波士頓台美菁英會請Andrew Lin 指點房屋買賣101

波士頓台美菁英會 (TAP Boston) 的Sophie Lee (左起) 邀 Andrew Lin
 為年輕人講解買賣房屋101。吳尚錞、周聰等人特地出席聆聽。(周菊子攝)

             (Boston Orange) 波士頓台美菁英會 (TAP Boston) 日前舉辦「房地產101」講座，請羅盤Compass 房地產公司經紀Andrew Lin 為有心了解買房、租房，以及大波士頓地區房屋市場概況者上一課。

            在德州奧斯丁大學唸金融，在財富500強公司工作過，曾替全球性電子商務公司管理橫跨亞洲13國關鍵客戶的Andrew Lin ，為追求個人對音樂愛好，來麻州伯克利音樂學院唸了音樂演奏碩士，也踏進在銷售數量上已連續3年名列全美房地產業第一名的羅盤房地產公司工作。

會場擺放了許多介紹。 (周菊子攝)

            Andrew Lin說明，羅盤公司創立於2012年，總部設在紐約，是一家全球性的公司，曾在10年間投資15億元，研發產業相關科技，如今仍每年在研發上投資約1億元，擁有350人的工程師及產品團隊，在大波士頓設有11家辦公室。

            跨入正題前，Andrew Lin還介紹了一些該公司在Somerville，波士頓經手的發展案，以及今年將推出的3棟新建房屋，並藉以說明在麻州的買房流程，貸款種類，參觀房屋和檢查時該注意些什麼，大波士頓常見那些房屋類型，學區概況，以及如何看懂多重列表服務單(MLS)，出價和談判的技巧等等。

            Andrew Lin列出10大步驟流程，包括預先取得貸款許可，諮詢，和代表買家的房地產經紀簽合同，參觀符合個人標準的房地產，提出買價，檢驗，簽署買賣合約 (P&S)，辦理貸款承保和房價評估，最後的巡視檢查，最後交屋等，然後逐一解說，

            Andrew Lin還提供了一些房地產的市場歷史紀錄，房地產界用的術語縮寫。

由於許多買房子的年輕夫婦很關心學區，Andrew Lin分享了一份2023年麻州最佳公校排行榜，前5名依序為勒星頓 (Lexington)、布魯克蘭鎮 (Brookline)、衛斯頓 (Weston) 、艾克頓(Acton)、Boxborough。2024的麻州私立高中排名則是安多福菲立普學校 (Phillips Academy Andover)，波士頓的麻州學校，Groton的Groton學校，Dedham的Noble and Greenough學校，Southborough的聖馬克學校。

            出價則是一般有5個步驟，首先是經紀揭露價格，然後提出購買房地產要求，取得預先批准貸款信，或者資金證明，註明附加條款，揭露房地產是否含鉛等。此外，交屋前還要做產權搜尋，以及辦理產權保險，以確保買下來的房子不會有問題。

            Andrew Lin這天其實講了很多細節，包括TAP的這場講座主持人Sophie Lee，活動組組長林思妤，北一女校友會副會長廖珮妤，房地產律師周聰，哈佛大學附屬醫院醫師吳尚錞等人，都聽得興味盎然，對講座地點，Compass公司位於波士頓遊客區的Newbury街，更是讚不絕口。

            Sohpie Lee透露，TAP Boston在疫情期間有許多人事變動，不少人搬家，目前正處於整頓期，希望更多有相同志趣者加入。

麻州長提名 Sarah Kennedy、Edward Krippendorf出任地方法院法官

Governor Healey Nominates Sarah Kennedy and Edward Krippendorf to District Court 

BOSTON – Today, Governor Maura T. Healey nominated Sarah Kennedy and Edward Krippendorf to the District Court. The nominees will now continue forward to the Governor’s Council for confirmation. 

“Sarah and Edward are two distinguished attorneys who will make excellent additions to the District Court,” said Governor Healey. “They have dedicated their careers to the law and I look forward to working with the Governor’s Council to confirm their nominations."

