Reports

To help make homeownership attainable for families who might otherwise be priced out of the market, state and local governments in Massachusetts have developed a range of subsidized homeownership programs, many of which have become national models. These include down payment assistance and affordable loan programs, subsidies for affordable housing development, inclusionary zoning policies that require private developers to include income-restricted units, municipal homeownership acquisition programs, and Community Land Trusts.

This short report, Deed-Restricted Homeownership 101, was developed by Boston Indicators in partnership with the Community Wealth pathway team at the Boston Foundation, and aims to clarify the purpose, goals, and policy trade-offs of one tool used across many of these homeownership programs: affordability deed restrictions. These are legal stipulations placed on below-market-rate, owner-occupied homes that limit the future resale price and cap how much equity a homeowner can accumulate over time.