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星期五, 6月 25, 2021

City of Boston - Funding update

The Funding Update

To Subscribe to The Funding Update,
scroll down to the FUNDING tab here.
Back issues are also listed on that page.

 

FEDERAL GRANTS

Small Business Administration, Multiple Deadlines
Paycheck Protection Loans, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, Shuttered Venues grants, and other debt-relief resources are available. 


Small Business Administration, 7/23/2021
Through the Community Navigator Pilot Program, SBA will engage with states, local governments, SBA resource partners, and other organizations in targeted outreach for small businesses in underserved communities. Awards will range from $1M to $5M over 2 years.


Housing & Urban Development, 7/29/2021

Seeking applications from nonprofits, small businesses and higher education institutions to provide technical assistance to distressed cities and their nonprofit partners serving communities that are experiencing long-term economic hardship. HUD expects to make 6 awards, ranging from $750,000 to $6.8M.


National Endowment for the Arts, 8/5/2022
Our Town creative placemaking grants support projects that integrate arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that strengthen communities by advancing local economic, physical, and/or social outcomes. There are multiple opportunities to apply, either as lead or partner with a municipal agency. Awards range from $25,000 to $150,000 and a 1:1 match is required.
You can request the required municipal support here.

Health & Human Services, 8/17/2021
Seeking applications for projects to develop and implement the Minority Leaders Development Program fellowship program to provide training in health equity issues and leadership to early career individuals to improve the health of racial and ethnic minorities and other disadvantaged populations. HHS expects to make 3 awards in the range of $500,000 to $750,000.

National Institutes of Health, 2/23/2024
Short-Term Research Education Program to Enhance Diversity in Health-Related Research (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). Priority areas: Sleep Disorders; Cardiovascular Diseases; Lung Diseases; Blood Diseases and Resources;  Translation and Implementation Science. NIH expects to make 9 awards of $154,000 max.

Consumer Product Safety Commission, 7/19/2021
Pool Safely grants aim to prevent drowning and drain entrapments of children in pools and spas  through state and local government programs. Awards range from $50,000 to $400,000.

STATE GRANTS

Massachusetts Service Alliance, now through 7/30/2020
MSA seeks to engage a consultant who can provide subject-matter expertise in the area of youth service and service-learning to support program development, with a focus on Gateway Cities. One-year contract, up to $20,000.

Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation, until all funds are disbursed
The goal of the Biz-M-Power grant operates in two phases: first, small businesses develop a partnership with an organization from MGCC’s network of Small Business Technical Assistance Providers, who will sponsor the applicants. Once MGCC and Patronicyt approve the application, small businesses can utilize Patronicity’s crowdfunding platform to leverage community support and raise funds to match the amount requested in their grant application. 
Grants of $5,000 are also available for Development of Digital Capabilities, where small businesses are sponsored by Patronicity to work with a Qualified Professional in the area of their greatest digital need(s) to pursue a digital development plan.


MassDevelopment, 7/2/2021

Grants from the Collaborative Workspace Program accelerate business formation, job creation, and entrepreneurial activity in communities by supporting infrastructure that fuels locally based innovation. Seed grants (up to $15,000) support feasibility studies; Fit-out grants (up to $100,000) support new equipment or building improvement costs, including adjustments to meet sector-specific COVID-19 Workplace Safety Standards. 
Boston Applicants: contact ECONDEV[at]boston[dot]gov to request a Municipal Letter of Support. Deadine: 6/28/2021.

Executive Office of Health & Human Services, 7/6/2021
Requesting applications for potential new bed capacity from congregate care providers in Massachusetts, for possible referral to the Unaccompanied Children Program of the Office of Refugee Resettlement/US Department of Health and Human Services.

Cannabis Control Commission, 7/9/2021
Requesting bids for consulting services to review existing policies, practices and procedures and to facilitate discussion and decision between the Commissioners and Executive Director, resulting in the drafting and finalizing of written document(s) establishing governance processes between the two parties and their respective staffs. Initial 12-month contract may be extended for an additional 12 months.

Office for Refugees and Immigrants, 7/30/2021
Requesting bids for the Comprehensive Refugee Employment Services/Vocational Skills Trainings program.

Department of Transportation, 8/10/2022
Through the DBE Supportive Services Program, MassDOT implements business development and technical assistance programs to enhance the strategic growth and sustainability of the pool of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises engaged in MassDOT public works projects. The program focuses on certified, but underutilized DBEs with potential for success that are bidding on MassDOT work but rarely win contracts. A key program objective is to increase the growth and development of DBE firms engaged in highway construction. Select the document dated 2019 in the list of File Attachments.



CommBUYS Search Tip: Consulting opportunities are listed under “Management and Business Professionals and Administrative Services” when you search the Show Bids for Categorydrop-down menu. Competitive bids are in the “Open Market” category.

 

CITY GRANTS

Reopen Boston Fund, Open
Grants help small businesses put in place the necessary public health guidance requirements needed to reopen. This fund is intended to support businesses with a majority of employees working in close proximity to their clients and each other.


