Chelsea’s Housing & Community Development Dept. deliver testimony to Joint Committee on emergency preparedness after grant canceled
Special to the Record
Pictured at the Massachusetts State House: (left to right) State Representative Judith Garcia, Chelsea Housing & Community Development Director Ben Cares, Chelsea Housing & Community Deputy Director Emily Granoff, and State Senator Sal DiDomenico.
In response to the cancellation of a federal grant, leaders of Chelsea’s Housing & Community Development Department delivered testimony to the Joint Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Management and the House Committee on Federal Funding, Policy and Accountability at the Massachusetts State House on November 20.
The testimony spotlighted the impacts on Chelsea of the federal government’s cancellation of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. The federal decision included a $50 million award intended to support the Island End River Flood Resilience Project, a long-planned, jointly advanced initiative between Chelsea and Everett.
Emily Granoff, Deputy Director of Housing & Community Development outlined the significance of the project and its role in protecting key community assets. “The Island End River corridor supports thousands of residents and critical regional infrastructure. Today’s testimony was an opportunity to walk the Legislature through the data, the risks, and the tangible impacts of losing this federal funding,” Granoff said. “It is important that the Committee understands how interconnected this area is with broader regional systems—from food distribution to transportation to health care.”
The project, now nearing final design, includes a 3,400-foot coastal flood barrier, tide gates to prevent storm-driven backflow, saltmarsh restoration, and a new public riverwalk. It is intended to protect a 500-acre floodplain that is home to 5,000 residents and major assets such as the New England Produce Center, Mass General’s Chelsea facility, three schools, and the area’s primary grocery store. A federally required benefit-cost analysis found the project would prevent an estimated $3.7 billion in storm-related damages, providing $30 of benefit for every $1 spent on the project.
Ben Cares, Director of Housing & Community Development, provided additional context to the Committee regarding long-term trends in sea-level rise and flood frequency. “Our testimony focused on presenting the facts: the extent of the risk, the depth of the planning already completed, and the consequences of the federal withdrawal,” Cares said. “We appreciate the Committee’s attention to the issue and their willingness to understand the implications for both Chelsea and the wider region.”
Chelsea will continue coordinating with Everett, state agencies, and regional stakeholders as the future of federal resilience funding remains uncertain.