State Policy Issues

In addition to The Community Development Partnership Act, MACDC supports other policy initiatives to support community economic development. These issues either compliment specific aspects of our members efforts or are led by partner organizations. While MACDC’s primary focus remains the issues identified by our members, we will support other issues when they further strengthen the communities we serve.

Specifically we will work to:

Strengthen the Community Development Field

Fully implement the new CDC certification program included in An Act Relative To Economic Development Reorganization (Chapter 240) so that state can better support CDCs as they engage local residents and small businesses to improve communities by leveraging federal and private resources to create vibrant neighborhoods where people can work and live.

Fund key community economic development programs, including:

  1. Foreclosure counseling money - MACDC advocates for $2.5 million in foreclosure prevention funding over the next two years from various Massachusetts sources. Based on data from the Massachusetts Division of Banks existing program, $2.5 million will enable CDCs and other non-profit counseling agencies to provide counseling to 7,000 families to either help them avoid foreclosure or transition to stable rental housing.
  2. Small business technical assistance and financing capital - MACDC advocates for the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (GCC) to fund the Small Business Technical Assistance Grant Program with $2 million over the next two years and develop a strategy for supporting local and regional nonprofit micro business lenders. Every dollar the state invests in the technical assistance program it generates $13 in further investment.  UPDATE - the GCC announced the FY12 RFP for the Small Business Technical Assistance Program in late May.  RFPs are due June 28th.
  3. State Capital Dollars for Housing MACDC will advocate that the State’s capital budget for privately owned housing increase from $81 million per year to $85 million per year for the next two years. This additional $8 million would allow CDCs and other affordable housing developers to produce or preserve over 4,700 rental housing units.

Foster Sustainable homeownership

 

Massachusetts needs an updated, market based approach to homeownership that stabilizes local housing markets, expands economic and asset building opportunities for low and moderate income families, and contributes to stronger neighborhoods – especially in our Gateway Cities. This strategy should include sound lending programs like the Soft Second mortgage program and a market based approach to developing new affordable homeownership units

 

Implement comprehensive neighborhood strategies and smart growth land use development

MACDC will advocate for policies and funding that support comprehensive neighborhood improvement strategies that will strengthen regional economies and promote smart land use development. These efforts will include advocating for transit oriented development, comprehensive zoning reform legislation, a stronger Community Preservation Act, and transit finance reform.

 

For more information on MACDC’s Legislative Agenda or our public policy work in general, please contact Allison Staton at 617-426-0303 ext 24 or allisons@macdc.org.