Gov. Maura Healey unveiled a $4 billion housing bond bill yesterday that's meant to help alleviate the state's housing crisis.

Why it matters: The rising cost of living and influx of migrant families has only exacerbated Massachusetts' housing problems.

Driving the news: The proposal would make historic housing investments and loosen policy restrictions to help create tens of thousands of homes across the state.

• One of the biggest changes it proposes is letting local officials charge transfer fees of 0.5% - 2% on property sales over $1 million to fund affordable housing development.
• Local leaders currently need approval from state lawmakers to levy real-estate transfer fees.

Other major provisions of the bill would:

🏘 Let single-family homeowners build accessory dwelling units of up to 900 square feet without a special permit.

🤐 Let renters get certain no-fault evictions sealed after three years and other evictions sealed after seven years.

🗳 Lower the threshold for approving local inclusionary zoning ordinances from a two-thirds majority to a simple majority of elected officials.

Yes, but: The package has to get through the House and Senate, where lawmakers have all but ignored local bills to increase real estate transfer fees for million-dollar home sales in Boston, Somerville and Concord.

• Parts of Healey's plan will likely face opposition from real estate industry groups.
• Transfer taxes are "an unstable source of revenue that would cause more harm than good at a time when people and businesses are leaving the state because it is just too expensive," Greg Vasil, CEO of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, said in a statement.

State of play: Lawmakers have until next July when the legislative session winds down to take up Healey's housing bill.

• Both House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka's offices said they're reviewing it.

By the numbers: The Healey administration estimates her proposal would help create, preserve or improve 65,000 homes statewide.

• About $1.6 billion would go toward repairing and modernizing the state's public housing stock.

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Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify that the housing bill would allow accessory dwelling units without a special permit.

A free tax program announced yesterday will pilot in Massachusetts and 12 other states for the 2024 filing season, ​​Axios' April Rubin writes.

Why it matters: The new IRS program could reshape how millions of Americans do their taxes and disrupt the multi-billion dollar tax preparation industry.

What's happening: Massachusetts will integrate state taxes into the IRS' new Direct File system, as will Arizona, California and New York.

Details: Taxpayers with relatively simple returns are eligible to participate. The IRS currently anticipates eligibility will include:

• Income: W-2 wage income, social security and railroad retirement income, unemployment compensation, interest of $1,500 or less
• Credit: Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Credit for Other Dependents
• Deductions: Standard deduction, student loan interest and educator expenses

How it works: Direct File will be mobile friendly, interview based and available in English and Spanish.

• It'll be introduced to a small group of eligible taxpayers first and then expanded.

Go deeper

🏛️ President Biden nominated Joshua Levy to become the permanent U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts. (Universal Hub)

• Levy had stepped into the top job temporarily after Rachael Rollins resigned.

House lawmakers approved its wide-ranging gun reform bill yesterday, despite pushback from firearm owners. (Globe)

💊 The FDA approved a dialysis drug developed by Waltham biotech Ardelyx, two years after initially rejecting it. (BBJ)

• The drug has been authorized as a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome, but now it's also cleared to help patients on dialysis lower dangerously high phosphate levels.

🧙 Cast members of "Hocus Pocus," including those who played the Dennison siblings and Binx the cat, are going to Salem this weekend to celebrate the film's 30th anniversary. (NBC Boston)

💼 Check out who's hiring on our Job Board.

1. Director/Senior Director, Clinical QA, GCP/GLP/GVP at VOR.
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Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

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This weekend's lineup will have you reliving the 2000s — from Switchfoot's anniversary tour to Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull and Ricky Martin at TD Garden.

Friday —

• Hardcore rockers Judge, 108, Risk and Anklebiter play at the Middle East Downstairs.
• Dutch lo-fi rock band Lewsberg plays with Providence noise rock trio Minibeast and musician Chris Brokaw at the Middle East Upstairs.
• Lady A performs at MGM Music Hall at Fenway.

Saturday —

• The holy Latino trilogy — Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull and Ricky Martin — takes the stage at TD Garden.
• Cult of Art: Hekateia brings its part-burlesque, part-comedy, part-live music show to the Sonia.
• Dance with indie-pop duo Neil Frances at the Paradise.

Sunday —

• Rapper HAARPER brings his mix of R&B, hip hop and pop to the Sonia.
• 2000s alternative rock band Switchfoot performs at the Wilbur for its 20th anniversary tour of "The Beautiful Letdown" album.
• Canadian folk singer Bahamas plays at the Paradise. (People under age 12 and over age 65 get into the early show for free.)

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