Lowering housing costs

The administration’s capital investments are building homes, enabling homeownership, and unlocking local housing production to lower costs across the state

Growing the housing supply

Governor Healey has used every available tool to increase housing production, help cities and towns expand their housing stock, and lower housing costs. Since taking office, the administration has increased capital funding for housing by 91 percent and created new programs to support housing, including HousingWorks, the largest and most flexible capital source for public infrastructure projects that support and accelerate housing production, spur private development, and create jobs.

Several of the administration’s capital grant programs, such as HousingWorks and the MassWorks Infrastructure Program, help communities complete infrastructure projects – such as water and sewer upgrades – that promote housing production. These capital investments, which are made through the Community One Stop for Growth application portal, have supported the planning and critical infrastructure needed to unlock the potential development of ~49,000 new housing units. These efforts are in addition to the administration’s support for housing development through operating funds and policy initiatives such as those included in Governor Healey’s landmark legislation the Affordable Homes Act (AHA). 

In her January 2023 inaugural address, Governor Healey announced an initiative to identify unused state-owned land and facilities that could be turned into homes. Since then, the administration has implemented the innovative State Land for Homes initiative, which already has the potential to create 5,600 homes on underutilized state properties across Massachusetts.

Projects include:

1. Boston: The 6.5-acre Lindemann-Hurley campus will be redeveloped into housing. In June 2026, the administration released an Offering Memo for developers to learn more about the opportunity to transform this historic site.
2. Monson: The former Monson Developmental Center site, around 675 acres of land, will be redeveloped with a mix of uses, including approximately 600 housing units while preserving more than 400 acres of conservation land.
3. Brockton: A former Department of Unemployment Assistance office at 36 Main Street will be redeveloped by local Brockton developer New Vision Enterprise, LLC, creating 35 new housing units, 20% of which will be affordable to those at 80% AMI.
4. Phillipston: The administration auctioned this 4.6-acre former group home in a rural area of Phillipston to a housing developer in September 2025. 
5. Bedford: Middlesex Community College released five-acre parking lot at 210 Springs Road, facilitating the construction of 25 units of new, accessibly-priced homes, while also enhancing community access to adjacent conservation lands.
    

“Through the State Land for Homes initiative, we’re turning underutilized state properties into thousands of new homes, creating new opportunities for families and workers, and helping communities grow across Massachusetts. ”

— Governor Healey

Creating homeownership opportunities

High housing costs place a disproportionate burden on low- and middle-income households, and homeownership is increasingly out of reach for many in Massachusetts. Through programs such as Commonwealth Builder, ONE+ Mortgage, and support for MassHousing, Governor Healey’s capital investments (along with other funding sources) have helped first-time homebuyers secure their first homes. Since Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), Governor Healey has allocated $10.5 million for Commonwealth Builder, and $7 million for the ONE+ Mortgage program.   

In April 2026, Governor Healey also leveraged capital funding to make interest-free down payment assistance available to more first-time homebuyers. In partnership with MassHousing, the expanded program provides eligible buyers with up to $25,000 at 0 percent interest with deferred repayment terms to help cover a down payment, closing costs, prepaid mortgage insurance or reduce their interest rate.  

Helping local communities build more homes

Two initiatives created by the Healey-Driscoll Administration, HousingWorks (HWIP) and the MBTA Communities Catalyst Fund (MBTAc Catalyst), dedicate grants to improve and expand local infrastructure that unlocks housing production.  

HWIP has supported 49 local infrastructure improvement projects with $78 million in grants to 43 communities to advance housing development. MBTAc Catalyst funds have supported 23 infrastructure projects with $20.7 million in grants to 20 communities that have achieved full compliance with the MBTA Communities Law.  

Impact Spotlight: Alexis and Delyann’s Homebuying Success Story

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“Back then, having a house was a thought but it wasn't coming through. Last year I was like no, we are going to do this and by the end of 2025 we are going to have a house, and we stuck to that.”

— Alexis, New Homeowner

Alexis and Delyann had rented for eight years when in 2024 they resolved to buy a home for their family. They achieved that goal when they and their three young children recently moved into a brand-new, four-bedroom home in Holyoke, which was developed by the Holyoke Housing Authority (HHA) with financing from MassHousing.

Alexis and Delyann used a MassHousing Mortgage through USA Mortgage Network, Inc. to make their homebuying dream a reality. Walking through the door for the first time was a joyous moment for the entire family.

Read more about Alexis and Delyann's story on MassHousing.com

Preserving our public housing

Maintaining and modernizing the state’s public housing stock is essential to provide safe, sustainable living conditions for low- and middle-income families living in public housing across Massachusetts. Governor Healey has made investments to address critical repairs across the public housing portfolio through a combination of formula funding to Local Housing Authorities, targeted awards that address specific components, and ad hoc emergency repairs to mitigate health and safety issues.

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Last updated:	June 26, 2026