Grace Ferguson / Reporter
Grace Ferguson reports on housing for the New Bedford Light. She graduated from Boston University in May 2022, and recently completed a fellowship reporting on police accountability for WBUR. Ferguson previously investigated housing issues in western Massachusetts for GBH News.
Stories by Grace Ferguson
DATTCO slams brakes on SouthCoast to Boston bus service
“It just seems that they shouldn’t cut off the bus service until train service becomes regular. It’s going to cause a disruption to many people’s lives.” — DATTCO bus rider David Conroy
Advocates agree: ‘Housing first’ approach could help solve New Bedford’s homelessness issue
The idea is a reversal from the previous status quo, where service providers would require homeless people to address their substance abuse and mental health problems before they could be housed. Instead, housing first is based on the idea that it’s a lot easier to get your life back on track once you have a…
New Bedford food pantries feel crunch as pandemic SNAP benefits end
“I think this is a horrible time for this to happen. It should have been stretched out until our grocery prices went down.” — Kevin Frederic, supervisor at the Solanus Casey Food Pantry for Catholic Social Services
Undocumented immigrants fall through the cracks with child lead poisoning
“Recent immigrants, especially undocumented immigrants, and refugees without economic means tend to settle in the same low-income communities and therefore are more likely to be at risk of lead exposure.” — Mass. Department of Public Health statement.
Local lawmakers condemn ‘home equity theft’ as city officials defend tax collection tactics
“I’m sickened. What really concerned me is that big money can come in and pull the homes away from working people in New Bedford.” — Rep. Paul Schmid
‘Home equity theft’ — in New Bedford and across Massachusetts
How one Boston real estate investment firm earned millions by foreclosing on property tax debts it purchased from cities and towns
State lawmakers push back against costly new septic rules
A bill from state Sen. Mark Montigny and state Rep. Chris Markey would stop the state DEP from requiring nitrogen-reducing septic upgrades. The legislation would also make it illegal to require watershed permits without any funding attached.
Dartmouth officials assail state’s ‘corrupted’ septic regulation process
“This is the most rotten … process of government I have ever seen in Massachusetts. This is absolutely disgusting to the core, and it needs to be purified.” — Dartmouth Health Director Chris Michaud
All hands on deck as ‘triple-demic’ hits South Coast hard
Flu season off to an early, nasty start but RSV and Covid-19 still a concern. Southcoast Health, Community Health Center urge caution during holiday gatherings
Lead pipe replacement slowdown: Blame it on workforce shortage, funding
DPI commissioner speaks for the first time since The Light published two reports last month on the slow progress, saying his department is dozens of employees short.
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