“We thank the Governor’s Council for their work considering the Governor’s judicial nominees. We are hopeful that Sarah and Edward will be able to continue their public service on the District Court bench,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. 

The District Court Department hears a wide range of criminal, civil, housing, juvenile, mental health, and other types of cases. District Court criminal jurisdiction extends to all felonies punishable by a sentence up to five years, and many other specific felonies with greater potential penalties, all misdemeanors, and all violations of city and town ordinances and by-laws. In civil matters, the District Court hears cases in which the damages are not likely to be more than $50,000 and small claims cases up to $7,000. The District Court is located in 62 courts across the state.

For more information about the District Court, visit their homepage. 

About Sarah Kennedy

Sarah Kennedy currently serves as an Assistant Clerk Magistrate in the Dorchester Division of the Boston Municipal Court, a position she has held since 2021. Attorney Kennedy is responsible for conducting hearings for criminal complaints, assisting judges with courtroom sessions, and helping staff, litigants and members of the public with navigating the court system. Prior to that, she served as both a prosecutor for the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and a defense attorney for the Committee for Public Counsel Services. She has a bachelor’s from Boston College and a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School and she lives in Waltham with her wife and children.

About Edward (Ed) Krippendorf, Jr. 

Ed Krippendorf is an accomplished and well-respected trial attorney with broad civil and criminal experience. Attorney Krippendorf began his career as a criminal investigator in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office before attending New England School of Law. After graduating cum laude, Attorney Krippendorf worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Suffolk County for eight years, prosecuting cases in District, Boston Municipal, and Superior Courts. For the last three years in the DA's Office, he tried complicated Superior Court cases while assigned to the Senior Trial and Homicide Units. Attorney Krippendorf now serves as a partner at Eisenstadt Krippendorf Group in Westwood, MA representing private and indigent criminal defendants as well as handling a broad array of civil and administrative matters in a variety of courts. He also volunteers as a Court Conciliator for the Norfolk County Probate and Family Court. He has a B.S. from Salem State College and a J.D. from New England School of Law. He lives in Braintree with his wife and children.

波士頓市撥100萬元助社區機構打擊濫用藥物致死 重點關注西語裔及黑人

MAYOR WU AND THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION ANNOUNCE $1 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING TO PREVENT OVERDOSE DEATHS AND EXPAND TREATMENT   The second use of Boston’s opioid remediation funding targets supporting communities most at-risk

BOSTON – Wednesday, May 1, 2024 - Mayor Michelle Wu and the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) today announced $1 million in grant funding available for community-based organizations that work to prevent overdose deaths and provide substance use treatment in neighborhoods seeing the highest overdose rates, with a focus on serving Black and Latinx communities that are at increased risk. According to BPHC’s latest data, those neighborhoods include Dorchester, East Boston, Mattapan, Roxbury, and the South End. Data also show overdoses have increased by 29% among Black people and 9% among Latinx people in Boston from 2021-2022, making it one of the leading causes of early death for Black and Latinx men.    “Too many families have lost loved ones to the opioid epidemic here in Boston,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This funding will help neighborhood based organizations save lives by preventing overdoses and helping residents access treatment. I want to thank the community organizations who are saving lives every day and our state and city partners who are fighting to end this epidemic.”    The Community Overdose Response Grants are a one-time fund of $1 million and are the second use of Boston’s opioid remediation funding. These funds will support community-based organizations across the city to increase access to naloxone, a life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose, and to distribute and train Boston residents to use naloxone. Community-based organizations can also use funds to connect people to substance use treatment and other services. Organizations can request up to $200,000 and spend the funds over three years. The Request for Proposals (RFP) recently opened.   “Opioid overdose deaths have disproportionately occurred among Black and Latinx individuals throughout Boston,” said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health and Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission. “We know naloxone saves lives, but access to it is limited and disparities exist in utilization and uptake. The Commission is committed to increasing access to naloxone and educating our residents on how to recognize and respond to an overdose. By partnering directly with communities, we can reach more people and be more impactful in this critical work.”   This follows the City’s previous announcement about the use of opioid remediation funding. Boston created the Family Overdose Support Fund to provide financial support to families who have lost a loved one to opioid overdose. The RFP also recently opened for a vendor to distribute financial aid to people directly starting this summer. The Family Overdose Support Fund will have $250,000 per year for approximately 50 families.    The City’s use of payments from multistate settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors was established after an extensive community engagement process led by BPHC that invited residents to inform how the money should be spent. The engagement process identified equitable community-based overdose prevention strategies as a top priority.    During the community engagement process, respondents also expressed strong interest in housing support and low threshold housing for people with substance use disorder. Low threshold housing sites in Boston have been successful in giving people shelter and connecting people with case managers and treatment. Since the launch in January 2022, the sites have served 630 people, placing 213 people into permanent supportive housing.    Boston has received more than $10 million from the State’s opioid settlements and will incrementally receive at least $22 million through 2038. This comes after years of litigation, including a suit brought by the City of Boston against drug makers and opioid distributors for fueling the opioid epidemic. From July 2021 through December 2022, then-Attorney General Maura Healey announced four settlements that will provide almost a billion dollars to Massachusetts over 18 years.    For more information on Boston’s opioid remediation settlement funds, visit boston.gov/opioid-settlements.

