Over 400 Massachusetts Realtor® -members traveled to the State House on Tuesday to participate in the 31st annual “Realtor® Day on Beacon Hill.” The Realtors® discussed key issues that impact consumers, housing and the economy. The 2016 keynote address was provided by Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito

The Massachusetts Association of Realtors® (MAR) reported today that the state saw the highest level of pending home sales in the month of May since 2004, with homes under agreement increasing 18.4 percent over last year. Prices also rose incrementally over last year. The strong market was reflected in a high Realtor® Market Confidence Index

Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) praised final Senate passage of his amendments to the Securing America’s Future Energy: Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (SAFE PIPES) Act that would help address lost and unaccounted for natural gas from aging, leaky pipelines. But a third Senator Markey-authored provision to ensure transparency related to oil spills was stripped from the final legislation because of ardent opposition by the American Petroleum Institute (API).

The Town of Framingham, Department of Capital Projects and Facilities, in conjunction with the Department of Public Works, will begin repairs the Memorial Building heating system on Monday, June 20th. The work is anticipated to take place during regular business hours, running through the end of the day on Thursday, June 23rd.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony today, The Neighborhood Developers (TND) officially opened their newest building, One Beach, in Revere. Joining The Neighborhood Developers at today’s ceremony was Mayor of Revere Brian Arrigo and Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Chrystal Kornegay, as well as numerous funders and business partners who helped to make this development possible, including Bank of America, the TD Charitable Foundation, the Charles H. Farnsworth Trust, Massachusetts Housing Partnership, MassHousing, the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the North Suburban Consortium

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will officially open One Beach, a new affordable housing building in Revere, developed by The Neighborhood Developers. The four-story building includes 39 affordable rental apartments, with a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments.

Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito announced the opening of the sixth annual round of MassWorks Infrastructure Program, with online applications available on June 3. The competitive grant program invests in projects in local communities that can leverage private funding and open up areas to further residential, commercial, or industrial development

Residents living at the 64-unit Anderson Park Apartments in Boston will see extensive property renovations and the extension of affordability for at least 20 years as a result of $24.4 million in MassHousing financing

The Public Building Commission of the Town of Scituate, Massachusetts will issue periodic public updates about the construction progress for the Town Library project. Groundbreaking occurred on September 1, 2015. The project remains on budget. Completion is anticipated for late 2016/early 2017

On May 26th, the Massachusetts Senate passed its $39.5 billion budget with strong investments in affordable housing, homelessness prevention, and community development programs. The Senate budget includes increases to the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), the Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP), public housing reform, Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT), Housing Court, the Tenancy Preservation Program, and Home and Healthy for Good.

The Massachusetts Association of Realtors® (MAR) announced today that MAR Past President Judy Moore, a broker at the Higgins Group in Lexington, was recently presented with the 2016 Federal Political Coordinator (FPC) Meritorious Service Award at the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo this May. Moore was one of two Realtors® from across the country who was honored. She received the recognition for her long and outstanding service as the FPC for Massachusetts Congresswoman Kathryn Clark and previously for Massachusetts Senator John Kerry.

Earlier this week, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means (SWM) released its state budget recommendations(link is external) for fiscal year 2017 (FY2017). The budget includes strong support for many affordable housing and homelessness prevention programs. Click here for an overview of how CHAPA’s priorities were funded in the HWM budget proposal.

Governor Charlie Baker announced today that the Baker-Polito Administration’s upcoming five-year capital budget will devote $1.1 billion to affordable and workforce housing development and preservation. The funding will maintain support for existing programs for high-needs populations, increase support for local public housing communities and finance new initiatives to preserve at-risk affordable housing and boost mixed-income housing production across Massachusetts.

Two former employees of Roxse Homes, a subsidized housing development in Boston, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Boston in connection with a scheme to rent apartments at the housing development to individuals who were not qualified in exchange for cash bribes.

Hundreds of homeowners and potential homebuyers today attended the Boston Home Center's (BHC) Housing EXPO and 20th Anniversary Celebration at the Curry Student Center at Northeastern University.  The Boston Home Center's 2016 Housing EXPO is the BHC's signature event, kicking off the homebuying season.