Department of Neighborhood Development, Open
 

Applications are still being accepted for the Rental Relief Fund. Requests up to $15,000 are being processed by Project HOPE, Neighborhood of Affordable Housing and Metro Housing|Boston. 

Boston Public Health Commission/Health & Human Services Cabinet, 6/29/2021
Through the Vaccine Equity Grant Initiative II, the City of Boston is seeking organizations to work as community partners to increase equitable vaccine access, acceptance and uptakes in zip codes with vaccination rates below 50%. Max award: $150,000 over 4 months.

Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture, through 6/30/2021

The Transformative Public Art program, now in its third year, is open to artists to create murals and temporary projects.


Department of Neighborhood Development, through 6/30/2021
The Grassroots Open Space Program makes land and funding available specifically for the development of open space projects such as community gardens, urban farms, food forests, and passive open space. These awards are intended to assist nonprofit neighborhood initiatives with development of such projects, as well as capital improvements to existing open space projects, which are located on land that is not in DND’s inventory.


Treasury Department, 6/30/2021
Accepting consultant proposals for Community Preservation Program strategic planning. Questions may be directed to sara[dot]zimmerman[at]boston[dot]gov. 

Office of Public Service & Community Engagement, 7/1/2021
Grants of $500 are available to residents and groups to celebrate their neighborhood with a block party. OPS can provide resource tables, and will help with permitting, if needed. 


Office of Women’s Advancement, 7/16/2021
The Childcare Entrepreneur Fund supports home-based family childcare businesses with grant funding, coaching, and technical assistance. It also assists early educators in sharpening their entrepreneurial skills. Businesses may apply for $3,500 of flexible grant funding.


Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, through 3/31/2024
Seeking proposals from consultants to provide technical assistance services to cannabis equity applicants, under a maximum 3-year contract.

Boston Local Development Corporation, Open
Loans are available for small businesses in Boston to be used for working capital, equipment, utilities, expansion, and other business needs. Terms are flexible and there are no prepayment penalties. Loans range from $10,000 to $150,000.

FOUNDATION GRANTS

Sony, 6/30/2021, 07/29/2021 and 8/30/2021
CREATE ACTION grants are designed to make a long-lasting impact for local organizations and the communities they serve. Grantees will receive $50,000 in direct funding, Sony Electronics products worth $50,000 and a custom-created promotional film, along with opportunities for collaboration, partnership and marketing support.

Cummings Foundation, 7/1/2021
This place-based philanthropic initiative supports nonprofits in Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk County, Massachusetts. 100 grants of $100,000 are awarded annually.

National Community Care Corps, 7/9/2021
Requesting Proposals for innovative local models in which volunteers assist family caregivers or directly assist older adults or adults with disabilities with non-medical care to maintain their independence. Awards range from $30,000 and $150,000

Park Foundation, 7/9/2021 and 9/24/2021
Funding priorities include civil society, public interest media, environment, animal welfare.


Social Innovation Forum, 7/12/2021
Applications are now being accepted for the Social Innovation Accelerators programs. SIF seeks to welcome eight Greater Boston nonprofits into the 2021-2022 cohort, which will receive 24 months of capacity-building support.

Applicant organizations will address these social issue tracks:
1. Anything Goes: Innovative, Effective, and Sustainable Approaches to Our Region's Toughest Social Issues
2. Building and Sustaining Social Capital
3. Community Approaches to Advancing Racial Justice
4. Comprehensive & Innovative Approaches to Supporting Communities Affected by HIV/AIDS
5. Pathways to Intergenerational Wealth in BIPOC Communities
6. Promoting Career Exploration for Youth Through Civic Engagement
7. Women and Girls: Addressing Health and Wellness Inequities
8. Work-Based Learning and Mentorship Opportunities for Youth and Young Adults

NextFifty Initiative, 7/16/2021
What need do you see in the aging community (ages 50 and older) and how will a Flexible Support grant help you address it? Grants may range from less than $25,000 to more than $250,000. A limited number of grants will be awarded outside Colorado. Contact a staff member to discuss your application before submitting.

AstraZeneca, 7/16/2021
Funding categories: community health and wellbeing; youth STEm and career readiness. Max award: $25,000.

Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts, 7/19/2021
Grants of up to $300,000 will support projects that use an innovative approach to address long-standing and complex issues related to all aspects of stemming the tide of the nation’s opioid crisis. Funding priorities: patient-centered solutions; health equity; reaching diverse high-risk populations.


Kids Gardening, 7/30/2021
Little Seeds Pollinator Pals grants support youth garden programs. 18 programs will be awarded $500 to support the development of pollinator gardens in communities across the United States. 

Brady Education Foundation, 8/1/2021
Requesting proposals focused on evaluating programs with the potential to help close the opportunity and resulting achievement gaps associated with race and family income. 

Barbara McDowell and Gerald S. Hartman Foundation, 8/1/2021
Grants support cases that litigate social justice issues that will significantly improve the well-being, social conditions, and/or civil liberties of a large number of disadvantaged persons and groups throughout the US. Grants are expected to range from $40,000 to $200,000. 


