RPA Day at the State House 2025
Blog Posts
Current Session Blog Posts
What to Know Before Creative Sector Advocacy Week
April 23, 2025
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council joins artists, creatives, culture bearers, and advocates from across the Commonwealth for an annual, statewide week of advocacy, action, and celebration of the creative sector. Creative Sector Advocacy Week, organized by MASSCreative, takes place April 28 through May 2 this year with events happening across the state.
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FY26 House Ways and Means Budget Summary
April 21, 2025
On April 16, the House Committee on Ways and Means (HWM) released their FY26 budget (Bill H.4000). Their budget proposal is a $61.4 billion package, a 6% increase over the final FY25 budget that was signed into law in July of 2024. This is the third year that Fair Share surtax revenue is available, which is again split between education ($1.18 billion or 61%) and transportation ($765 million or 39%).
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The Mass Save Three-Year Plan for 2025 - 2027 Has Been Approved. What's New and What Was Left Out?
March 31, 2025
On February 28, 2025, the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) issued its order on the Three-Year Energy Efficiency Plan (Three-Year Plan) for the Mass Save program for the period of 2025-2027. This was the culmination of an extended process that began with a variety of analyses and initial stakeholder engagement efforts in fall 2023 to solicit input on potential programmatic changes.
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Press Releases
Current Session Press Releases
Need for Income-Restricted, Affordable Rental Housing Far Outweighs Supply in Massachusetts
April 23, 2025
New collaborative research from Housing Navigator Massachusetts, Inc. and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) measured and explored the gap between the supply of income-restricted, affordable rental housing in the Commonwealth and the number of households in need of that housing. The research found a gap of 441,000 low-income households from Cape Cod to the Berkshires without access to an affordable rental home, showing that the current supply of affordable rentals serves just 32% of low-income households.
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Metro Mayors Statement on Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Grant Program
April 22, 2025
The Metro Mayors Coalition decries the Trump Administration’s decision to cancel $90 million in FEMA funding for Massachusetts communities, made available through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. Critical BRIC projects have been cut across the country, at exactly the time such projects are needed most. These projects are critical to protecting communities against the impacts of coastal storms, sea level rise, and other forms of extreme weather.
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Governor Preserves Remote and Hybrid Meeting Options
March 28, 2025
The Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA), Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies (MARPA), Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC), and Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC) issued a joint statement today thanking the Legislature and Gov. Maura Healey for enacting and signing legislation, respectively, to preserve authorizations to hold hybrid and remote public meetings in Massachusetts.
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Our Team in Action
Current Session MAPC in Action
Click on each photo to see a larger version of it. All photos are to the credit of MAPC, unless otherwise noted.
2025 Metro Mayors Coalition (MMC) Climate Summit
May 12, 2025
On Monday, May 12, 2025, the mayors and managers from the Metro Mayors Coalition (MMC) came together at the Museum of Science in Boston to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the adoption of the 2015 MMC Climate Commitment, and the work accomplished thus far.
At the event, they also signed an updated 2025 MMC Climate Commitment, reiterating their shared commitment to advancing regional climate efforts.
For a full recap of the event, including more photos, news coverage, and more, please visit the Event Webpage.
Creative Sector Day at the State House
April 30, 2025
MAPC joined MASSCreative, Governor Healey, Lt. Governor Driscoll, and hundreds of creative sector partners and advocates for Creative Sector Day at the State House. During the event, the Healey-Driscoll Administration released their recommendations to grow the Massachusetts creative economy. MAPC was honored to sit on the Advisory Council.
Presentations and Testimony
April 7, 2025
On April 7, Government Affairs Specialist II Georgia Barlow, Regional Planning Data Analyst II Zoe Iacovino, and Principal Regional Housing and Land Use Planner Alexis Smith presented MAPC's findings on the 2024 Condo Conversion Law Update to the Pro Housing Caucus in the State House.
Barlow also provided testimony on the Senate bill that would allow municipalities to utilize regional ballot initiatives (RBIs) to raise revenue for local transportation and infrastructure projects, as well on a panel in support of H.53, which would increase Chapter 90 funding to $300 million annually and authorize this funding level for five years.
2025 Spring Legislative Breakfasts
Various Dates in March-April, 2025
Every year, the MAPC Government Affairs Team in conjunction with MAPC's Subregional Coordinators and Subregions, host spring legislative breakfasts. These events provide the opportunity for legislative leaders in each Greater Boston subregion to join in-person with community leaders and constituents to discuss current session work.
Community Safety Day on the Hill
March 11, 2025
Youth, violence prevention leaders, law enforcement, and elected officials convened at the Massachusetts State House for the annual Community Safety Day on the Hill event, advocating for continued funding of the Senator Charles E. Shannon Community Safety Initiative (Shannon CSI) and the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI). Read the Blog Post about this event.
Creative Sector Policy Agenda Briefing
March 4, 2025
MAPC joined the Mass Cultural Council and MassCreative at the State House for this event focused on conversations of bills, budgets, and more in relation to the creative sector in the Commonwealth.
Regional Planning Agency (RPA) Day at the State House
February 25, 2025
Executive directors and staff representing the Commonwealth’s 13 regional planning agencies gathered for a day of advocacy at the State House to brief lawmakers and staff on the wide range of completed projects across Massachusetts, from Berkshire County to Cape Cod. Hosted by Representative Paul Donato and Senator Jamie Eldridge, the event highlighted the importance of the District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) and the Grant Assistance Program (GAP), funded by the state budget and included in line item 1599 – 0026. Read the Summary Blog Post.
National Associations of Regional Councils (NARC) National Conference of Regions and Congressional Visits
February 9-12, 2025 (Washington, D.C.)
MAPC had a productive NARC Conference, and while in Washington, D.C., MAPC leadership also had the opportunity to meet with many members of our region's Congressional delegation and their staff. We appreciated the opportunity to meet with Representative Stephen Lynch, Representative Seth Moulton, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark's Office, and Representative Jake Auchincloss' Office.
Governor's Executive Order Creating a Poet Laureate Event
February 3, 2025
MAPC was proud to join Governor Healey and our partners in the arts for the signing of an executive order creating Massachusetts' first Poet Laureate. Read the Governor's Office Press Release
