(i) issue infrastructure grants that support housing to municipalities and other public entities for design, construction, building, rehabilitation, repair and other improvements to infrastructure that support the objectives of the secretariat, including, but not limited to, sewers, utility extensions, streets, roads, curb-cuts, parking, water treatment systems, telecommunications systems, transit improvements, public parks and spaces that support planned or proposed housing improvements and pedestrian and bicycle ways; or (ii) assist municipalities to advance projects that support housing development, preservation or rehabilitation. Preference for grants or assistance under this section shall be given to:

1. (A) infrastructure serving locations within 0.5 miles of a transit station or transit route;
2. (B) other eligible locations as defined in section 1A of chapter 40A;
3. (C) multi-family zoning districts that comply with section 3A of said chapter 40A; and (D) projects that support housing in rural and small towns, as defined by the executive office.
4. (b) A project that uses grants to municipalities for public infrastructure provided by this section shall be procured by a municipality in accordance with chapter 7, section 39M of chapter 30, chapter 30B and chapter 149.
5. (c) There shall be at least 1 open solicitation period each year to accept and consider new applications. The executive office of housing and livable communities may issue guidelines establishing other program eligibility requirements and the criteria upon which applications shall be evaluated. The guidelines shall be developed in consultation with the secretary of economic development to ensure coordination and alignment with the MassWorks program established by section 63 of chapter 23A and may include provisions to permit joint applications by 2 or more eligible cities or towns for a single project serving those municipalities. Grants may be made outside of the open solicitation period at the discretion of the secretary of housing and livable communities.
6. (d) The secretary of housing and livable communities shall report annually to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, who shall forward the report to the house of representatives and the senate, the chairs of the joint committee on housing, the chairs of the senate and house committees on ways and means, and the chairs of the joint committees on state administration and regulatory oversight on the activities and status of the program. The report shall include a list and description of all projects that received grant funds under the program, the amount of each grant, and the number of housing units expected to be served by each project.