波士頓市今年起永久性開放戶外供餐 23日起餐館可申請年度牌照

               (Boston Orange 綜合報導) 容許餐館在戶外供餐原本只是因應疫情的臨時措施，波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 和經濟機會及包容長Segun Idowu 等2月16日宣佈，這做法今後常規化，2月23日起開放網上申請，牌照可每年更新。北端今年不開放申請戶外用餐許可。

              波士頓市府認為，新辦法容許業者在網上提交申請，追蹤市府審核流程，還能方便的每年辦理續約，不但利用了公共空間，也照顧到公共安全顧慮。市政府希望今年5月1日起，餐廳就可以開始在戶外供餐，並繳付月費，資助市府更公平的在全市各地擴辦這計畫。 

             不願具名的波士頓市華商會成員表示，餐廳戶外營業許可對街道狹窄的波士頓華埠來說，作用不大。在新冠病毒疫情期間，波士頓市政府試行的這一做法，在華埠幾乎沒有一家餐廳用得上。去年「友情客串」餐廳曾經在戶外圍出一塊地，擺放了桌椅，但光顧的用餐者十分有限。

            永久性戶外供餐計畫要求企業遞交在街道及人行道上設立戶外用餐場地的專業場地規劃計畫，以確保所有的場地符合麻州樓宇規定。市府已根據殘障局及麻州建築性使用委員會通過的標準，為業者準備了許多樣本，市政府也只派了一名員工在技術援助及場地工程計畫上協助餐館業者。 

            波士頓市政府在2020年時，根據麻州政府因應新冠病毒疫情制定的臨時立法，推出戶外用餐試驗計畫，並為這「人行道餐廳計畫 (Sidewalk Café)」收取費用。將來申請戶外用餐許可的餐廳，有酒牌的每月需繳交399元，沒有酒牌的交199元。 

                           由於北端區(North End)街道狹窄，在僅約三分之一平方英里的地方內，就有95家餐廳，在麻州中人均密度最高，居民們對戶外供餐計畫之前在當地試運行階段所造成的生活品質大受影響，交通更為阻塞，衛生問題，耆英出門面對更多問題等情況，促使波士頓市府決定今年不開放北端區餐廳申請在街道上戶外供餐的許可，但店旁人行道夠寬的，擁有私人空間的餐廳，只要符合規定，仍可按照規定經由稽核部 (ISD) 申請。 

                          去年，波士頓市府規定北端餐廳業主如果要在戶外擺桌椅供餐的話，得一季繳7500元，但波士頓市其他地區的餐廳就不需要繳這筆費用。後來，波士頓市政府同意這筆款項可在5個月內分期繳交，也根據地點，店面大小，戶外供餐的面積，是否有酒牌等因素，減免了某些餐廳的需繳交額度。 

            截至去年8月，波士頓市政府共收到79萬4000元。

                           4名餐廳業主為此把波士頓市長吳弭告進法庭，聲稱收取戶外供餐費用違憲，還憤怒的召開了記者會。

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES CITYWIDE PERMANENT OUTDOOR DINING PROGRAM Post-pandemic program will improve accessibility and public safety, while streamlining process for local businesses

 