NEXT for AUTISM, 8/1/2021
Accepting letters of intent for Color the Spectrum Community Grants, which provide $25,000 to help students on the autism spectrum transition from school to adulthood. Funding categories: work, school, social.

Doree Taylor Charitable Foundation, 9/1/2021
Funding priorities: food, housing, shelter; humane care of animals; health care services for the underserved; and public radio or television. 


New England Grassroots Environment Fund, 9/15/2021
Grow Grants of $1,000 to $3,500 enhance the ability of established groups to increase capacity, collaborate, and leverage impact. Seed Grants of $250 to $1,000 help volunteer groups launch and build their newly evolving projects. Requests for this program may be submitted throughout the year.


Fundación Mapfre, 10/11/2021
Ignacio H. Larramendi research grants promote projects related to obesity prevention, physical exercise, personal injury assessment, healthcare management and longevity. These grants are also open to researchers interested in promoting projects related to the challenges of insurance and social protection, for a maximum of 15,000 euros. 


Rockland Trust, 10/15/2021
Funding priorities: affordable housing, community development, education, financial literacy, health, and youth. Grants support programs, operating support, or capital projects, and also event sponsorships. Awards range from under $1,000 to over $10,000.

Charles H. Farnsworth Trust, 11/15/2021
Funding focus: affordable housing options and support services to older adults.


Blue Cross Massachusetts Foundation, Open
Catalyst Fund grants up to $5,000 help community-based health care organizations respond to COVID-19. 

American Battlefield Trust, Open
The Field Trip Fund reimburses K-12 teachers for transportation, meals, admission costs and other fees for visits to battlefields, museums and historical sites. Awards range from $250 to $1,500. 

Nathan Cummings Foundation, Open
Focus areas: Inclusive Clean Economy; Racial and Economic Justice; Corporate and Political Accountability; and Voices, Creativity, and Culture. The application process begins with a letter of inquiry. 


Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, Open
The Foundation seeks to dramatically improve the lives of people and the world around us through innovative strategies, systems changing approaches, and disrupting technologies. Our goal is to find social entrepreneurs with dynamic ideas and nurture them at the early stages with maximum leverage and total commitment.Exceptional entrepreneurs receive 3 years of unrestricted capital (totaling $300,000) and rigorous on-going support.

Finra Investor Education Foundation, Open
The Foundation welcomes applications for research projects that use data from the National Financial Capability Study (and other existing data sets) to advance understanding of the relationships among financial literacy, financial capability and financial well-being. Priority is also given to projects that further financial inclusion and address systemic financial inequities based on race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, and other social differences. Awards range from $50,000 to $100,000.

 

THE RESOURCE TABLE

Massachusetts VaxMillions

Fully vaccinated residents 18 and older will have the opportunity to enter to win one of five cash prizes of $1M. Fully vaccinated residents between 12-17 years of age may enter for the chance to win one of five scholarship grants of $300,000. Beginning July 1, drawings will be held once a week for five weeks.


Registration is Now Open
for BCYF Summer Programs

325 slots are available for youth ages 8- 18, for programs that run from July 12 to August 20, 2021.


Age-Friendly Resource Page

Courtesy of the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative


Walk-In Covid Vaccination is now available. 


The City of Boston Office of Housing Stability

helps residents find and maintain stable, safe, and affordable housing.


Boston Public Schools Summer Stuff

Summer 2021 - camps, jobs, enrichment, academic services, meals, arts, health services, and so much more. Sign up now!


Emergency Broadband Benefit

Families and households that struggle to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic, can get connected to jobs, critical healthcare services, virtual classrooms, and more. Benefits include a $50/monthly service credit and a $100 allowance toward a computer or tablet. Only one of each benefit is available per household. Apply online or contact a local broadband service provider.


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Check out our Resource page for blogs, reports, daily updates, and more.

星期四, 6月 24, 2021

北昆士地鐵站旁出租大樓The Abby剪綵啟用 首期218戶

麻州州長Charlie Baker,昆士市長Tom Koch,麻州副州長Karyn Polito
為新落成的The Abby,北昆士地鐵站旁出租大樓的落成啟用剪綵

(州長辦公室提供)
              (Boston Orange 周菊子綜合報導)北昆市地鐵站旁的豪華出租公寓,艾比(The Abby)”624日下午4點,在麻州正副州長,參議員,昆士市長出席的隆重中剪綵,第一期218個單位啟用,總共分3期,會有600多戶。

             由華府Bozzuto集團,亞特蘭大的Hingham這兩團隊合作組成的發展商,以99年期的土地租約,像麻州灣區運輸局(MBTA)租下北昆士地鐵站旁停車場這片土地,2019年動工,將共建造6層樓高的三棟樓宇,提供約45千平方呎零售店面,為地鐵站及大樓租戶提供約1500個停車位。

             這一土地發展計畫命名為The Abby是為紀念美國的第二位第一夫人Abigail Adams。昆士市長柯奇(Tom Koch)致詞時笑說,糟糕,他告訴女兒,這樓取名Abby是要表揚她

