FOLLOWING HOUSING DISCRIMINATION INVESTIGATION, AG’S OFFICE REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH MANAGERS OF OUR LADY’S GUILD HOUSE

FOLLOWING HOUSING DISCRIMINATION INVESTIGATION, AG’S OFFICE REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH MANAGERS OF OUR LADY’S GUILD HOUSE  

Settlement Requires Management to Protect Tenants from Eviction and Rent Increases While Sale of Building is Pending; Building Will Permanently Remain Affordable Housing 

  
            BOSTON – Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced today that the owners and managers of Our Lady’s Guild House (OLGH), a single-occupancy apartment building for women in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood, have agreed to pay $115,000 and to provide protections against evictions and rent increases while the sale of the building is pending, settling allegations of age and disability discrimination against long-term tenants. The settlement with the AG’s Office also requires the property owner to put deed restrictions in place, ensuring that the property be used for affordable housing in perpetuity and that six long-term tenants be allowed to remain in the building. 

 

“Our elders and residents living with disabilities deserve more than just our respect. We owe them an opportunity to live long and healthy lives, free from discrimination and the fear of being pushed out of their homes,” said AG Campbell. “This settlement provides stability and safety for the women who have called Our Lady’s Guild House home for years, and our office will continue to protect access to affordable housing across the Commonwealth.” 

 

              “Residents of OLGH first filed discrimination complaints in 2018 when the management of OLGH brought no fault eviction proceedings to rid the building of long-term tenants in violation of fair housing laws,” said Margaret Turner, Senior Attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services. “The residents are very pleased that their discrimination case is finally resolved.  OLGH has now decided to sell the building and residents are urging the new owners to keep it as SRO [Single Room Occupancy] housing for women, so that OLGH can continue to provide much needed safe, affordable housing for women, as well as the gender diverse. We appreciate the support and hard work of the Attorney General’s Office.” 

 

“The enforcement action brought by the Attorney General against OLGH and this settlement represent a significant win for both the long-time residents of OLGH and for tenants throughout the Commonwealth,” said Pattie Whiting, Clinical Instructor and Lecturer on Law at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau. “It sends a clear message to landlords that they will face significant consequences if they choose to engage in behavior or practices that are discriminatory or otherwise unlawful, and that the Attorney General takes violations of Massachusetts’ consumer protection and discrimination laws very seriously.” 

 

The assurance of discontinuance settles an investigation by the AG’s Office into allegations that Our Lady’s Guild House, Inc. (OLGH) and MRR Management violated the state’s consumer protection and antidiscrimination laws by discriminating against current, former and prospective tenants on the basis of age and disability. The AG Office’s investigation specifically found that the property owner and manager illegally targeted elderly long-term residents for no-cause evictions, advertised and imposed tenancy restrictions based on age and ability, imposed residency time limits that resulted in the displacement of elderly long-term tenants and failed to provide reasonable accommodations and modifications to the building requested by the tenants. The AG’s Office further alleged that the entities failed to comply with security deposit and rental fee requirements under the law. 

 

The AG’s Office began investigating the entities’ practices after receiving several complaints from tenants at the property that alleged discriminatory practices by OLGH and MRR Management. 

 

Specifically, the assurance of discontinuance requires the property owner and manager to dismiss pending eviction claims against current tenants and to place deed restrictions on the property to ensure that the buyers utilize the building for affordable housing in perpetuity; allow six current long-term tenants to live at the property for as long as they choose, subject to limited rent increases; and provide a community space at the property. OLGH and MRR Management are also required to pay the state a total of $115,000 in penalties, most of which will be distributed to seven long-term tenants at the property who were harmed by the alleged discriminatory practices. The assurance prevents OLGH and MRR Management from taking any adverse actions against tenants and raising rents until the property is sold; from retaliating against any tenants; and from forming or affiliating with a separate entity for the purpose of circumventing the settlement. 

 

The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office is committed to enforcing the state’s antidiscrimination laws and encourages those who have concerns about housing discrimination to call the office’s Civil Rights Division at 617-963-2917 or to file a complaint online. To view a copy of the AG’s guide to landlord and tenant rights click here. For information on our state’s fair housing laws click here. 

  

Today’s settlement matter was handled by Deputy Division Chief Shafaq Islam of AG Campbell’s Civil Rights Division.  