BOSTON - Thursday, February 16, 2023 - Today, Mayor Michelle Wu announced the City of Boston’s Permanent Outdoor Dining Program, in coordination with the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion (OEOI), the Streets Cabinet, and the Disabilities Commission. The permanent program creates a predictable, streamlined process for business owners that will expedite application review and allow for annual renewals. It incorporates the activation of public space enjoyed during the temporary program, but addresses issues such as barriers to accessibility and concerns from public safety officials. The application to participate in the permanent program will be made available later this month with the goal of restaurant patios opening as early as May 1. The new program will include a monthly fee for all participants to help fund efforts to further expand outdoor dining more equitably across the City.  “Outdoor dining expanded as a way to keep our businesses open during the pandemic, and has turned into a popular opportunity to enjoy our streets and each other’s company,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “The Permanent Outdoor Dining Program is a multi-departmental collaboration to reimagine our public space for the benefit of residents, business owners, and visitors. We’ve taken what we learned over the last couple years to inform the permanent program, and we’re committed to working with our neighborhoods to make this program a success.”  “The outdoor dining program served as a lifeline to many small businesses in the City to ensure that they could keep their doors open throughout the pandemic,” said Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. “With the success of the program, I am excited for the program to continue to operate and to keep our neighborhoods vibrant moving forward.”   Business owners will be able to apply via an online portal which will be open starting on February 23, 2023. Through this portal, businesses will be able to submit their applications, track application progress, and renew the Outdoor Dining Permit annually. The application to apply will be available here.  “We were so excited to hear about the return of outdoor dining. For us, as a small restaurant the pandemic forced us to get creative, and the outdoor dining program has been a critical component to our sustainability and recovery. We saw changes in consumer behavior when we were forced to rethink the way we use public spaces,” said Andy Fadous, co-owner of American Provisions & Gray’s Hall. “With our two businesses on East Broadway & I Street in South Boston, we were able to provide an outdoor space for the community in both the morning and evenings, open longer hours and employ more staff.”   The permanent program requires businesses to submit professionally engineered site plans for outdoor dining setups on the street and sidewalk to ensure all patios meet the requirements of the state building code. The COVID-19 temporary program allowed for hand-drawn site plans and portable ramps under a temporary variance from the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board (MAAB). The City has prepared multiple sample templates, which have been informed by the Disabilities Commission and approved by the MAAB for permanent use. The City has designated a staff member to help restaurant owners with technical assistance on engineering plans.  "With spring around the corner, we're very excited for the return of the city's outdoor dining program here in Allston,” said Alex Cornacchini, the Executive Director of Allston Village Main Streets. “The last few years have shown that our restaurants have benefited from the added seating capacity, residents have benefited from the safer seating options during COVID, and the whole neighborhood has benefited from the added vibrancy these pop up patios produce."   In 2020, the Outdoor Dining Pilot Program was created under temporary state legislation as a business relief response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to any of the temporary outdoor dining programs, fees were collected for the City’s Sidewalk Cafe Program, which predated the pandemic.   Going forward, all approved businesses participating in outdoor dining will be required to pay $399 per month if they have a liquor license and $199 per month if they do not. Fees will go toward technical assistance for hiring architects to draft site plans, with the goal of expanding the program to businesses that would not otherwise be able to participate.   The City will not be permitting on-street outdoor dining in the North End this year. Restaurants in the neighborhood with adequate sidewalk width will be eligible to apply for outdoor dining if their proposal complies with accessibility and licensing requirements. Restaurants with privately owned spaces seeking to have outdoor dining patios are encouraged to apply through the Inspectional Services Department.   The scheduled closures of the Sumner Tunnel and continued congestion around the North Washington Street Bridge construction project are expected to put a greater strain on North End traffic this summer and make it harder for residents and first responders to navigate the area. With about 95 restaurants in just over a third of a square mile, the North End has the densest per capita number of restaurants in the state. This has brought unique challenges and quality of life issues expressed by residents over the course of the temporary programs, including increased traffic, sanitation issues, and accessibility problems for older residents and those with limited mobility. The City will be creating a task force to determine how these issues could be remedied in future iterations of the permanent program. This year, the City will buy back jersey barriers from North End restaurant owners and provide relief for costs related to storing these items.   The City previously held two Citywide meetings to brief business owners and residents on the permanent program and collect feedback. City officials have heard from residents throughout the temporary program and used neighborhood concerns to inform the permanent program. Restaurants applying for the program are encouraged to actively involve residents, community members, and civic groups to discuss future plans for outdoor dining patios on any public space. Residents and community members can share their comments regarding restaurants applying to the program to the dedicated outdoor dining email address (outdoordining@boston.gov) before the business’s Boston Licensing Board hearing date. Residents and community members with feedback are also encouraged to attend the scheduled Boston Licensing Board hearing.   The Permanent Outdoor Dining Program builds off of Mayor Wu’s commitment to reimagine how Boston streets work for residents and visitors and how reconfiguring public spaces can foster community. In January, the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) announced findings from the Copley Connect pilot in summer of 2022. Following the success of the pilot, transportation planners with the BPDA and BTD intend to study permanent improvements to Dartmouth Street between the Boston Public Library and Copley Square Park that would improve the public realm between three of Boston's most iconic civic spaces and formally unify Copley Square. Additionally, the Boston Transportation Department will be announcing more Open Streets events in the coming months following the success of last year’s events creating more than a mile of car-free space in Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, and Dorchester.

