Governor Healey Files Legislation Unlocking $800 Million to Compete for Federal Funding

Governor Healey Files Legislation Unlocking $800 Million to Compete for Federal Funding 

 

Files Executive Order formally creating Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office, working group for municipalities 

  

Governor Maura Healey announced filing to unlock $800M in funding.
  the Photo by Chutze Chou

BOSTON – Today, Governor Maura Healey filed legislation and signed an executive order to enhance the administration’s aggressive approach to competing for the historic amounts of federal funding made available to Massachusetts by the Biden Administration. Massachusetts has the chance to compete for and win up to $17.5 billion in federal funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act.  

 

The Governor also signed an Executive Order formally establishing the
Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office (FFIO) Photo by Chutze Chou

To support the administration’s federal funds strategy, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is filing An Act to Provide for Competitiveness and Infrastructure in Massachusetts 

Photo by Chutze Chou

to create a Capital Investment and Debt Reduction Fund that will make $800 million in additional state funding available over the next three years to pursue federal grants. This money will expand the state’s capacity to allocate match funding to satisfy requirements in many federal grant programs for states to cover a portion of proposed project costs and adds to the roughly $2 billion in state matching funds that have already been identified from other funding sources, including through the FY24-FY28 Capital Investment Plan, the FY24 budget, and other appropriations. 

 

The Governor also signed an Executive Order formally establishing the Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office (FFIO) to be led by Director of Federal Funds & Infrastructure Quentin Palfrey. It also establishes the Massachusetts Federal Funds Partnership for municipalities and tribes. 

 

“As I’ve been saying since day one, we are here to compete and we are here to win, especially when it comes to these unprecedented federal funding opportunities made available by President Biden and our incredible Congressional delegation,” said Governor Maura Healey. “This blueprint gives our administration and municipalities the tools to compete for and bring home the funding our communities need, and put federal dollars to work advancing economic development, infrastructure and climate resiliency projects all across Massachusetts.”  

 

Director of Federal Funds & Infrastructure Quentin Palfrey (Left) and 
Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew J. Gorzkowicz.(Right).
Photo by Chutze Chou

“Our administration is committed to ensuring that we have federal funding to support the important work of our cities and towns,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “The Massachusetts Federal Funds Partnership will play a critical role in keeping our local governments up to date on the federal funding opportunities that are relevant to them, and connecting our municipal and tribal leaders with the resources they need to secure federal dollars.” 

 

“The Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office will be able to effectively leverage the strengths of our state agencies, municipalities, and our Team Massachusetts partners to compete for federal funds,” said Director of Federal Funds & Infrastructure Palfrey. “The tools outlined in this executive order will enable the Commonwealth to capitalize on President Biden’s historic investments of federal money and maximize its impact for Massachusetts. I look forward to continuing our work with local leaders and incredible partners in Senator Warren, Senator Markey, and our congressional delegation to put federal dollars to work all across the Commonwealth.” 
 

The legislation would leverage interest earnings on the state’s Stabilization Fund, which currently stands at an all-time high of roughly $8 billion. By utilizing the interest on the Stabilization Fund without touching the balance of the state’s savings, the state is anticipated to generate a pool of $250 million a year that could be used to strengthen its applications for federal grants and deliver a strong return on investment that will advance infrastructure, climate and other projects around the state. The interest earnings will be combined with $50 million in Fair Share resources already committed for transportation matching funds through the Fiscal Year 2024 budget. 

 

The state will dedicate $50 million of this new funding pool to ensuring the competitiveness of local and regional partners through municipal matching grants and a local infrastructure bank. The Fund also includes $12 million for local government technical assistance to help municipalities successfully apply for federal funding opportunities. 

 

The legislation further proposes to make the new fund permanent, establishing a new pay-as-you-go capital fund that would be used once these federal grant opportunities expire. The Capital Investment and Debt Reduction Fund would be used moving forward to support state assets and debt management, relieving some pressure on the state’s traditional debt-financed capital plan with safety mechanisms in place should economic conditions change. This type of fund has existed previously in Massachusetts and would be a valuable tool in helping to address the backlog of deferred maintenance needs across the state.  

