Senate Presidency Moving from Chandler to Spilka: Review of Each On Housing

Harriette Chandler's portrait for Simmons College, where she received her Masters of Business Administration. https://www.simmons.edu/alumni-and-friends/connect/profiles/harriette-chandler

Chandler’s Work on Housing

Senator Chandler has a long history of listening to owners in the First Worcester district. It was her willingness to engage with the Worcester Property Owners Association and then-president Sandra Katz that ultimately led to MassLandlords’ appointment to the 2015 Senate Special Commission on Housing.

That Commission’s recommendation for a landlord-tenant guarantee fund was the first of several consensus recommendations between landlords and tenants.

In the current session, Chandler has sponsored a variety of housing-related bills.

S.80 seeks to increase density by establishing the smart growth housing trust fund.

S.81 seeks to increase density by providing training for local zoning boards of appeals. This bill was merged with H2420 into H4397 and reported favorably on April 11.

S.715 seeks to increase density by turning smart growth loans into permanent grants.

S.716 sought to enact just cause eviction on government-involved property, like Section 8 project-based vouchers. This bill was sent to study (deferred) on March 9.

SD.2390 sought to enact a municipal right of first refusal in exchange for lower tax rates. Unlike the right of first refusal being discussed elsewhere, this proposal would be voluntary, between cities and elderly owners.

Chandler received her Bachelors of Arts in 1959 from Wellesley, then a Ph.D. in international relations from Clark in 1973, and a Masters of Business Administration from Simmons in 1983.

Karen Spilka's state house portrait.

Spilka’s Work on Housing

Spilka has not yet connected with her local landlord group, which would be either the MetroWest Property Owners or the Charles River Rental Housing Association.

In the current session, Spilka has sponsored only one housing-related bill:

S.946 expanded the housing court to state-wide jurisdiction. Technically this bill was sent to study, but the essence of it and the geographic definitions were enacted in the FY18 budget, Chapter 47 of the Acts of 2017.

Spilka received her Bachelors of Arts from Cornell, and her J.D. from Northeastern.

Predicting the Future

It is not possible to know whether Spilka will view housing as a priority, but to the extent that she will, it seems likely that owners will need to introduce themselves to her.

For instance, landlord advocates like MassLandlords had tried to have housing court expansion tied to reform of rent escrow. Expansion happened without reform.
Spilka’s ascendency may be somewhat of a coup, as Chandler had only recently acceded to the presidency and had expressed a wish to stay on through her term, to January 2. It is unclear why Spilka and supporters were unwilling to wait another six months.