[act-ma] Join MAHT for a Lobby Day on Wed, January 28th!

Fri Jan 23 15:50:53 PST 2009

Mass Alliance of Hud Tenants Action Alert
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Urgent Action Alert!

May 8 Call-in and Lobby Day

to Save Our Homes!
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MAHT's legislation to Save Affordable Housing is coming up for a critical vote in
the next 2 weeks!

By May 15, the Joint Committee on Housing plans to vote on :

·    The Statewide Enabling Act to Save Affordable Housing (H 1284, S 772), and

·     Six Home Rule Petitions to Save Affordable Housing (Boston- H 3950, Quincy-
S770, Lowell- S 774, Salem- S 2152, New Bedford- H 4051, Lawrence- H 4433)

These are in addition to other "expiring use" bills.  A favorable Committee vote
 will greatly improve chances of passage by the end of the formal legislative session
on July 31; an unfavorable vote will make it much harder (though we do have further
options) to win in this session.

These bills would give cities no-cost tools to save at-risk housing as permanently
affordable for lower income people, at their local option, by:

·    Requiring owners to renew expiring section 8 contracts

·    Limiting rent hikes for non-Section 8 units

·    Preventing condo conversion

·    Promoting sales to nonprofit owners to keep rents low

·   Allowing
cities to restore affordable rents to buildings already converted to
market      rates, like High Point Village in Roslindale.
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Join MAHT's Lobby Leadership Team at the State House on
Thursday, May 8th. We
will be meeting at 10 a.m. in Room 437to plan next steps, and will
meet later that day with key legislators to ask for their support with
these important laws.

Contact: Alex, Dante or Michael at the MAHT office (617-267-2949)
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May 8th
3 Actions Needed!
Tenants and Allies United!

1.  Call the Housing Committee chairs, Rep. Honan and Sen. Tucker.
Identifyyourself as an affected tenant or constituent. Urge them to "report out
favorably the Statewide Enabling Act and Home Rule Petitions to Save
Affordable Housing" (H 1284, H 3950, H 4051, H 4433 and S 772, S 770,
S774 and S 2152).

Be sure to mention the bill numbers, and that you want the Committee to report these
bills as "ought to pass!" Leave your number and ask that they let you know what 
they decide.

Rep. Kevin Honan- Brighton: 617-722-2470

Sen. Susan Tucker- Lawrence: 617-722-1612
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Call your individual Representative and Senator, if none of the Committee members
represent your area.

The State House switchboard number is 617-722-2000.  Ask your senator and representative
to contact the Committee chairs to urge them to vote favorably on the MAHT bills.
 If you don't know who your Representative is, call the MAHT office at 617-267-2949.

Keep us posted!   Please contact Alex, Dante or Michael at the MAHT office (617-267-2949)
to let us know how you made out.
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2.       Call one Committee member who supports our bills, if you live in or near
their district. THANK THEMfor their sponsorship or support of the "local option
expiring use bills." ASK THEMto speak to the Housing Committee chairs
to urge them to "report out favorably" the Enabling Act or Home Rule
Petitions to Save Affordable Housing, when the Committee meets sometime
before May 15.   Mention the bill numbers.  Also, ask them to be sure to show up
 when the Committee vote is
scheduled, so they can vote for our bills!

3.       Call one other Committee member who doesn't support the bills so far, if
you live in or near their district.  Identify
yourself as an affected tenant or constituent. Urge them to report the
bills out favorably (H 1284 and S 772, and also H 3950, H 4051, H 4433
and S 770, S 774 and S 2152). Be sure to mention the bill number, and
that you want the Committee to report these bills as "ought to pass!" Leave your
 number and ask that they let you know what they decide.
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1. Sen. Harriet Chandler-Worcester: 617.722.1544
2. Sen. Robert Hedlund-Braintree: 617.722.1646
3. Sen. Anthony Petruccelli-East Boston: 617.722.1634
4. Sen. Robert O'Leary-Cape Cod: 617.722.1570
5. Rep. Tom Sannicandro-Ashland: 617.722.2210
6. Rep. Ellen Story- Amherst: 617-722-2575
7. Rep. Thomas Stanley- Waltham: 617-722-2470
8. Rep. John Fresolo- Worcester: 617-2240
9. Rep. Robert Fennell- Lynn: 617-722-2400

11. Sen. Anthony Galluccio- Brighton: 617-722-1650
12. Rep. Susan Richardson- Framingham: 617-722-2582
13. Rep. Sean Curran- Springfield: 617-722-2263
14. Rep. Cleon Turner-Dennis: 617.722.2090
15. Rep. George Peterson-Grafton: 617.722.2100
16. Rep. Paul Loscocco-Holliston: 617.722.2220
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Tenants United to Save Our Homes 

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