美國總統拜登發佈亞太裔傳統月公告

May 1, 2024

A Proclamation on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2024      This month, we celebrate the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities, whose ingenuity, grit, and perseverance have pushed our great American experiment forward.      From Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders whose ancestors have called their lands home for hundreds of years to Asian immigrants who have newly arrived and those whose families have been here for generations — AA and NHPI heritage has long been a part of the history of our great country and a defining force in the soul of our Nation.  As artists and journalists, doctors and engineers, business and community leaders, and so much more, AA and NHPI peoples have shaped the very fabric of our Nation and opened up new possibilities for all of us.  I am proud that they serve at the highest levels of my Administration, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Ambassador Katherine Tai, Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su, and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Arati Prabhakar, who make this country a better place each and every day.  This year, we are also celebrating the 25th anniversary of the White House Initiative and President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, who work across government to advance equity, opportunity, and justice for AA and NHPI communities.      I have always believed that diversity is our Nation’s greatest strength.  That is why I launched the first-ever National Strategy to Advance Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for AA and NHPI Communities.  This strategy works to harness the full potential of these communities — from combating anti-Asian hate to making government services accessible in more languages.  To ensure the legacies of AA and NHPI peoples are properly honored in the story of America, I signed historic legislation that will bring us closer to a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture.  I also issued a Presidential Memorandum to consider expanding protections for the Pacific Remote Islands to conserve this unique area’s significant natural and cultural resources and honor the traditional practices and ancestral pathways of Pacific Island voyagers, and I signed the Amache National Historic Site Act to establish a memorial honoring the 10,000 Japanese Americans who were unjustly incarcerated there during World War II.  Throughout my time in office, the First Lady and I have hosted celebrations at the White House that highlight the incredible diversity of AA and NHPI communities, like Diwali and the first-ever White House Lunar New Year celebration.  This year, to ensure that the full diversity of AA and NHPI communities is seen and valued as new policy is being made, we updated the Federal Government’s standards for collecting data on race and ethnicity for the first time in over 25 years.       Meanwhile, we are creating new opportunities for AA and NHPI communities by building an economy that works for everyone, including investing in AA and NHPI small businesses and entrepreneurs.  Since I took office, the Small Business Administration provided over $22 billion in loans to AA and NHPI entrepreneurs.  We have seen the results:  During my Administration, we achieved the highest Asian American employment and entrepreneurship rates in over a decade.       Last year, the First Lady and I witnessed the absolute courage of the Native Hawaiian people and Hawaiʻi’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities when we visited Maui in the wake of the devastating fires.  The destruction upended so many lives, and yet the community showed up ready to help rebuild stronger than before.  My Administration has their backs — we are committed to making sure Maui has everything the Federal Government can offer to heal and build back better and as fast as possible.  Throughout these efforts, we remain focused on rebuilding the way the people of Maui want to build by respecting sacred lands, cultures, and traditions.      Racism, harassment, and hate crimes against people of AA and NHPI heritage also persist — a tragic reminder that hate never goes away; it only hides.  Hate must have no safe harbor in America — that is why I signed the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which makes it easier for Americans to report hate crimes, and I also hosted the first-ever White House summit against hate-fueled violence.  We are also working to address the scourge of gun violence, which takes the lives of too many AA and NHPI loved ones.  I signed the most significant gun safety law in nearly 30 years.  My Administration has taken actions to expand background checks and fund efforts to strengthen red flag laws to keep Americans out of harm’s way.  There is still so much to do, and I continue to urge the Congress to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.      Our Nation was founded on the idea that we are all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives.  We have never fully realized this promise, but we have never fully walked away from it either.  As we celebrate the historic accomplishments of AA and NHPIs across our Nation, we promise we will never stop working to form a more perfect Union.       NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2024 as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.  I call upon all Americans to learn more about the histories of the AA and NHPI community and to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities.     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.                         JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

