Cross-cabinet events will highlight housing’s impact on residents, communities, businesses, transportation, health and the economy

BOSTON - Next week, the Healey-Driscoll administration will launch a statewide campaign calling attention to the urgent need to act to lower housing costs across Massachusetts and highlighting housing’s impact on everyday life. Each event hosted by the administration over the next few weeks will highlight a different way in which housing impacts residents’ lives and the need for action to make housing more affordable for everyone. Governor Maura T. Healey, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, and cabinet secretaries will also advocate for the administration’s strategies to increase housing production and lower costs, including the Affordable Homes Act and the MBTA Communities Law. 

“Everywhere we go in Massachusetts, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and I hear that the high cost of housing is the number one challenge facing our residents, communities, workers and businesses,” said Governor Healey. “That’s why we’ve gone big on our housing agenda to lower costs for everyone – from proposing the largest housing investment in state history with the Affordable Homes Act, to partnering with communities to help them rezone for multifamily housing as part of the MBTA Communities Act, to passing significant incentives for housing development and relief for renters and senior homeowners in our tax cuts package. Over the next few weeks, our team is going to be visiting communities across the state to highlight the ways in which housing impacts every aspect of our residents’ quality of life and our economy and call for urgent action to make housing more affordable for all.” 

On Monday, May 6, Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll will kick off the week in Lynn with mayors and municipal managers from across the state to highlight the ways in which increasing housing production will help municipalities meet the needs of their residents. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor will also applaud the communities that have complied or are on the path to complying with the MBTA Communities Law. 

On Wednesday, May 8, Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll will join business leaders in Worcester for a roundtable discussion about how building more housing and lowering costs is essential for our economic growth, competitiveness and innovation. 

On Thursday, May 9, Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll will join hospital executives and health care leaders for a roundtable discussion on the ways in which housing is a social determinant of health and critical to supporting Massachusetts’ world class health care workforce. The event will be held at Boston Medical Center, which is a national leader on innovative approaches to housing as medicine and has invested millions of dollars into affordable housing. 

On Friday May 10, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and Secretary Augustus will visit a local housing authority development to highlight the importance of revitalizing and preserving public housing, which provides stable and affordable homes for residents with low incomes, including seniors and people with disabilities. The Affordable Homes Act proposes $1.6 billion for the repair, rehabilitation and modernization of the state’s more than 43,000 public housing units. 

On Thursday, May 16, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and Secretary Augustus will visit a community development organization in Chesterfield to highlight the important role that partnership with neighborhood organizations plays in addressing our housing challenges. 

On Friday, May 17, Secretary Augustus and MBTA General Manager Phil Eng will visit Attleboro to highlight the importance of transit-oriented housing, which can increase housing affordability, reduce commuting costs, expand accessibility, and foster sustainable development. The MBTA recently executed an MOU with Attleboro for a transit-oriented development (TOD) project with up to 600 housing units. The MBTA also recently announced that service will be partially restored to the nearby South Attleboro train station on May 20. 

On Monday, May 20, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and Secretary Augustus will visit Gloucester to highlight the importance of ensuring that affordable housing projects have supportive services for residents. They will also discuss the importance of senior housing, which provides tailored accommodations and support services for older adults, fostering independence, social connections, and access to health care, while addressing the unique needs and preferences of aging populations for a fulfilling retirement experience. Accordingly, the Affordable Homes Act authorizes $200 million for the Housing Innovation Fund, which supports innovative rental housing, including for seniors. It also establishes a commission to research and recommend policy changes to expand supportive housing for seniors.  

On Monday afternoon, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and Secretary Augustus will visit Haverhill to highlight the ways in which the state supports first-time homebuyers through the CommonWealth Builder and MassDREAMS programs. The Affordable Homes Act proposes $100 million for CommonWealth Builder to spur construction of affordable homeownership opportunities and up to $50 million for MassDreams to create first-time homebuyer opportunities for households in Disproportionately Impacted Communities. 

             Who: Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus, Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson, Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle, Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson, Amesbury Mayor Kassandra Gove, Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo, Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, Franklin Town Administrator Jamie Hellen, Westborough Town Manager Kristi Williams, Amherst Town Manager Paul Bockelman, Dennis Town Administrator Elizabeth Sullivan, Arlington Town Manager Jim Feeney, Ludlow Town Administrator Marc Strange, Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez, Watertown City Manager George Proakis, Executive Director of MA Municipal Association Adam Chapdelaine, and Executive Director of Metropolitan Area Planning Council Marc Draisen  

             What: Housing and Our Local Communities press conference 

             When: Monday, May 6, 2024 at 12:30pm 

             Press: Open 

             Who: Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus, Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao, President and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce Timothy P. Murray, business leaders 

             What: Housing Is Economic Development roundtable 

             When: Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 9:45 am 

             Press: Open 

             Who: Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus, Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh, hospital executives and health care leaders 

             What: Housing Is Health Care roundtable 

             When: Thursday, May 9, 2024 at 12:30 pm 

             Press: Open 

             Who: Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus, Boston Housing Authority Administrator Kenzie Bok, and local officials 

             What: Housing and Public Housing event 

             When: Friday, May 10, 2024 at 12:00 pm 

             Press: Open

             Who: Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus, Chesterfield Town Administrator Brenda Lessard, and local elected officials 

             What: Housing and Community Development event 

             When: Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 9:00 am 

             Press: Open 

             Who: Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus, MBTA General Manager Phil Eng, Attleboro Mayor Cathleen DeSimone, and local officials 

             What: Housing and Transportation event 

             When: Friday, May 17, 2024 at 1:30 pm 

             Press: Open 

             Who: Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus, Gloucester Mayor Greg Verga, developers, and local officials  

             What: Housing and Senior/Supportive Housing event 

             When: Monday, May 20, 2024 at 12:00 pm 

             Press: Open 

             Who: Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus, MassHousing, Massachusetts Housing Partnership, Haverhill Mayor Melinda Barrett, and local officials  

             What: Housing and Homeownership event 

             When: Monday, May 20, 2024 at 2:30 pm 

             Press: Open