 

“We want to ensure that no funding for Massachusetts is left on the table when applying to federal grant programs,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew J. Gorzkowicz. “The State Matching Funds Pool will ensure the Commonwealth is able to provide the financing necessary to unlock federal money, and immediately put awarded funds to work for our communities. It will also become a flexible tool for us in the future to address an array of needs for our state buildings and other assets without jeopardizing the safety net of our strong Stabilization Fund.” 

 

“This is a fiscally responsible and creative way to leverage the high interest rate environment and historically high stabilization fund balance,” said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. “Providing a dedicated pool of funds will give Massachusetts an advantage when competing for critical federal funding opportunities. We can both protect the stabilization fund balance and put interest earnings to work for Massachusetts.” 

 

The Executive Order will allow the state to maximize its ability to win federal funds through strong coordination between state agencies, municipalities, and other Massachusetts entities, and by providing additional state resources that are critical to unlocking federal dollars. 

 

The Executive Order formally creates the Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office (FFIO), which is tasked with identifying key federal funding opportunities that will advance Healey-Driscoll Administrations priorities. Those priorities include improved infrastructure, equity, job creation, economic competitiveness, climate resiliency and decarbonization, workforce development, and more. The office is led by Director Quentin Palfrey, who was appointed in March by Governor Healey as the principal advisor on federal funding and infrastructure. FFIO is responsible for continuing bi-weekly meetings of the Advisory Council on Federal Funds and Infrastructure, chaired by Director Palfrey, which facilitates inter-agency coordination and promotes government-wide strategies for maximizing the award of federal funding. FFIO will also maintain a State Clearinghouse responsible for the internal tracking of all federal grant opportunities and agency applications. 

 

FFIO will also be tasked with supporting the work of external partners to apply for federal funding opportunities that further the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s priorities for the Commonwealth. This will involve a coordinated approach to supporting municipalities and tribes across Massachusetts. To do this the executive order creates a working group, which will meet monthly as the Massachusetts Federal Funds Partnership, which Lieutenant Governor Driscoll announced last week. The meetings will be open to elected leaders and staff from all 351 cities and towns, as well as the leadership of Massachusetts’ federally recognized tribes. The Federal Funds Partnership will provide targeted updates on relevant federal funding opportunities and connect partners with resources for technical assistance and state matching funds. The first meeting will be kicked off by Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll on Wednesday, October 25^th. 

 

This proposal will power the administration’s efforts to build on the progress it has already made in securing federal funding in recent months. This includes awards of $147 million to expand broadband access in Massachusetts, $108 million towards track improvements between Springfield and Worcester to enable additional West-East passenger rail capacity, $22 million for Massachusetts municipalities to combat extreme heat through increased urban tree canopies, and $19.7 million to establish a Department of Defense Microelectronics hub which will further opportunities for advanced manufacturing and technology. The Administration also has more than $3 billion requested in applications currently pending before federal agencies to fund ongoing projects in communities across the state, including for the Cape Cod Bridges. 

 

Policy briefs on the Capital Investment and Debt Reduction Fund can be found here. Read the Governor’s filing letter here. 

MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCES UPDATE ON WELCOME HOME, BOSTON, BOLSTERING AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCES UPDATE ON WELCOME HOME, BOSTON, BOLSTERING AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES First developers selected to create new homes on City-owned parcels for Welcome Home, Boston

