A safe, healthy, affordable home for all
2023 Annual Report
An overview of CHAPA’s
2023 impact
start reading
Foreword
Positive change doesn’t always make headlines. It’s often the day-to-day commitment to our values, working across differences to find solutions, and nurturing seeds sown in seasons past that brings us closer to the Massachusetts we want to see and deserve.
CHAPA’s work in 2023 built upon the housing successes we’ve already won while pushing ahead toward the common goal of 200,000 homes by 2030. Through our work in policy, homeownership, municipal engagement, and fair housing and essential efforts to change the public conversation and develop the field along the way, CHAPA has made great strides in solidifying a more equitable, accessible, and affordable Massachusetts through housing.
Thank you for your dedication, collaboration, and partnership in this work. Affordable housing is a team effort, and we know we can reach our goals with colleagues and supporters like you by our side.
About CHAPA
Citizens’ Housing & Planning Association (CHAPA) is the leading statewide affordable housing policy organization in Massachusetts. As conveners, we bring stakeholders together from across the industry — lenders, developers, municipalities, community groups, tenants, and more — to build consensus on equitable solutions to our state’s affordable housing challenges.
Our mission and vision
Born out of a group of community leaders who understood that housing was a critical issue of the civil rights movement in 1967, CHAPA believes that every person in Massachusetts should have a safe, healthy, and affordable place to call home in the communities they choose.
Our work so far
Throughout CHAPA's history, we have successfully advocated for the passage of numerous Housing Bond Bills, legislative priorities to fund affordable housing development, rental vouchers, and housing and homelessness prevention programs. We helped create Chapter 40B, the state's Low Income Housing Tax Credit, and the strongest expiring use law in the nation (Chapter 40T).
The journey towards 200,000 homes by 2030
Including 40,000 affordable and 20,000 deeply affordable homes
Today
- Continued advocacy for the Housing Bond Bill, CHAPA’s State Legislative Agenda, and Budget Priorities
- MEI supports coalition building in 45 communities across the state
2023
- Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities created
- MBTA Communities begin to adopt multifamily zoning districts
2021-2022
CHAPA successfully advocates for the passage of the MBTA Multifamily Zoning law, requiring 177 communities to establish multifamily zoning districts
2018
CHAPA's Municipal Engagement Initiative launched to change local conversations and build support for affordable housing
2013
CHAPA convenes working group of affordable housing developers to determine barriers to production, leading to CHAPA's advocacy for multifamily zoning
Technical Assistance
Launched in 2023, CHAPA provided technical assistance to 45 MBTA communities across the state. Through small community cohorts, monthly learning sessions, and direct one-on-one support from CHAPA staff.
Local Wins
Seven of CHAPA’s TA communities — Arlington, Braintree, Cambridge, Grafton, Medford, and Newton — passed new multifamily zoning districts in 2023. With them, these communities have created a zoning capacity of more than 35,000 new homes.
Professional Development
CHAPA supported over 60 planners and municipal officials in our TA program in strengthening their skills as educators, facilitators, and community engagement practitioners. They've seen increased turnout, higher survey response rates, and more productive conversations around MBTA zoning.
Municipal Engagement
Since CHAPA's Municipal Engagement Initiative (MEI)'s inception in 2018, CHAPA has supported coalitions in more than 20 communities and provided technical assistance in over 45 municipalities.
In 2023, MEI began work in six new communities: the Berkshires, Northampton, Greater Newburyport, Needham, Weston, and Dennis.
Local wins CHAPA helped to facilitate include:
- creation of an Affordable Housing Trust in Medford
- expansion of homeless shelter and supportive housing in Greenfield
- development (45 affordable rental homes) on town-owned land in Brewster
- adoption of Accessory Dwelling Unit bylaw in Winchester
- adoption of Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance in Lynn
- approval of a Housing Production Plan in Orange
“The Needham Housing Coalition’s relationship this year with the MEI staff has taken our efforts to new levels of effectiveness. The professional staff is great – knowledgeable, skilled, and supportive. We look forward to a year of success due in great part to our partnership with CHAPA.”
Paula Dickerman, Housing Advocate
Policy Accomplishments
Expansion of LIHTC
CHAPA led the successful advocacy effort to expand the Low Income Housing Tax Credit from $40 million to $60 million and to make LIHTC permanent.
