Lt. Gov. Polito touts state funding for housing

Cate McCusker |, The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass.
·2 min read
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Jun. 29—LAWRENCE — Do you remember sea monkeys? The little toys you would get as a kid, and they would come to life with some water?

"I kinda feel that way about this building," said Jessica Andors, Executive Director of Lawrence Community Works, on Tuesday morning, referencing the construction of Island Parkside Housing behind her. "Except instead of having water that we're adding to this, the growth catalyst here is state funding."

Sounds of hammering and drilling echoed as the backdrop of a press conference advocating for the FORWARD bill, legislation that proposes investments into all 351 communities in the Commonwealth and provides funding for projects like Island Parkside Housing.

"It represents economic development, efficient energy, and quality of life," Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña said, stressing how important the FORWARD Bill is to the city of Lawrence.

In April, Governor Charlie Baker and Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito filed the bill titled "An Act Investing in Future Opportunities for Resiliency, Workforce, and Revitalized Downtowns (FORWARD)." The legislation, an effort to support the Commonwealth's post-pandemic future, includes $2.3 billion in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and more than $1.256 billion in capital bond authorizations. For Lawrence, more than $3 million has been proposed for projects within the city.

Lt. Gov. Polito expressed her excitement at being in Lawrence on Tuesday. She stressed that the FORWARD Bill builds on foundational work and moves the city forward, and it needs to be done now.

"The federal dollars have a time sensibility," Polito explained. "It has to be committed by 2024 and spent by 2026."

"We need to get the money committed now or we're going to lose it," Secretary of Housing and Economic Development (HED) Mike Kennealy said, emphasizing the urgency of this bill. "We can't risk losing the money."

The bill was just reviewed in a hearing by the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets last Friday.