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How to Stay Safe During Extreme Heat In the Time of COVID

How to Stay Safe During Extreme Heat In the Time of COVID Extreme heat is striking the MAPC region this summer and creating challenges as communities try to stay cool. Not only can the heat be deadly, but also it disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color burdened with many other inequities. This summer […]

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COVID-19 Layoff Housing Assistance – NOW by Municipality

Date: June 15, 2020 Unemployment is at a historic high in Massachusetts. For the moment, a $600 supplement added to unemployment payments is softening some of the financial blow for those receiving benefits. But the supplement – and the relief it provided – is due to expire, with the relevant portions of the federal CARES Act that funded […]

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New Focus in Community Health Needs Assessments: The Social Determinants of Health

New Focus in Community Health Needs Assessments: The Social Determinants of Health Community health needs assessments (CHNAs), commonly performed by hospitals and other institutions, identify and describe factors that affect a given area’s health. Lately, there’s been a shift: CHNAs increasingly focus on the social determinants of health. This is making the assessments more useful […]

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Building Codes for Climate Part II: Finalizing Your Voting Roster For The IECC

You heard from us earlier this spring about the impact and importance of municipal involvement in the international building code cycles. There is a big deadline this month for municipalities to play their part in influencing the next cycle of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Coming up on September 23, 2019, is the deadline […]

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How Did We Do as a Region? Call for Feedback on MetroFuture Wins and Challenges

As MAPC ramps up for our regional plan update process, we’re taking a hard last look at MetroFuture – and we need your input. MetroFuture was Greater Boston’s long term regional plan, adopted in 2008. It included a vision for the future, 65 specific goals, and thirteen implementation strategies on topics that ranged from housing to […]

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MAPC holds first MetroCommon 2050 Listening Session in Salem

MAPC kicks off 2019 with a MetroCommon 2050 Community Listening Session in Salem on January 8th. Hosted at Salem’s Old Town Hall, in an exhibit-esque format, the event engaged over 100 community members through various thought-provoking and conversational activities. Participants shared their vision of their community and the region as a whole, engaged with MAPC […]

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A Bold and Creative Approach to Public Outreach: City of Newton’s Public Design Week

Earlier this summer, MAPC participated in Newton’s first Public Design Week, a one week public visioning process hosted by the City of Newton. The event is part of the City’s “Hello Washington Street!” initiative. “Hello Washington Street” is a thirteen-month process that began in April 2018 and is anticipated to go until May 2019. It […]

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Sharing Information on Opioid Use: How can Health Care and Local Government Partners Communicate to Save Lives?

As part of the work that supports the Metro Mayors Coalition (MMC) in addressing the opioid crisis, MAPC, in partnership with Mass General Hospital, hosted a forum on information sharing at MGH’s Revere HealthCare Center. The event, “Sharing Information on Opioid Use: How Can Health Care and Local Government Partners Communicate to Save Lives”, brought […]

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The Statewide Energy Efficiency Planning Process: Why It’s Important and How to Get Involved

You may be most familiar with state energy efficiency programs like MassSave Program due to their ubiquitous branding – but did you know energy efficiency programs provide much more to cities and towns than free LED light bulbs for its residents and business owners? Massachusetts is ranked first in the nation for the quality of its […]

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Sole of Rockland at Rockland Day!

On Saturday, June 16th, MAPC staff attended Rockland Day to help raise money and support for the town’s creative placemaking project, Sole of Rockland. Sole of Rockland is a fully developed, interactive creative placemaking concept and demonstration that will strengthen and support the REiMAGINE ROCKLAND downtown revitalization effort. MAPC engaged Rockland Day attendees through a […]

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