BOSTON - Thursday, October 19, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced that the City of Boston's Public Facilities Commission has tentatively designated the first set of development teams to create homeownership opportunities on City-owned parcels in Dorchester as the first phase of the Welcome Home, Boston initiative. Mayor Wu also announced the release of a request for proposal (RFP) for an additional 26 parcels as the second phase of the initiative. Additional RFPs for the remaining parcels will be issued over the next 12 months. Mayor Wu first announced Welcome Home, Boston during her 2023 State of the City address. "By creating new affordable homes on formerly vacant City-owned land with development teams reflecting the talent and diversity of our communities, we’re delivering on a mission to make Boston the best city for families through building community in our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m excited to welcome these four development teams and look forward to their partnership." In November 2022, Mayor Wu allocated $60 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for the development of income-restricted housing and financial assistance programs to support Boston residents in purchasing homes. The City is making 150 parcels of land available to developers to build income-restricted homeownership opportunities. The City will also offer grants to eligible first-time homebuyers that provide reduced mortgage interest rates and up to $50,000 in direct assistance, including down payment and closing cost assistance. These include the Boston Home Center (BHC) First Time Homebuyer program, the Saving Toward Affordable Sustainable Homeownership (STASH) program, and the ONE+Boston program. Funding will also facilitate the launch of a homeownership program tailored for qualified Boston Housing Authority residents. "Celebrating the designation of developers for the first set of parcels in the Welcome Home, Boston program marks a significant step towards realizing our commitment to affordable housing,” said Sheila Dillon, Chief of Housing. “This initiative is a testament to the collaborative efforts that underscore our mission to make homeownership accessible to all. I'm proud of our selected developers who will play a crucial role in shaping the future of Dorchester and the broader community, as we continue to build a more equitable and prosperous Boston." The vacant land from this first set of parcels released through Welcome Home, Boston, comprising 52,677 square feet, has been in the City of Boston's inventory for an average of more than 34 years. This land was identified as underutilized through the Citywide land audit announced by Mayor Wu in January of 2022.  Boston currently has an overall homeownership rate of 35%, considerably lower than the statewide rate of 62%. Homeownership rates in Boston vary significantly by race and ethnicity, with 44% of white households being homeowners, compared to 31% of Black or African American households, 30% of Asian or Pacific Islander households, and 17% of Hispanic/Latinx households. The development of these and other City-owned parcels will provide opportunities for homeownership in neighborhoods that have high percentages of rental properties. The four teams selected to develop this first set of parcels are the African Community Economic Development Organization of New England (ACEDONE), Boston Communities, Dorchester Design Collaborative, and Norfolk Design and Construction. These state-certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and/or Women Business Enterprise (WBE), Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE), or Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC), companies have demonstrated their dedication to diversity and inclusion within their leadership teams and received overwhelming support from the local community. They will undertake the development of vacant parcels in Dorchester under the guidance of the Mayor's Office of Housing. Each proposal includes a comprehensive plan to hire local and minority contractors and subcontractors, furthering diversity through hiring and bidding processes. “The demand for high-quality homes to purchase in communities of color is strong, and MassHousing is pleased to partner with the city of Boston to produce new homeownership opportunities for working households where market forces have historically failed to produce those opportunities, reinforcing the racial homeownership gap,” said MassHousing CEO Chrystal Kornegay. “Every opportunity is important, and we are excited to use the CommonWealth Builder program and other resources to help transform these vacant parcels into new, moderately priced homes where people of color can sink down roots, strengthen neighborhoods and start to accumulate wealth from owning homes that will eventually be passed onto future generations.” The construction will result in roughly 63 new affordable homes situated on Erie Street, Geneva Ave, Glenway Street, Harvard Street, and Norwell Street, comprising multi-unit condominiums structures intended for homeownership. These new residences will be available to families with incomes below 80% and 100% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Notably, the new buildings will be fully electric, multi-unit developments, aligning with the City of Boston's commitment to fostering generational wealth while minimizing environmental impact. The projects will adhere to the U.S. Green Building Council LEED Homes Gold certifiable standard and comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star standards. The recent vote by the Public Facilities Commission grants tentative designation to the selected development teams, triggering a period during which the developers will collaborate with the City to finalize the design and financial aspects of their plans, undergo the Boston Planning and Development Agency's Article 80 Design Review, and secure project funding. After this period, the Public Facilities Commission will vote to convey the property to the developer, at which point MOH will conclude the sale of the property, paving the way for construction to commence. Welcome Home, Boston is part of Mayor Wu’s ambitious growth agenda for Boston, which is focused on advancing the City’s resilience, affordability, and equity goals in order to make Boston the best city in the country to raise a family. The City recently updated its linkage policy that requires commercial developments to allocate funds for affordable housing, and the inclusionary zoning policy has been revamped to streamline the construction of affordable housing. Additionally, the Mayor has signed an Executive Order aimed at expediting the affordable housing creation process. In Fiscal Year 2023, Mayor Wu has allocated increased resources to address Boston’s housing crisis. Of the $200 million committed to housing in ARPA funds, $60 million is designated for affordable homeownership development and financial assistance for first-generation homebuyers; $57 million for strategic acquisitions to combat displacement and create deeply affordable homeownership on City-owned land; $20 million for a pioneering pilot program for energy retrofits in triple-decker and other multi-family homes while maintaining affordability; $20 million to develop new permanent supportive housing with specialized services for people with substance use disorder; $16 million to sustain low-threshold shelter sites in response to the Mass-Cass humanitarian crisis, and $33 million for upgrades to Boston Housing Authority properties.

