Celebrating the Contributions of Bill Brauner, CEDAC’s Outgoing Director of Housing Development & Preservation

Bill Brauner, Former Director of Housing Development & Preservation

In INSITES this week: CEDAC recently celebrated the major contributions of outgoing Director of Housing Development & Preservation, Bill Brauner, as he departed the organization after a stellar 21-year tenure.

Bill played a key leadership role in CEDAC’s work on affordable housing preservation, especially in our collaborative work with the Commonwealth and other key stakeholders in the implementation of the Chapter 40T law enacted in 2009. He oversaw the MacArthur Foundation-funded Massachusetts Preservation Initiative, and our Tenant at Risk contract with the City of Boston. This initiative focused on acquisition financing of at-risk projects for preservation buyers, an early warning system using CEDAC’s Expiring Use database to identify projects that approach the end of affordability periods, and interagency coordination with federal, state, and local governments on preservation policy.

Bill’s forte was always project development, and his expertise and technical assistance skills greatly benefitted his non-profit development partners, public officials, lenders and investors, and CEDAC colleagues. A great example of Bill’s project management skills was demonstrated by the $29 million acquisition loan to the Fenway CDC and Schochet Associates to preserve the long-term affordability of the 97-unit Newcastle Saranac Apartments in Lower Roxbury.

We are grateful to Bill for his many contributions to CEDAC over more than two decades and wish him well as he takes on his new role as Director of Real Estate for Urban Edge.

The CEDAC team recently had an opportunity to pay tribute to Bill for his many years of service, with a fitting celebration that even incorporated his love of theater.

About CEDAC

CEDAC is a public-private community development financial institution that provides project financing and technical expertise for community-based and other non-profit organizations engaged in effective community development in Massachusetts. CEDAC’s work supports two key building blocks of community development: affordable housing and early care and education. CEDAC is also active in state and national housing preservation policy research and development and is widely recognized as a leader in the non-profit community development industry. For additional information on CEDAC and its current projects, please visit www.cedac.org.

Announcing CEDAC’s 2023 Annual Report

Today, CEDAC released our FY23 Annual Report, highlighting our most exciting and impactful projects of the past year that were completed alongside our non-profit community development partners in our ongoing efforts to create greater access to high quality affordable housing and child care across Massachusetts.

In 2023, the Commonwealth achieved historic milestones in the expansion of our policy and leadership infrastructure devoted exclusively to housing. CEDAC was proud to welcome Secretary Ed Augustus and the new Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, created by Governor Maura Healey’s administration.

2023 was also a year in which CEDAC reflected on our own history as we observed the passing of legendary community leader Mel King. The impact of Mel King’s work can be seen and felt in housing, community organizing and planning, and youth programs across the entire state of Massachusetts. We at CEDAC will always remain true to his vision for strengthening communities by providing financial and technical assistance to community-based organizations for affordable housing and child care development.

As we release this report, we would especially like to thank our public and private partners for your continued support and advocacy. Without you, this important work would not be possible. We hope that you will enjoy learning about our activities over the past year and look forward to working with you all for years to come as we pursue our shared goal to build strong communities across the Commonwealth.

Unprecedented Capital Funding for Early Childhood Facilities in Massachusetts

Greater Lawrence Community Action Council. © Damianos Photography

Children’s Investment Fund, CEDAC, and the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) announced over $18M in funding for child care facilities this year. This unprecedented level of funding is the largest state investment in early childhood education and out-of-school time facilities in Massachusetts in a single year.

The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced this bold investment in the Early Education and Out of School Time (EEOST) Capital Fund in its FY24 – FY28 Capital Plan, with $10.85M allocated for the upcoming FY24 grant round. This funding level is more than double the $4M that the EEOST Capital Fund has historically received each year.

In addition, the Massachusetts Legislature appropriated $15M in the state operating budget for child care facility upgrades. Half this amount, $7.5M, is available for the first time to for-profit child care centers that serve low-income families.

