Massachusetts Senate unveils its version of major housing bill

The Massachusetts Senate unveiled its version of a major housing bill Monday, following up on similar proposals by Gov. Maura Healey and the Massachusetts House.

Lawmakers hope to approve a compromise version of the bill and get it to Healey’s desk before the end of the Legislature’s formal session on July 31 as the state continues to struggle with soaring housing costs.

The bill’s unveiling comes as Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced Monday that the state will offer $15 million in funding to help Boston convert larger-scale office buildings to housing.

Wu has pushed for the conversions to add more housing after some office buildings failed to fill up again with clients after they emptied out during the pandemic. The conversion can often be costly due to the complexity of the projects.

The state funding would fund up to $215,000 per affordable unit with a cap of $4 million per project. The City’s program application deadline will be extended to Dec. 31.

The Senate’s $5.2 billion housing bond bill failed to include a plan backed by both Healey and Wu that would let cities and towns impose a fee on the sale of high-end properties. The House version of the bill also excludes the proposal, which was championed by housing advocates.

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