In our first big community organizing event since 2020, over 850 MAHA members and friends packed the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center on Tuesday night to ask Mayor Michelle Wu and one of her challengers Josh Kraft for commitments to fund homeownership programs and build affordable homes if they are elected in the November.

MAHA volunteer leaders first asked the candidates to state whether they would ensure adequate funding for ONE+Boston, the city's deeply discounted mortgage program; and STASH First-Gen Home, MAHA's downpayment assistance program for first-generation homebuyers. They also asked the candidates to commit to new construction of affordable homeownership housing. Finally, they asked whether each candidate would support a real estate transfer fee collected when properties valued at more than $2 million are sold to be spent on affordable housing, and whether they would maintain the City's current policy on inclusive housing development.

Mayor Wu and Josh Kraft answered yes to MAHA's questions about support for the ONE+Boston mortgage program and the STASH First-Generation program. Both committed that at least 20% of affordable housing constructed in each year of their term would be affordable homeownership housing. Mayor Wu noted that this would also require participation by the state and pledged to work with MAHA on this. 

The candidates differed on how much affordable housing should be required when developers build new apartment or condo buildings. Mayor Wu raised the percentage from 13% to 20% last October and lowered the average rents for affordable units. She said she would stand by that going forward. Mr. Kraft said he would go back to 13% and gear the "affordable" housing to a broader range of households, so that families of 3 making up to $176,000 could benefit.

The candidates also disagreed on raising new revenue for affordable homeownership, with Mayor Wu supporting legislation to allow a fee on home sales above $2 million and use the proceeds for affordable homeownership. Kraft told the crowd that he did not support such legislation and would not pursue that if elected mayor. He said, "the best way to create more affordable housing... is to produce more housing."

This question drew the sharpest exchange between the candidates when Wu said to Kraft "the idea that you would wait and only put a common sense fee that delivers for affordable housing when it is good for developers, makes no sense at all."

MAHA Executive Director, Symone Crawford said, "This packed room is evidence that people all across Boston want to buy a home here and need our elected officials to support that dream."

Thank you to Mayor Wu, Mr. Josh Kraft, and all the elected officials who attended, Representative Christopher Worrell, Senator Liz Miranda, City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, Councilor Julia Mejia, Councilor Henry Santana, Councilor Brian Worrell, Councilor Enrique Pepén, and Councilor Ben Weber. Thank you to everyone who braved the heat and showed their support for affordable homeownership!

Read more about the commitments MAHA received from the candidates: MAHA July 15 Scorecard

MAHA will be hosting a homeownership forum on August 7th at 6:30pm, live on Zoom. We have invited mayoral candidates Domingos DaRosa and Robert Cappucci to participate. Register here.

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