PITTSFIELD, Mass. Pittsfield received its second allocation of Community Development Block Grants in the amount of $475,103.00. The federally funded program is designed to help small cities and towns meet a broad range of community development needs. In total, the city has received $1,264,444. The first allocation was accepted by the City Council on April 28, 2020. These two allocations are separate and in addition to the city s annual entitlement allocation. At Tuesday s City Council meeting, Mayor Linda Tyer submitted an order to amend the CDBG annual Action Plan for the program year 2019-2020 to provide a special allocation of CDBG funds in the amount of $475,103.00.
Eleanor Ho
Boston University Statehouse Program
BOSTON As temperatures fall and positive coronavirus cases rise, advocates are concerned about homelessness in Massachusetts, where shelters remain at a reduced capacity due to the pandemic, and many are anticipating having to turn people away as outside conditions worsen.
Estimates of the size of the Massachusetts homeless population hovers around the 18,000 mark, according to estimates from a 2019 report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Though in previous years Boston has been able to accommodate almost its entire homeless population, organizations are struggling to allow guests to distance and still provide adequate shelter.
BOSTON – As temperatures fall and positive coronavirus cases rise, advocates are raising concerns about homelessness in Massachusetts, where shelters remain at a reduced capacity due to the pandemic, and many are anticipating having to turn people away as outside conditions worsen.
Estimates of the size of the Massachusetts homeless population hovers around the 18,000 mark, according to estimates from a 2019 report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Though in previous years Boston has been able to accommodate almost its entire homeless population, organizations are struggling to allow guests to distance and still provide adequate shelter.
State officials speculated in a recent report that homeless shelters around the state are short a few hundred beds, according to Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance President Joe Finn, leaving many communities scrambling to find space to spare.
Shelters lack space for homeless as winter arrives
Tents set up by homeless under the bridge on the bike path in Northampton. GAZETTE FILE PHOTO/CAROL LOLLIS
Published: 12/27/2020 11:08:47 PM
BOSTON – As temperatures fall and positive coronavirus cases rise, advocates are raising concerns about homelessness in Massachusetts, where shelters remain at a reduced capacity due to the pandemic, and many are anticipating having to turn people away as outside conditions worsen.
Estimates of the size of the state’s homeless population hovers around the 18,000 mark, according to estimates from a 2019 report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Though in previous years Boston has been able to accommodate almost its entire homeless population, organizations are struggling to allow guests to distance and still provide adequate shelter.
It bothers me in this day and age, why we don t have a larger resource of avenues for individuals. I don t know if that comes from lack of funding from the Commonwealth or if it comes from lack of funding from the federal government, Ward 7 City Councilor Anthony Maffuccio said at Thursday s meeting. We have a serious problem, and people just don t want to talk about it and they think it is just going to go away miraculously one day. Responding to Ward 1 Councilor Helen Moon s petition that requested a presentation on opioid use, Jennifer Kimball, coordinator of Berkshire Opioid Abuse Prevention Collaborative, informed the City Council subcommittee about the city s current issues with OUD.