Town Likely to Benefit from Healey-Driscoll Plan

Above, Town Administrator Jamie Hellen

Yesterday, the Healey-Driscoll Administration filed legislation that seeks $987 million in bond authorization to preempt interruptions to "core" state capital programs supporting housing and economic development across the Commonwealth, and to remain competitive in the pursuit of federal grants, according to the administration. 

The administration also filed An Act Financing Improvements to Municipal Roads and Bridges, which authorizes the Commonwealth to borrow $400 million to fund improvements to municipally owned roads and bridges through Chapter 90 grants over the next two fiscal years.  And if that sounds like something that could bring funds to Franklin, you may be right.

"If you read the actual letters [See links below] you will see that they are making the argument that these accounts have strong support statewide," said Franklin Town Administrator,  Jamie Hellen.  "That I agree with because it is basic core infrastructure. Notably the Housing piece, where the letter states they have exhausted the funds in those accounts that matter," he continued.

Hellen said Franklin has benefitted from most of these programs, notably MassWorks, where the town  has received $6 million in funding over the past two years (Grove Street reconstruction and Franklin Ridge Housing). "The Clean Water Trust is where the Town gets the Beaver Street Interceptor project low interest loan from [and] Chapter 90 is the Town's state allotment for road construction; so all of these relate to the Town," he added

The Immediate Needs Bond Bill is aimed at providing funds for critical infrastructure programs that have exhausted existing resources, such as MassWorks and the Middle Mile Broadband program. Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll announced the filing on Thursday at Greylock Works in North Adams and Ludlow Mills, two projects that previously received MassWorks funding and represent the impact this program has on local communities.

The bill also proposes authorization to ensure the continuity of several other ongoing housing production and preservation programs in the near-term. It includes key grant programs that support cities and towns for libraries, seaport development, housing, tourism, planning, and targeted funds for rural and small towns. Finally, the bill includes state matching funds to position the Commonwealth to take advantage of opportunities to compete for once-in-a-generation federal grant dollars in areas including climate change, advanced manufacturing, broadband access, water and sewer infrastructure, and technology.

“This bill ensures that critical housing, infrastructure and community development programs have the funding needed to continue serving the people of Massachusetts. And it’s only the start of our administration’s proposed capital investments,” said Governor Maura T. Healey. “We look forward to working with our colleagues in the Legislature and other stakeholders as we develop our broader long-term strategy to increase housing production and preservation, and expand economic opportunity for all residents, which will culminate in a more comprehensive bond bill later this session.”

“At a time when increasing the housing supply in the Commonwealth is a top priority, it is imperative that core capital programs that support these objectives are sufficiently funded and continue to operate,” said Lieutenant Governor Kimberley Driscoll. “This legislation will prevent disruption to grant programs that directly benefit hundreds of local communities across the state while also positioning Massachusetts to take advantage of federal grant opportunities that will multiply the impact of our resources.”

The bill proposes a total of $110 million in authorization to continue to support housing creation and preservation, including affordable rental housing production and rehabilitation, public housing, climate resilient housing, and transit-oriented development. This includes additional authorization for programs that are or are nearly out of authorization but remain in high demand and are core to efforts to expand and preserve Massachusetts’ housing supply. These programs include the Housing Stabilization Fund, Housing Innovations Fund, Smart Growth Housing Trust, and Facilities Consolidation Fund. The bill also includes $48 million for the repair and modernization of public housing units that support approximately 80,000 residents across more than 230 municipalities.

“This bond bill takes a purposeful and targeted approach to ensure that key capital programs that drive economic growth in Massachusetts communities and support the state’s housing stock are able to continue operating without interruption,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz. “We look forward to working with the Legislature to promptly pass this legislation and to collaborating further in the coming months to develop a comprehensive plan for investing in the Commonwealth’s long-term growth and success.”

The proposed authorization would also provide a total of $482 million to finance economic development programs that directly benefit Massachusetts communities, with $400 million proposed for the MassWorks program. MassWorks is the largest and most flexible source of capital funds to municipalities for public infrastructure projects that support and accelerate housing production, spur community development, and create jobs throughout the Commonwealth. As one of 12 programs administered through the Community One Stop for Growth, MassWorks has funded more than 500 projects since its creation in 2011, and the authorization proposed in this legislation would enable hundreds of additional local projects to move forward. This legislation proposes additional authorization for other Community One Stop for Growth programs as well, including $34 million for the Underutilized Properties program, which improves, rehabilitates and redevelops blighted, abandoned, vacant or underutilized properties, $5 million for the Rural and Small Town Development Fund, which supports capital and community planning in low-population areas, and $1 million for Community Planning Grants.

“This bill will enable us to continue critical infrastructure work necessary to facilitate economic development in all 351 cities and towns across the Commonwealth,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao. “With renewed authorization for our key programs, the Healey-Driscoll Administration can continue to build housing, create jobs, and help communities thrive.”

The legislation also proposes additional resources for a number of other high demand community economic development programs that will need additional authorization over the next two years. These programs spur community development, promote economic growth, and keep Massachusetts on the leading edge of innovation, and include:

• $104 million for the Clean Water Trust to finance communities’ efforts to improve water infrastructure and improve local water quality;
• $52 million for programs supporting the Commonwealth’s innovation economy, including the advanced manufacturing sector, purpose-driven research, technology development, and in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), robotics, quantum information science, cybersecurity, communications, and digital health;
• $9.3 million for broadband infrastructure, particularly in central and western Massachusetts communities.

Lastly, the bill proposes funding that would put Massachusetts in a position to compete for new, historic levels of federal grant opportunities. Proof of available matching funds are generally required as a condition of applying for a federal award, and showing the availability of dedicated funds for this purpose dramatically strengthens the state’s application to any such federal program. The bill proposes $200 million as a state match for competitive federal grant programs, such as the CHIPS and Science Act. Similarly, the bill includes $40 million to enable the state to apply for federal broadband and digital equity initiatives. It also includes $30 million to allow the Commonwealth to compete for community broadband dollars funded at the federal level through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law).

The grants provided by An Act Financing Improvements to Municipal Roads and Bridges will reach each of Massachusetts’ 351 cities and towns directly. The administration is seeking a two-year authorization to enable cities and towns sufficient time to put the funds to work given the planning and coordination required to get these critical projects completed.

"One theme here is that these are also areas seeing huge cost increases due to inflation, e.g. roads., "said Hellen.  "There has been a major push for more Chapter 90 money on roads and this seems to address those local concerns."  Hellen also noted that the announcement came  just before the Governor's  Friday appearance at the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) Annual Meeting.

See the Governor’s filing letter for the bond bill here and Chapter 90 bill here.