Massachusetts Submits Application for Federal Funds to Decarbonize Low-Income and Affordable Housing

 Massachusetts Submits Application for Federal Funds to Decarbonize Low-Income and Affordable Housing  

 

In total, up to 78,500 low-income and affordable housing households in Massachusetts could be served by Solar for All and National Clean Investment Fund 

 

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced that Massachusetts agencies have requested clean energy investments for up to 78,500 low-income and affordable homes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, the largest single emissions reduction initiative in United States history. A coalition led by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), and including the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), MassHousing, and Boston Housing Authority, submitted the state’s application to the Solar for All competition for $250 million.  In parallel, the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank, based at MassHousing, submitted the requisite information on possible projects in Massachusetts to the non-profit applicants eligible for the National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF). This submission would cover 28,000 affordable rental homes. Together, the projects identified for these two competitions represent substantial potential investment in clean energy upgrades for low-income and affordable housing across Massachusetts. 

 

“The Inflation Reduction Act created a generational opportunity for funds for states, and Massachusetts will compete for every available dollar to achieve our ambitious clean energy goals. We’re grateful to the Biden Administration and our Congressional delegation for making these historic funds available,” said Governor Maura Healey. “With our Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund projects, we will build a clean energy future that ensures the benefits of solar energy and decarbonized buildings are shared by the residents historically burdened by high energy costs and environmental injustice.” 

 

“With these submissions, our administration is again tying our efforts to address the housing crisis with our climate strategy,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “A future with affordable places to live that are also clean and healthy is possible – this is how we get there.” 

 

The state’s actions reflect a strategic collaboration between energy and housing agencies, highlighting the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s whole-of-government approach to address climate change. The Solar for All and NCIF funds will combine the state’s solar energy and building decarbonization expertise at DOER and MassCEC with the housing finance and development expertise of MassHousing and Boston Housing Authority. In addition, the collaboration leverages the state’s creation of the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank in June 2023.  

 

“The climate crisis presents an opportunity to right past wrongs, and these two grant applications demonstrate that,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “The people who have historically borne the brunt of the pollution, extreme weather, and high energy costs should benefit the most from the clean energy transition. These funds are an important way that we can build healthier, more affordable communities.” 

 

“The Commonwealth’s housing priorities are deeply interconnected with our climate goals,” said Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus. “This federal funding opportunity will support the communities most affected by climate change and move us one step closer to decarbonization of the state’s housing stock.” 

 

“DOER is proud to lead this coalition of state and municipal agencies to deploy solar energy across all Massachusetts communities,” said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahony. “Our Solar for All application builds on our proven success in delivering solar energy programs at scale and extends the benefits of solar energy to communities that have not benefitted enough from past programs.” 