Over the past three years alone, 72 programs have benefited from a variety of facility upgrades. New Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems provided cleaner indoor air, greater thermal comfort for children and staff, and are a response to growing climate change concerns. Renovated outdoor play spaces resulted in more physical activity for children. Organizations were able to address long-standing deferred maintenance issues such as leaking roofs and inoperable windows.

Children’s Investment Fund is administering three grant programs to distribute the funding. The small grant round awards $200,000 – $500,000 to licensed, center-based programs serving low-income children. The funding is intended to support renovations that address health and safety concerns and improve quality.

The large grant round will award $500,000 and $1 million for non-profit centers only. Large grants are given to major renovation projects, new construction, and property acquisition.

The Early Education and Out of School Time (EEOST) Capital Fund large grant round – for non-profit centers

We look forward to supporting more providers and families with these historic investments. We thank the Administration and the Legislature for its commitment to improving early learning facilities across the Commonwealth.

Celebrating CEDAC’s Lionel G. Romain

Lionel Romain, Former CEDAC Director of Housing for Central & Western MA

In INSITES this week: CEDAC recently celebrated the 15^th anniversary and remarkable career of Lionel G. Romain – our outgoing Director of Housing for Central & Western Massachusetts – in the Grand Hall of Union Station in downtown Worcester with Lionel’s colleagues, friends and family.

After 15 years furthering CEDAC’s mission of building strong communities through affordable housing and community economic development, Lionel is shifting his time and focus to consulting work and another of his passions: teaching. As an adjunct member of the Clark University faculty, Lionel’s experience and wisdom is a great asset to that campus and its graduate students studying International Development, Community and Environment.

During his stellar career at CEDAC, Lionel demonstrated and shared every day his comprehensive knowledge of affordable housing finance, as well as mechanisms such as rental subsidies, federal and state housing and community development programs, and low-income housing tax credits.

Lionel was fiercely committed to building stronger communities in the Central and Western regions of Massachusetts – advising community development organizations on project selection, budgeting, and financing.

That commitment enabled CEDAC to grow its impact and deliver early-stage financing for affordable and supportive housing projects to every area of the Commonwealth. Lionel was prolific in the sheer volume of financing deals he helped generate during his career. Altogether Lionel managed our early stage and state bond program loans to 143 housing development projects with 4,027 units of affordable housing. His cumulative lending total to these projects was over $133 million.

Over the past 15 years, Lionel has been one of our best ambassadors for CEDAC, wherever his work took him, and he has been an exemplary role model for all those who value civic engagement and a commitment to building more robust communities.

Lionel will be greatly missed at CEDAC. But the legacy of his fine work continues not just here, but in every community, household, and family that became stronger because of his efforts.

About CEDAC

EEOST FY23 and Beyond: Funding for Child Care Programs Through CEDAC’s Children’s Investment Fund (CIF)

A newly renovated classroom at the Child Care of the Berkshires. (@Damianos Photography)

The Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) awarded FY23 grants through the Early Education and Out of School Time (EEOST) Capital Fund to provide critical resources necessary to sustain the Commonwealth’s essential child care infrastructure. The FY23 EEOST Capital Fund round granted $8.5M to 20 projects, led by non-profit early education and out-of-school time centers, to help fund expenses for critical capital improvements. Over 1,900 children and their families will be impacted by the improvements at these sites.

On October 18^th, the Administration unveiled a $4 billion plan, the Affordable Homes Act, to support affordable housing across Massachusetts. The comprehensive and bold legislation includes continued funding for the EEOST Capital Fund, with an authorization level of $50 million over five years. The EEOST Capital Fund was first created through a similar bill in 2013, referred to as the Housing Bond Bill, and was reauthorized once in 2018. Over the next several months, the legislature will hold hearings and review the proposed legislation. We are grateful for the Administration’s support of child care as community development and look forward to continued support from the Legislature.