左起,麻州正副州長Charlie Baker,Karyn Polito和昆士市長Tom Koch為
新落成的The Abby,北昆士地鐵站旁出租大樓的落成啟用剪綵。
(周菊子攝)

             柯奇也直言,靠近地鐵的住宅是近年的土地發展趨勢,The Abby的動工建造,還促成昆士市中心天滿街(Tremont)上的另一項三棟樓發展計畫。

             這發展計畫的第一期大樓,地址在興國(Hancock)285號,已有73%租了出去,房型分別為套房,一及兩睡房。一睡房單位的租金,每月2350元起跳。

            第二期預定9月落成,一樓將會是購物商場Target

                 麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)表示,麻州住宅單位供應量不足,人盡皆知,尤其是麻州東部,需要蓋更多房屋。麻州政府為因應這一狀況,預定從聯邦政府撥給的53億元聯邦補助中,撥出10億元,支援建造可負擔住宅,以及協助民眾支付租金,購買房屋等等。(更新版)


Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito join Quincy Mayor Tom Koch at a ribbon cutting ceremony for The Abby, a new residential building near the North Quincy MBTA station.



代表昆士市的麻州參議員John Kenan
也出席了剪綵儀式。
(周菊子攝)

昆士市長柯奇和發展商們合影。

麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)說蓋房子現在是麻州很重要的一項任務。
(周菊子攝)


星期三, 6月 23, 2021

AG HEALEY JOINS COALITION OF ATTORNEYS GENERAL CALLING FOR PASSAGE OF THE FEDERAL EQUALITY ACT

 AG HEALEY JOINS COALITION OF ATTORNEYS GENERAL CALLING FOR PASSAGE OF THE FEDERAL EQUALITY ACT

Urges Senate to Pass Measure Prohibiting Discrimination Against LGBTQ+ Americans

 

BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey today joined a coalition of 25 attorneys general in calling on the U.S. Senate to pass federal legislation that protects all individuals from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

 

            In a letter sent to Senate leadership today, the attorneys general call for the passage of H.R. 5, the Equality Act. The legislation would strengthen federal legal protections for LGBTQ+ individuals by clarifying and modernizing federal civil rights laws and would prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals in employment, education, federally-funded programs, housing, public accommodations, credit and jury service. The attorneys general argue that updates to the nation’s civil rights laws are long overdue.

 

            “Our work to defend and advance LGBTQ+ equality has never been more important as we unwind the harm done under the previous Administration and recover from a public health crisis that has exacerbated persistent discrimination,” AG Healey said. “We’re calling on the Senate to pass this critical legislation so that we can ensure our LGBTQ+ friends, neighbors, colleagues, and family members have the protections they need to thrive.”

 

In June 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees who are fired because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The court determined that employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is discrimination on the basis of sex, which is prohibited by Title VII. In their letter today, the coalition points out that despite the court’s decision, the absence of explicit federal prohibitions on discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity leave many LGBTQ+ individuals vulnerable to experiencing discrimination in education, housing, credit, and health care. The coalition also contends that federal law does not currently prohibit sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in other areas, such as federally-funded programs and the jury system. As a result, individuals who do experience such discrimination are left without legal recourse.

 

The Equality Act addresses these gaps by clarifying that existing protections under federal civil rights laws include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The legislation will create and expand protections for LGBTQ+ individuals facing discrimination in education, employment, housing, credit and public facilities. It will also prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual orientation and gender identity, in sections of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibit discrimination in public accommodations and federal funding. Additionally, it expands the definition of public accommodations to expressly prohibit sex discrimination, such as denying services to people because they are pregnant or breastfeeding, or denying transgender individuals access to sex-specific restrooms corresponding to their gender identities. It further clarifies that the U.S. attorney general may intervene in federal court actions alleging denial of equal protection of the laws based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

 

The Equality Act would also expand State attorneys’ general authority to launch investigations, bring legal actions and enforce laws on behalf of their states. For instance, the legislation adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of groups protected under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and the Fair Housing Act – both of which state attorneys general routinely enforce.

 

The letter also argues that the Equality Act is needed to create a national standard, expanding civil rights protections beyond what is currently in state laws. The coalition specifically argues that the legislation is needed to fill the gap in the 27 states where LGBTQ+ individuals currently have no state-level protection against discrimination.

 

            Joining AG Healey in sending in sending today’s letter are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

30餘組織成立"保護工人權益聯盟" 為Uber、Lyft司機們爭福利

          (Boston Orange綜合報導)包括華人前進會(CPA)、越助協會(VietAid)在內的30多個社區團體,組成保護工人權益聯盟(Coalition to Protect Workers’ Rights)”622日上午聚集在麻州政府大樓前,呼籲保護為優步(Uber)”來福(Lyft)”,以及門撞(DoorDash)”等公司打零工的人。

                保護工人權益聯盟指出,聯邦儲備局的一份2018年報告發現,58%全職打零工的人,遭遇緊急狀況時,口袋裏甚至拿不出400元。但是優步,來福,門撞等雇用打零工人士的公司在2020年時以21000萬元的誤導性廣告,促使加州通過了22號提案(Proposition 22)這選票問題,剝奪了打零工者的民權,工資及福利等法律賦予一般工人的權益。