波士頓台灣人生物科技協會探討生醫產業面貌

BTBA 「批准後故事」講座，(前排左起)會長吳佩容、蔡明儒，講者李和昭，
主持人王俐雯，講者韓子強，講座組畢家興等人和部分出席者留影。(周菊子攝)

               (Boston Orange 周菊子麻州劍橋市報導) 波士頓臺灣人生物科技協會 (BTBA) 4月27日在哈佛大學辦” 產業與職業” 講座，邀武田製藥 (Takeda)2位專家從新藥研發獲FDA批准上市，生產，行銷，談到藥物定價談判，讓一般很少接觸這些領域的科研學者，對生技產業有了更全面了解。

BTBA講座籌辦人，右起，會長蔡明儒，吳佩容，主持人王俐雯，
講座組畢家興，謝宗霖。(周菊子攝)

              截至2023年6月，武田製藥是麻州最大的生命科學公司，有6300名員工。BTBA會長蔡明儒及吳佩容為這次講座，從武田製藥請來2名專家講者，原本學經濟，後來取得哈佛公衛碩士及波士頓大學企管碩士，曾在

BTBA主持人王俐雯(中)請武田製藥的李和昭 (右)、韓子強(左)分享
新藥批准後的生產、定價及行銷等故事。(周菊子攝)

11家不同公司工作過的李和昭；以及研習化學工程，專業和生物原本沒有太大關聯，卻因為進了中研院，擔任過翁啟惠院長助理，最後走上優化醫藥生產流程，曾在再生元製藥(Regeneron)這股價從20幾元一度飆漲至900元的紐約新創公司工作過，進入職場8、9年的韓子強，藉由他們的經驗，讓平日鑽研學術的生物醫藥科研學者，窺看企業界面對的不同課題。

             這場講座由韋斯(Wyss)生物啟發工程研究所的博士後學者王俐雯以問答方式主持。

李和昭以奧巴馬時代，相關學者為美國醫療健保制度製作的通路圖，
展現美國醫療體系複雜程度。(周菊子攝)

                          韓子強指出，他所專責的流程科學 (Process Science) 其實就是醫藥的生產製造及市場行銷生命流程管理，一般從企業要推出的醫藥進入臨床第三期，或FDA批准上市後，就預想未來廿、三十年在生產、製造及行銷等每個環節，可能面對的所有不同變化，並分析其商業潛力、評估專利過期後的衝擊等，逐一預想解決方案，保障品質一致。他還藉開麵店、賣珍珠奶茶可能面對原料及供應商變化等來淺顯比喻生醫業界同樣面對原材料的持久性、穩定性，使用的儀器，專利的保障等議題，以過去廿、三十年來科技突飛猛進，社會變化之大，許多產品都已被時代淘汰來看，就知道生命流程的長遠管理相當不容易。

BTBA講座在哈佛大學生物實驗大樓舉行。(周菊子攝)

