From the Office of Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards, representing District One (North End, Charlestown and East Boston): Councilors Lydia Edwards, Chair of Boston’s Housing and Community Development Committee has released a policy brief calling for updates on two key housing programs. The first focuses on Inclusionary Development, which requires certain developers to produce deed-restricted Read More…
From the Offices of Boston City Councilors Lydia Edwards and Kim Janey: Councilors Lydia Edwards and Kim Janey have proposed a Home Rule Petition to combat housing speculation and establish an investor and commercial property transfer fee. The proposed bill would enhance the city’s housing toolkit by generating millions of dollars for affordable housing and Read More…
The Boston City Council held a working session on housing speculation Thursday afternoon. Housing speculation is when investors buy up properties, apartments and condos for a low price to then turn it around at a quick rate to make a bigger profit. This creates unaffordable rents, causing residents to be displaced from their communities. District Read More…
By Mayor Martin J. Walsh Boston is going through a period of historic growth— the kind our city hasn’t seen in decades. More people are choosing to put down roots and start families here. More businesses are choosing to open their doors here. Students from all over the world come to attend our universities and Read More…
Mayor Walsh boosted Boston’s housing goals by 30%, now targeting 69,000 more units by the year 2030. The estimate of the city’s population growth has increased from approximately 710,000 to 760,000 by that time. Affordable and income-restricted housing will be maintained at 20% of all units, according to the news release shown below in full. Read More…
Mayor Martin Walsh mingled with North End / Waterfront residents and then spoke to the group altogether at his coffee hour at Christopher Columbus Park earlier this week. First, he told attendees that Christopher Columbus Park will be getting a $260,000 new drainage system as part of the City’s FY19 capital plan. The Mayor had budgeted Read More…
The Housing Bond Bill, an act that will finance the production and preservation of housing for low and moderate income residents, was signed into law last Thursday by Governor Baker. Senator Boncore co-chaired the committee that negotiated the final version of the bill along with Representative Honan, after leading it through the Senate earlier this year. This is the largest piece Read More…
Ausonia Home Association plans to convert the council quarters of the Knights of Columbus, Ausonia Council #1513 at 41 North Margin Street to 23 affordable, elderly apartments and new council quarters. The complex will also have a large community room, which will be available to the North End community, apartment residents and council members. Grand Read More…
The Committee on Housing and Community Development, chaired by City Councilor Lydia Edwards, will hold a hearing on Tuesday, April 3, on housing speculation and other trends affecting residents and the real estate market. This includes displacement of communities, proliferation of luxury units and whether the standards of affordability in new development match incomes of current Read More…
Senator Boncore led the Massachusetts Senate in its passage of the Housing Bond Bill – An act financing the production and preservation of housing for low and moderate income residents. The bill is a result of a session-long negotiation that included Boncore, the chair of the Housing Committee, leadership in the Senate and the House. Read More…
Lydia Edwards joined the North End / Waterfront Neighborhood Council meeting on Monday, February 12, to provide city council updates and answer questions from attendees. Watch the full video here and follow along with the summary below. (0:13) Lydia Edwards is the Chair of Housing and Community Development for the City of Boston and has Read More…
Local Column: Finding Our Way Home in 2018 By Mayor Martin J. Walsh To all Bostonians: happy new year, and may 2018 bring you happiness and health in Boston. As we enter into the new year, I’m grateful for the people of Boston — I continue to be inspired by our residents’ big hearts and Read More…