Providing quality child care facilities and programs equitably and for all residents of Massachusetts is one of CEDAC’s and CIF’s top priorities. We are committed to working towards a future where all of the child care needs of the Commonwealth are met. Below are some projects receiving funding in the FY23 EEOST grant round:

Cape Cod Children’s Place, Eastham – $293,000

After 30 years, the skylights and windows within the Cape Cod Children’s Place (CCCP) reached the end of their useful lives, and the plumbing fixtures within the center’s restrooms required maintenance and repairs to ensure they remained functional. The building lacked an accessible entrance and means for children and staff with mobility challenges to access the outdoor play space. The EEOST grant will permit CCCP to replace all 40 windows throughout the center as well as the leaking skylights, increasing the building’s energy efficiency. The center will install three accessible automatic doors and a new accessible pathway into the play space. It will also replace toilets, sinks, and other fixtures in restrooms, which will help conserve water.

Paige Academy, Roxbury – $500,000

For nearly fifty years, Paige Academy has provided culturally affirming child care that honors the seven principles of Kwanzaa, including purpose, creativity, responsibility, and compassion towards others within a verdant campus within the hills of Roxbury’s Highland Square. Paige’s historic structure built in 1859 requires extensive repairs. The EEOST grant will enable Paige to restore service to an existing elevator and improve accessibility throughout the building and outdoor play space. Paige will also replace elements of the inefficient heating system and improve fresh air intake and ventilation throughout the four-story building.

Girls Club of Greenfield, Greenfield – $445,000

The Girls Club of Greenfield, recently renamed to The Learning Knoll, is the nation’s second-oldest Girls Club. It operates its infant, toddler, preschool, and school-age programs from a masonry building that nearly dates to the organization’s founding in 1895. The site will utilize the EEOST grant towards a range of sweeping improvements throughout the building, including installing handwashing sinks and new flooring within the classrooms as well as purchasing shade structures, new play equipment, fencing, and benches to enhance their outdoor play areas and ensuring a more accessible environment for children and staff.

LEO, Inc., Lynn – $450,000

LEO, one of the largest Head Start provider agencies in Essex County, will consolidate three scattered preschool programs into its renovated landmark building. The project will include two new outdoor play spaces with universal design and accessibility and create fifteen new classrooms to serve 270 preschoolers for many of Lynn’s most vulnerable families. The EEOST grant will fund the new high efficiency heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to be installed, which will also allow teachers to adjust the temperature and ventilation in individual classrooms.

The Healey-Driscoll Administration made a bold investment in the EEOST Capital Fund in its FY24 – FY28 Capital Plan, with $10.85M allocated for the upcoming FY24 grant round. This funding level is more than double the $4M that the EEOST Capital Fund has historically received each year. We look forward to supporting more providers with this increase and thank the Administration for its commitment.

Application materials and details for the FY24 EEOST Capital Fund small grant round will be posted on the state’s procurement site, COMMBUYS, in November.

Did you know the Home Modification Loan Program could help fund an ADU?

BOSTON (August 9, 2023) – In INSITES this week: Making it easier for families to create and modify accessory dwelling units (ADUs) helps support a comprehensive approach to the affordable housing shortage in Massachusetts. The growth of ADUs is a solution that enables multigenerational living in households where an elder prefers their own space, but still wants or needs the daily support of family. ADUs are also important options for people living with disabilities.

The Massachusetts Home Modification Loan Program (HMLP) is administered by CEDAC, the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC), the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities and nine regional agencies across the Commonwealth. The HMLP helps Massachusetts households finance home accessibility improvements – making it possible for individuals with disabilities and older adults to remain in their own homes and communities.

This latest video from CEDAC provides an overview of HMLP and how families considering an ADU project might be eligible for an HMLP loan to fund their project.

Or visit www.cedac.org/hmlp to learn more or call 1-866-500-5599.

The Home Modification Loan Program Could Be Right for You

BOSTON (June 28, 2023) – In INSITES this week: The Home Modification Loan Program (HMLP), a state-funded loan program administered by CEDAC, the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC), the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, and 10 regional agencies, helps Massachusetts households finance home accessibility improvements making it possible for individuals with disabilities and older adults to remain in their own homes and communities. Since its inception over 20 years ago, the program has helped over 3,000 Massachusetts residents make modifications and additions to their homes to provide a greater quality of life for themselves and their families.

