Secretary Bigby and the Governor's Office have approved the Community First Olmstead Plan linked below. "Community First" continues to be one of the Secretary’s top priorities. The Governor "officially" received the plan on September 12th.
Please click here to view a PDF version of the plan.
Housing News
Area economists say the bottom may be near for the slump of housing prices in Massachusetts. That’s the good news.
The bad news: Don’t expect a rapid rebound. Expect prices to move sideways for a while before rising. Those who recently bought homes likely will remain “under water” — owning a home valued at less than they paid — for several years.
State Updates
Senate Committee on Ways and Means Releases FY’12 Budget Proposal
On Wednesday, May 18th, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means released its FY 2012 Budget Proposal. Like the Governor’s budget and the House budget, the Senate Ways and Means budget closes a gap of over $1.8 billion created by a revenue shortfall from the slow economy, the repeal of the sales tax on alcohol, and the loss of ARRA stimulus funds.
On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Henry Paulson, together with the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), James Lockhart, released a statement announcing the decision of Lockhart to place the government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under conservatorship.
Testimony on DHCD’s FY 2010 Budget
Written by: Sean Caron
Director of Public Policy
Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association
Click here to view full text of testimony (PDF File)
Governor Deval Patrick today pledged more than $142 million from state housing programs and equity leveraged from private sector investment in low-income housing tax credits to support projects statewide that will yield 1,218 rental apartments, 1,124 of which will be affordable for low- and moderate-income residents.
Click to view full PDF File.
Advocates Join Forces to Prevent Human Tragedy This Winter State’s “Unmet Need” for Home Heating Assistance Estimated at $250 Million A diverse group of supporters representing elders, fuel companies, poor families, health care organizations, environmental groups and religious organizations across the state have joined together to demonstrate the critical need for significant increases in home heating assistance this winter in Massachusetts.