Mass General awards $1.1 Million to LISC to Address Housing as part of Determination of Need (DoN) Investment

11.19.2020 — Press ReleasesBoston, MA: HousingLending

BOSTON -- Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) recently invested $3.4 million to fund community-based initiatives aimed at tackling the urgent health challenges of housing, increased access to behavioral health services through community health workers and workforce development. The total award includes a $1.1M investment in partnership with LISC Boston to support affordable housing projects in Chelsea, Boston, Revere and Winthrop. This funding was made available by the Massachusetts Determination of Need (DoN) process regulating community investment as hospital capital improvement projects are approved.

Seven proposals were chosen which feature a wide range of upstream policy and systems change approaches addressing the social determinants of health. Priorities were determined by the community-driven process outlined in the 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment and Implementation Plan.

“The lack of affordable housing, living wage jobs and mental health services plague many neighborhoods disproportionately ‒ particularly communities of color ‒ leading to alarming health disparities. Failure to address these root causes during COVID-19 could further exacerbate these inequities,” said Leslie Aldrich, executive director of MGH’s Center for Community Health Improvement. “We are fortunate to work with a Community Advisory Board and Allocation Committee who thoughtfully invested these funds to help make sustainable, long-term improvements to the health of these communities.”

Affordable Housing

Housing costs, homelessness, and deteriorated home conditions impact community members’ physical health and wellness. Community-based development of affordable housing increases the supply of affordable homes and often provides housing that is safer and healthier for residents, free from exposure to hazards. The Mass General Allocation Committee selected Local Support Initiatives Corporation (LISC) Boston, a community development financial institution, for a $1.1 Million affordable housing investment to seed the Community-Based Predevelopment and Acquisition Fund. Funding aims to ensure affordable housing developers have access to the fast capital they need to compete. MGH’s housing investment, combined with LISC’s capital, will support community-based developers and in particular, developers of color seeking to create and preserve critical affordable housing in Boston, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop. LISC is currently exploring initial investments in Chelsea and Boston’s Nubian Square which would seed the creation and conversion of 52 affordable housing units and seven mixed-use/retail spaces. This investment will have a reverberating impact for years to come; loans that developers repay to LISC will be recycled to seed additional community-driven affordable housing in the future.

“Mass General’s commitment to creating and preserving stable housing and fighting displacement will help residents stay in their homes and their communities,” said Karen Kelleher, executive director of LISC Boston. “Every affordable home created or preserved as a result of MGH’s investment moves the dial on community health and wellness. This investment is a model for other health care institutions.”

Increasing Access to Behavioral Health Services through Community Health Workers

Community health workers (CHWs), navigators, and recovery coaches with mental health training play a critical role in addressing behavioral health needs of community members who may be reluctant to seek services because of access, stigma or inability to find a culturally or linguistically sensitive provider. Funding aims to increase the pool of community health workers and recovery coaches with specialized mental health and substance use training who represent low-income, immigrant, LGBTQ, seniors, and/or communities of color through coordinated, funded recruitment and training programs. Three organizations were each awarded $375,000 over three years to address this critical need.

For the full press release, click here.