 

“MassHousing’s ability to operate at a significant scale in service of lower-income households, and our deep experience in retrofitting affordable housing and financing new Passive House buildings, position Massachusetts to make the most of this unprecedented federal funding opportunity,” said MassHousing Executive Director Chrystal Kornegay. “We look forward to advancing Governor Healey’s vision of advancing a sustainable clean energy future across Massachusetts.” 

 

"Low income residents must be at the forefront of our transition to clean energy," said Kenzie Bok, Administrator and CEO of the Boston Housing Authority. "The Boston Housing Authority is thrilled to work with the Healey administration to ensure public housing communities across the state enjoy the benefits of solar energy." 

 

The U.S. EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund will allocate $27 billion through three separate competitions to invest in clean energy projects in environmental justice communities. States are eligible to compete directly in the $7 billion Solar for All program to accelerate solar energy deployment in low-income communities. The $14 billion NCIF will award funds to 2-3 non-profit intermediary organizations with which all states must coordinate a pipeline of potential investment projects.  

 

In its Solar for All application, DOER proposed to incentivize solar energy installation for a wide variety of types of low-income and affordable housing. The application for $250 million leverages Massachusetts’ extensive track record developing an ecosystem of solar energy deployment programs and extends the benefits of solar energy to communities that have not benefited from past state programs. Based on dozens of meetings with key stakeholders from solar development, environmental justice, labor, and community development groups, DOER developed a coalition application comprised of the MassCEC, MassHousing, and Boston Housing Authority to address the different types of low-income and affordable housing that exist across Massachusetts. In particular, the coalition leverages MassCEC’s experience in administering the state’s previous solar loan program, MassHousing’s role as a financial partner for privately owned affordable housing and Boston Housing Authority’s role in coordinating investment opportunities for municipal housing authorities across all of Massachusetts. The proposal estimates over 48,500 low-income and affordable households could be served by Solar for All in Massachusetts. Over 80 stakeholder organizations provided letters of support, including the Massachusetts Building Trades Union and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. 

 

The NCIF applicants included five consortia of non-profit organizations, each with their own proposed investment program. The Massachusetts Community Climate Bank provided information about potential projects to each applicant for inclusion in the pipeline of potential NCIF investments. The Climate Bank offers NCIF coalitions the ability to deploy federal funds quickly, in priority communities, and at scale. The Climate Bank is offering NCIF coalitions a universe of 28,000 affordable rental homes that are eligible to be retrofitted with EPA funding over the next five years. Providing this information makes it more likely that the awardee would invest in projects in Massachusetts. The Climate Bank offers NCIF coalitions the ability to deploy federal funding, at scale, in projects prioritized by the EPA.  

波士頓台灣龍舟隊划進世界賽 2024義大利爭輝

波士頓台灣龍舟隊 (BTBC)今年在羅德島州龍舟賽暨臺灣日中，為臺灣隊首度奪得冠軍。波士頓經文處處長廖朝宏(
前中向左)、副處長施維鈞，波士頓僑教中心主任潘昭榮等人一同致賀。 (周菊子攝)

         (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導)

波士頓台灣龍舟隊是在教練盧信瑋(左)和前任會長李鴻宇的率領下，
奠立堅實基礎。(周菊子攝)

「立足波士頓，放眼全世界」。波士頓台灣龍舟隊 (BTBC) 秉持理想，過關斬將，7月在佛羅里達州打進北美龍舟賽前五名，贏得美國代表權，2024年9月將代表美國遠征義大利，參加第14屆俱樂部船員世界錦標賽。

波士頓經文處處長廖朝宏(左二)和E Ink高管林朝仲 (右一)在慶功宴
中，從會長邱偉哲(右二)和公關陳奕如 (左一)手中接過小木槳
等感謝禮物。(BTBC提供)

該隊教練盧信瑋透露，他們還放眼2026， 將爭取於2025年又一次划進北美龍舟賽前五名，再度贏得美國代表權，好在2026年時代表美國，回家鄉臺灣，參加在臺灣花蓮舉辦的第15屆世界龍舟錦標賽，把榮耀帶回臺灣。

