Mayor Sarno Provides Update After Speaking with Lt. Governor Driscoll
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno states, “After calling both Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll to share my serious concerns late Friday afternoon, Lt. Governor Driscoll returned my call and we spoke directly on this matter Friday evening and again on Saturday morning with my city team. The state Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) decided to reconsider, and the 30 families were not sent Friday evening. Lt. Governor Driscoll shared with me her disappointment too, about the lack of proper planning and advance communication by DHCD. Being a former mayor herself, she understands the pressure and strain on resources this could have put on our city of Springfield, including the need for school enrollment and transportation aspects for children and basic health care needs, etc. As a matter of fact, the hotel DHCD was planning on using, the Holiday Inn Express, which is directly across from the MassMutual Center, did not have the capacity to accommodate all 30 families as they were nearly booked full due to the many events happening right here in the heart of our downtown central business and convention district. Also, and again, this makes no sense, especially when my administration just held a well-attended developers conference this past week at the MassMutual Center to continue to spur economic development right in this area too.”
“I also expressed to Lt. Governor Driscoll and DHCD Undersecretary Jennifer Maddox that there needs to be more of a regional approach when trying to address this issue of homelessness in the Commonwealth. Our urban centers like Springfield have done more of our fair share. Springfield is a loving and caring city but we are at capacity and struggling to find proper housing for our own residents in need. We need the other suburban and rural communities across the state to step up and do their fair share too. I will keep fighting for my/our Springfield residents and businesses needs first, and if possible, we will try to the best of our abilities to assist others in need.”
“I want to thank Lt. Governor Driscoll for calling me back and having this discussion with me and my city team. I am happy that the lines of communication are now open and last-minute notice on a late Friday afternoon like this won’t happen again. Again, I look forward to working with Governor Healey and her administration.”
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