Healey-Driscoll
Administration Files $987 Million Immediate Needs Bond Bill
and $400 Million Chapter 90 Bill
Proposal
seeks critical authorization for key housing &
economic development programs
NORTH ADAMS - Today
the Healey-Driscoll Administration filed legislation that seeks $987 million in
bond authorization to preempt interruptions to core state capital programs
supporting housing and economic development across the Commonwealth, and to
remain competitive in the pursuit of federal grants. The administration
also filed An Act Financing Improvements to Municipal Roads and
Bridges, which authorizes the Commonwealth to borrow $400 million to
fund improvements to municipally owned roads and bridges through Chapter 90
grants over the next two fiscal years.
The Immediate Needs Bond
Bill is aimed at providing funds for
critical infrastructure programs that have exhausted existing
resources, such as MassWorks and the Middle Mile
Broadband program. Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll
announced the filing on Thursday at Greylock Works in North Adams and Ludlow
Mills, two projects that previously received MassWorks funding and
represent the impact this program has on local communities.
The bill also proposes
authorization to ensure the
continuity of several other ongoing housing production
and preservation programs in the near-term. It
includes key grant programs that support cities and
towns for libraries, seaport development, housing,
tourism, planning, and targeted funds for rural and small
towns. Finally, the bill includes state matching funds to position
the Commonwealth to take advantage of opportunities to compete
for once-in-a-generation federal grant dollars in areas
including climate change, advanced manufacturing, broadband access, water
and sewer infrastructure, and technology.
“This bill ensures that critical
housing, infrastructure and community development programs have the funding
needed to continue serving the people of Massachusetts. And it’s only
the start of our administration’s proposed capital investments,”
said Governor Maura T. Healey. “We look forward to working
with our colleagues in the Legislature and other stakeholders as
we develop our broader long-term strategy to increase
housing production and
preservation, and expand economic opportunity for all
residents, which will culminate in a more comprehensive bond
bill later this session.”
“At a time when increasing
the housing supply in the Commonwealth is a top priority, it is
imperative that core capital programs that support these
objectives are sufficiently funded and continue to operate,” said
Lieutenant Governor Kimberley Driscoll. “This legislation will prevent
disruption to grant programs
that directly benefit hundreds of local communities
across the state while also positioning Massachusetts to
take advantage of federal grant opportunities that will multiply
the impact of our resources.”
The bill proposes a
total of $110 million in authorization to continue
to support housing creation and preservation, including
affordable rental housing production and rehabilitation, public housing,
climate resilient housing, and transit-oriented development. This includes
additional authorization for programs that are or are nearly out
of authorization but remain in high demand and are core to
efforts to expand and preserve Massachusetts’ housing
supply. These programs include the Housing Stabilization Fund,
Housing Innovations Fund, Smart Growth Housing
Trust, and Facilities Consolidation Fund. The
bill also includes $48 million for the repair and
modernization of public housing units that support approximately
80,000 residents across more than
230 municipalities.
“This bond bill takes
a purposeful and targeted approach to ensure
that key capital programs that drive economic growth in Massachusetts
communities and support the state’s housing stock are able to
continue operating without interruption,” said Administration and
Finance Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz. “We look forward to working
with the Legislature to promptly pass this legislation and
to collaborating further in the coming
months to develop a comprehensive plan for investing in the
Commonwealth’s long-term growth and success.”
The proposed authorization
would also provide a total of $482 million to
finance economic development programs that directly
benefit Massachusetts communities, with $400 million proposed for
the MassWorks program. MassWorks is the largest and
most flexible source of capital funds to municipalities for public
infrastructure projects that support and accelerate housing production,
spur community development, and create jobs throughout the
Commonwealth. As one of 12 programs administered through the
Community One Stop for Growth, MassWorks has funded more than
500 projects since its creation in 2011, and the authorization
proposed in this legislation would enable hundreds
of additional local projects to move forward. This
legislation proposes additional authorization for other Community One Stop
for Growth programs as well, including $34 million for the
Underutilized Properties program, which improves, rehabilitates and redevelops
blighted, abandoned, vacant or underutilized properties, $5 million for
the Rural and Small Town Development Fund, which supports
capital and community planning in low-population areas,
and $1 million for Community Planning Grants.
“This bill will enable us to
continue critical infrastructure work necessary to facilitate economic
development in all 351 cities and towns across the Commonwealth,” said
Housing and Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao. “With renewed
authorization for our key programs, the Healey-Driscoll Administration can
continue to build housing, create jobs, and help communities thrive.”
The legislation
also proposes additional resources
for a number of other high demand
community economic development programs that will need
additional authorization over the next two years. These
programs spur community development, promote economic
growth, and keep Massachusetts on the leading edge of
innovation, and include:
· $104
million for the Clean Water Trust to finance
communities’ efforts to improve water infrastructure and improve
local water quality;
· $52 million
for programs supporting the Commonwealth’s innovation
economy, including the advanced manufacturing
sector, purpose-driven research, technology development, and in emerging
technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML),
robotics, quantum information science, cybersecurity, communications, and
digital health;
· $9.3
million for broadband infrastructure, particularly in central and western
Massachusetts communities.
Lastly, the bill proposes funding that
would put Massachusetts in a position to compete for new,
historic levels of federal grant opportunities. Proof
of available matching funds are generally required as a
condition of applying for a federal award, and showing
the availability of dedicated funds for this purpose dramatically
strengthens the state’s application to any such federal program. The
bill proposes $200 million as a state match for competitive
federal grant programs, such as the CHIPS and Science Act. Similarly, the bill
includes $40 million to enable the state to apply for federal broadband and
digital equity initiatives. It also includes $30 million
to allow the Commonwealth to compete for community broadband dollars
funded at the federal level through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs
Act (also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law).
The grants provided by An
Act Financing Improvements to Municipal Roads and Bridges will reach
each of Massachusetts’ 351 cities and towns directly. The administration is
seeking a two-year authorization to enable cities and towns sufficient time to
put the funds to work given the planning and coordination required to get these
critical projects completed.
See the Governor’s filing
letter for the bond bill
here and Chapter 90 bill here.
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