成軍5年的波士頓台灣龍舟隊，現已開始為將於2024年9月3至8日，在義大利Ravenna舉行的第14屆俱樂部船員世界錦標賽做準備，在26名船隊成員及後勤團隊外，由隊員們自組的加油團，將開放各界參加，以擴大聲勢，把臺灣帶到全世界的眼前。

波士頓台灣龍舟隊是大波士頓唯一，也是最年輕，最有活力朝氣，以臺灣人為主要成員的體育團隊，從2018年至今，成軍5年，隊員從最初的26人，一路增長至150多人，最近還成立了一組「姐姐隊」，10月14日在麻州春田市參加比賽，也再奪佳績。

說起來，波士頓台灣龍舟隊的成立，有其機緣巧合，能夠發展到如今的規模，則是歸功於教練盧信瑋的經驗，以及他和前會長李鴻宇，新任會長邱偉哲，公關陳奕如，董事會的趙家立，鄭智仁，王亭文，麥惠明，李承哲等許多人的認真，投入，E Ink等等企業及熱心個人的贊助。

波士頓台灣龍舟隊前後任會長李鴻宇 (左)、邱偉哲(右)感謝
神筆基金會創辦人伍振中捐款贊助買船。(周菊子攝)

龍舟賽在新英格蘭，其實已有很長的歷史，波士頓有波士頓香港龍舟節創立於1979年，是全美第一個龍舟賽。羅德島州有羅德島州龍舟賽暨臺灣日， 2001年由羅德島州僑領葉超和吳子平推動成立，並由該州黑石谷旅遊局承辦，Bob Billington主持，延續迄今。

波士頓台灣龍舟隊隊長邱偉哲(左一)恭喜姐姐隊旗開得勝。(BTBC提供)

波士頓台灣龍舟隊則是由現為派駐澳洲大使(代表)，當年擔任駐波士頓經文處處長的徐佑典發起，盧信瑋號召一群熱愛划龍舟年輕人，於2018年7月11日催生來的，主要目的是在新英格蘭地區，當年唯一有個臺灣日的羅德島州龍舟賽活動中，有個臺灣人自己的龍舟隊參賽，並爭取好成績，贏獎牌。

從那之後，波士頓經文處和波士頓僑教中心就全力支持，這5年來的歷任處長，包括徐佑典、孫儉元到現任處長廖朝宏，都為波士頓台灣龍舟隊辦慶功宴，後來E Ink高管林朝仲也加入慶功。波士頓僑教中心現在的主任潘昭榮更熱心，經常親自趕赴比賽現場，加油打氣，甚至開車2小時到康州，3小時到佛羅里達的送愛心。

波士頓台灣龍舟隊教練盧信瑋是龍舟隊的靈魂人物。(周菊子攝)

                     盧信瑋當年在台南二中就讀時，就是學校的龍舟隊成員，來波士頓後，加入了本地龍舟隊，在划龍舟上，經驗相當豐富。波士頓台灣龍舟隊就在他的帶領下成軍了。

 一艘龍舟需要20個人，加上一名槳手，一名鼓手。 他們第一次招募龍舟隊員時，只有26人，租用船隻，一週練一次後，第一次出外參賽，竟然拿到第四名，頗為鼓舞。

波士頓台灣龍舟隊參加牛頓臺灣日活動，感謝伍振中捐款，
波士頓僑務委員郭競儒共襄盛舉。(周菊子攝)

                      在2019年他們的第一個完整賽季中，他們開始比較有規劃的經營，包括組織教練團，找贊助，並在這一年的大約6場比賽中，拿到2個第2名。沒想到2020年遇上新冠病毒疫情，賽季取消，龍舟隊也不得不停擺一年。直到2021到2022年，波士頓台灣龍舟隊跨入成長期，維持著每年都有150人，分成2到3隊，陸續拿到不少金牌，還在羅德島州龍舟賽也拿到第2名。

