Massachusetts Comprehensive Permits and Regional Planning Initiative

Elections in Massachusetts
General elections General elections 1960 1962 1964 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014
Federal government Presidential elections 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 U.S. Senate elections Class 1 1898 1904 1910 1916 1922 1928 1934 1940 1946 1952 1958 1964 1970 1976 1982 1988 1994 2000 2006 2012 Class 2 1918 1924 1930 1936 1942 1948 1954 1960 1966 1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 2014 U.S. House elections 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 Special elections Senate, 1944 Senate, 1962 1st district, 1991 9th district, 2001 5th district, 2007 Senate, 2010 Senate, 2013 5th district, 2013
State government Gubernatorial elections 1839 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 State Senate elections 2004 2006 2008 State House elections 2006 2008 Governor's Council elections 2006
Ballot measures 1980 Proposition 2½ 2002 English Language Education in Public Schools 2008 Greyhound Protection Sensible Marijuana Policy State Income Tax Repeal 2010 No Sales Tax for Alcohol Sales Tax Relief Comprehensive Permits and Regional Planning 2012 Right to Repair vehicle at non dealer Physician Assisted Suicide Medical Marijuana policy 2014 repeals automatic gas tax increases already signed into law Expands the state’s beverage container recycling law to include all non-alcoholic containers Repeals a 2011 law allowing resort casinos Entitles certain employees to earn and utilize paid sick days
Boston Mayoral elections 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1979 1983 1987 1991 1993 1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 City council elections 2009 2011

The Massachusetts Comprehensive Permits and Regional Planning Initiative, also known as Question 2, appeared on the November 2, 2010 ballot in the state of Massachusetts as an initiative. Question 2 was rejected by the Massachusetts voters by 1,254,759 “No” votes to 900,405 “Yes” votes.^[1] The measure had been sponsored by Better Not Bigger, a local advocacy group in the state.^[2][3][4]

The proposed measure would have repealed a state law, the [5]

Details of Chapter 40B include:^[6]

• It became a law in 1969.
• Allows developers to avoid local zoning limits if they agree to reserve some of their projects for moderate-income residents.
• About 25 percent of the units must be set aside for moderate-income residents to meet this requirement.
• Local areas can reject projects if 10 percent or more of their housing stock is deemed affordable.
• If local towns or cities are making progress toward said 10 percent mark, they can still reject projects.

Legislative history

The initiative was reviewed by the [5]^[7]

Text of measure

Summary

The summary of the measure reads:^[8]

This proposed law would repeal an existing state law that allows a qualified organization wishing to build government-subsidized housing that includes low- or moderate-income units to apply for a single comprehensive permit from a city or town's zoning board of appeals (ZBA), instead of separate permits from each local agency or official having jurisdiction over any aspect of the proposed housing. The repeal would take effect on January 1, 2011, but would not stop or otherwise affect any proposed housing that had already received both a comprehensive permit and a building permit for at least one unit ...

A YES VOTE would repeal the state law allowing the issuance of a single comprehensive permit to build housing that includes low- or moderate-income units.

A NO VOTE would make no change in the state law allowing issuance of such a comprehensive permit.

Support

Supporters

• Affordable Housing Now-Yes on 2 is the main campaign for the measure.
• Bigger Not Better^[4]

Arguments

• Massachusetts has become the 3rd most expensive state in the country!
• Chapter 40B, has been in place for more than 40 years and is directly responsible for our lack of affordability.

Opposition

Opponents

• The Campaign to Protect the Affordable Housing Law.
• Worcester Mayor Joseph C. O'Brien.^[9]

Financing

Arguments

• repealing the affordable housing law would immediately halt the creation of housing that is affordable to seniors and working families in many communities across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

References