Greater Boston Real Estate Board

The June edition of Boston Agent Magazine features Patricia Baumer, GBREB Director of Government Affairs, on how Realtors® can help unlock existing tools to address the housing crisis. https://lnkd.in/eU2jZy3Z

Statement of GBREB CEO Greg Vasil regarding the version of the Housing Bond Bill, up for debate in the House of Representatives Wednesday. “No one disagrees that Massachusetts needs housing and needs it now," said Greg Vasil, CEO of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board. "But increasing taxes on a smaller, targeted segment of individuals, as well as struggling businesses, is a misguided approach - especially when it is clear that this tax does not move the needle on production across the Commonwealth. We are thrilled to see the House’s version of the Bond Bill include provisions such as ADUs and remove harmful and ineffective policies like transfer taxes. Massachusetts should focus on producing the hundreds of thousands of homes needed to meet demand, while keeping the state attractive to current and prospective businesses.”

Tell Governor Healey, Lt. Governor Driscoll and State Legislators - No New Real Estate Taxes! YES to new housing, NO to new taxes. https://lnkd.in/eamTDs5N

A week ago today, over 300 BOMA members and guests came together at the UMass Club to raise funds for Bridge Over Troubled Waters. It was a fantastic night thanks to our sponsors and attendees. With the support of BOMA Boston, we are delighted to announce we raised $75,000 for Bridge Over Troubled Waters!

The unique power of GBREB was on full display this week as the Massachusetts Apartment Association (MAA) went to Capitol Hill for National Apartment Association (Naahq) Advocate. Cecelia (Ford) Bolognia, CAM, CAPS, Remen Okoruwa, Steve Sorkin, Adrienne Maley, Patricia Baumer and Jeremy Ouellette encouraged lawmakers to lower barriers to development and increase housing supply. The group also crossed paths with National Association of REALTORS® President Kevin Sears!

“The MBTA Communities Act is not optional,” Greg Vasil CEO of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, said in a statement. “The only hope for Massachusetts to solve its crushing housing crisis is for communities across the state to philosophically commit and operationally lay the groundwork for the production and construction of more housing.” https://lnkd.in/euAXqcsS

Despite the cold weather and a ten hour public hearing that lasted well into the evening, GBREB Chair Mike Edward, and Treasurer Dino Confalone joined CEO Greg Vasil in testifying before the Joint Committee on Housing yesterday. The GBREB leadership team voiced support for the Affordable Homes Act, and urged lawmakers not to include a real estate sales tax.

"For years, housing advocates have quietly grumbled about the relatively small share of CPA money that communities direct to housing — an especially galling outcome in suburbs that have also battled against housing development in general. Those concerns burst into public view earlier this year, when a report produced by the Tufts University Center for State Policy Analysis and commissioned by the Greater Boston Real Estate Board found that only a fifth of CPA projects have been dedicated to housing that’s affordable for, and restricted to, low-income people, and an even smaller share were for new affordable housing. And while the law requires participating municipalities to dedicate at least 10 percent of their CPA funds to each category, the report suggested that some 70 municipalities have spent less than that amount on housing." https://lnkd.in/ewFi26C7

GBREB CEO Greg Vasil was recently featured in the Boston Globe: Here’s how Massachusetts can make housing more affordable The state must build 200,000 housing units in the next six years. These steps will help. https://lnkd.in/eJetYztt

Statement of GBREB CEO Greg Vasil on the end of the rent control ballot initiative. "We are pleased the push for a ballot initiative on rent control has come to an end. As we have said all along, rent control is not the answer to the housing crisis. It is time for everyone to come together on a pro-growth strategy that cuts rent tape and makes it easier to build housing for all income levels"