MetroCommon2050 is Greater Boston’s next long-range regional plan. It’s a plan for all of the 101 cities and towns and countless neighborhoods of the region of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC).
Through research and community engagement, MAPC gathered opinions from thousands throughout the region, including people of different ages, backgrounds, racial and ethnic backgrounds, walks of life, and perspectives. This allowed us to confirm that the goals in MetroCommon reflect Greater Boston’s hopes and dreams and that our view of the problems that need to be solved is correct. Continue reading
For age-friendly community coalitions and stakeholders engaged in housing issues, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) recently launched the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), a new funding mechanism to disburse state and federal funding resources for tenants and landlords to avoid evictions and maintain household stability throughout the COVID-19 emergency. Continue reading
In the past week, the state has announced the latest grant awards for MassDOT’s Shared Winter Streets and Spaces program, Affordable Housing Development, and Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) – all of which include multiple projects that support older adults.
All of the following award announcements are great examples for age- and dementia friendly communities looking to address housing, transportation and community services.
In addition to some timely funding opportunities, the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative is sharing some other upcoming virtual training and support opportunities. Continue reading
The AARP Livable Communities team, which builds resources to support age-friendly community efforts, has released a pair of resources to promote local policy improvements that can help older adults age in community and make public spaces more inclusive. Continue reading
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) publicized a set of resources on their blog aimed at alleviating housing and utility costs while the AARP Foundation’s “Connect 2 Affect” campaign created a resource focused on lowering utility bills. Continue reading
In recognition of Veterans Day, the National Center on Law and Elder Rights (NCLER) is helping advocates and attorneys by releasing a set of recommended resources. Continue reading
According to a new report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University and the AARP Public Policy Institute, which examines the AARP Livability Index, there are significant differences between who has access to the country’s most livable communities. Continue reading
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts launched the Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI) – a comprehensive set of resources to support tenants and landlords during the financial challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue reading