                       李和昭談的主要是美國的市場通路綜論，包括價格、發包、付款者，貿易及分銷。 他指出，市場通路包括五個板塊，第一塊是定價和承包，其中又包括策略和營運，第二塊是包括藥物福利管理 (PMB) 的報銷，第三塊是團購組織，第四管道或特種藥房，第五塊是包括共同付款項目，免費藥物等的病人服務。

              李和昭還用問答題的方式，讓人看到美國在整個世界醫藥市場上，佔有幾乎壟斷地位的現實。首先是美國處方藥開銷佔了全世界的42%，亞洲國家佔24%，歐盟39個國家佔20%，然而儘管美國是這樣的一個優質市場，根據研究組織RAND的調查，美國藥價是進步發展中國家的大約2倍半，在美國要花100元買的藥，在歐洲大概只賣40元，但是很多醫藥公司不敢到美國來上市行銷，因為美國的醫療制度實在太複雜了。在藥價制定上，一般兼顧市場和營利需求之外，還得顧及保險公司是否接納受保，以及藥物是落在商業、醫療護理 (Medicare)、醫療補助 (Medicaid)，以及聯邦 (Federal)等的哪一個部分。最近推出的縮減通膨法 (IRA)更對藥價有極大影響。每家公司在和保險公司談判時都有不同策略，一般對於年收入在聯邦貧窮率300%到500%以下的患者，會免費供藥。

              活動結束前，李和昭和韓子強還分享了他們一路走來的職涯經歷。講座主持人畢家興、謝宗霖接著送上紀念品，感謝他們的分享交流。 (僑務電子報:    https://ocacnews.net/article/368096)

Billerica警官 Ian Taylor殉職 麻州長下令降半旗致敬

            (Boston Orange 綜合編譯) 麻州Billerica警官，49歲的Ian Taylor，4月26日下午2點前，在一個建築工地指揮聯結車通過時，被一輛倒退的挖土機撞上，因公殉職，不幸死亡。麻州州長奚莉 (Maura Healey) 4月30日宣佈，待5月3日葬禮時，麻州所有州政府樓與國旗降半旗，向Ian Taylor致敬。

               米斗塞郡 (Middlesex)地方檢察官Marian T. Ryan 26日晚開記者會，簡報經過，說明Ian Taylor在送抵Burlington醫療中心的Lahey醫院時，傷重不治。

             Ian Taylor服勤21年，曾在羅倫斯市、Wilmington鎮，Billerica鎮工作過。他身後遺有妻子Mindy，2名小孩Nathan 和Kylee，以及家人。

             Billerica警察局長Roy Frost表示，他們很幸運，從2011年起和Ian Taylor共事了12年。他稱許Ian Taylor為社區貢獻良多。

            The Greg Hill基金會正在募款，以在此困難時刻支持IanTaylor的家人。該基金會將以比照捐款額，並支付信用卡手續費方式，最高捐款5000元。該籌款網站目前籌得3萬6488元。

Governor Healey Orders Flags at Half Staff in Honor of Billerica Police Sergeant Ian Taylor  

BOSTON –Governor Maura T. Healey today issued a flag lowering order in honor of Billerica Police Sergeant Ian Taylor, who was killed in the line of duty on April 26. The United States of America flag and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts flag will be flown at half-staff at all state buildings on the date of interment, Friday, May 3, 2024.   

“I’m heartbroken over the tragic death of Billerica Police Sergeant Ian Taylor. I’ve been in touch with Chief Roy Frost to offer my condolences and our administration’s full support during this terrible time. It’s clear that Sergeant Taylor was a remarkable person who dedicated his life to serving the community, especially when it came to supporting those who were suffering from substance use disorder. My heart goes out to his loved ones – his parents, wife and children – and the entire Billerica Police Department.” 