                    2023是開花結果的一年，7月他們去佛羅里達州Sarasota，參加USDBF舉辦，有100多隊參賽的美國龍舟聯盟 (CCNC) 全國冠軍賽 ，拿到第5名，贏得2024到義大利參加世界錦標賽資格，9月在羅德島州龍舟賽暨臺灣日比賽中，也首度為臺灣隊贏得金牌。

波士頓台灣龍舟隊上船出賽。 (BTBC提供)

                   盧信瑋坦言，這二、三年，在波士頓經文處，波士頓僑教中心，E Ink，波克萊臺灣商會，Montivista Real Estate, 臺灣農場創辦人郭延鐸，Wellsley Toyota, 以及神筆基金會創辦人伍振中等許多熱心企業及個人的贊助，波士頓台灣龍舟隊越來越有氣勢，不但買下2艘龍舟，還在熱心人士協助下，得以在波士頓水前區的Barking Crab碼頭水域練習。

波士頓台灣龍舟隊二年前到羅德島州參賽，不忘以標語牌感謝贊助商。 (周菊子攝)

                新任會長邱偉哲指出，波士頓台灣龍舟隊今年還成立了一個以媽媽為主的全女團，稱為「姐姐隊」，一成軍，只練習了3次，就在康州哈特福(Hartford)市有7隊參賽的女子俱樂部賽中，奪得第

波士頓台灣龍舟隊10月8日在Barking Crab碼頭辦今年最後一次的招新活動。
(周菊子攝)

4名，成績令人驕傲。

 日前，波士頓台灣龍舟隊在Barking Crab辦理本年度最後一次的招新培訓，E Ink高管林朝仲也特地陪夫人參訓，並和陳奕如興奮的討論將來拓展船隊做法，甚至考慮鼓勵E Ink公司組織龍舟隊，加入活動。

 跨入冬季後，波士頓台灣龍舟隊將轉做室內冬訓。盧信瑋坦言，該隊成員，背景十分多元，他們的長期目標則是為大波士頓台灣人提供一個追求身心平衡，更多元的交流平台，短期目標則是2024到義大利完美參賽，爭取為臺灣揚名立萬機會，2025再接再厲，爭取贏得2026回臺灣花蓮參加世界龍舟錦標賽的資格。他笑說，我們大家都心向台灣。

Beata Coloyan 將出掌波士頓市鄰里服務辦公室

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES BEATA COLOYAN AS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES

Beata Coloyan brings years of experience in campaigning, program management, and political advocacy work geared towards providing equitable education for all as she leads the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services.

BOSTON - Thursday, October 19, 2023 - Today, Mayor Michelle Wu announced Beata Coloyan as the new Executive Director of the Office of Neighborhood Services. Coloyan will lead the Office of Neighborhood Services to ensure neighborhood liaisons deliver impactful constituent services in collaboration with City departments.  “I’m thrilled to welcome Beata into a key leadership role connecting city government to families in every neighborhood,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “As a BPS grad and longtime public servant, she knows our communities and how to build civic engagement through excellent constituent services.” The Office of Neighborhood Services liaisons play an integral role in connecting residents to City services and resources, facilitate resident input in all aspects of local government, ensure the appropriate City departments respond to constituent service requests, attend neighborhood meetings, and respond to emergencies such as fires to help displaced residents.  “Beata is leading the Office of Neighborhood Services during a historical moment in history where women are constantly breaking glass ceilings,” said Chief of Community Engagement Brianna Millor. “I am excited to work alongside such an experienced leader to strengthen constituent services on behalf of Boston residents throughout every neighborhood.” Coloyan earned her Bachelor's degree in Political Science with a minor in Communications from Boston University. She worked as a Campaign Manager and Senior Advisor on the Committee to Elect Ayanna Pressley. Coloyan served as Campaign Manager for both the 2020 and 2022 re-election campaigns for Congresswoman Pressley. “Beata is a brilliant and effective leader,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. “The City of Boston has already benefited deeply from her contributions and I am proud of what our team accomplished under her leadership of two re-election campaigns and the year round organizing and community building efforts she led. Beata has dedicated her career to strengthening our communities, building coalitions, sustaining movements, and inspiring the next generation of leaders. I can’t think of no one better equipped to lead the Office of Neighborhood Services and deliver the essential services Boston residents need and deserve.” Coloyan is the former Policy and Advocacy Manager at Hildreth Institute where she oversaw legislative programming aimed at promoting policy changes at the institutional and state level to eradicate student loan debt. An avid rower, she was the program director for her high school alma mater, Boston Latin School, and the Girls’ Varsity Coach. Coloyan currently lives in the South End with her husband.  “I have a deep love for the city that raised me, and I’m excited to join a team that serves as an essential link between City Hall and the residents of Boston,” said Office of Neighborhood Services Executive Director Beata Coloyan. “It’s an honor to be part of an organization that understands the work we do has a direct impact on residents’ day-to-day lives, and I look forward to helping build on the exceptional work taking place at ONS.”

