Federal funds intended for safe, affordable housing in Boston are leading to unsafe living conditions due to mismanagement.
At a Glance
- The City of Boston is projected to spend $34 million on low-income housing next year.
- Over half of the inspected homes had severe deficiencies such as electrical hazards and unsafe staircases.
- Boston officials did not comply with federal lead-based paint testing requirements for children.
- Massachusetts fined housing authorities for keeping subsidized apartments empty and mostly forgave the fines.
- There are nearly 2,300 vacant state-subsidized units while over 184,000 people wait for public housing.
Critical Failures in Housing Fund Management
Boston’s use of federal housing funds is leading to dangerous living conditions instead of safe, affordable homes. Federal auditors found that over half of the homes inspected had severe deficiencies, such as electrical hazards, broken carbon monoxide detectors, and unsafe staircases. These conditions not only fail to provide a semblance of safety and security, but they also threaten the lives of residents.
Boston officials failed to comply with federal laws requiring lead-based paint testing for children, claiming they did not have a firm understanding of the requirements. This oversight further endangers the health and safety of Boston’s most vulnerable populations. To address these issues, effective oversight and accountability mechanisms must be established and enforced rigorously.
State Assessments and Penalties
Massachusetts fined nearly every local housing authority between 2019 and 2022 for retaining vacant subsidized apartments without valid reasons. The state imposed $4.1 million in fines on 212 agencies, with over three-quarters of these fines either forgiven or never collected. Massachusetts’ severe lack of compliance has only worsened the situation, as nearly 2,300 out of 41,500 state-subsidized units remain vacant despite over 184,000 people being on the public housing waitlist.
Governor Maura Healey’s administration has taken actions to address these issues by hiring a vendor to screen tenants and launching a 90-day initiative to fill vacant units. Additionally, plans have been proposed for a $1.6 billion bond to cover extensive repairs necessary to restore these units to habitable conditions.
The Chronic State of Housing Disrepair
State-funded public housing in Massachusetts has been neglected for so long that major repairs now require an estimated $3.7 billion, according to the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development. However, local officials posit the actual cost of repairs could be more than double that figure. The state Senate proposed $107 million for annual operating costs, falling $70 million short of the requirement for even basic upkeep.
“When you walk through the units and talk to the residents who live here, the conditions are shocking,” Alaa Eldamaty, an advocate, commented. “The fact that it’s been allowed to deteriorate to this point… is a massive failure of political will.”
The crisis is exacerbated by not building enough homes to meet the increasing demand over the past decade, leading to a 53% increase in housing prices from 2009 to early 2020. This imbalance primarily stems from restrictive zoning regulations and planning inadequacies.
Potential Solutions and the Need for Urgent Action
To address Boston’s housing shortage and affordability crisis, a proposed solution includes the legalization of moderate-density housing near transit stations. This measure could potentially create more affordable housing opportunities and promote economic and social diversity in high-cost suburban areas. Such zoning changes could alleviate existing barriers and permit the creation of duplexes, townhouses, and other mid-rise multifamily buildings, thus reducing cost per unit through efficient land use.
“This isn’t a market outcome—it’s a sign that zoning is preventing housing markets from working,” according to experts. Without swift and comprehensive action, the current mismanagement of federal housing funds will continue to jeopardize the well-being of countless families in Boston.