昆士市訂4月15日迎接春天

“SPRING FEST” ON THE HANCOCK ADAMS COMMON APRIL 15 QUINCY, MA – March 8, 2023 The City of Quincy will host “Spring Fest”, a family[1]friendly variety of dance performances, arts and crafts demonstrations, music and games on Saturday, April 15th. The outdoor event will take place from noon. – 6:00 p.m. on the Hancock Adams Common, 1305 Hancock Street. All events are free to the public. Scheduled performances will include Boston Chinese Dance, Brady Academy, CenterStage, Danceworks, Hung Gar Kung Fu & Lion Dance Academy, InSync, Quincy Jhankars, The Forbes School of Irish Dance and Velocity Dance Company. “The City is graced with a variety of very talented dance groups,” shared Mayor Thomas Koch. “We look forward to highlighting each and offering the public what we hope to be a beautiful spring afternoon on the Hancock Adams Common.” Ellie’s Treats, Thyme Traveling and Roxy’s Grilled Cheese food trucks will be on site and food is available for purchase throughout the events. For more information on this and upcoming events, follow the City of Quincy across social media and visit the City’s website at quincyma.gov

3 波士頓市議員, Liz Breadon、Ruthzee Louijeune, Kenzie Bok 提案每年公佈藐視法令房東名單

               (Boston Orange 綜合報導) 波士頓3名市議員，Liz Breadon、Ruthzee Louijeune，以及白凱欣(Kenzie Bok)，3月22日提案治理「藐視法律」的房東，要把慣性違犯州市條例的房東，列名造冊公諸於世，並禁止這些人和波士頓市府來往獲利。

               編號為#0625的這法令提案，將交給市議會政府運作委員會審理。

               前述3名市議員表示，提案訂立這法令，旨在使得政府執行規章，要求民眾遵守州市衛生條例，樓宇及消防安全等法令規定時，有更強力道。

               提案中的新條例內容包括市府將每年公佈「壞房東名單」，把出租住宅，卻不遵循法令，在一年內有6次違規紀錄的房東，以及在市政府現有項目中被列為「問題物業」的業主，公佈出來。波士頓市府將禁止這些人參與市府活動，例如獲取合約，補助，或申請區域規劃援助等。

               今年2月15日時，這3名市議員還提交了編號為#0410的家規法提案，要把波士頓市府憲章中的民事違法行為最高罰款額，從1854年的50元，提高到2023年的1800元。這一最高罰款額，歷經多次更新，從1976年提高至200元到1989年迄今的300元。

COUNCILORS PROPOSE ANNUAL LISTING OF HOUSING CODE SCOFFLAWS

Breadon, Louijeune, Bok ordinance would draw attention to worst chronic offenders

Boston, Mass. – An annual publication listing property owners who habitually violate state and local housing regulations is proposed in an ordinance filed this week in the Boston City Council by Councilors Liz Breadon, Ruthzee Louijeune, and Kenzie Bok. Owners who chronically violate state codes without remediating conditions causing noncompliance would be dubbed “scofflaws” and be barred from conducting business with the City of Boston. The proposal, Docket #0625, will be reviewed by the Committee on Government Operations. 

The ordinance aims to add weight to the City’s code enforcement activities pertaining to residential unit conditions under the state sanitary code, state building code, and state fire code. Regulatory protections for health and safety standards and improving resident quality of life are enforced by investigatory divisions within the City’s Inspectional Services Department and Boston Fire Department. Enforcement proceedings in housing court may be sought if a property owner fails to comply with written orders and escalation is required. 

A yearly listing released by the City would include individuals with whole or partial ownership interest in rental properties involved in active enforcement proceedings in housing court, owners racking up six or more code violations in the preceding year, and owners whose properties have been designated as “problem properties” under an existing City program. Those identified would be prohibited from doing business with the City, such as being awarded a contract, receiving a grant, or having an application for zoning relief approved. 

“All tenants have the right to decent, safe, and sanitary housing conditions. It is not only the responsibility of the City to ensure property owners demonstrate compliance, but to take to task those who openly and willingly flout regulations simply because they view fines as the cost of doing business in our City,” said District 9 City Councilor Liz Breadon. “To strengthen public confidence in our code enforcement activities, the City must call attention to a scofflaw’s record and compel compliance in the interest of current and prospective tenants.” 

“For too long, negligent landlords and owners who refuse to clean up their properties have been getting nothing more than a slap on the wrist. This ordinance will give our neighborhoods stronger protections and enforcement mechanisms against these chronic offenders,” said At Large City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune. “Furthermore, we must empower the City to use all its available tools to help uplift all of our communities to make them peaceful, healthy, and safe places to live.” 

