaker Rd., North Falmouth, MA.

This annual event will usher in the HBRAMA leadership team as well as honor this years “Legends of the Industry” as nominated by the local associations. Senior Officers elected by the Board of Directors to serve in 2024 include:

• President: Michael Duffany – M. Duffany Builders (HBRACC)
• President Elect: David O’Sullivan – O’Sullivan Architects (BRAGB)
• Vice President / Treasurer: Susan Kadilak - Kadilak Homes (BRAGB)
• Vice President / Secretary: Matt Teague – Reef Builders (HBRACC)
• Imm. Past President: Jeffrey Brem – Meisner Brem Corp (NEBRA)

You don’t want to miss this event. Carl Harris, NAHB’s First Vice Chair will be on hand to install our officer team and we have extended an invitation to Lieutenant Governor Driscoll to address the gathering.

You can register and sign up to sponsor HERE

HBRAMA Leaders Meet with Administration Officials

It has been a busy month for the leadership of the state association. Many of your leadership team had the opportunity to meet with members of the Healey-Driscoll Administration to discuss matters of concern to the building industry and advance housing production such as:

• MBTA Communities Multi-family Zoning
• Chapter 40Y Starter Home Law and Regulations
• Proposals to further Chapter 40R and Chapter 40Y
• MIT/Wentworth Institute Report: “Public Policy for Net Zero Homes and Affordability"
• Rent Control
• Non-zoning barriers to housing production (e.g., local septic and wetlands regulations, DEP storm water regs.)
• Dept. of Public Utilities Interconnection Working Group
• Other legislation to advance housing 

Meetings held during the month with state officials included:

Secretary Rebecca Tapper of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA)

Commissioner Elizabeth Mahoney (EOEEA)

Secretary Edward Augustus, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities

Secretary Yvonne Hao, Executive Office of Economic Development

Melissa Hoffer, MA Climate Chief

Rent Control Headed for Ballot Initiative

Earlier this month, supporters of an effort to restore rent control in Massachusetts led by State Rep. Michael Connelly (D-Cambridge) filed an initiative petition (No. 23-42) to put rent control on the ballot in 2024. If approved by the voters, the law would allow cities and towns to enact policies regulating rents. The Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Massachusetts (HBRAMA), together with the Greater Boston Real Estate Board and the Massachusetts Housing Coalition submitted a legal memorandum to Attorney General Andrea Campbell in opposition to the certification of the petition.

Attorney General Considers Rent Control Ballot Question - Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Massachusetts

State Revises Guidelines for MBTA Multi-family Zoning

The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) recently issued revisions to the guidelines that determine if an MBTA community is in compliance with the multi-family zoning mandate of the Zoning Act (G.L. c. 40A, § 3A). The revised Compliance Guidelines now allow those communities subject to the law the option to require ground-floor commercial space in multi-family buildings in up to 25% of their multi-family districts. The change does not reduce the total unit capacity required, however.

State Revises Guidelines for MBTA Multi-family Zoning - Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Massachusetts

More Municipalities Adopt Specialized Stretch Energy Code

Since becoming effective on December 28, 2022, increasing number of communities have moved to adopt the Municipal Opt-in Specialized Stretch Energy Code promulgated by the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) pursuant to the climate bill enacted by the Legislature in 2021. The cities of Cambridge, Somerville and Watertown, as well as the Town of Brookline were the first to adopt the code earlier this year. In all of these communities, the Municipal Opt-in Specialized Stretch Energy Code became mandatory on July 1, 2023.

Largely pushed by climate activists and groups like Massachusetts Climate Action Network and Mothers Out Front, the towns of Acton, Aquinnah, Arlington, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Maynard, Sherborn, Stow, Truro and Wellfleet have all adopted the Municipal Opt-in Specialized Stretch Energy Code. The cities of Boston, Newton, Watertown and Wellesley have also done so.

More Municipalities Adopt Specialized Stretch Energy Code - Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Massachusetts

Join us for a No Cost Webinar!

The Sponsors of Mass Save invite you to join a free All-Electric Homes Webinar presented by Steve DeMetrick, CPHB on Tuesday, September 26 from 12:00 noon - 1:30pm.

In this session, Steve will present a case-study of a high-performance all-electric home built with cost in mind. Learn about the electric components, including heat, hot water, and ventilation equipment, and the techniques used to achieve lower energy demand without high costs, such as air sealing, insulation, and design strategies. This is a live virtual session with audience Q&A included. 

Steve is a Certified Passive House Builder and built the first Phius Certified Passive House in Rhode Island. He now works on various residential projects, including Passive House, net-zero, and all-electric homes. 

So many ways to save! Click the logos below to learn more.