Age Restricted Zoning in Hamilton

There was an interesting letter to the editor in the Salem News recently about age restricted zoning in Hamilton. According to the author, the Hamilton Planning Board is trying to change the zoning bylaws of Hamilton to allow age-restricted, dense development by offering a "Senior Housing Bylaw" at the next town meeting on May 5, 2008.

Click here to read the Salem News letter to the editor.

Hamilton/Wenham Meeting to Discuss Transfer Taxes

The Government Affairs Committee just learned that there will be a meeting tonight, Tuesday, December 11th at 7:30 p.m, at the Buker Multipurpose Room, where Hamilton and Wenham Boards of Selectmen and representatives from the Finance Committees for each town will meet with community members to discuss, amongst other items, a new potential real estate transfer tax.

Realtors® oppose real estate transfer taxes as bad tax policy for the following reasons:

1. A community wide responsibility should be paid for by the entire community. Property taxes are inequitable and discriminatory as it would single out a small segment of the population, specifically home buyers and sellers, to pay for a community wide need.
2. Transfer taxes are exclusionary because it would increase the cost of home ownership and in effect create an additional barrier to entry for an already expensive part of the state. Further, the real estate market is highly sensitive to economic downtowns; therefore this tax would provide an unstable source of revenue.
3. The tax would subvert the voter approval process inherent in a Proposition 2½ override, in which voters can decide for themselves whether to increase their own property taxes.
4. The Legislature has already given all cities and towns many equitable tools to create affordable and workforce housing through passage of the Community Preservation Act, Chapter 40R, Chapter 40S and Chapter 40B. These tools are available for all communities to use.

You can find other Realtor® talking points from the Massachusetts Association of Realtors® website by clicking here.

NSAR highly encourages all Realtors® who live or work in Hamilton and Wenham to attend this meeting and voice your opposition to real estate transfer taxes.

Affordable Housing in the North Shore

According to the Salem News, here is a breakdown of affordable housing percentages in many of the North Shore Communities:

Beverly 11.5%
Boxford 0.7%
Danvers 10.4%
Hamilton 3.3%
Ipswich 8.2%
Manchester 4.7%
Marblehead 3.8%
Middleton 4.2%
Peabody 10.4%
Salem 13.2%
Swampscott 3.6%
Topsfield 5.4%
Wenham 8.9%

Read the entire Salem News article

Topsfield, Hamilton to Battle Chapter 40B

The Salem News reports that Selectmen in Topsfield and Hamilton have joined a group called the Municipal Coalition for Affordable Housing, which is asking the State Legislature to make changes in Chapter 40B.

Chapter 40B requires that communities develop 10% of their housing as affordable to people who make 80% or less than the median income locally. In Essex County, the income limits range from $46,300 for a single person to $66,150 for a family of four. If communities fail to meet the 10% threshold, developers can use Chapter 40B to circumvent local zoning regulations, such as lot size, housing density and proximity to wetlands, so long as they make 25% of the units in a development affordable.

According to the article, not one of the smaller towns in the North Shore has reached the 10% goal. In Hamilton, for example, the number is 3.3%; Topsfield is 5.4%. The Coalition aiming to change the law is made up of 31 communities, nearly all of them small and most of them affluent.

Read the entire Salem News Article

October 24, 2007 Legislative Breakfast

On October 24, 2007, NSAR hosted its third Legislative Breakfast in 2007. The event was attended by State Representative Anthony Verga (D-5th Essex), Representative Brad Hill (R-4th Essex), and Dan Pawson, Legislative Director for Senator Bruce Tarr (R-1st Essex & Middlesex).

MAR Associate Counsel Margy Grant presented the Realtor® position on the following topics:

1. New proposed Transfer Taxes (S. 1776; S. 1773; H. 3959)
2. New proposed Lead Paint law (SB. 1230)
3. New proposed mandatory Seller’s disclosure in connection with environmental issues (H. 323, S. 201)
4. New proposed mandatory disclosures for real estate licensees in connection with Wetlands (H. 767)
5. Smart Growth funding for Chapter 40R (S. 132, H. 160)

NSAR and the Government Affairs Committee extends a sincere appreciate to the legislators who participated and to all those that attended.

Next Legislative Breakfast: Wednesday, October 24, 2007, 8:30am

The next North Shore Association of Realtors® Legislative Breakfast will be held on Wednesday, October 24, 2007, from 8:30am to 10:00am. All NSAR members who live in Boxford, Essex, Gloucester, Hamilton, Ipswich, Manchester, Newbury, Rockport, Rowley, Wenham, Byfield, and/or Middleton are encouraged to attend.

Topics will likely include:

1. Transfer Taxes.
2. An Act Protecting Children from Poisoning (SB. 1230)
3. An Act Providing Information to Real Estate Buyers. (H. 323, S. 201)
4. An Act Relative to the Disclosure of Wetlands on Property. (H. 767)
5. An Act Relative to Smart Growth Housing Trust Fund (S. 132) and An Act Relative to Financing the Smart Growth Housing Trust (H. 160).

Sign up today using this form, by calling 978-232-9410, or by emailing Jeff@NorthShoreRealtors.com!

The Legislative Breakfast will be at the NSAR office at 398 Essex Street in Beverly. For directions, visit our website by clicking here.