What’s New

On August 6, 2024, Governor Maura Healy signed H. 4977, entitled the Affordable Homes Act, which builds on recent legislation intended to address the state’s housing crisis. In addition to funding affordable housing developments throughout the state and paving the way for the creation of accessory dwelling units, this most recent legislation makes critical amendments…

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The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) has been a hot topic since its introduction, requiring businesses to adapt to new reporting obligations. We explored the Corporate Transparency Act in depth in an alert last week. Now that the CTA is effective and companies begin to report to FinCEN here are some answers to commonly asked questions…

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The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) generated substantial commentary throughout 2023 as businesses and advisors worked to determine compliance and reporting burdens imposed by the Act in advance of its January 1, 2024 effective date. Originally passed in 2021, the CTA is the first federal law that requires non-exempt business entities to disclose the identity of…

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Proponents of the so-called “Millionaires Tax” won a hard-fought victory in their effort to enact a progressive state income tax for high earners.  With this new tax slated to become law, taxpayers and their advisors are likely to take a fresh look at what income is subject to Massachusetts state income tax for both residents…

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On January 14, 2021, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed into law amendments to Chapter 40A intended to facilitate the permitting and development of housing in the Commonwealth.  Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40A, entitled “The Zoning Act”, is the statutory framework that underlies all local zoning controls adopted across Massachusetts’ 350 cities and towns outside of…

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Earlier this year, we reported that House Bill 4617 effectively stayed the expiration of local approvals and permitting deadlines as of March 10, 2020 in response to COVID-19. Governor Baker also issued COVID-19 Executive Order No. 17, which stayed permitting activity before state agencies. Both the state and local orders were originally set to expire,…

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As the initial shock of COVID-19 has just begun to fade, many in the business world are contemplating the post-coronavirus workplace. What will “business as usual” look like after federal, state, and local agencies lift stay-at-home orders and other social distance mandates? That question has been answered, at least with respect to construction projects in…

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The spread of COVID-19 has triggered economic turmoil and unprecedented government intervention into private industry. Business owners, lenders, landlords, employers and their respective counter-parties are reviewing the key terms of innumerable business arrangements and relationships impacted by current events. One common contract term that ordinarily draws little attention and is often relegated to the miscellaneous…

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The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has recently seen a surge in the number of communities that seek to certify compliance with their Housing Production Plans.  A Housing Production Plan describes a town’s strategy to develop affordable housing at a measured pace in order to make progress towards their affordable housing goals under…

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RIW Attorney Chris Agostino was quoted in MA Lawyers Weekly article “Developer bound by predecessor’s promise in permitting process.” Check out the full article.

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