BOSTON – Homeowners across the state who rallied on Beacon Hill asking for help to pay for their crumbling foundations may soon see some relief.
Why are foundations crumbling?
Thursday night, state senators approved an amendment to the Affordable Housing Act that will create a fund for Massachusetts residents whose foundations are failing. The problem is a natural mineral called pyrrhotite, which eventually causes concrete foundations to crumble – and insurance doesn’t cover the costs. The state now mandates quarries to test their product for pyrrhotite.
“The next step is finding the best methods for funding this effort,” State Sen. Peter Durant, R-Spencer, said. “This is a long-term problem that will require us to be creative so as not to place a large burden on taxpayers while also helping residents to repair their homes which, in turn, helps their local economy.”
Members of Massachusetts Residents Against Crumbling Concrete gathered outside the Statehouse again on Thursday to call for help fixing their foundations.