2025 annual report
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2025 focused on meeting housing needs statewide despite economic headwinds and political uncertainty from Washington, DC. The Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC) is a part of that effort alongside other state agencies, our nonprofit community development partners, and the many other public and private organizations sustaining housing in Massachusetts under the leadership of the Healey-Driscoll Administration.
The passage of the Affordable Homes Act (AHA) last year and the MBTA Communities Act in 2021 chart a course for Massachusetts to make historic investments in housing. Governor Maura Healey, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, and Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (HLC) Secretary Edward Augustus have focused our collective efforts to meet the need of 222,000 homes over the next decade.
CEDAC’s financing and technical expertise helped community development corporations (CDCs) and other non-profit organizations to build stronger communities in every region of Massachusetts. We also continued our ongoing partnerships with HLC and the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) on five of the bond programs that were reauthorized in the AHA. These activities are all part of efforts specifically funded by the AHA to produce, preserve and rehabilitate 65,000 homes by 2030.
You will read in this annual report of the success of the American Rescue Plan – Supportive Housing (ARPA-SH) initiative that culminated this year. CEDAC worked closely with HLC to design and implement ARPA-SH to deploy $108.5 million to create more than 1,300 permanent affordable homes with supportive services.
Our expert, mission-committed staff – guided by the CEDAC Board of Directors – worked closely with thirty-four community-based non-profits and our network of funders and partners to commit $43.8 million in early-stage financing for projects that will create or preserve more than 2,400 affordable rental homes, including many with supportive services. Through the Children’s Investment Fund, we made commitments of more than $14 million to twenty-eight child care programs on behalf of the Department of Early Education and Care using state funding.
CEDAC also made a leadership transition this year with the retirement of Roger Herzog. Roger’s 15-year service as executive director building on prior roles at CEDAC led the organization to create lasting positive change for affordable housing and community development in Massachusetts. The handoff to CEDAC’s new executive director, Ethan Handelman, has been smooth and promises renewed commitment to making housing affordable, available, and accessible in the Commonwealth.
In this report, you will learn about the housing and child care projects that were completed in 2025 with the help of CEDAC. The projects showcase the dedication and creativity that bring development to fruition even in a challenging environment. We hope you enjoy learning about them and find inspiration for your own work.
Ethan Handelman
CEDAC Executive Director
Jennifer Maddox
CEDAC Board Chair
Deputy Secretary, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities
CEDAC and HLC worked closely to design and implement the ARPA-SH program, establish funding criteria, and support nonprofit and mission-driven developers through the development process. The program focused on permanent supportive housing that combines stable homes with access to supportive services—a proven solution as part of the Commonwealth’s comprehensive strategy to address homelessness.