                  現在這些科技公司又再聯合起來,打算花上億元,要在今年824日的截止日前,把類似的選票問題,擠上2022年的麻州州級選舉選票。

                 麻州總檢察官奚莉(Maura Healey)正在控告這些打零工經濟中最大的兩家公司,優步來福,以不合法的錯誤分類,讓他們得以支付工人比最低工資還低的薪資,並不給福利。奚莉的行動已於325日取得初步勝利,麻州法院拒絕了這些公司向法院申請撤銷告訴的要求。

這些科技公司要提的選票問題,就是要容許他們在麻州法之下,不必把數以百計,千計基於應用程式(app-based)”的工人,列為員工,也就不必付給這些工人最低工資,病假,家事假,或失業福利,。這些人大都是移民或有色人種。

前述三家公司中的DoorDash是由徐迅等三名全都30多歲的華裔青年所創辦,去年129日在納斯達克股票市場上市時,募得33.7億美元,已成為全美最大的外賣遞送公司,佔有近60%的市場份額。

Baker-Polito Administration and MassHousing Announce $7 Million in New Funding for Affordable Housing in Four Communities

 Baker-Polito Administration and MassHousing Announce $7 Million in New Funding for Affordable Housing in Four Communities

Awards from the Community Scale Housing Initiative will advance smaller-scale affordable housing developments in Hamilton, Holyoke, Somerville, and Tisbury

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

6/23/2021

  • Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development
  • Housing and Community Development
  • Office of Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito
  • MassHousing
BOSTON — Today, the Baker-Polito Administration and MassHousing announced $7.02 million in Community Scale Housing Initiative (CSHI) awards, which will help create 66 new rental homes for residents across a range of incomes in Hamilton, Holyoke, Somerville, and on Martha’s Vineyard.
 
CSHI is a joint initiative of the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and MassHousing that provides funding to produce smaller scale affordable housing developments in communities with populations fewer than 200,000. Prior to the program’s introduction in 2017, there was no dedicated state funding stream for advancing small-scale affordable housing projects.
 
“The Commonwealth’s housing needs are diverse and urgent, and programs like the Community Scale Housing Initiative allow us to more effectively partner with cities and towns to develop new housing that meets local needs,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Every new unit of housing that we develop brings opportunity and stability to families across the Commonwealth.”
 
“The Community Scale Housing Initiative empowers communities to meet unique local challenges and deliver on local priorities by providing funds to amplify local affordable housing efforts, making the Commonwealth a key partner on a broad range of housing developments,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “We are proud to help strengthen municipalities and create more homes for working families.”
 
The most recent CSHI funding round awarded $7.02 million in direct subsidy financing from DHCD and MassHousing to advance the four new construction projects. To date, CSHI has awarded $17.7 million and advanced 181 new housing units in 15 communities across the Commonwealth. All the projects have also received local funding and support from their home community.
 
“The Community Scale Housing Initiative is a key component of our efforts to reverse the trends of the Commonwealth’s housing market, which for too long has been plagued by a lack of available units, sky-high prices, and restrictive zoning that have hurt our most vulnerable families, working households, and employers struggling to retain talent,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. “Today’s awards are an important part of our multi-layered strategy to encourage housing production of all kinds in every part of our Commonwealth. These locally driven projects will provide housing near transit, workforce housing, and extremely affordable units in these communities.”

“DHCD works with cities and towns of all sizes to advance development that makes sense, connecting them with resources and programs to support their goals,” said Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Jennifer Maddox. “Hamilton, Holyoke, Somerville and Martha’s Vineyard will welcome new, affordable housing to address local housing needs, joining many communities in Massachusetts actively planning for new housing.”
 
“The Community Scale Housing Initiative allows communities of many different sizes to develop new, mixed-income housing that fits the makeup of their city or town,” said MassHousing Executive Director Chrystal Kornegay. “Finding an affordable place to live is one of the biggest challenges facing residents of the Commonwealth —this program provides a crucial opportunity to help change that.”
 
The four projects receiving financing from the most recent funding round are:
 
Willow Street in Hamilton, an 18-unit, mixed-income, mixed-use project being developed by the Traggorth Companies. Located less than a block from the Hamilton-Wenham commuter rail station, Willow Street will encompass three stories, with apartments on the second and third floors and community space on the first floor. The project is receiving $1.7 million in CSHI financing through MassHousing and DHCD, $4.5 million in construction financing from Eastern Bank, which will convert to permanent financing, and $500,000 in local Affordable Housing Trust funds from the town of Hamilton. Upon completion, Willow Street will provide nine units affordable to households earning up to 80 percent of AMI and nine units will be rented at market rates. Willow Street will also be highly sustainable and is expected to achieve Passive House certification.
 
