Entries by Cameron Rohall

DCAMM Leasing Responds to Agency Needs

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The Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) is a state agency tasked with, among other responsibilities, managing workspace for state employees. This role encompasses the administration of state office buildings, but also includes the management of the Commonwealth’s leases of privately owned buildings. The agency leases facilities across Massachusetts – and beyond – for the use of the state’s many agencies, from the State Police to the Board of Library Commissioners. DCAMM’s portfolio included 467 separate lease agreements at the end of FY 2015, for buildings in 86 of the Commonwealth’s 351 municipalities, in addition to New York, Chicago, and Washington, DC. All states make use of a combination of owning and leasing to satisfy their needs, and […]

Fewer Employees, More Space: DCAMM’s Leasing Strategy

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For most public and private entities, space is the second-largest administrative cost, after personnel. Discussion of personnel costs often overshadows other administrative cost debates in the public sector, but policymakers should strive to ensure that space is used as effectively as possible, to maximize the value for taxpayers. All states utilize a combination of owned and leased spaces to satisfy their facility needs. Owned properties include all kinds of land and buildings, while leased properties are mostly office space. As of 2015, Massachusetts leases just over 7.2 million square feet of space, primarily office space, which it occupies in addition to its own facilities.[1] This is above average among New England states when analyzed on a gross square footage (GSF) […]

Volatility and Expansion at the MassCEC

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This blog entry was edited from its original version on July 28, 2016. In 2008, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Technology Center (MassCEC) was established by the state Legislature, and it opened its doors the following year. The center’s mission is to promote the development of clean energy in Massachusetts, improve quality of life, and gradually help the Commonwealth transition towards renewable sources of energy. Its legislative mandate enumerates 10 goals, including the development of jobs in clean energy, support for education and workforce training, and financing for clean energy companies and projects. In accordance with M.G.L. ch. 23J §2, 10, MassCEC is directed to focus on assisting low and moderate-income communities in all its programs, making clean energy investments a […]