Gov. Maura Healey has appointed Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson to serve on the Commonwealth’s newly formed Housing Advisory Council.
On Monday, Nicholson was sworn in alongside 19 fellow council members, including Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, who will serve as the council’s chair. Members of the council will advise the Healey administration on strategies to address the state’s housing challenges.
“We have pulled together a talented group of housing experts, including advocates and developers, to lend their vision for a more affordable Massachusetts,” Driscoll said in a written statement.
The council was established through a series of executive orders filed alongside the Affordable Homes Act, a $4 billion spending plan filed in October, which aims to increase housing production for moderate and low-income families across the state to produce 40,000 new homes.
In an interview Monday, Nicholson referenced Housing Lynn, the city’s long-term plan to grow and diversify its housing inventory, as an example of the dedicated work he hopes to bring to the state level.
Additionally, Nicholson said he plans to discuss Massachusetts’ housing needs and resources with the Commonwealth’s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.
“Here in Lynn, we have really focused on trying to create housing of all types and supporting production that really benefits the community, as well as responding to issues of housing and the assistance folks need to be able to stay in place, so I think we’ve been able to really tap into that and use it as a blueprint,” Nicholson said.
Expressing gratitude to the Healey administration for his recent appointment, Nicholson said his “overriding concern” is, and will remain, ensuring that Lynn’s residents have access to quality housing that they can afford.
“I really think about it in terms of the pressures that our residents are under. We want to do everything we can to make sure folks can stay here, folks can thrive here, and that we create the safe and affordable housing that we need for Lynn to be the best that it can be,” Nicholson said. “There is really broad recognition that this is a top priority for everyone, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to share our experience.”
Alongside the Commonwealth’s new Housing Advisory Council, the Healey administration also appointed and swore in 15 members of its new Commission on Unlocking Housing Production, which is charged with advising the administration on how state and local laws, regulations, and practices can be revised to increase the supply of affordable housing across income levels throughout the state.
“We all have a role to play in addressing our housing challenges so that people and businesses can afford to live here, stay here, move here, and grow here,” Healey said in a written statement. “Our administration is proud to swear in these talented groups of leaders from government, business, and community and advocacy organizations who will advise me and my team on innovative solutions.”