South Holyoke Homes Phase I in Holyoke is the first of five phases of affordable rental and homeownership development by the Holyoke Housing Authority (HHA) centered around Carlos Vega Park in South Holyoke. The 12-unit project has received $2 million in CSHI financing, $550,000 in HOME funds from the City of Holyoke, $840,000 in permanent financing from PeoplesBank, and $908,759 in developer equity. Of the $6.6 million the HHA was awarded from MassWorks for the South Holyoke Homes project in 2019 to support infrastructure and streetscape, $221,000 will be used in this first phase. Upon completion, nine of the 12 total units created in Phase I will be affordable to households earning up to 30 percent of AMI, with three units affordable to households earning up to 50 percent of AMI. All the units will be supported by a federal Section 8 housing subsidy.
 
31 Tufts Street in Somerville will be a 16-unit affordable and workforce housing community developed on city-owned land by E3 Development, LLC. The project is receiving $1.3 million in CSHI financing and $1 million from the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust. Upon completion, 31 Tufts Street will feature three units affordable to households earning up to 50 percent of AMI, five units affordable to households earning up to 80 percent of AMI, and eight units of workforce housing for households earning up to 110 percent of AMI. The development will feature publicly accessible open space, will be highly sustainable and is expected to achieve Passive House certification.
 
Kuehns Way Rental Apartments in Tisbury will be constructed as part of Chapter 40B by the nonprofit Island Housing Trust Corporation. The 20-unit project in 10 duplex buildings will receive $1.01 million in CSHI financing, $1 million in MassHousing Workforce Housing Initiative financing, $1.6 million in MassHousing permanent financing, $1.9 million in developer equity, $1.58 million in Tisbury Community Preservation Act funds, and $921,000 in construction financing from Martha’s Vineyard Bank. Upon completion, Kuehns Way Rental Apartments will be the largest affordable rental housing development built on Martha’s Vineyard in 15 years. Of the 20 units, two will be restricted to households earning up to 30 percent of AMI, eight units will be for households earning up to 60 percent of AMI, and 10 units will be for households earning up to 80 percent of AMI.

Last week, Governor Baker announced a plan to devote $1 billion from the Commonwealth’s direct federal aid to funding homeownership and housing priorities, a significant investment to help increase housing production and reduce barriers to owning a home as part of the ongoing COVID-19 recovery effort.

Baker-Polito Administration Publishes Interactive Tool Showing Breakdown of $3.4 Billion in Federal Aid Awarded to Municipalities

 Baker-Polito Administration Publishes Interactive Tool Showing Breakdown of $3.4 Billion in Federal Aid Awarded to Municipalities 

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced that it has published a new, interactive online tool that displays a breakdown by municipality of the $3.4 billion in direct federal aid awarded to local governments across Massachusetts by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). This direct aid to local governments is part of a total of $8.7 billion awarded to Massachusetts through the new Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, which was created by ARPA. This total also includes the $5.3 billion awarded directly to the Commonwealth, and last week Governor Baker outlined a plan to spend $2.8 billion of these funds on urgent priorities that support the communities hardest-hit by the pandemic.

 These discretionary federal dollars are available to every local city, town, and county throughout the Commonwealth to support urgent municipal COVID-19 response efforts, replace lost revenue, stabilize households and businesses, and address the existing disparities that the pandemic exacerbated.

 The new online resource consists of an interactive map that shows the breakdown of the $3.4 billion that is available to local cities, towns, and counties through the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. The website also contains detailed information on funding allocations and the distribution process, as well as general information on the usage of these funds.

 Last week, Governor Baker outlined a plan to work with the Legislature to spend $2.8 billion of the Commonwealth’s discretionary funds on urgent priorities that support the communities hardest-hit by the pandemic. These significant federal resources complement other funding received by municipalities throughout the course of the public health emergency, such as the $502 million in Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars made available to municipal government entities earlier in the pandemic.

 To view the interactive map and this municipal funding information, please click here.

MAYOR JANEY'S DELIVERS REMARKS TO GREATER BOSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

MAYOR JANEY'S DELIVERS REMARKS TO GREATER BOSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Read the Mayor's remarks during the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Virtual Government Affairs Forum held on June 23, 2021.

BOSTON - Wednesday, June 23, 2021 - Mayor Kim Janey today delivered remarks to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce during their virtual Government Affairs Forum, laying out how she is leading Boston through the COVID-19 pandemic with a citywide agenda for recovery, reopening and renewal. 

Below are the Mayor's remarks as prepared for delivery:

Good morning! Thank you Miceal Chamberlain for that introduction. And thank you, Jim Rooney. You were an integral part of my transition committee, and I am grateful for your leadership. I also want to extend my gratitude to the Chair of the Board, Micho Spring. 

I’m pleased to be joining you today from the Rapid 7 headquarters located in The Hub on Causeway in Boston. Rapid 7 is a leading global technology company, led by Corey Thomas. Like Corey, I am committed to investing in Boston’s diverse pool of strong and exceptional talent. I appreciate Rapid 7 for hosting me today. 

It’s a beautiful day in Boston.  

Today, we are healthier than we have been at any time in over a year. New cases of COVID remain at low levels. More than half of our residents are fully vaccinated. Over 60 percent have received at least one dose. And, for those hardest hit by this pandemic -- our seniors -- over 75% are fully vaccinated. 