See first-hand in the following videos the unique ways in which two different families were able to utilize the program in a manner that catered to their specific needs. In each case, the program delivered vital financing that allowed these families to provide necessary accommodations for family members with physical and mental health conditions.

These two examples represent a small sampling of what can be achieved through an HMLP loan. The state funded loan program also provides financing to homeowners and small landlords for necessary home modifications such as:

• Ramps and lifts
• Kitchen and bathroom adaptations
• Sensory integration spaces
• Fencing
• Hand rails
• Brighter lighting
• Widening of doorways
• Flooring renovations
• Creation of additional living space, including accessory dwelling units or in-law apartments

If you think a loan through HMLP could be right for you or your family, visit www.cedac.org/find-out-if-you-qualify or contact Susan Gillam at 1-866-500-5599.

New CDC Leaders: Strengthening Communities and Families with Urban Edge CEO Emilio Dorcely

Emilio Dorcely, CEO of Urban Edge Housing Corporation

BOSTON (June 14, 2023) – In INSITES this week: Emilio Dorcely is the CEO of Urban Edge Housing Corporation in Boston, where he leads affordable housing development, family wealth building, and housing stability efforts. He also oversees neighborhood improvements through community engagement.

Urban Edge was founded in 1974 amidst a strong community activist movement to stop the then-proposed ‘inner belt’ highway that would have severely disrupted and separated several communities of Boston. The organization provides support services for families living in its portfolio of 1,431 rental homes and offers homeownership promotion and preservation programs, is located in Boston’s Jackson Square, and is currently undergoing a strategic planning process under Dorcely’s leadership.

Their objective, according to Urban Edge, is to “maximize (the organization’s) contribution to affordable housing, deepen its commitment to wealth-building, empower vulnerable populations, serve as a trusted voice for community leadership, and embed racial equity into its organizational practices.” The first phase of Urban Edge’s strategic plan aims to help close the racial wealth gap and increase the household wealth of more than 500 families by an aggregate $20 million.

The Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation has a long history of close collaboration with Urban Edge on a variety of affordable housing developments – providing acquisition and predevelopment loans for projects such as 1599 Columbus Ave. in Jackson Square, the Walker Park apartments in Roxbury’s Egleston Square, the Bancroft and Dixwell apartments in Roxbury and Jamaica Plain, and others. In total, CEDAC has loaned almost $13 million in early-stage project financing to support 27 affordable housing developments over the past 35 years.

Prior to joining Urban Edge, Dorcely served as CEO of Bridge Street Development Corporation in Brooklyn, NY. He has also worked in the philanthropic sector at the Association of Black Foundation Executives, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, and as an independent consultant and community foundation leader. He was born in Haiti and raised in New York City. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations (MACDC), the Midas Collaborative, and the United Way’s Boston Builds Credit initiative. He also sits on Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s Rent Stabilization Committee.

Dorcely also created and implemented Urban Edge’s emergency COVID-19 pandemic response. The Roxbury/JP Family Resiliency Fund provides more than $500,000 in cash, basic needs, internet connectivity, utility, and rental assistance to families disproportionately impacted by the crisis.

The Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation spent some time with Dorcely discussing Urban Edge’s current initiatives, the critical work the agency did in assisting communities with COVID-19 response, the role of CDCs in building communities and the prioritizing of affordable housing by city and state leaders.

CEDAC: Talk first about the mission of Urban Edge as a CDC and the kind of work the organization does. You partner on affordable housing development. You provide education for homebuyers. You organize and advocate. And you do a lot more…

Emilio Dorcely: Really the mission is quite simple: It’s to strengthen communities and families, and we do this by building affordable housing and creating opportunities to engage with communities – both organizations and residents. We also help build wealth primarily through home ownership and helping people build credit and savings.

CEDAC: Are you encouraged by the commitment demonstrated so far by Governor Healey and Mayor Wu to creating more affordable housing?

