Berkshires Gets $200K in State Grants to Boost Housing, Conservation & Development

07:49AM / Tuesday, May 27, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. The Healey-Driscoll Administration has awarded over $2.1 million in grant funding through the Planning Assistance Grant Program, with a significant portion benefiting communities in Berkshire County.

These grants, administered by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), aim to improve community land use practices by promoting conservation, sustainable housing and economic development, and climate resilience. The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) is the applicant for most of these local projects, providing crucial support for efficient land use, increased housing options, and climate change initiatives.

Specifically, the following Berkshire County communities and projects have received funding:

Berkshire County (200-300 locations): The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission has been awarded $37,500 for a Priority Redevelopment Sites Strategy for Berkshire County.
Great Barrington: The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission has received $37,500 for a Priority Redevelopment Sites Strategy for Berkshire County.
Lee: The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission has been granted $41,250 for Downtown Zoning Modernization.
Pittsfield: The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission has secured $41,250 for an Open Space and Recreation Plan Update.
Sheffield: The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission has been awarded $32,900 for Housing Planning Implementation.
Pittsfield: The City of Pittsfield has also received a separate grant of $23,900 for a Community Food System Study.

"This funding will help our communities plan to grow, develop, and conserve," said EEA Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "We are giving local leaders the tools to work with residents and experts, helping them to develop practical plans that improve land use and increase housing options."

The Planning Assistance Grant Program will also help local governments engage the public and find expert help. This support allows municipalities to implement smart land use practices that align with Massachusetts' Sustainable Development Principles and comply with the Zoning Act.

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Colombian Artist Celebrates Immigrant Stories in New Pittsfield Mural

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
06:49AM / Saturday, October 24, 2026

Artist Laura Barrios explains the inspiration of the mural, of immigrants building new lives in the Berkshires.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The walls along the Intermodal Center's train platform are a little more colorful following the unveiling of Let It Shine's third mural at that location, transforming a space once surrounded by bare concrete into a vibrant display of public art.

The unveiling on Thursday, marks the close of Let It Shine's 2026 outdoor public art season and the third year of its emerging artist program, said Mill Town Foundation Program Director Andy Wrba.

Let It Shine's Emerging Artists Mentorship program was established in 2024 to support aspiring artists in the community by providing guidance, hands-on experiences, and opportunities to create large-scale public art.

"This mural, along with all the murals, as part of this emerging artist program, and even more broadly, all the murals that you see downtown throughout Pittsfield shows that we care about the cultural scene and we care about the creative people that live and work in our city," Wrba said.

The new mural, painted by Colombian artist Laura Barrios, celebrates immigrants who have built lives and found a sense of home in Berkshire County.

Barrios has been working on the piece for the last two months alongside mentor artist, Jesse Tobin McCauley.

"It's a homage to the immigrants who work and make a home in the Berkshires … this is a very personal experience too because I am an immigrant," Barrios said in her speech.

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