BCIC 2024國際生物醫療創業 劉小樂GV20奪冠

波士頓華人投資俱樂部創辦人易敏(右起)，香港科技園
轉化研發所高級總監劉思雅，生物醫藥群組副總監袁永麗 (左一)，
高贏國際律師事務所合夥人崔粲(左二)。(周菊子攝)

            (Boston Orange 周菊子麻州劍橋市報導) 波士頓華人投資俱樂部 (BCIC) 和香港科技園合作， 4月27日在先聲藥業 (Simcere) 的波士頓研發中心舉行2024年國際生物醫療創賽決賽。前哈佛教授劉小樂所率領的「GV20療法」，在14家打入決賽的新創企業中脫穎而出，贏得冠軍。

                比賽有亞軍2名，上海親和力生物 (AFFINITY BIOPHARMA)和新加坡初創公司泰誠思 (AXCYNSIS THERAPEUTICS)。

易敏(右)、袁永麗，劉思雅(左一)頒發冠軍給GV20執行長
劉小樂。(BCIC提供)

                     季軍有4名，中國深圳的亦諾微 (IMMVIRA Group)，中國蘇州的克睿基因(CURE Genetics)，美國馬里蘭州巴爾的摩的RAPAFUSYN Pharmaceuticals 以及位於麻州Natick的丹碼生物 (D2M Biotherapeutics) 。

                今年的這場國際生物醫療創賽共有100個團隊參加競逐，經評審團隊幾輪淘汰後，共有14家，從早期到中期，從製藥，醫療器械、診斷，以及在生物領域應用人工智能的各階段、各類型企業團隊打入決賽。

得獎團隊合影。(BCIC提供)

                 今年的這場國際生物醫療創賽共有100個團隊參加競逐，經評審團隊幾輪淘汰後，共有14家，從早期到中期，從製藥，醫療器械、診斷，以及在生物領域應用人工智能的各階段、各類型企業團隊打入決賽。

                           贏得冠軍的GV20療法，用人工智能和基因組學來解析癌症患者的天然抗體反應，找出靶點及治療抗體。目前以針對新型先天免疫檢查點IGSF18

BCIC工作團隊。 (BCIC提供)

的一流抗體為主要項目，正在做第一期臨床實驗。前哈佛大學陳曾熙公衛學院教授暨達納法伯癌症機構功能性癌症表關遺傳學中心共同主任劉小樂，於2016年共同創辦GV20後，2022年正式出任執行長，27日這天也親自到場做簡報。

在網上做簡報的上海親和力生物贏得亞軍。 

          香港科技園的轉化研發所高級總監劉思雅，生物醫藥群組副總監袁永麗，以及高贏國際律師事務所合夥人崔粲等決賽評審，27日這天在先聲藥業位於麻州劍橋市橡子公園內的研發中心，聽取這14個團隊分別在網上及現場做簡報。

新加坡泰誠思 (AXCYNSIS THERAPEUTICS)也贏得亞軍。

             波士頓華人投資俱樂部創辦人易敏，香港科技園的劉思雅、袁永麗和羅氏中國加速器負責人唐秋嵩等人，在決賽開場前發表講話，鼓勵創業團隊繼續努力，也提醒他們善用各機構所提供資源。

劉思雅指出，香港科技園去年第一次贊助波士頓華人投資俱樂部，鑒於成效極佳，今年正式成為合辦單位，一起評審了100多個報名參賽團隊，再經過多輪篩選，挑出最後的14個團隊晉級決賽。她和袁永麗也專程飛來波士頓做評審，並介紹香港科技園是個已有1700家企業入駐，共有來自27個國家及地區的14000名研發人員，成功培養出6家香港本地獨角獸，6家海外獨角獸，從2018年起已募得927億港元資金的園區，具有強大的扶植企業能力。

中國深圳的亦諾微 (IMMVIRA GROUP)贏得季軍。

                  查詢波士頓華人投資俱樂部詳情，可上網https://bcicglobal.org/。

決賽現場之一。

決賽現場之一。 (周菊子攝)

先聲藥業波士頓研發中心的投資主任邵劍(中)和出席者交流。 (周菊子攝)

中國蘇州的克睿基因(CURE GENETICS)贏得季軍。(周菊子攝)

來自紐約的投資者向BCIC創辦人易敏探問參賽團隊。 (周菊子攝)

Massachusetts Community Climate Bank Launches First Consumer Loan Product

Massachusetts Community Climate Bank Launches First Consumer Loan Product 

The new $20 million Energy Saver Home Loan Program will help homeowners make clean energy improvements that cut energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions  

BOSTON – Governor Maura Healey announced today that the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank has launched a new $20 million program, the Energy Saver Home Loan Program, to help low- and moderate-income homeowners make clean energy improvements to their homes.  