“A safety rating is something we already expect when we go out to eat. We should have the same expectation for where we live,” said District 8 City Councilor Kenzie Bok. “A landlord who repeatedly fails to meet their legal, contractual, and safety obligations is a public health risk that the public deserves to be aware of.” 

The ordinance compliments a proposed home rule petition regarding fines for ordinance violations and liens for unpaid fines, also submitted by Councilors Breadon, Louijeune, and Bok on February 15 as Docket #0410. The petition amends a City Charter provision from 1854 to increase the maximum fine for civil infractions. The 1854 charter capped penalties at $50, or about $1,800 in 2023 dollars. Amendments raised the cap to $200 in 1976 and to the present $300 maximum in 1989, worth roughly $1,000 and $700 in 2023, respectively

MAYOR MICHELLE WU, OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING ANNOUNCE 2023 LOVE YOUR BLOCK SPRING CLEANUPS

MAYOR MICHELLE WU, OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING ANNOUNCE 2023 LOVE YOUR BLOCK SPRING CLEANUPS

BOSTON - Friday, March 24, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu and the Office of Civic Organizing (OCO) today announced the Love Your Block spring 2023 cleanups will take place on April 22nd and 29th. Love Your Block is a Citywide community service event that invites community organizations, local businesses, and neighborhood groups to host a spring cleanup in their neighborhood. Groups interested in hosting a cleanup can now sign up here. Additionally the City is seeking volunteers to participate in scheduled cleanups. “Love Your Block has become a beloved tradition in our neighborhoods to come together and beautify corners across Boston,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Our Office of Civic Organizing is ready to help connect volunteers and provide cleanup tools, so I encourage any interested community groups to identify a spot that could benefit from some care and sign up!” Cleanups will take place in every neighborhood of Boston over the course of two weekends. The dates are as follows: Saturday, April 22: Allston-Brighton, Charlestown, Chinatown, Dorchester, Downtown, Fenway-Kenmore, Fields Corner, Leather District, Mattapan, Mid-Dorchester, Mission Hill, Roslindale, Roxbury, West Roxbury.  Saturday, April 29: Back Bay, Bay Village, Beacon Hill, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, North End, South End, South Boston, St. Botolph (Back Bay), West End, Wharf District.  Some neighborhoods have already had local organizations volunteer to host a cleanup. These partners are listed on boston.gov/love-your-block. Multiple cleanups in each neighborhood are encouraged, so local organizations can still sign up to host in any neighborhood. This year the Love Your Block cleanups fall on Earth Day (4/22) and Arbor Day (4/29). The Love Your Block program was first created in 2015 with a three-year grant awarded to the City of Boston by Cities of Service. After the grant's expiration in 2018, Love Your Block became a permanent City program under the Mayor’s Community Engagement Cabinet.  “Love Your Block is an exciting opportunity for residents to come together, take ownership of our neighborhoods, and exercise our civic power,” said Director of Civic Organizing Henry Santana. “We look forward to working with neighbors and community partners to keep Boston clean and green.”  “Love Your Block is an event that the Cabinet of Community Engagement’s Office of Civic Organizing leads each year. It’s our civil responsibility to keep our communities beautiful, so residents and their families can continue to take pride in their neighborhoods,” said Chief of Community Engagement Brianna Millor.  In past Love Your Block cleanups, neighborhood groups have picked up litter from streets and sidewalks, beautified local parks, cleaned up vacant lots, urban wilds, and more. For tips on how to plan and host a cleanup in your neighborhood, OCO has created a helpful guide. "Chinatown Main Street has participated with ‘Love Your Block’ for many years,” said Debbie Ho, the Executive Director of Chinatown Main Street, one of the organizations that has already committed to hosting a Love Your Block cleanup. “We all want to be sure we have a clean Chinatown and it's important that we involve volunteers within and outside of the Chinatown community to create a unified Boston!”  Those interested in hosting a neighborhood cleanup can sign up here to request support, volunteer t-shirts, and tools such as trash bags, gloves, brooms, rakes, and trash pickers. Requests will be accepted until Wednesday, April 5 at 5:00 p.m.  Those interested in signing up as a volunteer can also do so here. OCO will connect you with a cleanup site in your neighborhood once all sites are finalized.  ABOUT THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING The Office of Civic Organizing is committed to collaborative partnerships and programs that promote engagement, awareness, and service in communities throughout the City of Boston.

