1Berkshire Winter Small BusinessTechnical Assistance Cohorts

04:00PM / Sunday, December 03, 2023Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 1Berkshire, thanks to support from a USDA Small Business Development Grant, announced the launch of their Winter 2023 Technical Assistance Cohorts as a continuation of the Berkshire Economic Recovery Project.

Through a series of over two years of cohorts since 2021, the Berkshire Economic Recovery Program Technical Assistance series has been able to support more than 90 businesses through targeted training offerings, resulting in notable business improvements, and quantified by the over $1,000,000 in funding collectively accessed by businesses through their participation. Going into the Winter of 2023, the series continues with two cohorts:, and "Social Media and Digital Marketing Basics" on Dec. 6 with Francesca Olsen and "Jumpstarting Your Crowdfunding Campaign" on Jan 16 with Laura Christensen.

Participants in each topical cohort will join a scheduled kickoff workshop with the technical assistance provider. Upon completion of the workshop, each participant will be provided up to two hours of free one-on-one technical assistance from the consultant leading the workshop.

The BERP Technical Assistance series is FREE, and offered to any business in the Berkshires. Each cohort has a capacity of seven participating businesses, so space is very limited and registration is required. For details on these technical assistance offerings and to register, please visit: https://1berkshire.com/1berkshire-programs/berkshire-economic-recovery-project-technical-assistance-program/

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Berkshire Towns Can Tap State Seasonal Communities Resources

10:54AM / Monday, December 29, 2025

BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey announced that 18 additional municipalities across Massachusetts have been designated as Seasonal Communities, opening up new tools, support and grant funding to help them manage seasonal housing pressures.

Created as part of the historic Affordable Homes Act signed into law by Governor Healey in 2024, the Seasonal Communities designation was designed to recognize Massachusetts communities that experience substantial variation in seasonal employment and to create distinctive tools to address their unique housing needs. The law also established the Seasonal Communities Advisory Council (SCAC).

The Affordable Homes Act identified several communities to automatically receive the designation, including:

All municipalities in the counties of Dukes and Nantucket;
All municipalities with over 35 percent seasonal housing units in Barnstable County; and
All municipalities with more than 40 percent seasonal housing units in Berkshire County.

To identify additional communities, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (HLC) reviewed available data, specifically focusing on cities and towns with high levels of short-term rentals and a high share of second- or vacation homes.

In Berkshire County, Egremont, Great Barrington, Lee, Lenox, New Marlborough, Richmond, Sandisfield, Sheffield, West Stockbridge and Williamstown have been designated.

"Our seasonal communities are a vital part of Massachusetts' cultural and economic fabric, but they're also home to essential workers, families, seniors, and longtime residents who deserve a place to live year-round," said Governor Healey. "That's why we're committed to supporting these communities with innovative solutions like the Seasonal Communities designation to meet their unique needs, and I'm thrilled that we're offering this opportunity to 18 additional communities across the state. Everyone who calls these places home should be able to live, work and grow here, no matter the season."

As with the statutorily identified communities, acceptance of the designation for municipalities is voluntary and requires a local legislative vote. HLC will open an application for newly eligible communities that haven't accepted the Seasonal Communities designation to request consideration.

The Affordable Homes Act created several new tools for communities who accept the Seasonal Communities designation to be able to:

Acquire deed restrictions to create or preserve year-round housing
Develop housing with a preference for municipal workers, so that our public safety personnel, teachers, public works and town hall workers have a place to live
Establish a Year-Round Housing Trust Fund to create and preserve affordable and attainable housing for year-round residents
Create year-round housing for artists
Allow seasonal communities to develop a comprehensive housing needs assessment
Permit tiny homes to be built and used as year-round housing
Permit year-round, attainable residential development on undersized lots
Increase the property tax exemption for homes that are the owners' primary residence