Vital Legislation to Address Image-Based Sexual Assault and Coercive Control in Domestic Abuse Moves Forward in Massachusetts Legislature

Vital Legislation to Address Image-Based Sexual Assault and Coercive Control in Domestic Abuse Moves Forward in Massachusetts Legislature 

Boston, October 19 – Last week, the Joint Committee on the Judiciary in the Massachusetts State Legislature favorably reported H.4115, An Act to Prevent Abuse and Exploitation. The legislation advances critical protections for people experiencing sexual and domestic violence, making important progress towards addressing coercive control – a pattern of deliberate behavior by an abuser that substantially restricts another person’s safety and autonomy – and the harm of image-based sexual assault, sometimes referred to as revenge porn. 

Current law in Massachusetts (Chapter 209A) limits the definition of domestic violence to those who have experienced physical harm or fear of imminent serious physical harm, and fails to reflect the broader spectrum of abuse – rooted in systems of power and control – experienced by thousands of people statewide.  

Earlier this year, a statewide group of advocates and survivors formed the Together Rising Above Coercion (TRAC) coalition to advocate for stronger policy protections against coercive control and other forms of abuse. TRAC and other supporters have worked to advance specific, state-level legislation that would expand the state’s definition of domestic violence to recognize different forms of coercive control, including intimidation, threats to immigration status, isolation, technology abuse, and abusive litigation. 

At the same time, image-based sexual assault, sometimes referred to as revenge porn, is experienced by a growing number of younger survivors, in particular. Massachusetts is one of two states, including South Carolina, with no protections for survivors of this harm. A key priority forJane Doe Inc. (JDI) The Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence – a TRAC Steering Committee member – H4115 closes this gap by creating diversion-centered approaches to curb this behavior and establishing both civil and criminal pathways for victims.  

“October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so it’s fitting that lawmakers would take this important and exciting step towards strengthening protections for individuals experiencing domestic violence and abuse in Massachusetts,” said Nithya Badrinath, Associate Director of Policy and Advocacy at JDI and TRAC Steering Committee Member. “Both image-based sexual assault and coercive control are widespread and dangerous; for example, 97% of domestic violence victims report experiencing harassment, monitoring, and threats by abusers through the misuse of technology, according to data from the Safety Net Project. We urge the legislature to keep up the momentum and pass An Act to Prevent Abuse and Exploitation in order to protect survivors and help prevent future violence.”  

Now that it has been approved by the Judiciary Committee, An Act to Prevent Abuse and Exploitation will head to the House Ways and Means Committee for further consideration by lawmakers. Advocates are hopeful for prompt action on this bill.  

If you or a loved one are experiencing domestic violence, you are not alone and help is available across Massachusetts. We urge you to contact SafeLink, the MA statewide hotline, at 877-785-2020, the national domestic violence hotline at 800-799-7233, or visit www.janedoe.org/find_help/ to find resources near you today.