Linkage

MAHA's Homebuyers Union and its allies were able to close out 2001 with a good victory for the city of Boston.

On Friday, November 30, 2001, Acting Governor Jane Swift signed Chapter 170 of the Acts of 2001 enacting into law the home rule petition put forth by Mayor Thomas M. Menino and the City of Boston raising the linkage rate to $7.18 per square foot for housing and $1.44 per square foot for jobs. It also require developers of non-downtown projects to pay the fee over seven years instead of twelve as in past years. This is the first increase in the linkage fee since it was enacted in 1986. Linkage is the fee paid by developers of hotel and office space to the city's Neighborhood Housing Trust. The city has collected and spent approximately $50 million in linkage fees since its inception.

MAHA has called on the city to raise the linkage fee again to keep up with inflation through October, 2002. Based on the Consumer Price Index, the city’s housing linkage fee should be $8.23 – a 14.6% increase from the current fee.