Today, our economy is rebounding, and people are getting back to work. Our unemployment rate has dropped from 16% a year ago to roughly 6% today. And, economic activity continues to pick up.

And, today, Boston is buzzing. Tens of thousands of people were out this weekend. Families and friends reconnecting across our city -- from Juneteenth celebrations at Franklin Park to barbeques in backyards. Residents and visitors are strolling in our neighborhoods, cooling off in our parks, and dining under our streetlights and stars.  

It truly is a beautiful day in Boston.

As we reflect on our recovery and reopening, we must neither forget the 1,389 souls that we have lost in Boston due to COVID, nor the distance we still have to go as a city.

Boston -- our neighborhoods, our business community, our people -- is incredibly strong and resilient. And, the challenges we faced prior to COVID are still ones we must solve today: rising sea levels, high housing costs, and wealth, health and wage disparities along race and gender lines. 

Our work over the last 16 months provides a path we can follow to tackle these challenges. We are recovering from this pandemic because we analyzed the data and followed the science. We made tough decisions both at home and at work. And, above all, we partnered together, focusing our efforts on those most in need.  

Black Suffragist Mary Church Terrell coined the phrase “lifting as we climb.” She understood that our own progress is tied to improving the conditions of others. 

When I took the oath of office, I promised to lift up the people most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and improve the health, wellness, and economic status of workers and our business community.   

That promise guided the municipal budget that I submitted to the City Council for approval next week. I want to thank Justin Sterritt, our CFO, and his team for their work.  

My budget includes a $3.2 billion dollar capital plan. It is the largest in our city’s history. I believe that now is the time to invest in Boston. It will shape our recovery.

·    To prepare the workforce for our future, we are funding new and renovated public schools across our city, like the Josiah Quincy Upper School in Chinatown that we broke ground on last week.    

·    To strengthen the open spaces that residents relied on this past year, we are investing in nearly 80 different projects in our parks;

·    To mend the fabric of our neighborhoods after this year of social distancing, we are funding hundreds of millions of dollars for our cherished community centers and libraries;

·    And, to make transit and transportation more safe, reliable, and accessible for all, we are dedicating over $1 Billion to improving our streets and sidewalks all across our city.

As we invest through this budget, we are creating the structures that allow us to not just get back on our feet but to go better as a city.  

In this budget, we are funding Boston’s first Office of Participatory Budgeting, to elevate the voice that residents have in City Hall.  

We are creating an Office of Police Accountability & Transparency. This office will strengthen the trust between the public and our police department.  

And, we are investing heavily in the staff and programs necessary to address the disparities that exist in how City government contracts.

The City’s recent Disparity Study examined the $2.1 billion in City government contracts between 2014 and 2019. The study revealed that only 2.5% of the spending went to minority and women-owned businesses combined, and less than one percent went to Black-owned businesses. In a city that has a population that is majority people of color, and in a city that is brimming with talented entrepreneurs of every race, ethnicity and gender, we can do better. We must do better. 

Through the work of our Chief of Equity and Inclusion, Celina Barrios-Millner, we are transforming our procurement process to foster systemic change. We are marketing all of our procurement opportunities to diverse vendors, developing yearly equitable spending plans at the department level, and supporting the growth of minority and women-owned businesses. 

We are also developing a pipeline of diverse vendors. This week we awarded grants to 56 local, diverse businesses through our newly created Boston Contracting Opportunity Fund. This fund helps businesses build their capacity to compete for City contracts. One of the grantees is Ricardo Pierre-Louis of Roxbury. Ricardo ran a valet parking service that was devastated by the pandemic when restaurants shut down. With relief funds from the city, he will be able to support his employees and pivot his operations to managing garages. His business, Privé [Pre-Vay] Parking, was recently awarded a major private contract on the South Boston Waterfront and he will leverage the Opportunity Fund grant to scale up.

To further help all companies compete for City contracts, I have created a new five-person Supplier Diversity Team. This team is charged with creating fair and equitable access to City contracting opportunities. This team is led by a Supplier Diversity Manager.   

I have created a new Director of Strategic Procurement in our Administration and Finance Cabinet. Together, the Director of Strategic Procurement and the Supplier Diversity Team, will develop the City’s first-ever Purchasing Plan. This will help companies see what we plan to purchase so that businesses can get ready to bid.

I want to make it easier for businesses to connect with us, so we are hosting Pathways to City Contracting Opportunity Fairs where entrepreneurs meet with City departments and learn about upcoming contracting opportunities that align with their expertise. Quite like the Chamber’s Pacesetter’s program, the City is proactively inviting underrepresented enterprises to do business with us. 

This is an intentional focus on addressing racial disparities as we advance the City’s largest capital budget. It will, over time, increase competition for City contracts, strengthen local businesses, and close persistent wealth gaps in our city.

We need to take that same approach in our support for workers and in our housing policy. We must be intentional in our efforts as we emerge from this crisis so that we rebound as a stronger city.

That means we must continue our focus on those most impacted during this crisis. For many of our lowest income workers, that means simply being able to pay the rent.  