The Massachusetts Community Climate Bank (MCCB) is the first green bank in the United States to focus on decarbonizing affordable housing, and the Energy Saver Home Loan Program is the MCCB’s first consumer product. The new loan program will lower barriers to clean energy adoption and assist property owners to cut their energy use and reduce or eliminate their reliance on fossil fuels by providing affordable financing and high-touch customer service features. 

“Last year, we were proud to launch the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank – the nation's first green bank dedicated to affordable housing. Today, we are thrilled to take its work to the next level with the launch of its first consumer loan product that will help people across the state afford energy efficient homes,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Low- and moderate-income families disproportionally carry the burden of both climate change and the high cost of housing. Programs like this will help provide affordable financing options for homeowners to support our clean energy transition. We congratulate the teams at the Office of Climate Innovation and Resilience and MassHousing for their leadership.” 

“The Massachusetts Community Climate Bank addresses two of our most pressing challenges — climate change and the high cost of housing,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This new consumer loan program will help us move forward on our climate goals and make housing more affordable.” 

“I am thrilled about the Community Climate Bank’s new Energy Saver Home Loan Program!  For the first time, low and moderate-income homeowners will have concierge support—a real person—to walk them through, every step of the way, what needs to be done to make their home more energy efficient, switch to clean energy, and take care of coordinating all the eligible rebates in addition to flexible low-cost financing,” said Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer. “The Community Climate Bank took the initiative to find out what customers want, and designed a program that delivers. This will be a hassle-free experience for busy homeowners. Getting fossil fuels out of your home and reaping the savings from clean energy should be easy, and thanks to the Community Climate Bank, now it will be!” 

The housing stock in Massachusetts is among the oldest in the United States and Massachusetts homes are some of the most reliant in the country on oil heating. Residential and commercial buildings are responsible for 30 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts, and 60 percent of building emissions are generated by single family and small multi-family homes. Transitioning these homes to clean energy is a core component of Massachusetts’s ambitious goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions in the year 2050.  

The Energy Saver Home Loan Program is designed to accelerate the adoption of clean energy technologies by low- and moderate-income homeowners.  

The new loan program will provide flexible financing for a wide range of residential clean energy projects that support emissions reduction and healthier homes. Eligible homeowners may use Energy Saver loans to finance health and safety improvements such as roof replacement and oil tank removal, home weatherization, electrical system upgrades, heat pumps, new efficient appliances and fixtures, and installation of rooftop solar panels, battery storage and EV charging stations. To receive financing through the program, home improvements must reduce total energy usage by at least 20 percent.  

The Energy Saver Home Loan Program is unique in its ability to finance a larger amount (up to $100,000) in home improvements, including improvement costs eligible for clean energy rebates, utility incentives and tax credits. Financing will feature affordable loan terms with no upfront cash required. The new loan program will finance the cost of approved improvements, with rebate and incentive proceeds – including existing Mass Save and new federal rebates expected to be made available later this year – being used to pay down a portion of the loan amount. This provides bridge financing, helping customers with the upfront costs associated with weatherization, electrification and solar projects while they await rebates and tax credits. 

The MCCB financing will come in the form of a low-cost, long-term subordinate mortgage. Interest rates will range from 0.5 percent to 2 percent, depending on household income. Mortgages will have a 240-month term, allowing for lower monthly payments. Loans will include an 18-month interest-only period, providing consumers with low-cost bridge financing for clean energy incentive and rebate programs, and will be serviced at MassHousing’s Mortgage Servicing Center. 

