Affordable Housing Opportunity

Affordable Housing Lottery Overview

What is a Housing Lottery?

An affordable Housing Lottery is to give low-moderate income households, the opportunity of Home Ownership. This is a ‘First-Time’ home buyer program, through Mass Housing, in which Potential Buyers (Applicants) submit their application along with supporting documents to be reviewed and approved for the program. Once the application is reviewed and the applicant is deemed eligible for the Affordable Program, he/she will be submitted into a drawing for the next available affordable homes/condos.

MGL 40B Affordable Housing Act Overview

The Massachusetts Comprehensive Permit Law M.G.L. c. 40B §§ 20-23, enacted as Ch. 774 of the Acts 1969, also known as the Comprehensive Permit Statute, Ch. 40B or the Affordable Housing Act, encourages the Construction of Affordable Housing using locally granted permits.

It was enacted to help address the shortage of affordable housing statewide by reducing unnecessary barriers created by the local approval process, local zoning and other restrictions. A “Comprehensive Permit” is an all-encompassing permit which subsumes all permits and approvals normally issued by other local boards.

The Act requires all communities to use a streamlined review process to develop such housing, including request for zoning and other regulatory waivers.

Affordable Housing Lottery

Once approved a date will be scheduled for a lottery for the availabl homes for sale, held in conjunction with the local housing authority.

First Come First Serve

Once the lottery is conducted, if there are not enough applicants to fill the homes allotted, the development will be opened on a first come first serve basis.