波士頓市撥款6700萬元支持8社區建造802個可負擔住宅

波士頓市長吳弭 (前右二)，房屋長Sheila Dillon (前右六)，以及亞美社區發展協會執行主任劉安琪 (前左六)等波士頓市政府人員及獲得經費的項目代表們留影。 (周菊子攝) 波士頓市房屋長 Sheila Dillon (左起) 指出，這是波士頓市歷來撥發最大的一筆支持 可負擔住宅經費。旁微波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu)，波士頓市議員Kenzie Bok。 (周菊子攝)               (Boston Orange 周菊子綜合報導) 波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 率同市府相關機構首長、多名市議員，2月16日在廢置的” 有福聖餐 (Blessed Sacrament) 教堂” 前宣佈，市府從3個不同途徑湊出6700萬元，藉由17項土地發展計畫，為8個社區保存802個有不同收入限制的住宅單位。               這8個社區包括奧斯頓 (Allston)、華埠、多徹斯特、牙買加平原、麥特潘、任務丘 (Mission Hill) 、洛士百利、南波士頓。其中華埠地區有亞美社區發展協會 (ACDC) 的RI地段發展計畫，獲得1180萬元。 亞美社區發展協會行政主任劉安琪(左)和房地產經理Billy Kan，Kyle Sullivan查看得到 的撥款書內容。(周菊子攝)               這6700萬元來自波士頓市長的住宅辦公室，社區保存基金 (Community Preservation Fund) ，以及”鄰里住宅信託 (NHT)” 。               在這802個住宅單位中，有160個是收入有限制的耆英住宅。這些土地發展計劃也都符合市長住宅辦公室的建築物零排標準，代表了以大眾交通便利性為考量的綠化發展。               2022年時，波士頓市發出2份可負擔住宅招標書 (RFP)。前述3個機構以確實深化公平住宅，有效利用市府資源及土地，增加低及中等收入住宅共應量為目標的優先準則，挑選了17個土地發展項目。               招標書要求這些土地發展計畫支持並實踐波士頓市的公平及包容目標，包括優先考慮團隊成員有至少25%為黑人，土著及有色人種 (BIPOC)，25%的軟性開銷是發包給少數族裔企業的土地發展項目。申請經費項目還須提供在多家庭樓宇中，他們所提供的服務可以如何支持住在那些收入有限制住宅單位中的居民的經濟流動性。               獲得經費的這些新土地發展項目，還都必須遵循零排放建築(ZEB)規定。發展商得繳交符合淨零策略 (Net Zero Stratege) 設計圖，使用電力及在地太陽能板作為唯一(或主要的)燃料來源。               波士頓市房屋長Sheila Dillon和波士頓市計畫長Arthur Jemison，當天都在現場。               Sheila Dillon表示，這是波士頓市歷來規模最大的一次經費發放，全靠波士頓市長吳弭的推動，波士頓市得以撥發這麼多經費來支持建造供民眾承租及購買的可負擔、綠化住宅。 波士頓市計畫長Arthur Jemison說明，該機構在2022年內，批准的新發展項目，估計為波士頓市府收來4070萬元連鎖金。他相信未來這一年，該機構可為波士頓市收到更多經費用於建造新的可負擔住宅。               波士頓市府得以拿出這麼大一筆錢，部分原因是波士頓市長的住宅辦公室動用了3250萬元的市府及聯邦經費，以及”鄰里住宅信託”經由市府連鎖金政策，向大型商業發展項目發展商徵收可負擔住宅經費存下來的1390多萬元。               2022年7月時，波士頓市議會通過了波士頓市長吳弭的動用2億零500萬元美國援救計劃法 (ARPA) 經費，解決特地住宅問題的提案。               預定的經費投資計畫為5800萬元用於建造收入有限制的住宅，以及為購屋者提供財務支援；3000萬元用於把市有土地轉型為綠化，綜合收入社區；2600萬元用於收購，以防止民眾流離失所；2000萬元用於經由改造並深度綠化現有樓宇的能源，來綠化收入有限制住宅；1900萬元用於為使用毒品，行為健康失調流浪漢，建造新的永久性支援型住宅。               亞美社區發展協會的執行主任劉安琪和房地產主任Kyle Sullivan，房地產經理Billy Kan這天都出席了經費宣佈活動。他們很高興R1地段的發展計畫，獲得市政府支持。這佔地17700平方呎的R1地段，將建成有收入限制的66個出租單位，以及44個供購置單位，總造價約需8000萬元，估計2025年以後才能竣工。(更新版) MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES INVESTMENT OF $67 MILLION TO CREATE AND PRESERVE 802 INCOME-RESTRICTED HOMES IN BOSTON New units in eight different neighborhoods across the City will create rental and homeownership opportunities for Bostonians

