Greylock Federal Offers Assistance To Homebuyers Through FHLBank Boston Programs

04:34PM / Wednesday, April 15, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Greylock Federal Credit Union has been approved to participate in Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston's homeownership assistance programs, Equity Builder Program, Housing Our Workforce and Lift Up Homeownership.

All three programs help income-eligible homebuyers who are purchasing one- to four-family homes that will serve as their primary residence.

Equity Builder Program (EBP) provides grants to financial institutions to help local first-time homebuyers with down payments and closing costs as well as homebuyer counseling and rehabilitation assistance. Borrowers earning up to 80 percent of the area median income are eligible to receive up to $32,099 in assistance on a first-come, first-served basis. Buyers must complete homebuyer education/counseling.

Housing Our Workforce (HOW) enables financial institutions to help local homebuyers earning more than 80 percent and up to 120 percent of the area median income with down payments and closing costs. Borrowers can receive up to $25,000 in assistance on a first-come, first-served basis. Buyers must complete homebuyer education/counseling if they are a first-time homebuyer.

Lift Up Homeownership provides grant funding to financial institutions to assist first-generation homebuyers with incomes up to 120 percent of the area median income who are purchasing homes in New England. Income-eligible homebuyers may receive up to $40,000 for down payments and closing costs.

"These grant programs are designed to ease challenges associated with a home purchase, particularly at a time when home prices are high and are beyond the reach of many individuals and families. We are pleased to participate to help borrowers become homebuyers, while also supporting the financial stability and vitality of our communities," said Tara McCluskey, Greylock's Vice President, Mortgage Originations Manager.

Greylock is eligible to reserve up to $320,000 through the EBP, up to $250,0000 through HOW, and up to $400,000 for Lift Up Homeownership depending on availability of funds in 2026.

To learn more about applying for assistance through these programs, please contact the Greylock mortgage department at 413-236-4125.

Learn more about Greylock at greylock.org.

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EPA, GE Conducting Vernal Pool Study on Housatonic River

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
11:44AM / Tuesday, August 11, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A pilot study will determine the best way to remediate PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, from vernal pools in the Housatonic River.

Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and General Electric held an open house for the Vernal Pool Pilot Study on Reach 5A, a five-mile stretch between the river's confluence and Lenox border. Despite the rain, several people attended the event at the Berkshire Athenaeum.

EPA project manager Josh Fontaine explained that it is an evaluation of which remediation method to use for the remaining vernal pools in Reach 5A.

"We're going to be testing two different methods. One is an excavation method, which we already know has been very successful with another vernal pool cleaned up much earlier in the project," he said.

"And then the other is the application of two different carbon amendments. It would be the application of powdered activated carbon and the application of granulated activated carbon."

Ten vernal pools will be cleaned using these methods: five with excavation and five with active carbon; seven additional vernal pools will be monitored as controls. Construction will be complete around October, but the pools will be left to their natural processes and monitored with surveys and sampling for three years.

Fontaine said there is no frontrunner for methodology.

"We know the excavation method is effective, but we would like to see if the less invasive method of using the amendment will be as effective for potential use," he said.

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