COVID-19-related unemployment could cause a massive housing crisis in Massachusetts. 468,000 Massachusetts residents filed unemployment claims in the first three weeks of the COVID crisis.

Who has been laid off? How many are now at risk of eviction or foreclosure? Will CARES Act assistance help? What about those who don’t qualify for federal aid? Join MAPC staff for a virtual discussion of our research brief, “The COVID-19 Layoff Housing Gap.”

On April 21, MAPC is releasing an update to “The COVID-19 Layoff Housing Gap” with the latest unemployment data.

At this webinar on April 22, MAPC Data Services Director Tim Reardon and Socioeconomic Analyst II Sarah Philbrick will discuss the updated data–and what it means for workers, municipalities, and the Commonwealth.

Click here to register for the webinar via zoom: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUqdOmqpz0qEtXLrrrw289Pw-VbcfxbAM_z

How do monuments and memorials shape our understanding of place—and what we choose to forget? And how might we reframe public memory to address the harmful legacy of colonialism in our region? This artist panel will consider how remembering and forgetting of Indigenous peoples and colonial history shaped the landscape and collective consciousness of Greater Boston—and the necessary role of Indigenous artists in shaping more just public spaces.

Reclaim? Recontextualize? Relocate? Remove? What should we do with monuments that no longer reflect our shared history and collective values (or never did to begin with)? This conversation among artists, designers, and educators will explore how creative commemoration can help us see the past and present in a new light—and chart a path toward more just futures. 

MAPC and Groundwork USA invite municipal and agency staff, community organizations and members, and renewable energy developers to join a virtual workshop on the potential of Brownfields to Brightfields (B2B) to advance equitable community development. B2B projects repurpose brownfields sites – land with known or potential hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants – with solar energy installations on ground-mounted arrays, building rooftops, or canopy structures. 

This workshop will share findings on models for B2B projects that advance equity and community benefits, highlighting real-world examples, challenges, and opportunities. Participants will learn about a new mapping tool for identifying potential B2B sites in Massachusetts and have the opportunity to lay the groundwork for future B2B project partnerships. 

Download Agenda

This project was made possible with support from EPA’s Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization. The event is free and preregistration is required. Register here and contact Julie Curti (jcurti@mapc.org) or Adi Nochur (adi@groundworkusa.org) with any questions.

Join to hear Jacqueline Patterson, Director of Environmental and Climate Justice Program at the NAACP, discuss the intersection of climate resiliency and racial justice.

This meeting has been postponed to a later date and time still to be determined. Once it has been determined, this posting will be updated to reflect the new date and time. Thank you for your understanding!

Revere residents:

What kinds of arts and cultural community space do you want at the old Beachmont Fire Station on Winthrop Ave? Join us for this virtual conversation to learn what we’ve heard from the project Working Group, community focus groups, and the project survey, and let us know what you think!

Join us for this virtual community-focused conversation. Register here. 
Meeting materials and presentation will be in English, Spanish, and Arabic.

Find more information about this project here: mapc.ma/Beachmont-Fire-Station.