Information provided by Monterey Bay Economic Partnership. Lea este artículo en español aquí.
Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) coordinated a regional visit on July 11 with U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla’s State Field Representative Margaret Arechiga, focused on housing, broadband, infrastructure, and economic development investments in the Monterey Bay region.
The day kicked off with the grand opening of MBEP member Community Housing Improvement Systems and Planning Association (CHISPA)’s new Alfred Diaz-Infante Apartments in East Garrison on the former Fort Ord in Monterey County, where 43 of the community’s 66 new rental homes have been allocated to farmworker families. Those much-needed housing units would not have been possible without public investments, including federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) that Sen. Padilla has been a champion to help secure and expand.
MBEP and Arechiga then attended MBEP member San Benito County Business Council’s Monthly Luncheon in Hollister. The main topic was investing in a new high school to ensure high-quality education for local youth. MBEP also shared an update on how its collaborative efforts have led to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) awarding $45 million in grant funding to three regional internet service providers in recent months for broadband expansion on the Central Coast.
MBEP capped the visit by facilitating a meeting with City of Hollister officials to discuss priority projects, including investments in water infrastructure, airport expansion, and Highway 25 improvements. Each of these is critical to creating more economic development opportunities for the region.
Sen. Padilla’s team challenged MBEP to continue building the region’s capacity to access federal investment for these important initiatives. MBEP fully embraces the challenge and appreciates its partnership with Sen. Padilla’s team. MBEP looks forward to their next visit.
About Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP): Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) is a regional member-supported nonprofit organization consisting of public, private, and civic entities located throughout the counties of Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz. Founded in 2015, our mission is to improve the economic health and quality of life in the region.
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