Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) said yesterday that he hopes to use nearly $3 billion in federal pandemic-relief funds to support homeownership, economic development, job training, health care and infrastructure with a focus on populations and areas that suffered the most from COVID-19. “Our proposal will immediately invest $2.8 billion toward key priorities that will help jump-start our economic recovery, with a particular focus on those hit hardest by COVID-19, such as communities of color,” Baker said. The plan is being filed as an amendment to a spending bill on Baker’s desk that is being returned to the Democratic-majority legislature for its approval. The plan devotes most of the money — $1 billion — to funding homeownership and housing priorities, to spur home building and reduce barriers to homeownership, the administration said. The money is on top of $1.6 billion in federal funding that has already been allocated for housing purposes since the start of the pandemic. The plan also calls for a $450 million investment to spark economic development in downtown areas disproportionally impacted by COVID-19 and to support cultural facilities and sites popular with tourists.