MBTA Communities Guidelines
CHAPA helped establish guardrails for commercial development during the MBTA Communities law revisions.
Advancing Systemic Change
Ten of sixteen of our priorities are now included in the Affordable Homes Act, filed by Governor Maura Healey. The bill proposes more than doubling investment in affordable housing production and preservation, expanding housing diversity, and establishing an Office of Fair Housing to prevent discrimination and affirmatively further fair housing at the state and local levels.
Stability in Times of Uncertainty
In the wake of the Silicon Valley Bank collapse in March 2023, CHAPA rallied affordable housing developers and affected organizations, advocating effectively for measures to support affordable housing impacted by the crisis and participating in a listening session with FDIC Chair Martin J. Gruenberg that was hosted by U.S. Representative Stephen Lynch.
Photo by Tréa Lavery
15
of CHAPA’s affordable housing priorities
$597M
in funding for affordable housing programs and policies
16%
increase in funding for affordable housing
Affordable housing funding in the state budget
$427 Million
to ensure every eligible household receives rental assistance they need
Rental assistance funding increased by 151% in three years
Research
Lessons learned from community-based organizations
The report, Building a Better RAFT: Improving Access to Emergency Rental Assistance in Massachusetts, by The Boston Foundation, CHAPA, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay uplifted the critical work of community-based organizations in ensuring every resident had access to rental assistance and eliminating barriers to application.
Policy recommendations to apply these lessons learned can be found in the report.
Fair Housing
Committee & Research Work
Through CHAPA’s Fair Housing Committee, we collaborate with stakeholders to eliminate housing discrimination, advocate for policy solutions, and affirmatively further fair housing statewide. CHAPA has testified on behalf of critical fair housing legislation, including creating a state office of fair housing and fair housing trust fund included in the Affordable Homes Act.
Community Engagement & Events
Through CHAPA’s MEI work, partnerships with local organizations, and events and trainings, our fair housing work reaches beyond the State House. This year’s Fair Housing Month event in April drew over 500 attendees, including keynote speaker, Attorney General Andrea Campbell. We also worked with the Milton Public Library’s children’s department to explore the meaning of home.
“CHAPA's leadership, staff, and its Fair Housing and Municipal Engagement Initiative program have played a critical role in elevating fair housing and equity on the state level. CHAPA has helped to propel a progressive and housing justice framework that will benefit the quality of life for everyone in the Commonwealth.”
James Jennings, PhD Professor Emeritus Tufts University
Empowering tomorrow’s homeowners
CHAPA believes together, we can overcome years of intentional disinvestment and discrimination and build a pipeline of homebuyers that reflects the racial and economic diversity of the Commonwealth who are ready for sustainable, affordable homeownership.
Through education, counseling, direct financial assistance, and systems change, we can help close the racial homeownership gap and ensure the benefits of homeownership are available to everyone.
Building the pipeline that reflects Massachusetts’ diversity
Homebuyer counseling agency training
CHAPA manages the Massachusetts Homeownership Collaborative, with nearly four dozen Housing Education and Counseling Agencies from the Berkshires to Nantucket. With CHAPA’s training, these agencies held 410 workshops with 15,000 participants (including 5,265 first-generation homebuyers), resulting in 1,475 home purchases.
Chapter 40B Monitoring
CHAPA ensures over 3,000 affordable homes reach eligible buyers to achieve their dream of homeownership. We seek to streamline, modernize, and simplify the application process to break down barriers and reduce the racial homeownership gap.
Lottery Applicants in CHAPA’s Monitoring Portfolio
This year, CHAPA engaged in broad advertising online, where today’s homebuyers look for homes, and through local contacts and community-based organizations. Our strategic outreach and marketing attracted a diverse pool of first-time homebuyer applicants, with households of color represented in larger numbers than in Massachusetts’ population.
- 32 resales
- 19 lotteries
- 246 lottery applicants — 159%
- $58,400 average applicant income
- 492 information session registrants
CHAPA 40B Lottery Applicants 2023
“Owning this 40B home allowed me to start a family, where I never would have been able to before.”
– New 40B Homeowner
“This has been a perfect situation for someone who otherwise wouldn't of been able to afford a home without the help of CHAPA.”
