Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities Edward Augustus was in Berkshire County this week. The former City Manager of Worcester stopped in Richmond, Massachusetts for the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission’s annual meeting Wednesday night. Last month, first-term Democratic Governor Maura Healey signed her $5 billion Affordable Homes Act into law. The legislation calls for the construction and preservation of more than 65,000 homes across the commonwealth in an attempt to lower astronomical housing costs fueled by low stock and high demand. Augustus spoke with WAMC about how communities can best take advantage of the historic bill, and which of its provisions will most impact Berkshire County’s housing crunch: