House passes legislation from Speaker Shekarchi’s housing package

 

STATE HOUSE – The House of Representatives today approved legislation sponsored by Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi that is part of his eleven-bill housing package introduced earlier this year.

“Last year, when my colleagues and I introduced our legislative package regarding housing issues, we said it would take an ‘all hands on deck’ approach, and that this complex issue requires solutions that address many factors that impede housing production,” said Speaker Shekarchi. “We have had two special legislative commissions that have been meeting regularly over the past year to look at ways we can help cities and towns meet their affordable housing goals, and also to look at the state’s land use. One thing we keep hearing is that we need more density in certain areas. This legislation incentivizes municipalities to allow more multi-unit homes, and also helps keep units affordable.”

2022-H 7941 would permit multi-family rental apartment units to be built as part of a comprehensive plan and to be included in the calculation of low or moderate income housing. It also requires that at least 30% of the units created are deed restricted for households earning not more than 60% of AMI.

 

Israel has launched a retaliatory strike against Iran. U.S. officials confirm missiles have struck a number of locations inside Iran, with several explosions reported near an airbase in the city of Isfahan, home to a number of sites linked to Iran's nuclear program. The International Atomic Energy Agency says it can confirm that none of the sites sustained any damage.        Oil prices surged three dollars a barrel overnight after Israel's attack before easing a bit. Concerns over the potential disruption of Middle East oil was behind the jump. Israel's actions were in retaliation for an Iranian attack on Israel last weekend, itself a retaliation for an Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Syria.       Lawyers in the Donald Trump "hush money" trial are hoping to wrap up jury selection today by selecting six alternates. A 12-member jury is already chosen for the New York trial, which could begin Monday. The former president is accused of falsifying records to cover up a "hush money" payment to an adult film star before he was elected in 2016.        Taylor Swift is releasing a second installment to her new album, "The Tortured Poets Department." The highly-anticipated new album dropped at midnight, featuring 16 songs including the first single, "Fortnite." Shortly after 2am Eastern, Swift announced that it was actually a "secret double album," and released 15 more songs.       The FAA is investigating a near-miss on a runway at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport outside Washington, DC. It happened Thursday morning when a plane crossed the runway as another was starting its take off. The planes - one a Southwest flight, the other JetBlue - were reportedly just 300 feet away from each other.       Prince William is returning to public duties for the first time since his wife's cancer diagnosis. On Thursday, he visited a food charity and youth center. William has been absent from official engagements ever since Kate Middleton revealed last month that she was undergoing chemotherapy. The Princess of Wales will reportedly return to public duties once her medical team gives her the okay.