Dear Friends,
We certainly had a chilly beginning to 2024. I hope everyone stayed safe earlier this week in the snow. My office is always available to help if you or someone you know needs assistance with fuel assistance applications to keep their home warm this winter.
On Monday, I toured the new Ferry Street development in Easthampton. This aging and abandoned factory is being converted into ninety-six new units of housing stock for incomes of all levels. There will also be a certain number of these units that will be designated preferential for active military service members and veterans. I’m excited to see how this new housing will benefit both Easthampton and the entire region.
This week my team and I celebrated the Grand Opening of two new businesses in the district. On Tuesday, my team welcomed the Precious Treasury Thrift Store to Chicopee. The following day I joined Mayor McCabe at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new branch of Chase Bank right here in Westfield. Branch Manager Sarah Lang and her team shared that they will be actively promoting financial literacy across Western Massachusetts- we are lucky to have businesses in the community committed to shaping a brighter future for us all!
To end the work week, I spent some time in Holyoke. For much of the day, I joined a roundtable at the Holyoke Housing Authority to discuss the Governor’s new housing bond bill which will be heard before the Joint Committee on Housing next week. The Housing shortage is one of the most pressing crises of our time and it is affecting people of every income bracket. I greatly appreciate the local housing authority directors in our district and residents who came together to share their needs and priorities. As a member of the Joint Committee on Housing roundtables like this vital to understanding exactly how the legislature can help.
Friday night, I went to the Holyoke Grand Marshal’s Reception for the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Congratulations to Mary Lynch for being selected as the 71st Grand Marshall. It’s a well-deserved title for your commitment to the community in your various capacities. While St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are a bit away, I look forward to seeing Mary and so many of you on the Parade Route in March!
This week, my team hosted the first office hours of 2024 at the Agawam COA on Monday, and at the Chicopee COA on Tuesday, and the West Springfield COA on Wednesday. Next week, we will be at Easthampton COA on Tuesday from 10:30am to 11:30am and the Holyoke COA on Wednesday from 10:00am to 11:00am. If you can’t make office hours, I can always be reached by email, john.velis@masenate.gov, by phone, (413) 572-3920, and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.
Happy New Year,
John Velis