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Boston's Morning Newsletter
3 ways Mass. is working to fill empty public housing units during '90-day push'
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
Get out the flannel; it’s the first full week of fall. And once we get past today’s rain, we’ll have a solid week of crisp, dry weather — perfect for those who have been waiting to relish in their inner Mr. Autumn Man.
But first, let’s get to the news:
All hands on deck: Gov. Maura Healey’s administration is launching a 90-day push to fill empty, state-subsidized apartments. It comes after a WBUR and ProPublica investigation published last week found that nearly 2,300 of the 41,500 public housing units are sitting vacant. WBUR’s Todd Wallack reports state officials are acknowledging the “shared responsibility” they have around helping local housing agencies address the issue (many of the problems have been caused by a centralized waitlist system created by the state). Here are three new things they’re doing during the 90-day push:
- Working overtime: The state says it will help local housing agencies with high vacancy rates pay for employee overtime costs.
- Working together: The state will help housing agencies in different cities or towns contract with each other to find qualified tenants and prepare apartments for them. In a memo, state officials listed seven housing agencies willing to help with tenant selection.
- Checking in: Healey’s administration said it will also start conducting weekly check-ins with housing agencies that have vacancy rates above 10% and offer them technical assistance.
- What’s next: Healey told Radio Boston last week that she plans to unveil a new bond bill with additional funding for public housing. The state has estimated there is a $3.2 billion backlog of repairs needed in public housing, and advocates say more money needs to be put toward regular operating costs. Click here for more on the state’s response.
Healey’s administration is also taking stock of maternal care options across Massachusetts, following this weekend’s controversial closure of the birthing center in Leominster. Healey’s office said state officials tried to delay the closure, but were told by UMass Memorial Health Care — which runs the Leominster hospital — that they didn’t have enough staff to safely keep it open. In response, Healey is ordering top health officials to conduct two reviews this fall (and both reports are due back by Nov. 15).
- The first will focus on whether residents — especially in rural and underserved communities — have equitable access to high-quality prenatal, postpartum and birthing services around Massachusetts. It also tasks officials with coming up with ideas to ensure high-quality services are available in all cities and towns.
- The second will specifically look at Northern Worcester County — where Leominster is located — to develop a plan to improve access in the wake of the local birthing center’s closure. UMass Memorial is offering transportation to nearby hospitals for patients who need nonemergency labor and delivery services.
PSA: You can now order up to four free COVID-19 rapid tests for your household through the federal government’s COVIDtests.gov. The website is being relaunched today, ahead of a $600 million investment by President Joe Biden’s administration that will secure a total of 200 million rapid COVID tests for the feds to distribute.
- The national relaunch also comes amid a gradual rise in COVID cases in Massachusetts, though the upswing has remained far more mild than previous surges. Scroll below for more from WBUR’s Priyanka Dayal McCluskey on what to expect this fall.
Boston’s seat at the table: Mayor Michelle Wu is expected to announce Mary Skelton Roberts today as her pick for the city’s newly created seat on the MBTA’s Board of Directors, according to The Boston Globe. Her first board meeting would be this Thursday.
- Who is she? Roberts has a background working for climate nonprofits and currently serves as president of the inaugural Climate Beacon Conference in Boston next month. The Globe reports she is also a regular Orange Line and 39 bus rider.
P.S.— Wu is also back on Radio Boston today. You know the drill — send in your questions through our text club! And tune in at 11 a.m.
