Grateful to Secretary Matias and her team for making the trip west, and to the tremendous municipal leaders who keep these projects moving forward.

All three projects received grant funding in the most recent round of One Stop for Growth — the kind of strategic investment that advances regional equity and helps people live, work, and stay in our communities.

These projects underscore something we know well: housing solutions require strong local leadership and sustained state investment. These communities have done the hard work to move these projects forward. The Commonwealth must meet that effort with the resources to close critical funding gaps.

From the Butterfield redevelopment in Orange, to the development of new affordable homes in downtown Greenfield, to the Farren property in Montague (pictured below), these projects reflect the vision and persistence of communities working to create more housing.

Earlier this week, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Juana Matias toured three housing development sites in western Massachusetts — in Orange, Greenfield, and Montague.

The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education has opened applications for Tomorrow's Teachers Scholarship program. Tomorrow’s Teachers supports students studying at Commonwealth public colleges and universities by providing scholarships of up to $25,000 per year toward their education.

Over $17 million in grant funding is on its way to 17 municipalities and 8 organizations across the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester district through the Community One Stop grant program. Very grateful to a broad range of agencies and legislative colleagues who made this possible.

Thank you to the Connecticut River Conservancy for another Source to Sea Clean Up. Hundreds of volunteers in the watershed turned out. Glad to be among them in Greenfield on the Green River.

September 16 was an exciting day in Athol! I joined HHS Sec. Kiame Mahaniah, Ed Sec. Stephen Zrike, Rep. Whipps, and teams from Heywood Hospital at the Athol Community Elementary and Middle Schools to discuss school-based medical and behavioral health services and family-centered care.

Looking forward to a community conversation happening this week in Orange, hosted by Indivisible North Quabbin. Hope to see you there!

This is exactly what we need to turn the tables on population growth and economic stagnation And soon, I'm meeting with officials from Housing and Livable Communities on a tracking dashboard so my team + I can see every dollar & unit under construction & ensure we're getting our fair share of both

...funding to rehabilitate affordable apartments at Meadowbrook in Northampton (h/t Valley CDC) — even as more affordable units are underway in Amherst (h/t Wayfinders) and more still in Greenfield (h/t TCB), and Athol (h/t NV). And more on the way.

In recent days, my team and I have joined state colleagues, municipal leaders, and advocates to celebrate 30 new affordable home-ownership units (leasing now) in Amherst (h/t Valley CDC), funding for 18 new senior housing units and eight inter-generational apartments in Erving (h/t RDI)...

Let's hear it for the Healey/Driscoll Administration's commitment to equitable funding for western and north central Mass projects.

Let's hear it for the nonprofit developers: Rural Development, Inc., Valley Community Development, Wayfinders, NewVue, and The Community Builders. And let's hear it for renovating existing public housing.

Let's hear it for affordable HOUSING — Housing that makes it possible for seniors to age in place with dignity, for young families to put down roots, and for students to live, learn, and build their futures without being priced out.