Celebrating summer in the city

Last weekend the Latin American Festival returned to Worcester Common for its 31st annual run. The event is a bookend of sorts, as Worcester started the summer by hosting the largest and oldest Albanian Festival in America. These revelries are by no means unique to New England’s second-largest city. Summer in the Gateway Cities stands out for its full blossom

Senate tax bill spurs mixed-income housing production

The Gateway Cities Journal

This week the Massachusetts Senate revealed its much-anticipated tax relief package. Mirroring language from Governor Healey’s proposal, the bill includes provisions increasing the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) to $57 million in FY 24 to clear a lengthy backlog of pending projects, followed by $30 million annually each year thereafter. MassINC anticipates that this expansion

Recommendations to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities on the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP)

MassINC has developed draft recommendations to the new Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities that would improve management of the program. These have been crafted in consultation with municipal housing and economic development staff from Gateway Cities across the state. We look forward to discussing these ideas with EOHLC Secretary Ed Augustus and his

23 Gateway City mayors and managers write to state legislators for HDIP

Letter of support to state senate leaders from mayors and managers representing 23 Gateway Cities

Last week, mayors and managers representing 23 Gateway Cities submitted a letter of support to state senate leaders supporting expanding the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) from $10M to $30M annually. The senate is expected to debate its tax package this week. – May 31, 2023 Karen E. Spilka, Senate President Michael J. Rodrigues, Chair

Five Gateway City bills to watch this session

The Gateway Cities Journal

Last Friday was “docket day” on Beacon Hill, the deadline for filing legislation for consideration during the 2023 – 2024 session. The co-chairs of the Gateway Cities caucus presented five hefty bills. As a package, the complementary and commonsense policy proposals contained in these bills would offer a huge infusion of energy for Gateway City

The Baker Administration’s Crowning Achievement

The Gateway Cities Journal

Leaders on Beacon Hill continue to look for solutions to the stalled economic development package. Embedding the bill’s provision in a supplemental budget, which Governor Baker would take the lead in drafting, is one scenario floating around the State House. This approach has one major downside: supplemental budgets cannot contain bond authorizations. If this is

For the Good of the Commonwealth

The Gateway Cities Journal

Gateway City leaders awoke Monday morning to incredibly disheartening news: The legislature had failed to pass the economic development bill and its long-awaited increase in the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP). Session after session, the omnibus economic development bill has been the primary vehicle for economic policy in Massachusetts. Many interests are now waiting patiently

50 Gateway City economic development leaders write to state legislators for HDIP

50 Gateway City economic development leaders and developers sent a letter to state legislators calling for action to rescue the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP), which is the only state program to address the unique development challenges of our small cities. Most significantly, rents remain comparatively low in most Gateway Cities compared to rising construction
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