The Department of Mental Health (DMH) embraces a community-based approach to treatment and recovery from mental illness, which focuses on the question of how individuals can have more active control over their lives and thrive in their respective communities. DMH’s mission “assures and provides access to services and supports to meet the mental health needs of individu...

It’s hard to believe but CEDAC’s blog, INSITES, turns one year old this week.  We’ve been astounded by the positive response we’ve received from so many who are regular readers of the blog.  So thank you all for supporting us! First, we wanted to share where the name INSITES came from.  More than a year ago, when we were in the process of developing the blog,...

On July 25th, Governor Charlie Baker, joined by Housing and Community Development Undersecretary - and CEDAC board chair - Janelle Chan, announced state funding awards in the 2018 Rental Housing funding competition.  The Governor awarded a total of $33.5 million in state and federal tax credits and $57 million in federal HOME and state bond resources to 19 affordable hous...

In 2016, CEDAC was awarded $180,000 of funding by the Kuehn Charitable Foundation (KCF) to establish a new planning grant program to help the non-profit community development sector across Massachusetts. Last year, KCF committed a second grant to CEDAC in the same amount. Named for the foundation’s creator Robert H. Kuehn, Jr., the Kuehn Planning Grants help non-profit o...

Massachusetts is fortunate in that over the last several decades, the Commonwealth has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to community development in a bipartisan way. On Thursday, May 31st, we saw the most recent example of this support when Governor Charlie Baker signed the $1.8 billion Housing Bond Bill into law. The bill will allow for new capital spending on affor...

It’s no surprise that as the weather turns warmer and sunnier, we get a chance to join our non-profit community development partners to celebrate milestone events in the project development process.  But it is always gratifying to attend groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting ceremonies and see these affordable housing, supportive housing, and child care projects go from ide...

By profiling the work of a CEDAC borrower, we can see not only the evolution of the organization, but the evolution of the non-profit affordable housing sector in Massachusetts. Casa Esperanza is a great example that allows us to trace an inspiring chapter in the history of supportive housing for individuals and families impacted by addiction. Casa Esperanza was founded...

On October 5th, Massachusetts’ Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) accepted pre-applications for its Supportive Housing for Vulnerable Populations Round, in which the Commonwealth will allocate capital, operating and supportive services resources through the National Housing Trust Fund (HTF); state capital subsidy funds; and the Massachusetts Rental Vo...