Page 16 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, August 16, 2024 MAPC awarded grant to continue heat resilience work through state Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program A ugust 13, 2024 – BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration awarded the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) nearly $500,000 to build upon years of work within the region to better prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate-driven heat in Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Revere, and Winthrop. The Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant will fund MAPC’s “Lower-Mystic Cool Communications to Build Regional Heat Resiliency” project, which will address the lack comprehensive strategies for effectively communicating with vulnerable populations before, during, and after extreme heat events. In addition, it will help inform development of tiered heat warning thresholds and early alert systems that account for disproportionate risks among priority populations. The project team will work to design a creative and linguistically and culturally relevant heat communications campaign in partnership with community-based organizations, community liaisons, and local artists and designers. The heat resilience communications camFOUNDATION | FROM PAGE 7 cluded by the inhabitants of this town, that Mr. Graves do model and lay out the form of the town, with streets about the Hill...each inhabitant have a two acre lot to plant upon, and all to fence in common; which was accordingly by Mr. Graves measured out unto them.” “…Ralph Sprague and others began to build their houses, and to prepare fencing for their lots, which [were] afterwards set up almost in a semi-circular form on the south and southeast side of that field laid out to them, which lies situated on the north-west side of the Town Hill.” In 1629, Graves designed the “Great House,” which would serve as the residence of Governor Winthrop and as the colpaign will leverage existing work by the Mystic River Watershed Association, MAPC, and the Metropolitan Mayors Coalition, including lessons learned through Keeping Metro Boston Cool, the COVID-Safe Cooling program, COVID-19 communications, and other public health campaigns. “With extreme heat becoming increasingly frequent, MAPC’s leadership in heat resiliency is both timely and critical,” said Secretary Rebecca Tepper of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. “These projects highlight the urgent need for innovative solutions and collaborative action. We’re proud to support this vital work, which is essential for creating a more resilient and adaptive future.” MAPC Principal Planner Sasha Shyduroff-Gutman added, “Over the long-term, the success of this project will be reflected in the effective and on-going mobilization of trusted messengers and municipal communication infrastructure to engage residents. Sustaining and expanding these efforts will contribute to a reduction in climate-related health outcomes and disony’s meetinghouse. Around 100 men from Salem participated in its construction. According to the Graves instructions, they also laid out streets and divided land into two-acre lots for the settlers. Another creation of Thomas Graves was the town fort on the top of Town Hill. It had palisades and flankers and was built under his direction by all the settlers, including women and children, because many people died during the harsh winter in 1630. To be continued… (Inna Babitskaya is a Malden historian; a member of the Malden Historical Commission and the author of historical books “From Maldon to Malden,” “Time of Converse” and “Fellsmere Park – Emerald of Malden.”) For Advertising with Results, call The Advocate Newspapers at 617-387-2200 or Info@ advocatenews.net parities.” Through research completed with Wicked Hot Mystic [https:// resilient.mysticriver.org/wicked-hot-mystic], Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Revere, and Winthrop were identified as municipalities with urban heat islands up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than in the coolest parts of the watershed. Many communities living and working in urban heat islands are at increased risk of the health impacts of extreme heat and may lack the resources to adapt and prepare. “As our summers get longer and hotter, we need to prioritize expanding our public health capacity for communication and surveillance work. That is why receiving the ‘Lower Mystic Cool Communications to Build Regional Heat Resiliency’ MVP program Action Grant is so important,” said Lauren Buck RN, BSN, MPH, chief of health and human services and director of public health with the City of Revere. MAPC will work with researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH), including Professor Gregory Wellenius, director of the Center for Climate and Health at Boston University, who previously led an analysis finding a substantial number of excess deaths and emergency department visits on hot days that were not sufficiently hot to trigger heat alerts. The team will obtain and analyze health data from the Massachusetts Center for Health Information Analysis to better understand the regional and local heat exposure thresholds that trigger adverse public health impacts in the focus communities. This analysis will inform the development of updated and regionally-specific heat thresholds, tailored to account for the disproportionate risks faced by priority populations like older adults, young children, and outdoor workers. “I am thrilled to partner with the MAPC on this essential project. Although the health risks from extreme heat are well known, this effort will help us better understand how heat risk varies from one neighborhood to another and take steps to better protect people in those communities that need help most,” said Professor Wellenius. The project will take a systems-based and community-driven approach to buildBeacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen GET A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO MASSTERLIST – Join more than 22,000 people, from movers and shakers to political junkies and interested citizens, who start their weekday morning with MASSterList—the popular newsletter that chronicles news and informed analysis about what’s going on up on Beacon Hill, in Massachusetts politics, policy, media and influence. The stories are drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications. MASSterlist will be e-mailed to you FREE every Monday through Friday morning and will give you a leg up on what’s happening in the blood sport of Bay State politics. For more information and to get your free subscription, go to: https:// massterlist.com/subscribe/ THE HOUSE AND SENATE:Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from recent sessions $5.1 BILLION FOR HOUSING (H 4977) House 128-24, Senate 372, approved and Gov. Maura Healey signed into law a housing bill that would authorize $5.1 billion in borrowing to spur housing production in the Bay State. Supporters said the package makes crucial policy changes with the goal of building new housing, accelerating the rehabilitation of existing housing, reducing barriers to development and promoting affordable housing. They noted that key provisions include allowing accessory dwelling units, investment in modernizing the state’s public housing system, boosts to programs that support first-time homebuyers and homeownership, incentives to build more housing for low to moderate-income residents, support for the conversion of vacant commercial space to housing and support for sustainable and green housing initiatives. “The Affordable Homes Act creates homes for every kind of household, at every stage of life and unlocks the potential in our neighborhoods,” said Gov. Healey. “Today we are taking an unprecedented step forward in building a stronger Massachusetts where everyone can afford to live." “The Affordable Homes Act ing climate resilience to extreme heat by strengthening social connectedness and support networks among community members, organizations, and municipalities within the Lower Mystic. Research shows that investments in social infrastructure – the community assets, programs, policies, and communication pathways that facilitate relationships and collective action – builds community resilience. “Lower-Mystic Cool Communications” will apply best practices from MAPC’s previous municipal-community partnerships for climate resilience. The 2022 MAPC MetroWest Climate Equity Project [https://www. mapc.org/resource-library/metro-west-climate-equity/], involving Ashland, Framingham, and Natick took a similar approach: successfully engaging residents and community groups to lead outreach and co-design two climate resilience communication campaigns. This new project will adapt these strategies, including hiring community liaisons and creating culturally resonant emergency resources, to address extreme heat … in the Lower Mystic region. is the first, major critical step needed in addressing our housing crisis,” said Rep. James Arciero (D-Littleton), House Chair of the Committee on Housing. “It reduces barriers for individuals seeking affordable home options, increases housing production and inventory and creates more tools in the toolbox to help cities and towns offer more affordable housing options. This encompassing bill showcases critical input from our state and local officials, community stakeholders, advocates and residents.” “If Massachusetts leaders declare ‘Mission Accomplished’ on the housing crisis, they’ll be abandoning millions of Massachusetts residents to a broken housing market that is driving families into homelessness and pushing workers out of our state,” said Carolyn Chou, Director of Homes for All Mass. “The housing bond bill includes meaningful funding to support public housing and build new affordable housing, but legislators failed to include any tools to help renters who are facing enormous rent hikes and eviction today.” “Passing a major massive, complicated measure like this BHRC| SEE PAGE 17
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