A delegation from Chelsea gathered for a photograph Wednesday morning at the Boston Federal Reserve Bank after learning the city had been selected as one of six municipalities in the Working Cities Challenge grant program. Attendees from Chelsea included Public Health Director Dan Cortes, School Superintendent Mary Bourque, Chamber member Joe Vinard, Centro Latino’s Juan Vega, City Manager Jay Ash, TND’s Ann Houston, and Roca’s Molly Baldwin.
Through multiple applications, interviews, and a visit to Bellingham Square by the Boston region’s Federal Reserve chief, Chelsea secured a spot in a significant pilot program offering $225,000 in grant funding across three years to support revitalization efforts in the city’s core.
The city submitted its Working Cities Challenge grant application in August, responding to a program seeking small and medium-sized cities experiencing economic hardship but showing signs of recovery. The initiative emerged from a 2009 Boston Federal Reserve Bank study examining cities nationwide, including Chelsea, to identify common factors driving their turnarounds. Following that research, the Boston Fed joined with state officials, 15 major state employers, and additional partners to establish the challenge.
Of the twenty municipalities that applied, Chelsea advanced to the next round by October, hosting Regional Fed Chair Eric Rosengren for a tour of City Hall and Bellingham Square.
This week on Wednesday, the city learned of its selection.
Chelsea joins Lawrence ($700,000), Fitchburg ($400,000), Holyoke ($250,000), Somerville ($100,000) and Salem ($100,000) as participants in the pilot program.
The announcement came Wednesday morning at a Boston Federal Reserve Bank ceremony that featured a videotaped message from outgoing Fed Chair Ben Bernanke. According to the Record, Fed officials expressed enthusiasm for the program and Chelsea’s participation.
“fblikebutton_button” “wp-caption alignright” “wp-caption-text” Prabal Chakrabarti, vice president of community outreach at the Boston Fed, stated: “fblikebutton_button” After studying these revitalized cities, we found the key ingredient always was collaboration and leadership, “wp-caption alignright” He continued, “wp-caption-text” That’s what they were looking for in these six cities. We hope this pilot program can be expanded. We hope this is tried around the country. We know other Fed banks are looking at this program. Outgoing chair Ben Bernanke said he thought it was a great program. Being in the room on Wednesday, to hear the applause, cheers and energy from the cities that won – including Chelsea – was really inspiring. An expert jury selected these cities, not the Fed. Chelsea has a great team. In Chelsea, the quality of leadership and organizations is very strong…You start to see the head of the Chamber of Commerce, the school superintendent, the police chief and the director of the housing authority coming together to solve problems.”fblikebutton_button”
According to Rosengren, the actual implementation phase is beginning now.
Eric Rosengren, head of the Boston Federal Reserve Bank, remarked: “wp-caption alignright” The variety of the people in the room represents the essence of the Working Cities Challenge that we gather today to celebrate – working with a diverse set of partners to achieve a common goal. “wp-caption-text” He added, “fblikebutton_button” The work really begins today. I congratulate all of the Working Cities for the progress they have made to date and wish them much success with their ambitious proposals. “wp-caption alignright”
City Manager Jay Ash outlined Chelsea’s approach, explaining that efforts will focus on the Shurtleff-Bellingham area through a comprehensive collaborative process engaging all municipal departments including police, public health, and schools, alongside The Neighborhood Developers, the Chamber of Commerce and Roca.
The initiative aims to create transformative change in the broader Bellingham neighborhood through intensive community outreach to engage residents in programs, coordinating efforts across more than 25 partnering community organizations participating in the project.
Furthermore, a newly formed code enforcement team will work to improve the physical environment and quality of life on streets bounded roughly by the waterfront, Broadway and the railroad tracks.