Senate Acts to Strengthen Fair Housing Protections Across Massachusetts
Today, the Massachusetts Senate took action to give everyone a fair shot at access to housing.
Illegal discrimination continues to hamper many homebuyers’ and renters’ ability to find a home. The legislation—S.2947, An Act regarding fair housing practices in the Commonwealth—takes aim at discrimination in the housing market by mandating fair housing training for all real estate agents and strengthening state enforcement of fair housing law.
“Housing is the foundation for opportunity, stability, and dignity, and discrimination has no place in determining where someone can build their future,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “While the Trump Administration has sought to roll back protections, the Senate knows that our Commonwealth’s values demand that access to housing is guided by fairness and inclusion, not prejudice. Today we are taking an important step to make that promise real. I want to thank Chairs Rodrigues and Payano for their work, and I am deeply grateful to Senator Gómez for his leadership in sponsoring this bill.”
“No prospective homeowners should encounter discrimination in realizing the American dream of owning a home. This legislation ensures a pathway for all to access housing by strengthening existing fair housing law, providing mandatory instruction to real estate agents on how to avoid discrimination, and stiffening the penalty when violations to the law occur,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “The increased enforcement measures of this bill also provide transparency to buyers and tenants by requiring the real estate registration board to publish a list of discrimination offenders and guiding buyers and tenants to make an informed choice in selecting a real estate agent.”
In a 2020 study by the Boston Foundation and Suffolk University, researchers found that 71 per cent of Black participants faced housing discrimination and were 30 per cent more likely to be “ghosted” by real estate agents. The same study found that renters of all backgrounds with housing vouchers were highly likely to be prevented from even seeing apartments.
The legislation would toughen penalties for second-offense fair housing law violations, increasing a current 90-day license suspension to 180 days. Violations include discrimination against potential renters or buyers based on characteristics such as their color, ancestry, marital status, or use of a housing voucher. In cases where violations occur, the bill bridges an existing gap in the license suspension process by allowing the Attorney General and fair housing agencies to directly refer findings of violations to the Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons.
“Access to housing determines access to opportunity, and our anti-discrimination laws around real estate must be enforced with clarity and transparency,” said Senator Pavel M. Payano (D-Lawrence), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. “This legislation strengthens accountability in the real estate profession by requiring education, public reporting, and stronger consequences for repeat violations. Buyers and renters deserve confidence that the rules apply equally to everyone, and that discrimination has real repercussions in Massachusetts.”
“Fair housing is a cornerstone of equity and opportunity in Massachusetts. This legislation strengthens accountability and ensures that every licensed real estate professional understands and upholds the principles of fair housing law,” said Senator Adam Gómez (D-Springfield), lead sponsor of the legislation. “By increasing transparency, enhancing education requirements, and enforcing stronger penalties for violations, we are taking meaningful steps to protect residents across the Commonwealth. I want to thank Senate President Spilka for her leadership and Chair Payano for his partnership in advancing this important legislation that will ensure equal access to housing and uphold the rights of all individuals in our communities.”
The legislation comes after the Trump Administration abandoned its responsibility to enforce federal fair housing law, and instead vilified equity measures and the City of Boston for “discriminating against white people”.
Under the bill, applicants for a real estate license would, as part of their broader educational requirements, receive four hours of classroom instruction on fair housing law and current real estate agents would receive two hours of instruction as part of their license renewal process. The training would help agents avoid discrimination against potential buyers or renters based on demographics like race, national origin, religion, disability, or age, all of which is illegal under state and federal law.
Full details of the legislation are available in a fact sheet in the Senate’s press room.
The Senate Committee on Ways and Means advanced the bill to the full Senate with a 15-0 vote on February 5, 2026, following approval of a previous version by the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure on October 28, 2025. All committee votes are posted on the Legislature’s website.
The Senate passed the bill 38-0 and sent it to the House of Representatives for further review.
Statement of Support
Keith A. Mahoney, Vice President for Public Affairs, The Boston Foundation
“The action taken by the Senate today has real-world benefits for renters across the Commonwealth. We partnered with Suffolk University Law School for a testing study that showed startlingly high levels of discrimination against individuals using housing vouchers and against Black people using vouchers. The study also showed that in the vast majority of cases, real estate professionals perpetuated the discrimination. I want to thank Senate President Spilka and Senator Gómez for advancing legislation that seeks to end rental housing discrimination through training and enforcement.”
Valerie Paric, Executive Director, One Family, Inc.
“We hear this all too often from the families we serve: parents doing everything right, searching desperately for an apartment, only to be turned away because they are People of Color or because they have a housing voucher. That kind of discrimination is illegal, yet it remains widespread across Massachusetts. The Senate’s action today is a critical step toward ending these practices. We are deeply grateful to Senate President Spilka, Chairman Rodrigues, Chairman Payano, and Senator Gómez for their leadership, and we urge the House to act swiftly so that families face one less barrier to finding a safe, stable home where they can truly thrive.”