BOSTON - Thursday, February 16, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu today joined the Hyde Square Task Force, affordable housing developers, and community organizations at the site of the former Blessed Sacrament church to announce $67 million in new recommended funding from the Mayor’s Office of Housing, the Community Preservation Fund, and the Neighborhood Housing Trust (NHT) to create and preserve more than 800 income-restricted units of housing in eight Boston neighborhoods. The Blessed Sacrament site is one of the projects that will be funded. The ambitious portfolio consists of 17 projects with a total of 802 units of mixed-income housing that includes rental housing for families, while also creating new homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income Bostonians. Of the 802 units, 160 will be income restricted housing for seniors. These proposed projects meet the Mayor’s Office of Housing standards for zero-emissions buildings and represent transit-oriented, green development. “We are partnering with community and using every tool that the City has to urgently address Boston’s housing crisis,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “These housing awards represent significant investments in making our communities stronger and more affordable, ensuring that Boston remains a place that current residents, families and future generations can call home. I’m grateful to the Neighborhood Housing Trust and the Community Preservation Committee for their leadership and as we continue our work to build a Boston for everyone.”  In 2022, the City of Boston released two Requests for Proposals (RFP) offering funds for affordable housing developments. The Mayor’s Office of Housing, the Community Preservation Committee, and the Neighborhood Housing Trust evaluated the proposals and prioritized 17 projects. These projects will promote City goals to affirmatively further fair housing, and will efficiently utilize City resources and land to increase the supply of housing available to low- and moderate-income households.  The RFPs required developers to support and implement the City of Boston’s equity & inclusion goals. Projects where BIPOC individuals and entities represented 25% or more of the development team leadership received a high preference for the funding awards. Development teams where 25% or more of soft costs go to MBE subcontractors also received this advantage. Applicants were also required to provide information on how services offered in multifamily buildings will help support the economic mobility of residents who will live in income-restricted housing units. “The funding being made available today will assist with the creation and preservation of 800 affordable homes.  These high quality, green developments are located in neighborhoods throughout the City and will provide our residents stable housing options that they can afford,” said Sheila Dillon, Chief of Housing. "This portfolio of projects includes both rental and homeownership opportunities, family, senior housing and supportive housing. All of these developments will benefit and strengthen our residents, our communities and our City.”    "The development of housing that is accessible to residents at a variety of income levels is critically important to the future of Boston," said Kenan Bigby, Managing Director of Trinity Financial, Inc. "We are thankful for the City of Boston's support of the project at 2085 Washington. These funds will allow us to develop needed affordable homeownership opportunities in Roxbury." All the new construction projects funded in this round will be required to follow the Zero Emissions Building (ZEB) requirements outlined in the MOH Design Standards. Developers were required to submit and adhere to a Net Zero Strategy as part of the design submission. New developments will use electricity and on-site solar panels as the sole (or primary) fuel source.   “South Boston NDC is grateful for funding support from the City of Boston, which will allow us to create affordable senior housing for our most vulnerable residents,” said Donna Brown, Executive Director of the South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation. “Funding for McDevitt Senior Homes will enable elderly residents to age in community, with the supportive services they need. We applaud the City’s commitment to providing critical resources to address our housing needs.” The new funding for income-restricted housing was made possible in part by more than $32.5 million in municipal and federal funds administered by the Mayor’s Office of Housing. More than $13.9 million in funds come from the NHT through the City's Linkage policy, which extracts affordable housing funds from developers of large commercial projects.  "We're proud to continue to support the Neighborhood Housing Trust through the work we do at the Boston Planning & Development Agency,” said Chief of Planning Arthur Jemison. “In 2022, the BPDA Board approved new development projected to generate approximately $40.7 million in linkage fees to support affordable housing in Boston. I am hopeful that there will be even more funding to go towards new, affordable homes for Bostonians, in the years to come.” The Community Preservation Committee is recommending more than $20.4 million for the proposed projects. These projects are part of a larger award that includes income-restricted housing, historic preservation, and open space projects. The final slate of CPA-recommended projects will go to the City Council for review and approval in February.   "Building and preserving affordable housing is critical for the health and vibrancy of our communities in Boston," said Felicia Jacques, Chair of the Community Preservation Committee. "As housing costs continue to rise, many families and individuals are being priced out of the city, exacerbating displacement and a loss of diversity. The Community Preservation Committee is committed to investing in well-designed, climate-ready affordable housing initiatives that provide safe and stable homes for our residents.  By doing so, we ensure that our communities remain inclusive while supporting economic growth and sustainability. Investing in affordable housing is an investment in the future of our city and the well-being of our residents." "As Boston continues to grow and thrive, it's critical that we prioritize affordable housing to ensure that our communities remain diverse and inclusive," said Catherine Hardaway, chair of the Neighborhood Housing Trust. "Affordable housing not only provides stable, quality homes for families and individuals, but also supports economic development and social equity. The Neighborhood Housing Trust is dedicated to advancing affordable housing solutions in Boston, working in partnership with developers, community groups, and residents. By investing in affordable housing, we can build stronger, more resilient neighborhoods that provide opportunities for all residents to thrive." In addition to these City sources, the Mayor’s Office of Housing has at its disposal significant federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that can be used for income-restricted housing development. In July, the Boston City Council approved Mayor Wu’s precedent-setting investment in income-restricted housing from ARPA funds, committing more than $205 million to address specific housing issues. These investments include: $58 million for income-restricted housing production and financial support to homebuyers $30 million to transform publicly-owned land into green, mixed-income communities  $26 million for property acquisitions to prevent displacement $20 million for greening income-restricted housing through deep green energy retrofits of existing buildings $19 million to create new permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals with substance use and behavioral health disorders The following is a complete list of the proposals that are receiving funding from the Mayor’s Office of Housing and NHT, as well as recommended projects for inclusion in the current round of the CPA funding:  ALLSTON The Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation’s renovation of the Brian Honan Apartments will be made possible with $1,500,000 in funding. This preservation project will implement a green-energy retrofit to renovate 50 income-restricted units in several townhouse-style buildings, which will extend their existing 30 year housing restriction to be in perpetuity.     CHINATOWN The Asian Community Development Corporation’s using $11,803,510 in funding will redevelop Parcel R-1 to create 66 units of income-restricted rental housing and 44 units of income-restricted homeownership on the parcel with 17,700 square feet for a new Chinatown branch of the Boston Public Library. DORCHESTER Dorchester Bay EDC and the Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) will renovate the historic Dorchester Saving Bank in Uphams Corner and create Columbia Crossing, a mixed-use, mixed-income development, which will create 48 income-restricted rental apartments and approximately 3,500 square feet of community space and below-market commercial space. Columbia Crossing will also designate twenty percent of the units to be set aside for artists' work-live spaces. The project will be made possible with $3,900,000 in funding.   DVM Consulting will transform five vacant City-owned parcels located along a stretch of Blue Hill Avenue in Dorchester and Mattapan into twelve units of income-restricted rental housing, eighteen income-restricted homeownership opportunities, and 3,300 sq ft first-floor commercial space made possible with $5,056,138 in funding. Two of the new first-floor income-restricted rental units will be set aside as artists' live/work spaces. JAMAICA PLAIN Pennrose Development and the Hyde Square Task Force will redevelop the former Blessed Sacrament Church with $6,250,000 in funding. The development team will create 55 mixed-income units of rental housing and a new performance space for the Hyde Square Task Force Creative Arts Program.  