I must admit that I’ve been generally very impressed with (Mayor Wu). She has gone full throttle and has not only talked about the importance of affordable housing. but put the actual proposals and policies behind it. What the mayor has realized is the solution to the housing crisis is not just one thing. You need to work across the spectrum. One: You’ve got to build new housing. You also have to preserve existing housing while at the same time making sure that existing housing is going to be energy efficient and can sustain in this new era of increasing costs.

With the governor I think she also seems to be going on a similar track. Obviously, it’s only been a few months so there will be a lot more to see and watch. But I was really impressed when I heard that she was going to make a cabinet level position for someone who would focus on housing. That was an indicator that she has acknowledged the importance and complexity of the issue. (Gov. Healey) is willing to have a direct contact whose primary responsibility is to think about the systems and the processes and things that will be needed to increase the number of affordable housing units. Massachusetts and Boston in general … we definitely have the sophistication and the capacity to do more. I think part of the challenge is tweaking the current systems.

CEDAC: Is the role of a CDC or neighborhood development corporation evolving or changing?

Emilio Dorcely: In my mind, a community development movement is more than housing. It’s about housing, jobs, health, safety and education. CDCs should reflect the neighborhoods and the cities in which they are working. There is not one size fits all. It’s about the people in your neighborhood and your city. What do they need to be successful? That’s why I think CDCs in many ways are going to consistently evolve. They are not meant to be static. The goal is to create opportunities for people to live a vibrant life and to have equal access to opportunity.

CEDAC: Can you discuss how Urban Edge approached the challenge of COVID-19

Emilio Dorcely: Urban Edge has always been an organization that tries to look at what’s happening on the ground and create programming and opportunities that are relevant to what the needs are of folks in our target communities. The COVID-19 epidemic was no different. We knew this was something that would have a genuine impact on everybody across the board. That’s why we created the COVID relief fund, where we pulled together $500,000. And what we did was to provide people with gift cards so that they could meet their basic needs. Our communications staff made sure we did wellness checks, especially for seniors, and tried to make sure people could navigate this crisis as best we could. What we found was that (COVID-19) uncovered some long-term existing needs, like the digital divide. Something that was talked about in the early part of the 2000s, but somehow became buried under all the (other) needs and priorities.

About CEDAC

Honoring Mel King, Visionary Leader and CEDAC’s Founding Father

BOSTON (April 26, 2023) – In INSITES this week: Mel King was a passionate leader, teacher, elected official, colleague, friend, and advocate for social justice and civil rights in the Boston area for most of his 94 years. As a community leader, he has had as much influence on the City of Boston as any other political figure during the past century.

But the legacy of Mel King and the impact of his advocacy for better communities and increased opportunities for BIPOC residents extends far beyond Boston. One of his greatest accomplishments is the movement he initiated to create community development systems and deliver economic empowerment that has improved life for people in every corner of Massachusetts, and which continues to this day.

As a state representative, Mel King was the founding father of CEDAC – the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation. In the 1970s, he convened a series of weekly working group sessions of community activists and planners at MIT– the “Wednesday Morning Breakfast Club.” CEDAC’s first executive director, Carl Sussman, was a participant in those planning sessions. Mel turned those weekly discussions into legislation that addressed the need for credit, capital, and technical assistance for community development organizations.

This legislation was enacted in 1978 as Chapter 40H, which created CEDAC, as well as the Community Development Finance Corporation (since renamed Mass. Growth Capital Corporation), and established the definition of a community development corporation in statute. In essence, this forward-thinking law created an infrastructure for community development in Massachusetts, which created one of the most robust networks of community development organizations in the nation.

As Mel wrote in his 1981 book CHAIN OF CHANGE: Struggles for Black Community Development: “CDFC and CEDAC provide clear examples of how to use the legislative process to set up institutions which can provide ongoing assistance for community development through community control.”

