Holyoke developer lands state backing for 14 new units on Lyman Street
HOLYOKE — With help from the state, a developer will create 14 apartments in downtown Holyoke, part of a $18 million package of grants announced this week by Gov. Maura Healey.
The state funding will help build 288 new housing units in six Gateway Cities across Massachusetts.
C Elliott Developers LLC received $952,000 to create housing units at 174 Lyman St. in Holyoke.
The awards are the last round of Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) grants for 2024. This year, a record number of new homes were built after Healey increased HDIP funding from $10 million to $30 million a year.
Healey also added $57 million as part of a $1 billion tax cuts package signed in October 2023. Overall, the administration awarded $72 million to create 1,544 new housing units in Gateway Cities in 2024.
In a statement, Healey said the incentive program has succeeded in creating 'more reasonably priced housing in Gateway Cities.'
'We were proud to expand this program as part of our historic tax cuts package, and we're thrilled to see this funding being put to work across the states,' Healey said. 'Together, we're making it more affordable for people to live in their communities while also attracting more business, industry and culture to our incredible Gateway Cities.'
Community Development Director Alicia M. Zoeller was unavailable for comment.
Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said the administration is dedicated to addressing housing needs.
'This funding brings a significant impact to cities across the state and goes a long way toward making Massachusetts a more affordable place to live, work, start a family and build a future,' Driscoll said.
The announcement was made Tuesday at 347 Main St. in Fitchburg, an eight-unit housing development and previous HDIP award recipient.
The program aims to build market-rate housing to help the economy, increase housing variety and create lively neighborhoods, backers say.
The governor's plan includes the $5.12 billion Affordable Homes Act, the MBTA Communities Law, more Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and work by the Housing Advisory Council and the Unlocking Housing Production Commission.
Read the original article on MassLive.
Read the original article on MassLive.
Read the original article on MassLive.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Holyoke schools join state career pilot program
HOLYOKE — The Holyoke School District is one of 14 chosen to join the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's My Career and Academic Plan pilot program. The district received about $24,976 from the $281,000 in Work-Based Learning grants awarded to schools across the state last week. Gov. Maura Healey said in an announcement that work-based learning experiences are crucial for preparing students for the future. 'These grants will help support strong partnerships between schools and employers, opening doors for students in critical STEM fields like health care, manufacturing, and technology,' Healey said. The pilot program is part of the administration's Reimagining High School initiative. DESE will assist districts in integrating the program. It seeks to help middle and high school students focus on academic, personal, and career goals. In March, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced $914,385 in funding to 135 schools in 49 districts to help them adopt the career and academic plan. Over 200 schools in more than 150 districts have engaged in the program. Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler said the goal is to connect academic learning 'with meaningful work experiences.' Grant recipients will team up with MassHire Workforce Boards and Commonwealth Corporation to create plans and resources to better link education with job training. Read the original article on MassLive.
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Boston Globe
Healey touts state tuition savings, criticizes federal cuts to Pell Grants
Overall, MASSGrant Plus Expansion program saved more than 34,000 Massachusetts students an estimated $110 million in the 2023-2024 academic year, the statement said. More than 7,730 middle income students saved an average of $3,856 each, according to data from the state Department of Higher Education, the statement said. Advertisement In the same statement, Healey urged the US Senate to reject Pell Grant cuts included in the federal budget reconciliation bill recently passed by Republicans in the U.S. House and supported by President Trump. The proposed cuts and eligibility restrictions would results in 42,000 Massachusetts students at public institutions losing $57 million in funding each year, according to Healey's statement said. 'Massachusetts is home to the best schools in the country, but we need to make sure that they are affordable for all of our students,' Healey's statement said. 'That's why I took action to increase financial aid at our public colleges and universities, which has already lowered costs for tens of thousands of students.' The drastic cuts proposed to the Pell Grant program would 'roll back the progress we have made and increase costs,' Healey said. Advertisement 'This is bad for our students and bad for our economy, as it would hold back our next generation of workers from being able to afford to go to school,' she said. Healey announced $62 million in new state funding to expand the MASSGrant program during a ceremony at Salem State University in November 2023. The new funding covered the full costs of tuition and mandatory instructional fees for Pell Grant-eligible students, and as much as half for middle-income students. Middle-income students are those whose families earn between $73,000 and $100,000 annually in adjusted gross income. The program was retroactive to the start of the fall 2023 semester for Massachusetts students at the states public institutions, including its 15 community colleges, nine state universities, and four University of Massachusetts undergraduate campuses. Funding for the expansion of the program also drew on $84 million Healey and the legislature had set earmarked for financial aid expansion in the FY24 budget, Healey's office said at the time. 'The dramatic enrollment increases our community colleges have seen over the last two years make it clear that free community college and expanded financial aid is a game changer for students in Massachusetts,' Luis Pedraja, chair of the Community College Council of Presidents, and president of Quinsigamond Community College said in the statement. 'The proposed Pell eligibility changes would be devastating to our students' ability to afford higher education and the community college presidents in Massachusetts urge the Senate to reject this ill-advised change,' Pedraja said. Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler said he feared the impacts proposed cuts could have on students who struggle to afford college. Advertisement 'Low-income students deserve to go to college just as much as their higher income peers, and these changes are going to take us backwards – increasing dropout rates and leaving students saddled with more debt and no degree," Tutwiler said in the statement. Tonya Alanez can be reached at
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
DTA ‘Pathways to Work' program celebrates its participants
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Healey-Driscoll Administration is celebrating residents who have transitioned from public assistance to meaningful employment. The Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) provides services and benefits to over 1.2 million people in the state. When families ask for SNAP or cash assistance, they are offered other opportunities, such as different programs. How many families are in Massachusetts emergency housing assistance One of the programs is called 'Pathways to Work'. In this program, participants receive job and college readiness training. At the end, some may get a GED, a Hi-Set, or a new job. It all comes at their own pace. 'There were times where I, I wasn't able to attain a job due to unforseen circumstances, and because of DTA and the programs that they do require for us, I was able to succeed, save money and become the person I did want to become,' Pathways To Work participant Crystal Ortiz said. The celebration recognized the participants who finished the program. One client ended up getting a job as a career coach through DTA. There was also a panel discussion, testimonies, and remarks from DTA leaders. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
