BOSTON – Twenty municipal and regional projects in the Greater Boston region will receive $512,490 in technical assistance funding from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council to advance regional priorities in housing production, climate resilience, and equity of wealth and health.
MAPC, one of 13 regional planning agencies (RPAs) in Massachusetts, offers technical assistance grants each year to help advance the goals identified in Greater Boston’s regional land-use and policy plan, MetroCommon2050. All 101 cities and towns in the MAPC region are encouraged each year to apply for the Technical Assistance Program (TAP), which assists municipalities in taking on critical projects they do not have the capacity to address on their own.
“As city and town budgets are increasingly stretched thin and the federal government is backing away from supporting state and local governments, these investments are more important than ever. These funds invest in projects that allow municipalities to address short- and long-term regional goals while also creating changes at the local level, which benefit residents,” said MAPC Executive Director Lizzi Weyant. “We are glad to see municipalities taking an innovative approach this funding cycle by connecting and collaborating on projects that will make a positive impact on the region.”
Many Greater Boston communities use TAP funding to supplement their local professional planning capacity, putting the funds to work on economic development, transportation, housing, green space, and town facilities. Regional planning agencies like MAPC help with essential tasks, such as updating stormwater guidelines, managing data, and preparing redevelopment plans.
TAP and most of the work in these projects are primarily funded through District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) dollars, which are appropriated annually by the Legislature and the Governor and distributed to planning agencies statewide, including MAPC.
“There was significant demand from municipalities this cycle. In fact, for the first time in a decade, we had three times as many applications as there was available funding,” said Weyant. “These projects benefit communities and improve the quality of life for residents, and we hope the Legislature can find ways to increase DLTA funding, which benefits the entire Commonwealth.”
“By focusing on local projects, TAP is a vehicle for municipalities to continue the important work planners and municipal staff are advancing to create a more equitable, sustainable, and livable region,” said Gloria Huangpu, Senior Regional Land Use Planner at MAPC, and TAP Coordinator for the agency.
In addition to state budget funds, technical assistance projects are also funded through annual assessments from MAPC’s member municipalities, grants from private foundations, leveraged grants from state programs, and fee-for-service contributions from cities and towns. TAP applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and additional awards may be announced later in the year.
This year, the TAP funding priorities included:
1. Supporting projects aimed at increasing the supply of affordable housing through zoning, local policy, and other systemic changes.
2. Advancing racial and social equity by breaking down barriers to housing, economic mobility, positive health outcomes, emergency preparedness, and public safety.
3. Facilitating multiple communities working together to better understand and address shared challenges.
4. Advancing the MetroCommon2050 goals related to Arts & Culture, Clean Energy, Community Engagement, Environment, Land Use, Economic Development, Housing, Municipal Collaboration, Public Health, and Transportation.
The initial set of TAP projects will support the advancement of each of the program priorities:
A combined total of $122,490 toward increasing the supply of affordable housing through zoning, local policy, and other systemic changes through individual projects, including:
• Arlington – Artist Live Work Program
• Wenham – Affordable Housing Trust Housing Needs Assessment and Housing Trust Action Plan
• Malden – Local Affordable Housing Compliance Management
• MAPC Region – MetroMayors Coalition Housing Task Force
A combined total of $155,000 toward advancing racial and social equity by breaking down barriers to housing, economic mobility, and positive health outcomes through individual projects, including:
• Medford – Small Business Anti-Displacement Policy
• Randolph – Community Wellness Project - Strategic Planning
• Chelsea – Play for All: Landscape Analysis & Community Visioning to Address Play Gaps and Mental Health Equity
• MAPC Region – Massachusetts Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Coalition
• MAPC Region – Municipal Community First Partnership Roundtable
A combined total of $135,000 toward multiple communities working together to better understand and address shared challenges through individual projects, including:
• Stoughton – Specialized Building Code Technical Assistance
• Arlington, Acton – Neighborhood Electrification Partnership
• Marblehead and other communities – Exploring Networked Geothermal Approaches in Municipal Light Plant Communities
• Winthrop, Revere – North Suffolk Office of Resilience and Sustainability (NSORS) Coastal Relocation Feasibility
• Watertown and other communities – Identifying Emerging Industries for Economic Development Outreach
• MetroWest communities – MetroWest Regional Community Food Assessment Update and Expansion
• Salem, Beverly, and other communities – Enhancing and Supporting Municipal Social Work Initiatives
A combined total of $100,000 toward advancing additional MetroCommon2050 goals through individual projects, including:
• Cambridge – Municipally-Owned Cultural Facilities Strategy
• Maynard – Permitting of Clean Energy Facilities: Process Design
• Danvers – Endicott Street Corridor Study
• Milford – 2026 Open Space and Recreation Plan
• Hull – Town of Hull Master Plan Phase II
For more information about TAP, visit mapc.ma/TAP.