波士頓市選出20名黑人中學生參加第一屆6週領袖培訓

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL COHORT OF YOUNG BLACK LEADERS BOSTON

 

BOSTON - Wednesday, March 22, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the first cohort of Young Black Leaders Boston, a new civic engagement program launched by the Mayor’s Office of Black Male Advancement (BMA). This program is designed to help young Black men and boys between the ages of 13 and 17 in Boston high schools become civically engaged leaders in their communities. Young Black Leaders will include a 6-week spring course for the 20 selected students.   "Young Black Leaders Boston will build on our work to empower young Black students in our city, expand civic leadership, and ensure Boston is truly a city for everyone," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "We are excited to launch our first high school cohort of this program as another step to wrap around our young people outside of the school day and connect them with opportunities. I'm grateful to all of our partners in supporting this program and looking forward to this cohort's incredible impact."  "We are excited to launch Young Black Leaders Boston," said Frank Farrow, Executive Director of Black Male Advancement. "It is important that we empower our young Black male students and help them to thrive and share in our City’s prosperity. This new program will support our young people, ensuring that they are equipped to access resources, build with their school community and lead in their neighborhoods.”  The spring 2023 course of Young Black Leaders Boston started on March 21 and will end on April 27. The participants in the cohort will gain skills, knowledge, and practical experience through weekly hour-long sessions designed to organize their communities for social change. They will also meet with City of Boston leaders, members of the Black Men and Boys Commission and Black Men Lead alumni to learn how to effectively navigate local government, access City services, and ways to make an impact in the City.  Young Black Leaders 2023 Spring Cohort   ·     Jamir Allen, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Alex Bailey, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Rahkim Brown, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Charles Cloy, Boston Arts Academy  ·     Jeremiah Dellosantos, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Derek Dolly, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Jaiden Douglin, Buckingham Browne and Nichols  ·     JaVaughan Francis, TechBoston Academy ·     Ikon Germaine, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Korey Gray, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Ian Heurtelou, Arlington High School ·     Michael Jarret, Josiah Quincy Upper School ·     Daniel Joseph, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Ayven Lewis, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Marcus Lloyd, Henderson Inclusion Upper School  ·     Timothy Robinson, Jeremiah E. Burke High School ·     Jaiden Singletary, Boston Arts Academy ·     Erese Tejerakermeus, Boston Arts Academy ·     David Uzoma,  Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Anthony Williams, Henderson Inclusion Upper School  The participants in this cohort live in various neighborhoods in the City of Boston including but not limited to: Dorchester, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Roslindale, Roxbury, and the South End. Through the My Brother’s Keeper Boston partnership with Boston Public Schools (BPS), BMA focused on engaging and supporting young Black male students in a variety of schools across the district.  "I chose Young Black Leaders Boston because I wanted to be in a program that would enhance young Black males all over Boston,” said Jaiden Singletary, Young Black Leaders Boston cohort participant. “I look forward to learning how to improve my leadership skills not only as a Black youth, but also for my school community and neighborhood. I'm thankful to the Office of Black Male Advancement for creating this program and honored to participate in something like this."  The goal of this program is for each cohort participant to be in a better position to organize their communities for social change. Upon completion of this program, participants will share what they learned with others in their school communities and become more civically active in their neighborhoods on issues that matter to them. The program’s sessions will be developed and facilitated by The Davis System LLC, which provides grassroots organizing strategy to individuals, organizations, and communities in Boston.   “Society has had long standing stereotypes against young black men and how we show up in our society, but this cohort of young black men from across the city of Boston are examples of how those stereotypes are not exemplary of the young black male experience,” said Anthony Davis, Jr., Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Davis System, LLC. “These young men taking the initiative to learn skills to organize their communities for social change is the first step in ensuring that we are building a culture of civic engagement with our black men from across the city of Boston.  The Mayor’s Office of Black Male Advancement works to empower Black men & boys and to ensure they have equitable access to opportunities in the City. BMA also focuses on policies, programs, resources, and local and national partnerships. Additionally, the office directs and supports the efforts of the Black Men and Boys Commission and My Brother’s Keeper Boston.