– New 40B Homeowner
“It has been an amazing opportunity to experience the American dream and stabilize my cost of living through a period of economic uncertainty.”
– New 40B Homeowner
MyMassHome
In the one-stop-shop website’s first year as a resource for first-time homebuyers, MyMassHome attracted 330,000 unique visitors, listed over 350 affordable homes, and enlisted over 1,900 homebuyers for the affordable listing newsletter.
This partnership with MassHousing, the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, and the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission reaches thousands of households each week.
HUD Housing Counseling Network
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded CHAPA over $680,000 to support housing counseling and education at 14 non-profit organizations across New England. These organizations provide first-time homebuyer education, mortgage delinquency assistance, and rental counseling and served over 6,500 households in Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont.
Changing the public conversation
CHAPA changes the public conversation around affordable housing in almost every interaction our staff has: through forums, speaking engagements, meetings with legislators, public meetings in our MEI communities, the press and social media, one-on-one conversations with our neighbors and peers, and more.
By connecting to people’s aspirations and focusing on solutions, CHAPA has mastered the art of case-making and has been pivotal in shifting attitudes across the state on the local, municipal, and state legislative levels towards affordable housing.
Case-Making Forums
CHAPA hosted Dr. Tiffany Manuel (DrT) for two in-person case-making forums, providing attendees with tools for developers and the general public to find common ground, change hearts and minds, and create more affordable housing across Massachusetts.
Making the Case for More Homes
Amplifying Your Housing Message
Media
CHAPA’s social media and press and email lists are additional touchpoints to engage with our network around affordable housing through event announcements, housing news and initiatives, action alerts, and more.
Press Hits
Developing the field
Through our educational forums, programs, trainings, and our various monthly series — Affordable Housing 101, Making the Case, Confronting the History of Housing Discrimination with JALSA — and more, CHAPA seeks to build diversity in the field, advance leaders of color, and open doors to professional opportunities.
Our 2023 forums drew nearly 700 attendees:
- Planning for Affordable Housing Production and Preservation in 2023 and Beyond
- Making the Case for More Homes
- Amplifying Your Housing Message
- Zeroing in on Decarbonization in Affordable Housing Production & Preservation
- Zoning for Equity
“With CHAPA’s monthly Making the Case Calls, they have created a supportive, informative, and encouraging environment. This growth and collaboration has enhanced our Town housing work and led to housing successes. I look forward to these meetings every month.”
Jill Scalise, Town of Brewster’s Housing Coordinator
56th Annual Dinner
CHAPA’s 56th Annual Dinner hosted over 1,200 guests for a night of celebration and networking. Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll served as keynote speaker for the event. CHAPA gave awards to the following housing leaders during their ceremony: Ann Houston and Henry Korman, the MassDREAMS program teams at MassHousing and Massachusetts Housing Partnership, Andrea Aldana (Community Development Partnership), and Dave Madan (Builders of Color Coalition).
“The annual gathering brings like-minded individuals together to share at an informal and personal level and industry wide. This is our professional “home.””
— 2023 Attendee
“A truly inspiring evening at CHAPA’s annual dinner, gathering and collaborating with our housing community across the Commonwealth.”
— 2023 Attendee
Professional Development Programs
Community Development Mentoring Program
This year, CHAPA and the Mel King Institute paired 26 mentors and mentees with a focus on supporting people of color to advance in the field. The program included several learning sessions on leadership development, racial equity, and more.
Affordable Housing Development Competition
This annual Competition, sponsored by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, is designed to prepare a new generation of housing advocates to take on growing challenges and opportunities in the field. In its 23rd year, a proposal to transform a parking lot into a family-centered complex in Revere took first place.
CHAPA Staff
Jenna Connolly
Director of Communications & Events
Rachel Heller
Chief Executive Officer
Maritza Crossen
Director of Strategic Initiatives
Monica Keel
Municipal Engagement Program Associate
Whitney Demetrius
Director of Fair Housing and Municipal Engagement
David Gasser
Programs Director
Abhidnya Kurve
Deputy Director of Public Policy
Lily Linke
MBTA Communities Engagement Manager
CHAPA Staff (cont.)