We have responded with a $50 million dollar Rental Relief Fund. This fund helps renters remain in their homes; it helps landlords keep up their buildings; and, it helps our neighborhoods have stability as we emerge from this crisis.  

This fund is already making a real difference for residents like Marlinda, an elderly woman from Allston. She was about to be evicted from an apartment that she lived in for 27 years. She owed $15,000 in back rent. We were able to pay her landlord all that was due. With our help, Marlinda was able to stay in her home. 

Suzanne, a landlord from Dorchester who did not want to evict her tenant when he fell ill during the pandemic, had applied for rental relief on his behalf. Through this fund, we paid his back rent, utilities, and two months of future rent. 

Rental relief is helping our residents get through this crisis. But, systemic change is needed to make Boston affordable for the long term. I strongly support the growth of housing in Boston, but it must be growth that helps to build a middle class and keep our city accessible to all. 

In July, we will take another step in that direction. Under the leadership of Sheila Dillon, our Chief of Housing, we will release a funding RFP of $30M to support the creation of housing for families, seniors, and currently homeless residents.   

Homeownership is also a key strategy for tackling the wealth gap in Boston. To make homeownership more accessible, I recently invested $2.4 million into the Boston Home Center's first-time Homebuyer Program. This commitment more than triples the average amount of assistance previously offered by the City to income-eligible, first-time homebuyers.   

Emergency relief for renters and homeownership opportunities for residents gives our city and our economy stability. As does support for our small businesses and our City’s entrepreneurs.

The spirit of entrepreneurship resides deeply in my blood. I come from a long line of entrepreneurs. From construction to graphic design, from insurance to small business incubators, I am proud to come from an enterprising family that means business.

Our business community experienced multiple closures and loss of profits during the pandemic. Through grant-making initiatives, such as the Small Business Relief Fund, we distributed $16 million dollars to over 4,000 small businesses — from iFresh Noodle in Allston to Beacon Hill Nutrition in the Back Bay to Mattapan Bottle and Can, Inc to the Rozzie Square Theater. 

To ensure that small businesses can thrive as our city reopens, we’ve recently taken steps to expand our commercial rent relief and small business support programs by another $16 million dollars. This investment also helps business owners, their landlords and property managers build long-standing partnerships with each other and with the neighborhoods they serve.  

Our travel and hospitality sector, which is 70% people of color and the 3rd largest industry in Boston, plummeted during the pandemic. This sector is still climbing towards recovery. So, we launched and extended the All Inclusive Boston campaign. This campaign encourages residents and travelers to take advantage of the unique offerings in each of Boston’s neighborhoods. We also launched the B Local app to support small businesses by rewarding users for shopping locally.

Just last week, Midori Morikawa, our Chief of Economic Development, and I hosted a listening session with a critical part of the hospitality sector: our restaurant owners. I heard the challenges they are facing: severe staffing hurdles, limited operating hours, and massive debt from PPP loans. We also heard how valuable the outdoor dining program has been during this pandemic. It’s been a lifeline for many of our restaurants. 

Coming out of this listening session, we are putting in place $1.7 million dollars in new City support for our restaurants.  

This includes a new outdoor dining team to work with restaurateurs and neighborhoods to bring dining to streets, sidewalks, and open spaces in the years ahead. It also will fund a marketing campaign for local business restaurants in Boston, to raise their profile as we recover as a city.  

To address the staffing challenges that restaurant owners identified, this funding will also support staff recruitment and retention bonuses and offer tuition assistance to workers for two years while employed at a restaurant. This should help our local restaurants -- and their employees -- rise as we recover. 

No matter the scale of your business, you know that your employees are your most critical asset.  

That’s why I am putting workers at the center of Boston’s recovery. I am committed to making sure investments in Boston’s reopening not only help businesses but also help workers whose employment and savings were most impacted by COVID.  

That’s why, in our FY ‘22 budget, we are allocating $1 million in job training in the hardest-hit industries and $1 million in job training for artists. It’s why this budget also expands programs to support child care entrepreneurs, immigrant professionals, and careers in green jobs and transportation. And, it’s a budget that invests $4 million to expand our City-sponsored youth summer jobs program to reach 5,000 youth during the summer and 1,000 youth year-round.

To help ensure that these investments and our policies in City Hall best support workers, I’m proud to announce the creation of a new cabinet-level Chief of Labor and Workforce Development.  

This new cabinet member will help identify and advocate for legislation and investments that will end wage disparities and create stronger career pathways. And, they will work across the city to ensure Boston’s workers have the skills they need to meet the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.

By focusing on our workers, by supporting our businesses, by diversifying who we contract with, we will all rise from this pandemic to a stronger Boston that is more equitable, just, and resilient.

So, I encourage you, in the days ahead, to invest in our talented, local and diverse businesses, who are eager to do business with you!

As you return to your offices, hire Boston residents, and make Boston youth part of your reopening plans. They need opportunities to grow their skills in a professional workplace.

Dine in our neighborhood restaurants. As you make plans for a joyful summer, choose a destination in a Boston neighborhood you’ve never been to before. 

We are going better, we are centering equity, and we are “lifting as we climb!”