The Healey-Driscoll Administration has just dropped some big news for communities across Massachusetts. In a recent announcement picked up by mass.gov, they're doling out a hefty $179 million through the Community One Stop for Growth into the state's economy. That's 314 different grants going out to shore up various local economic development projects in a whopping 190 communities. They're looking at everything from beefing up planning and zoning to rolling out new infrastructure and driving housing development.
Here's what Governor Maura Healey had to say about the initiative: “We’re proud to be a state of strong cities and towns—made stronger by programs like the Community One Stop for Growth, which give local leaders the tools they need to strengthen their economies and improve quality of life," as mentioned on mass.gov. That's a clear signal that the state's really banking on local leaders to pivot these funds into tangible perks like more housing, safer roads, and a boost in jobs. And it seems like they can’t wait to see the ripple effect of these investments across Massachusetts.
Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll chimed in too, emphasizing the collaborative angle of the plan. "By working together and keeping our focus on local priorities, we’re creating opportunity, advancing affordability, and improving quality of life for residents across Massachusetts.” Now, looking at the breakdown of the grants, you've got everything from the big-ticket MassWorks Infrastructure Program with its $100 million spread across 55 projects to smaller, yet crucial funding initiatives like the Massachusetts Downtown Initiative, adding a splash of cash to 20 projects, as per mass.gov.
It's worth noting that the One Stop portal received over 700 applications, but just under half made the cut, according to Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley. In terms of the numbers, that’s over 20,000 new housing units on the horizon, nearly a third of which are earmarked as affordable. As for job creation, the state's forecasting about 11,000 permanent positions to spring up from this financial boost. And let's not forget the staggering 8.8 million square feet of new commercial development that's also on the cards.
Monson is set to be in the spotlight come November 6, where state and local officials will be toasting to the grants at what promises to be quite the shindig. They'll be raising their glasses at the site of the Monson Developmental Center project, a redevelopment project getting a $5 million MassWorks grant helping to spruce up a bridge and upgrade infrastructure. MassDevelopment is also throwing a $500,000 Site Readiness Grant into the Monson mix to work on a site plan. According to state legislators like House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano and Senate President Karen E. Spilka, this legislatively-backed funding is all about job creation, housing, and giving a local economies a push in the right direction.
If you're hungry for the full list of projects getting a piece of this multimillion-dollar pie, it's all up for grabs on the EOED website. And it's clear that MassDevelopment is jazzed to be a part of the equation. President and CEO Navjeet Bal points out that their role is all about delivering funding and technical assistance to communities.
