RAC-MA Celebrates Inaugural Campaign Win as Governor Signs the Affordable Homes Act into Law

We are thrilled to share that Governor Healey has officially signed the Affordable Homes Act into law. The members of RAC-MA selected housing justice as our first issue campaign nearly 15 months ago, and today we celebrate this major milestone and campaign win!  

Over the course of our campaign, Reform Jews of Massachusetts advocated together for more affordable, equitable, accessible, and sustainable housing in our state. We learned, sent emails, made phone calls, showed up at hearings, and more! We also built partnerships with groups across the state including Citizen’s Housing and Planning Association, the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization, and the Western Massachusetts Housing Coalition. We owe a debt of gratitude to these partners for their leadership in advocating for housing justice in Massachusetts and pushing this landmark legislation across the finish line. As the new kid on the block, RAC-MA has learned a great deal over the course of this campaign, and we have our partners to thank for that! 

This landmark piece of legislation can be a powerful first step towards solving Massachusetts’ housing crisis. The final version of this bill authorized $5.16 billion, above and beyond Governor Healey’s historic proposal of $4.6 billion in capital authorizations. These authorizations will be a critical investment in the repair and improvement of state-run public housing, support the construction of new affordable units, restoration and sustainability upgrades for existing units, funding of programs to improve access to affordable rentals, and more. We are proud to say that the bill signed into law today includes people-centered policies supported by RAC-MA such as eviction record sealing and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) by-right. 

Adequate housing in not just a universal challenge in society but a matter of Jewish ethics. In the Talmud, we read, ““But you shall surely open your hand to them, and shall surely lend them sufficient for their deficiency in that which is deficient for them” (Deuteronomy 15:8). Regarding the phrase “sufficient for their deficiency,” this is referring to the house. “Which is deficient”; this refers to a bed and table.” (Ketubot 67b) The awkward doubling of the word “deficient” is not superfluous but a lesson for the Rabbis: we need a home, and we also need to fill it adequately with furniture. 

Personally, we know this will impact our Jewish communities directly. When we think about affordable housing, we call to mind our own families, congregants, and the staff with whom we work. People should be able to live near where they work, and this includes our synagogues, schools, and camps. Our community members who are struggling need to be able to find affordable housing. We need our parents and grandparents to be able to live nearby so we can take care of them with honor. And the record number of asylum seekers in our Commonwealth need hope, just as much as our economy needs their gifts. 

The work of RAC-MA continues... our housing campaign team is working on resources to support local communities in their ongoing advocacy, and our Every Voice, Every Vote campaign team is supporting congregations in building and strengthening community through their work contacting voters ahead of the upcoming election season. To learn more about RAC-MA's ongoing campaign work, visit www.RAC.org/MA. If you want to join the national community of Reform Jews protecting democracy, visit www.RAC.org/EveryWeek. Finally, to support RAC-MA's continued growth and impact, visit www.RAC.org/MAGive.