Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development

Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development
Name	Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development
Type	Executive agency
Jurisdiction	Massachusetts
Headquarters	Boston, Massachusetts
Chief1 name	(varies)
Parent agency	Office of the Governor

Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development The Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development is an agency within the Office of the Governor of Massachusetts charged with coordinating housing policy, economic development strategies, and related regulatory programs across state agencies. It interfaces with municipal administrations such as Boston, Massachusetts, regional planning bodies like the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (Massachusetts), and federal entities including the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, the United States Department of Commerce, and the Economic Development Administration. The office collaborates with institutions ranging from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University to community organizations including MassHousing and advocacy groups such as Massachusetts Housing Partnership.

Overview

The office was established to align housing initiatives with development priorities and reconcile state statutes like the Massachusetts General Laws with programs administered by agencies including the Department of Housing and Community Development (Massachusetts), the Division of Banks (Massachusetts), and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. It operates in the context of regional entities such as the Boston Planning & Development Agency, the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, and federal programs created under acts like the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The office engages stakeholders from the private sector—examples include MassDevelopment, MassTech Collaborative, and banking institutions such as Santander Bank (United States), Bank of America, and Wells Fargo—as well as philanthropic partners like The Boston Foundation and Barr Foundation.

Organizational Structure

Leadership typically reports to the Governor of Massachusetts and coordinates with cabinet-level secretariats, interfacing with agencies including the Department of Transportation (Massachusetts), Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (Massachusetts). Divisions and affiliated authorities include the Department of Housing and Community Development (Massachusetts), MassHousing, and MassDevelopment; program offices coordinate with federally chartered entities such as the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston and the Small Business Administration. The office’s interagency councils have membership drawn from municipal bodies like the City of Worcester, City of Springfield (Massachusetts), and regional commissions such as Pioneer Valley Planning Commission.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs cover affordable housing, community revitalization, and economic competitiveness, connecting to federal initiatives like the Community Development Block Grant and state initiatives such as the Commonwealth Places Program and tax incentives similar to the Massachusetts Life Sciences Tax Incentive Program. Initiatives are coordinated with research partners including University of Massachusetts, Northeastern University, and Tufts University, and with workforce entities such as MassHire workforce boards, Building Trades Unions, and industry groups including the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council. The office has supported projects in neighborhoods serviced by agencies like the Boston Housing Authority and mechanisms such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and programs modeled on the Home Investment Partnerships Program.

Policy and Legislative Role

The office advises the Massachusetts Legislature and the Joint Committee on Housing on bills affecting development and housing finance, and participates in drafting legislation tied to statutes like the Chapter 40B comprehensive permit statute and amendments to state tax law. It provides testimony before bodies including the Senate Committee on Ways and Means (Massachusetts) and the House Committee on Ways and Means (Massachusetts), and liaises with federal delegations such as representatives from Massachusetts's 7th congressional district and senators like those who have served alongside Elizabeth Warren or Edward J. Markey when coordinating federal funding. The office’s regulatory consultations have intersected with rulings and guidance from courts such as the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

Budget and Funding

Funding sources include state appropriations authorized by the Massachusetts General Court, bond issuances overseen by entities like the Massachusetts Municipal Depository Trust, and federal grants from agencies including HUD and the Economic Development Administration. Financial instruments and funds managed or influenced by the office intersect with programs administered by MassDevelopment, with municipal finance mechanisms used by cities like Cambridge, Massachusetts and Salem, Massachusetts. The office monitors allocations tied to statewide capital plans, interacts with the Executive Office for Administration and Finance (Massachusetts), and coordinates with auditors such as the Office of the State Auditor (Massachusetts).

Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement

Stakeholders include municipal leaders like mayors of Boston and Springfield, Massachusetts, county and regional planning commissions, nonprofit housing providers including Housing Assistance Corporation (Massachusetts), and national organizations such as Enterprise Community Partners and Local Initiatives Support Corporation. The office convenes forums with labor unions like the Massachusetts Building Trades Council, business associations including the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and research consortiums such as the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. It also engages philanthropic and advocacy networks including Neighborhood Housing Services affiliates and collaborates with federal partners like HUD Exchange programs.

Performance and Impact Metrics

Performance metrics often referenced include housing unit production targets, vacancy and affordability indicators used by analysts at the Urban Institute and the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, job creation metrics tracked by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, and economic indicators monitored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics regional office. Impact assessments draw on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, including the American Community Survey, and evaluations by entities such as the Government Accountability Office and state-level auditors. Independent analyses by think tanks like the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center and academic centers at Harvard Kennedy School and MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning inform ongoing policy adjustments.

Category:Massachusetts state agencies