Boston City Council receives federal grants update as COVID recovery committee chair departs for Housing Authority

BOSTON — April 14, 2023 — Boston's COVID-19 Recovery Committee got a sweeping federal grants update as its chair prepared to leave the council for the Boston Housing Authority. At the April 14 hearing on Docket 0162, chaired by Kenzie Bach and co-sponsored by Councillors Gabriela Coletta Zapata and Brian Worrell, administration officials reported two newly awarded grants: a $9 million Safe Streets for All award covering 11 intersections citywide and a Reconnecting Communities planning grant targeting a parcel over the Massachusetts Turnpike in Chinatown. A $25 million Flood Mitigation Assistance application — $15 million federal, $10 million city cost share — survived state review and is now before FEMA, with a decision expected by summer. The city is also pursuing a $25 million RAISE grant for East Boston corridors with an award expected in early summer, while a $2 million SMART grant and a MassDOT-led MEGA grant both failed their first-round bids. Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, now accessible to the city at 6 to 70 percent of qualifying costs through a direct-pay mechanism, represent an additional fiscal tool as the council heads into capital budget season. Bach recommended Docket 0162 remain in committee for continued oversight after her departure.