In 2019, CEDAC celebrated its 40th anniversary with a special event honoring Mel King’s legacy and the accomplishments of the organization. At the event, King was recognized for his role in creating the program and for his decades of service to communities. The impact of King’s work to promote community development can be seen and felt in housing, community organizing and planning, and youth programs across the entire state of Massachusetts. His advocacy, his legislative initiatives, and the programs they created – which sustain to this day – have been credited with helping to revitalize numerous cities and towns.

As his memory and legacy are honored and celebrated, we at CEDAC will always remain true to his vision to strengthen communities across the Commonwealth by providing financial and technical assistance for affordable housing and child care development.

About CEDAC

Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces Funding Awards to 12 Supportive Housing Projects

Pictured from left: Gov. Healey, Undersecretary Maddox, Roger Herzog – CEDAC, Kate Racer, DHCD

BOSTON (April 4, 2023) – In INSITES this week, the development of more supportive housing resources in Massachusetts is one of CEDAC’s most important initiatives in 2023, and part of our ongoing commitment to address homelessness and serve residents in need.

Wednesday, March 29 was an important milestone for this effort and a great day for all those who are allies in this mission. We were honored to join Governor Maura Healey, Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and our own Board chair – Department of Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Jennifer Maddox – to mark the awards of more than $62 million in state and federal capital subsidies and additional state and federal tax credit allocations for supportive housing.

These funding awards will support 12 affordable projects that offer specialized services to residents. In total, they will create more than 460 housing units, nearly all of which will be reserved for low-income households and include 317 units for very low-income residents. The funding was announced under beautiful skies outside the offices of the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corp – with JPNDC CEO Teronda Ellis hosting a large and enthusiastic crowd of city and state officials, community leaders, residents and other stakeholders.

“We’re proud to support projects in every region of our state that are providing permanent supportive housing for families, seniors, veterans, young people and people experiencing homelessness,” said Governor Healey. “This is the type of housing production that we want to drive in communities across the state to lower costs and address our housing crisis.”

Permanent supportive housing provides affordable housing for vulnerable populations with targeted supportive services to address a diverse range of needs, including case management, job training, childcare, health and support services. The awards announced this week include projects for chronically homeless individuals, adults with disabilities, families transitioning from homelessness, vulnerable youth, and low-income seniors.

The awards include $62 million in direct capital subsidies, including federal ARPA funding that the Legislature targeted for supportive housing, and state and federal housing tax credits which will generate an additional $74 million in equity for projects.

Lieutenant Governor Driscoll called the projects “affordable and accessible” while noting they are “close to transit and retail amenities and offer a sense of community.” She also noted the exciting plans of the Healey Administration to elevate DHCD to a Secretariat of Housing and Livable Communities. Mayor Wu added: “Our older adults deserve to retire and live where they already call home, and these … projects will help our beloved community members stay in Boston.”

In addition to three projects in Boston the funding will also enable development of supportive housing in Chelsea, Greenfield, North Adams, Springfield, and on Cape Cod.

“Strong neighborhoods have quality, affordable housing options for residents across the income spectrum and the Healey-Driscoll Administration is committed to increasing development at every level and working with talented partners like JPNDC, CEDAC, and all of today’s awardees,” said Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Maddox, who chairs the CEDAC Board. Undersecretary Maddox also noted CEDAC’s unique role in the housing finance system of assisting non-profit developers at the early stages of the development process with predevelopment and acquisition financing. In this latest supportive housing funding round, CEDAC provided a total of over $3.6 million in predevelopment financing and $11.7 million in acquisition loans to 7 of the projects that received awards.

Significantly, the announcement represents the first ARPA funding awards for supportive housing in Massachusetts. The funding and the housing construction it enables will make a significant impact on the crisis of homelessness across the state. CEDAC works closely with DHCD to manage the ARPA and other state capital funding targeted to supportive housing.

“The new housing made possible through ARPA and other state funding sources comes at a time of vital need. CEDAC is pleased to collaborate with Governor Healey, Lt. Gov. Driscoll and Undersecretary of Housing Jennifer Maddox to increase the supply of supportive housing for our most vulnerable populations,” said Roger Herzog, CEDAC’s Executive Director.

About CEDAC