“The Energy Saver Home Loan Program takes advantage of MassHousing’s statewide reach, high-touch customer service model, and expertise serving needs of lower and moderate-income homeowners,” said MassHousing CEO Chrystal Kornegay. “This new loan product will empower homeowners across Massachusetts to help advance our state’s ambitious clean energy goals, while slashing their home energy usage and making their homes healthier and more comfortable.”  

“The Energy Saver Home Loan Program is a game changer for our residents looking to get fossil fuels out of their home and reduce their energy costs,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “Reducing emissions from buildings are essential to meeting our climate targets. With the innovative solutions offered by the Climate Bank, Mass Save, and historic federal funds, Massachusetts residents will see more efficient, cleaner, healthier homes.” 

"Congratulations to the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank on launching this new loan product for low- and moderate-income homeowners,” said Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus. “The flexibility it provides will allow people to improve their homes and reduce their carbon footprint at the same time."   

The Energy Saver Home Loan Program is designed specifically to meet the needs of low- and moderate-income homeowners.  

The loan program will employ flexible underwriting requirements and repayment structures that will lower the monthly costs associated with clean energy improvements. The program builds on MassHousing’s existing network of partner lenders and the Agency’s decades of experience supporting Massachusetts homeowners.  

The new loan program also offers new consumer supports not available through other publicly supported home energy programs across Massachusetts. The program will provide homeowners with wraparound customer service that will make clean energy improvements more accessible to consumers.  

The MCCB will administer the Energy Saver Home Loan Program in partnership with service providers across Massachusetts, who will help consumers to develop a customized home improvement plan, find quality contractors, and access available rebates and incentives to make the project more affordable. The high-touch program model will reduce barriers and connect consumers with resources more quickly and effectively. All In Energy, the Cape Light Compact and CET will provide consumer-facing concierge services. Abode Energy Management will serve as the program’s statewide energy services provider.  

The Energy Saver Home Loan Program is available to all income-qualified Massachusetts homeowners. The program may be used to finance energy improvements in either owner-occupied single-family homes, or in owner-occupied multifamily homes with up to 4 residential units. Homeowners earning less than 135 percent of the area median income are eligible for financing. Income limits vary by county and range from $190,775 in greater Boston to $124,875 in Berkshire County. 

The MCCB has allocated up to $20 million for the program, with a goal of committing up to 1,000 loans over the next two years. The program is designed to be scaled up with federal Inflation Reduction Act resources.  

MassHousing will work with a network of originating lenders to support the program. Participating lenders include Avidia Bank, Bank of Canton, Bristol County Savings Bank, Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank, Fall River Five Cents Savings Bank, Fidelity Cooperative Bank, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Holyoke Credit Union, Mill Cities Community Investments, Monson Savings Bank and The Cooperative Bank. The program is open immediately and homeowners may check their eligibility and begin the application process by visiting www.massclimatebank.com.  

The MCCB is an ambitious new climate finance initiative announced by Governor Maura Healey in June 2023. Located within MassHousing, the MCCB’s initial focus is to support decarbonization strategies in the residential sector, specifically in the low- and moderate-income multifamily rental and single-family homeownership markets.  

The MCCB is the first climate bank in the nation to launch with a specific focus on decarbonizing affordable housing. MassHousing is drawing on its decades of housing finance and investment expertise and lending capabilities serving these markets to advance the MCCB mission. The Climate Bank was established with $50 million in seed funding from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Climate Mitigation Trust. The Energy Saver Home Loan Program will utilize a portion that that seed funding. 

From day one, the Healey-Driscoll administration has been committed to making Massachusetts a global leader in climate resilience and the clean energy economy. On Governor Healey’s first day in office, she established the nation’s first cabinet-level Climate Chief to coordinate climate policy across all executive agencies. Focused on making Massachusetts the world’s climate innovation lab, she recently proposed a $1 billion, 10-year investment in climatetech which will create thousands of good-paying jobs. Additionally, the administration has aligned state capital investment with mandated emissions reduction targets, established a clean energy innovation pathway for high school students, and filed an historic housing bond bill that would provide $150 million to decarbonize state-owned public housing and incentives for development of energy efficient, fossil-fuel-free homes.