The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation will redevelop the Boston Housing Authority's Mildred Hailey Housing’s Phase 2 with $5,200,000 in funding. This phase includes demolition and abatement of two existing buildings to create a new 6-story, 100% income-restricted, 65-unit building, consisting of 23 public housing replacement units and 42 new units of income-restricted housing restricted at 60% of AMI or below. Urban Edge Community Development Corporation will redevelop the Boston Housing Authority's (BHA) Mildred Hailey Housing Phase 3 with $4,000,000 in funding. The development project includes demolition and abatement of the existing building to create a new six-story building with 60 units of income-restricted rental housing with 22 of the units being BHA housing replacement units, in addition, 38 of the new income-restricted housing units are restricted at 60% of AMI or below. MATTAPAN 2Life Development, Inc. will construct Brooke House at Olmsted Village, a 125-unit mixed-use building with senior supportive housing, live-in property management, staff, a child care center, a health care center, a community space, and a small convenience store utilizing $6,000,000 in funding. This will be the first building in the final phase of the redevelopment of the Mattapan State Hospital campus.  MISSION HILL The Roxbury Tenants of Harvard will develop 775 Huntington, a new 12-story, mixed-use, mixed-income, transit-oriented development with 81 income-restricted units of housing, including 57 rental units, 24 homeownership units, and first-floor commercial spaces and utilizing $6,000,000 in funding.  ROXBURY  The Madison Park Community Development Corporation and the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts (ULEM) will demolish the existing vacant building and create 84-88 Warren Street, a 43-unit mixed-income rental housing and a 22-unit income-restricted homeownership development, as well as a modernized office and meeting space for ULEM. This funding for 84 to 88 Warren Street is for 58 new income-restricted units made possible with $6,143,229 in funding.  Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation will create Copeland Corner, a 12-unit mixed-income ownership development with 6 income-restricted units of homeownership in Roxbury with $1,918,730 in funding.  Trinity Financial and Madison Park Community Development Corporation will develop 2085 Washington Street, the third phase of the Parcel 10 redevelopment in Nubian Square, which will create a total of 96 units of income-restricted housing utilizing $4,500,000 in funding. The project will create a 7,000 SF mixed-use development with 64 units of income-restricted rental housing, 32 mixed-income homeownership opportunities, and first-floor commercial space, along with approximately 25 parking spaces. This third phase of funding will be used to create the 32 units of income-restricted homeownership. SOUTH BOSTON The South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation will redevelop the existing McDevitt Hall, a former convent, into the McDevitt Senior Homes, creating 36 units of income-restricted senior rental housing for people aged 62 and over, and one resident manager unit. This project will be made possible with $5,145,000 in funding. This project will also create new program spaces for the Paraclete Center, allowing the Paraclete Center to continue to offer after-school programs in South Boston that ensure excellence through education for students in 3rd to 8th grade. To help choose appropriate developments for funding and best achieve the City’s goals to create equitable mixed-income housing, the City of Boston established funding priorities that were adhered to while making these awards. Proposals submitted were expected to fall under at least one of the priority criteria: Affordable housing developments that utilize City-owned land. Affordable housing developments targeting a mix of incomes: from units for homeless households to units targeted and restricted to incomes representative of Boston's workforce. The City prioritizes proposals that, in addition to the homeless set aside, provide some portion of units targeting extremely low-income tenancies.  Affordable housing developments have reduced the cost to build and/or efficiently use subsidies so that the project can move into construction more quickly.   Affordable housing developments provide units that serve the disabled community, elders, veterans, artists, aging-out youth, etc. Acquisition of unrestricted housing developments to stabilize the tenancies and provide long-term affordability for a mix of incomes (i.e. unrestricted properties). Developments that are at risk of losing their affordability within 5 years.   Large projects with more than 50 units of housing, of which at least 51 percent will be deed-restricted income-restricted units. Projects that create new income-restricted units in high-cost neighborhoods where most of the IDP funds are generated. Projects that contain income-restricted units that cannot be funded from other subsidy sources available under this RFP, or through the NHT RFP. Projects that can quickly acquire existing unregulated units and convert them into long-term income-restricted housing

Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces $50 Million Grant Program for Low- and Moderate-Income Electrification

 Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces $50 Million Grant Program for Low- and Moderate-Income Electrification 

The program will ramp up the Administration’s efforts to make Massachusetts a global leader in the clean energy transition 

 

BOSTON –The Healey-Driscoll Administration today launched a $50 million grant program to fund decarbonization retrofits of existing low- or moderate-income residential buildings. Known as the Low- and Moderate-Income Housing Decarbonization Grant Program, this large-scale program will accelerate Massachusetts’ clean energy transition, improve public health, and preserve housing affordability for residents. This grant program is the first step in the Administration’s commitment to support the electrification of buildings and prioritize the people most deeply impacted by fossil fuels.  

 

“Wherever I go across the Commonwealth, I hear about the high cost of energy and housing,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We’re taking these intertwined crises head-on with this new grant program. Massachusetts residents who need help the most will be able to benefit first from healthy, affordable electric heating, cooling, hot water, and energy efficiency.” 

 

“This grant program puts low- and moderate-income communities at the center of our clean energy transition,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Local workers will be hired to update affordable homes, which will, in turn, strengthen the public health of cities and towns across the Commonwealth. I’m thrilled to see this initiative come to fruition.” 

 

“40 percent of Massachusetts’ emissions come from buildings,” said Energy & Environmental Affairs Rebecca Tepper. “By retrofitting homes first in low-income communities, we’ll deliver healthier air and lower utility bills to the people who need that the most. This grant program at its core is about environmental justice – righting past wrongs and building a healthier, more equitable future.” 

 

“Efficiency and electrification of buildings is one of the most cost-effective strategies to achieve greenhouse gas emissions reductions in existing residential buildings and provides significant opportunities for cost-savings for residents,” said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Patrick Woodcock. “This program will leverage existing energy efficiency and decarbonization resources in a way that promotes affordability and equity and is a key component of Massachusetts’ overall progress reducing emissions in the buildings sector.” 

 

“The building sector is a large contributor to the Massachusetts Greenhouse Gas Inventory, and it is critical to reduce emissions from this sector to meet our greenhouse gas reduction requirements,” said Acting MassDEP Commissioner Gary Moran. “This program will also reduce air pollution and provide public health benefits to often overburdened residents in environmental justice areas.” 

 

Projects will improve energy efficiency, install solar panels, make improvements like roof repairs and electrical updates, and electrify the building through ground and air source heat pumps and other electrical appliances for low- or moderate-income housing. Applicants seeking over $1 million must commit to providing opportunities for the local workforce. 

 

Health benefits for residents of retrofitted buildings will include indoor air quality improvements and local air pollution reduction. The program will provide significant investments in the building sector, and leverage programs like MassSave incentives to help affordable housing developments lead the way to decarbonization. 

  

Decarbonization of Massachusetts’ existing buildings is a critical component of the Commonwealth’s strategy to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Residential heat pump installation numbers are so far exceeding the heat pump goals for the 2022-2024 Three-Year Energy Efficiency Plan. For 2022, the goal for residential heat pump installations for space heating was 11,928 households installing whole home or partial systems, and as of the end of Q3, the Mass Save Program Administrators reported 16,038 market rate residential households installing minisplits, ducted air source, and ground source heat pumps.  

 

“Too often Black and Brown communities are given more than their fair share of environmental ‘bads’,” said Browning the Green Space President and Executive Director Kerry Bowie. “Programs like this are a critical first step to fill the gaps and reduce barriers to bringing more environmental ‘goods’ like better indoor air quality and good paying green jobs to our communities.”   

 

“Investing in energy efficiency and decarbonization upgrades for low- and moderate-income housing is very smart public policy. It is a win for residents who will have lower energy bills and better air quality in their homes, a win for property managers addressing delayed maintenance issues and a win for the rest of us as an important step toward reaching our climate goals,” said Pat Stanton, Executive Director at E4TheFuture. “The design of this grant program recognizes the need for basic improvements such as increasing the capacity of electrical systems and making repairs that have historically been a barrier to moving forward on implementing energy efficiency.”  

 

Totaling $50 million, funding for the Low- and Moderate-Income Housing Decarbonization Grant Program is funded through the following sources: 

• $25,000,000 of DOER funding from Alternative Compliance Payments  
• $18,500,000 from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Climate Protection and Mitigation Trust 
• $6,500,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act 

 

The Department of Energy Resources (DOER) will administer the program. The Program Opportunity Notice, available here, identifies private parties, non-profits, municipalities, or other public entities as eligible applicants for the funds. Initial applications are due June 1, 2023, at 5 pm, and awardees will be announced in August. DOER will accept applications on a rolling basis until funds are committed

AG CAMPBELL SECURES $2.5 MILLION IN RELIEF FROM LEOMINSTER COMPANY FOR OVERCHARGING MASSHEALTH MEMBERS AND VIOLATING CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS

AG CAMPBELL SECURES $2.5 MILLION IN RELIEF FROM LEOMINSTER COMPANY FOR OVERCHARGING MASSHEALTH MEMBERS AND VIOLATING CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS 

 Regional Home Care to Refund MassHealth Members, Vacate Millions in Judgments Against Consumers and Reform Debt Collection Practices  

 

BOSTON – Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced today that her office reached a $2.5 million settlement with Leominster-based Regional Home Care, Inc, resolving allegations that the company engaged in unfair, deceptive and abusive debt collection practices in violation of state consumer law and debt collection regulations and improperly collected money from members of MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program, for balances not owed or that were already paid for by MassHealth. 

