July 30, 2020

As Chairman of the House Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets, Representative Antonio F. D. Cabral (D-New Bedford) successfully added several critical provisions to this session’s economic development bond bill.

The economic recovery and investment bill, passed by the Massachusetts House of Representatives Tuesday night, features multiple authorizations for local capital projects in New Bedford that Rep. Cabral prioritized.

“The City of New Bedford and the South Coast region have a number of invaluable cultural and higher education capital assets that warrant state investment. It is clear that UMass Dartmouth and our City’s cultural institutions promote economic activity and I fought for these capital projects to receive these necessary funds,” stated Rep. Cabral.

The bond authorizations for New Bedford and South Coast-based projects include:

• $500,000 for the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s Blue Economy Initiative
• $350,000 for the rehabilitation of the Cape Verdean Veterans Memorial Hall
• $100,000 for various infrastructure and ADA compliance upgrades at the bathhouse and boathouse at West Beach in New Bedford

The “Neighborhood Stabilization Initiative,” first introduced by Rep. Cabral in January 2019, gained significant traction in the economic development bill, in which $80 million in bond authorizations is slated to go towards rehabilitating blighted and abandoned properties throughout the state. The Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP), which facilitates market-rate housing development in weak markets, also received a $20 million increase to its annual cap (now $30 million), to allow for more development in Gateway Cities.

Through an amendment filed by Rep. Cabral, the Massachusetts Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit program also received a $10 million boost in the House version of the bill.

“Throughout Massachusetts, communities are experiencing the devastating financial effects of the ongoing public health crisis. Here, in the Legislature, we aimed to tailor this bill in a way that addressed these economic challenges head on, utilizing a regional approach that acknowledges the real inequities communities like New Bedford face,” said Rep. Cabral.

“Our Gateway Cities are in need of state investment, now more than ever, particularly in our neighborhoods and I was proud to shape and vote for this bill that focused so heavily on lifting these communities up.”