國家電網用戶電費5月1日起可降低約40%

        (Boston Orange編譯) 麻州公用設施局 (DPU) 今天 (21日) 宣佈，批准麻州電力公司和南塔基特 (Nantucket)電力公司降低基本電費費率。5月1日起，這2家公司的典型客戶，每月電費帳單約可降低40%。

           這兩家公司以國家電網名義營業，為大約 139 萬客戶提供服務。

          麻州公共設施局代理主席Cecile Fraser 表示，該局知道降低費率將為家庭和企業提供其所急需的救濟，他們將繼續和水電公司及利益相關者合作，來幫助該局以穩定及可負擔的成本把供應的能源轉變為清潔能源。”

         麻州依法在競爭激烈的市場中採購電力。麻州電力分銷公司必須和代表那些選擇不自己挑選供應商客戶的電力供應者簽訂合約。基本服務是經營具競爭力競標過程採購的。國家電網在不牟利狀況下把成本轉嫁給客戶。國家電網每年5月1日及11月1日變動基本服務費率。

Department of Public Utilities Approves Reductions to
National Grid’s Basic Service Rates

Approval will Result in Lower Electric Utility Bills for National Grid Customers Starting May 1st

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) today announced it approved reductions in electric basic service rates for Massachusetts Electric Company and Nantucket Electric Company, each d/b/a National Grid electric customers. On average, the decreases will result in a monthly bill decrease of about 40 percent for a typical residential customer. National Grid serves approximately 1.39 million electric distribution customers.

Beginning with usage after May 1, 2023, customers on the company’s basic service rate can expect lower electric bills.

 “The Department knows that these rate reductions will provide much-needed relief to families and businesses,” said Department of Public Utilities Acting Chair Cecile Fraser. “We continue to work with utilities and stakeholders to help transition our energy supply to clean energy sources at a stable and affordable cost.” 

 Under Massachusetts law, electricity is procured in a competitive market. The Massachusetts electric distribution companies are required to contract for an electric supplier on behalf of customers who choose not to select their own supplier. Basic service is procured through a competitive bidding process, and National Grid passes that cost on to their customers without profit to the company. National Grid’s basic service rates change each year on May 1 and November 1.

MAYOR WU, BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS ANNOUNCE STEPS TO INCREASE AVAILABILITY AND VARIETY OF PRESCHOOL SEATS FOR BOSTON FAMILIES

MAYOR WU, BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS ANNOUNCE STEPS TO INCREASE AVAILABILITY AND VARIETY OF PRESCHOOL SEATS FOR BOSTON FAMILIES  Boston UPK seeks additional community-based and family child care providers.

 BOSTON - Tuesday, March 21, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced two opportunities to expand access to pre-kindergarten (UPK) for Boston’s 3- and 4- year-olds through the release of two applications, or invitations for bids (IFBs). Together, these funding opportunities will create more seats for Boston’s youngest learners and represent an expanded investment in universal, affordable, high-quality early education and care for all infants, toddlers, and children under five.  

“We’re determined to make Boston the first choice for families, and that includes closing gaps in access and availability of early education options," said Mayor Michele Wu. "I know all too well the stress of juggling work and family with very young kids—expanding universal Pre-K will not only give our littlest learners the foundation they deserve in life, but also empower working parents and caregivers in our workforce." 

“Providing our families with quality pre-kindergarten options for our 3- and 4-year-old children is critical to ensuring that learning gaps do not form and that students' academic, social-emotional, and physical needs are met holistically,” said Superintendent Mary Skipper. “We are so fortunate to have a Mayor who prioritizes the needs of our youngest students and their families and provides the necessary resources to meet such a critical need. Quality UPK is what we need as a foundation for our students of Boston.” 

“I have always been an advocate for our young people,” said Boston School Committee Chairperson Jeri Robinson. “Programs like Universal Pre-K are vital to the health and well-being of our communities and I applaud this incredibly positive and consequential program from Mayor Wu.” 

In Boston, the Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) model is a mixed delivery portfolio of programs funded by the City of Boston, offering high-quality choices for children ages three and four living in the city at no cost to families. UPK is a 6.5-hour school day for 180 days per year. The portfolio is made up of three settings: Boston Public Schools; community-based providers; and family child care providers. 

Applications to Open For New Providers to Become UPK Partners

Boston UPK is seeking applications from child care providers in the City of Boston to become UPK partners. UPK partners receive funding from the City of Boston to expand the number of high quality, free preschool opportunities accessible to families. The funding opportunity for community-based providers – nonprofit and for-profit organizations, early education providers, private schools, religious schools – is now open on the City of Boston supplier portal for providers to apply.  