Carol Marine
Senior Program Manager
Ron McCormick
Program Manager
Matt Noyes
Director of Public Policy
Elizabeth Palma-Diaz
Senior Program Manager
Sam Pereira
Events & Logistics Manager
Sadé Ratliff
Municipal Engagement Program Associate
Karen Wiener
Chief Operating Officer
Financials FY2023
Support and Revenue
Foundations and Corporations
Grants & Foundations Released from Restriction 2023
Membership
Contract Service Fees
Conferences and Forums
Rental Income
Interest and Dividends
Total Support and Revenue
Expenses
Program Services
General and Administrative
Fundraising
Total Expenses
Net Operating Income
Special Consulting
Rcv'd Grants & Foundations Time Restricted to 2023
Unrealized Gain/Loss on Investments
Net Assets at End of Year
*Results include CHAPA's fiscal agencies and are unaudited
1,346,188
309,986
124,270
1,586,881
312,746
14,920
67,386
3,762,378
3,388,496
219,755
61,007
3,669,257
93,120
(90,000)
(309,986)
358,083
4,250,028
CHAPA 2023 Partners
Platinum Partners
Gold Partners
Silver Partners
Bronze Partners
CHAPA Supporters
$100,000+
Liberty Mutual
Massachusetts Community Health & Healthy Aging Funds
Oak Foundation
The Boston Foundation
United Way of Massachusetts Bay
$10,000 – $24,999
Boston Financial
Capital One
Eastern Bank
Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston
First Resource Development Company
ICON Architecture, Inc.
JP Morgan Chase
Klein Hornig LLP
Linde Family Foundation
M&T Bank | M&T Realty Capital Corporation
Maloney Properties, Inc.
MassHousing
Menemsha Family Fund
NEI General Contracting
NeighborWorks America
Nixon Peabody LLP
Peabody Properties, Inc.
Preservation of Affordable Housing, Inc.
Rockland Trust
Santander
TD Bank
The Community Builders, Inc.
Trinity Financial, Inc.
WinnCompanies
$50,000 – $99,999
Kuehn Charitable Foundation
$25,000 – $49,999
Bank of America
Beacon Communities
Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation
Rockport Mortgage Corporation
Silicon Valley Bank
CHAPA Supporters (cont.)
$5,000 – $9,999
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Dorfman Capital
Enterprise Community Partners
Housing Families
Housing Opportunities Unlimited
Massachusetts Housing Partnership
Mike Kennealy
Nolan Sheehan Patten
Pennrose
David Groom
Davis Square Architects, Inc.
Dellbrook|JKS
Delphi Construction
Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities
Hackett Feinberg P.C.
Hudson Housing Capital
Kathleen Hobson and Atul Gawande
Madison Park Development Corporation
Metro Housing|Boston
National Equity Fund, Inc.
Needham Bank
NeighborWorks Housing Solutions
Point32Health Foundation
RCAP Solutions, Inc.
Related Beal
Salem Five Mortgage Company
South Middlesex Opportunity Council, Inc.
Sullivan & Worcester LLP
Tenants’ Development Corporation
Tierney Development Services, LLC
UHM Properties
Urban Edge
Wells Fargo Community Lending & Investment
Wingate Management Company, LLC
$2,500 – $4,999
BlueHub Capital
Builders of Color Coalition
Cambridge Housing Authority
Cambridge Trust Company
Citizens Bank
City of Boston, Mayor’s Office of Housing
Community Development Partnership
CommunityScale
Community Teamwork, Inc.
CSI Support & Development Services
Dakota Partners
CHAPA Supporters (cont.)
$1,000 – $2,499
2Life Communities
Abundant Housing Massachusetts
Affirmative Investments
Allegrone Companies
Amenta Emma Architects
Ann Houston & Henry Korman
Anser Advisory, LLC
Bald Hill Builders
Boston Center for Independent Living
Boston Housing Authority
Brookline Housing Authority
Bruce Wintmen
Cambridge Savings Bank
Capstone Communities LLC
Chestnut Hill Realty
Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation
Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation
Daniel Dennis and Company LLP
Dara Kovel
Dempsey Associates
Dietz & Company Architects, Inc.
DiMella Shaffer
Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation
Franklin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority
Groom Construction Co., Inc.
Harborlight Homes
Home City Development
Insource Services, Inc.
