Thanks Sarah. I'll be there as will John R. and a few others. The main sponsor told me that there is some concern that this will compete with the Innis bill. I disagree - both are needed. She also said that Ben F. helped write it. My hopes are someone from your office will be on hand to support.

Also note HB 177 which expands 79-E to include parcels of land in a community where there is "public benefit". This is a game changer for affordable housing for communities of the willing. In other words, if attainable/affordable housing is deemed by a community a public benefit, they could create a 79-E zone and maintain level taxes for up to 9 years (I'd have to explain but will L8R) on any one property in that zone despite new taxable growth - a huge incentive for a developer. Likewise a town, as part of the 79-E contract, could make as a condition to accepting such an incentive that the property remain affordable in perpetuity by covenant. To wit:

"II.(a) "Qualifying [structure] property" means a building or parcel of land located in a district officially designated in a municipality's master plan, or by zoning ordinance, as a downtown, town center, central business district, or village center, or, where no such designation has been made, in a geographic area which, as a result of its compact development patterns and uses, is identified by the governing body as the downtown, town center, [or] village center, or area of a municipality where revitalization and development would be a public benefit for purposes of this chapter."