“To have a great childcare center, we must have highly trained, skilled, creative, professional, and passionate teachers. We are facing difficult workforce challenges,” said Kathy Cheng, Director of the Acorn Center for Early Education and Care at Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center. “With this funding and the consistent support from the UPK team and our coach, we are able to retain teachers with competitive wages, build a strong professional development track, and provide rich learning classroom materials.” 

UPK Expansion to Integrate Family Child Care Providers

Boston UPK will further expand its options for families by including family child care (FCC) providers in the 2023-24 school year. Family child care providers offer families more flexible hours, multilingual or mixed-age settings, and sometimes more affordable services. This expansion will allow families to access UPK when and where it is most convenient for them. The expansion follows year-long engagement among BPS, the Office of Early Childhood, 20 FCC providers, members of the UPK Advisory Board, and other experts to create the new FCC model.  

“Integrating family child care into the portfolio of Universal Pre-K provides an additional high quality setting for families in Boston,” said TeeAra Dias, Director of Boston Universal Pre-K. “Most importantly, it ensures continuity of care and family choice.” 

This FCC application will be available on the city supplier portal on March 27. 

Instructions, a full timeline, and tips for applying for either of the bids through the City of Boston, including details on upcoming virtual information sessions, can be found here. 

“I‘m excited about the integration of UPK into FCC programs. This is the boost that FCC providers need to highlight that we are not babysitters but educators,” said Claudette White, a family child care educator. “We are business owners and educators that manage high-quality early education programs.” 

In partnership with community-based and family child care providers, Boston UPK will offer up to 1,475 seats, an increase of 350 seats. This is in addition to 3,621 K0 and K1 seats in Boston Public Schools classrooms. 

Boston families interested in learning more about applying for Pre-K can visit www.bostonpublicschools.org/upk.

麻州州長宣佈指派Quentin Palfrey 出任聯邦資金及架構主任

 Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll Name Quentin Palfrey as Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure 

 

BOSTON – Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kimberley Driscoll today announced that they have named Quentin Palfrey as Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure. Palfrey is charged with working across all secretariats to drive the administration’s competitive efforts around federal funding for key infrastructure, climate and economic development projects. As part of this, Palfrey will form an interagency task force dedicated to pursuing these funding opportunities. 

 

“Massachusetts has a unique opportunity to aggressively compete for billions of federal dollars to support crucial infrastructure, climate and economic development projects in our state – from the Inflation Reduction Act to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to the CHIPS and Science Act and beyond,” said Governor Healey. “Quentin Palfrey’s extensive federal and state government experience, combined with his passion for serving the people of Massachusetts, make him the perfect fit to take on this challenge and deliver results.” 

 

"There are currently billions of dollars in federal funding available to improve our roads, bridges and public transportation, move forward on our climate and clean energy goals, and support our efforts to break into the semiconductor manufacturing industry,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “We can’t let these opportunities pass us by – and we’re confident that Quentin Palfrey is the right person to drive our competitiveness and bring these dollars home to Massachusetts.” 

 

“I’m honored that Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll have placed their trust in me to take on this important position, which will have a direct role in driving Massachusetts’ economic competitiveness on the federal stage,” said Palfrey. “We have the finest talent, businesses, research and educational institutions in the world, but we need to secure federal funding to fully realize this potential and spur innovation and economic development across the state.” 

 

Palfrey served as a senior political appointee in the Administrations of President Obama and President Biden. Under President Obama, he was Senior Advisor for Jobs & Competitiveness in the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy, as well as Deputy General Counsel for Strategic Initiatives in the US Department of Commerce. On Day One of the Biden Administration, Palfrey served as Acting General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Commerce, managing a team of several hundred lawyers in a department with over 50,000 employees. 

 

Palfrey also has extensive experience in Massachusetts state government. He was the first Chief of the Health Care Division in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office during the time when Massachusetts was implementing its landmark health reform law. Palfrey is an experienced lawyer who graduated from Harvard College in 1996 and from Harvard Law School in 2002. He lives in Weston with his wife Anna-Marie Tabor and their three children. 

 

The position of Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure will be housed in the Executive Office for Administration and Finance to work in coordination with Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz and the existing Federal Funds Office team. Palfrey will report directly to Governor Healey and lead an interagency Federal Funds Task Force made up of members of the Cabinet and other relevant agency heads to guide decision making on federal grant opportunities. His first day is Monday, March 20th.