Ivan Espinoza
John M. Corcoran & Company
Just-A-Start Corporation
Kathy Weinstock
Krokidas & Bluestein LLP
Leader Bank
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (Boston LISC)
Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations
Newton Community Development Foundation
Nora Moreno Cargie
Planning Office for Urban Affairs
RBC Community Investments
Red Stone Equity Partners
Robinson & Cole LLP
Roux
SEB, LLC
Sherin and Lodgen LLP
Smolak & Vaughan LLP
SV Design
Technical Assistance Collaborative, Inc.
The Life Initiative
The Property & Casualty Initiative, LLC
The Schochet Companies
Walker & Dunlop
Way Finders
WNC
CHAPA Organizational Members
2Life Communities
Action Inc.
Affirmative Investments
Affordable Housing and Services Collaborative, Inc.
Amenta Emma Architects
Asian Community Development Corporation
B'nai B'rith Housing New England
Beacon Communities
BlueHub Capital
Boston Housing Authority
Brookline Housing Authority
Cambridge Housing Authority
Cambridge Savings Bank
Capstone Communities LLC
Casa Myrna Vazquez
Chelsea Restoration Corporation
Chestnut Hill Realty
Citizens Bank
City of Boston, Mayor's Office of Housing
City of Cambridge, Community Development Department
City of Lawrence, Office of Planning & Development
City of Malden
City of Somerville
Coalition for a Better Acre
Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation
Commonwealth Of Massachusetts
Community Action Pioneer Valley
Community Development Partnership
Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation
Community Teamwork, Inc.
CommunityScale
Connolly and Partners, LLC
Cooperative Development Institute
CSI Support & Development Services
Davis Square Architects, Inc.
Dietz & Company Architects, Inc.
Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation
Dorfman Capital
Evernorth
Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities
Father Bill's & MainSpring
Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston
First Resource Development Company
Framingham Housing Authority
Hackett Feinberg P.C.
HallKeen Management
Harborlight Homes
Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies
Hebrew SeniorLife
Hildebrand Family Self-Help Center
Holland & Knight LLP
Homeowner's Rehab, Inc.
Horizons for Homeless Children
Housing Assistance Corporation on Cape Cod
Housing Navigator Massachusetts, Inc.
Housing Opportunities Unlimited
HousingWorks RI at RWU
ICON Architecture, Inc.
Island Housing Trust
John M. Corcoran & Company
Klein Hornig LLP
Krokidas & Bluestein LLP
Landmark Structures Corporation
Lawrence CommunityWorks, Inc.
Leader Bank
Lincoln Avenue Capital
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (Boston LISC)
Madison Park Development Corporation
Malden Housing Authority
Maloney Properties, Inc.
Massachusetts Association for Community Action
Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations
Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance
Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation
Massachusetts Housing Partnership
MassDevelopment
MassHousing
MCO Housing Services LLC
Merrimack Valley Housing Partnership
Metro Housing|Boston
Metro West Collaborative Development, Inc.
Munkenbeck Consulting
National Equity Fund, Inc.
Neighborhood of Affordable Housing, Inc.
NeighborWorks Housing Solutions
New Ecology, Inc.
Newton Community Development Foundation
NewVue Communities
Nixon Peabody LLP
Nolan Sheehan Patten LLP
North Shore Community Development Coalition
Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation
Pennrose
Pierce Atwood LLP
Pine Street Inn
Planning Office for Urban Affairs
Preservation of Affordable Housing, Inc.
Quincy Community Action Programs
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
RCAP Solutions Inc.
Regions / First Sterling
Related Beal
Rockland Trust
Rockport Mortgage Corporation
Rural Development, Inc.
SEB Housing
Silicon Valley Bank
Somerville Community Corporation
South Middlesex Opportunity Council Inc.
Studio G Architects
Sullivan & Worcester LLP
SV Design
TD Bank
Technical Assistance Collaborative, Inc.
Tenants' Development Corporation
The Caleb Group
The Community Builders, Inc.
The Jones Payne Group, Inc.
The Latino Support Network Inc
The Life Initiative
The Neighborhood Developers, Inc.
The Property & Casualty Initiative, LLC
Trinity Management LLC
UHM Properties
United Methodist Foundation of New England - Wesley Development
Urban Edge
Way Finders
WaypointKLA
WinnCompanies
Worcester Community Housing Resources, Inc.
Work, Inc.