 

“Regional Home Care engaged in illegal practices at the expense of vulnerable consumers across Massachusetts who depend on this medical equipment for their health and livelihood,” said AG Campbell. “As a result of this settlement, thousands of consumers who were harmed by this company’s actions will directly benefit, and our office will continue to protect consumers from predatory practices and scams.” 

 

The assurance of discontinuance, filed in Suffolk Superior Court, with Regional Home Care alleges that the company engaged in aggressive debt collection tactics, including making misleading threats about the consequences of nonpayment and failing to inform consumers of their legal rights to dispute and obtain validation of their debts. 

 

The AG’s Office also alleges that Regional Home Care filed over 13,000 debt collection lawsuits against consumers in the Leominster District Court, despite 99 percent of consumers sued neither resided in that district nor had their contracts with Regional Home Care executed there. This practice is not only illegal, but hinders debtors’ access to justice because of the long distances they are forced to travel to defend themselves in court hearings. As a result, Regional Home Care obtained court judgments more easily against consumers who were unable to travel to Leominster to contest their cases, and consumers who were able to travel were forced to incur unnecessary travel expenses and take time off work to litigate their cases. 

 

 Additionally, the settlement alleges that Regional Home Care collected and/or attempted to collect charges from MassHealth members in excess of the amounts paid by MassHealth. 

 

Regional Home Care is a medical equipment supplier and service provider that sells and rents equipment such as oxygen tanks and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices to treat respiratory ailments like oxygen deficiency and sleep apnea. Regional Home Care also serves low-income consumers enrolled in MassHealth.  

 

The AG’s Office alleges that Regional Home Care failed to provide consumers notices, as required by law, informing them of their right to dispute the validity of the debts and to seek verification of the debt. The company also allegedly failed to advise consumers of their right to request that the company refrain from calling their place of employment to collect their debts, and falsely deceived consumers into believing non-payments of their debts could result in referral to debt collection agencies or attorneys.  

 

In addition to improperly billing individual consumers, the AG’s Office contends that Regional Home Care routinely sued MassHealth members for amounts not owed and for amounts already paid by MassHealth, which covers the purchase, rental, and repair of some medical equipment for members. Regional Home Care also charged MassHealth members for return shipping costs and court filing fees. The AG’s Office contends that these practices violate statutory and regulatory protections against excess charges for MassHealth members. 

 

In addition to paying $500,000 to the state, Regional Home Care will also be required to vacate every consumer judgment it has obtained against consumers in the Leominster District Court, unless the consumer already resided in Leominster or the judgment has been satisfied. In total, $2.1 million worth of judgments are expected to be vacated. Regional Home Care is also prohibited from the selling, transferring, or collecting on the judgments, and will be required to refund MassHealth consumers over $9,000.  Consumers entitled to refunds do not need to take any steps to obtain this relief.

 

Under the terms of the settlement, Regional Home Care will also come into compliance with federal and state laws and change its business practices and reporting requirements. This will include filing any lawsuits against consumers in their respective judicial district, making at least three attempts to retrieve equipment or obtain payment before initiating litigation against consumers, and not billing, collecting, attempting to collect or seeking payment from MassHealth members for medical equipment or return shipping costs for medical equipment, even if those members have stopped using and have not returned equipment.  

 

The AG’s Office is dedicated to stopping illegal debt collection practices and encourages anyone with concerns about debt collection practices to learn more about fair debt collection, or file a complaint online if they need assistance. MassHealth patients who believe that they have experienced fraud, abuse, or neglect may also call the AG’s Medicaid Fraud Tip Line at 617-963-2360. 

 

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Jane Sugarman, and former Division Chief Shennan Kavanaugh, both from the AG’s Consumer Protection Division, along with  Deputy Division Chief Kevin Lownds and Senior Healthcare Fraud Investigator William Welsh, both of the AG’s Medicaid Fraud Division.  

 

The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Division receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling 5,542,963 for Federal fiscal year 2023. The remaining 25percent, totaling $1,847,641 for FY 2023, is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.