Edwards Secures Over $2 Million in Funding for Area

In her first year in office, Senator Lydia Edwards worked with her colleagues in the House, & with Senate leadership to secure over $2 million of funding for housing support programs, open space, homelessness response & prevention, public safety, and legal services. “This year I was proud to secure over $2 Million for important community projects across the First Suffolk & Middlesex District. This year the Commonwealth has a massive infusion of federal funds from ARPA & COVID relief, and increased tax revenue. We must take full advantage of this surplus and reinvest in our communities” said Senator Lydia Edwards (D-Boston).  

This session Sen. Edwards has secured over $1 Million in direct funding for water transportation. $1 Million to fund regional a ferry service connecting Winthrop, Lynn, Quincy, East Boston and Boston as mitigation resulting from the renovation of the Boston Harbor Tunnels.

“This session I have worked with a bipartisan group of my Senate colleagues, and Senate leadership to secure millions of dollars of funding for ferry programs across our district. A robust ferry system is more important than ever, as we recover from the pandemic, with Sumner Tunnel construction, the housing crunch, and issues with the MBTA. Moreover, rising housing costs in Boston are pushing people and families to look for housing further from the urban hub, we must have effective transit options for people moving to the North and South shores.” said Senator Lydia Edwards (D-Boston).

In the budget, Senator Edwards also secured $50,000 for the Brazilian Worker Center, which works to protect the rights of Brazilian immigrants, and domestic workers, and $50,000 for the Friends of the Belle Isle Marsh, and $200,000 for the Possible Zone which offers programming to youth that builds entrepreneurial skills.

In the Economic Development bill Senator Edwards secured $100,000 for Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association, Inc. to support programming which combats racial discrimination in housing in the Commonwealth. The Senator also secured $200,000 for Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations for outreach, resource creation and pilot programs to encourage fiscally sound, innovative methods to stop the displacement of small businesses and tenants.