Nearly 2,000 housing units will be constructed, rehabilitated and preserved under a new initiative recently announced by Gov. Charlie Baker. The $72 million plan will include housing subsidy funds and state and federal tax credits to 25 projects in 17 communities around the state in an effort to boost housing for very low-income families.

The new plan comes on the heels of a renewed push by Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh to increase the number of affordable housing units in the city. Part of the recent plan announced by Gov. Baker is the Olmsted Green project in Mattapan — a 38-acre, existing mixed-income housing development on the former site of Boston State Hospital. The project will feature a mix of housing, community areas and green space, as the site includes the 67-acre Mass Audobon’s Boston Nature Center and Wildlife Sanctuary.

“Today was a big day for housing here in Boston and across the Commonwealth. Not only did we break ground on mixed-income housing units today, we were given the support to continue our work in creating affordable homes for those in this thriving city and create more construction jobs in our neighborhoods,” Mayor Walsh said. “I want to thank the governor for making these funds available and for supporting important projects like Olmsted Green in Boston.”

The development firm behind Olmsted Green, Lena New Boston, is currently working on a 41-unit affordable home-ownership development and will add another 100 units of mixed-income rental housing with the help of the state funding.