Neighborhood Sustainability in Fields Corner, Boston MIT Greenhouse Studio Final Presentation to Viet-AID Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Oct 24, 2014
Neighborhood Sustainability in Fields
Corner, Boston
MIT Greenhouse Studio Final Presentation to Viet-AID
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK
EXISTING HOUSING
NEW HOUSING
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
PUBLIC REALM
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK: OVERVIEW
• MIT DUSP Greenhouse Studio • Viet-AID • Vision: a vibrant, diverse and sustainable Fields Corner
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK: GUIDING PRINCIPLES
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK: KEY FINDINGS
• Economic Opportunity – Fields Corner faces higher
unemployment than the City of Boston as a whole.
Source: American Community Survey, 2010.
• Social Equity and Inclusiveness
• Environmental Health and Livability
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK: KEY FINDINGS
• Economic Opportunity
• Social Equity and Inclusiveness – Poverty and housing costs are
on the rise in Fields Corner.
• Environmental Health and Livability
12%
15%
22%
16%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Fields Corner Boston
Share of Families Below Poverty Line, 2000 and 2010
20002010
Source: 2000 U.S. Census; 2010 American Community Survey
Source: Dorchester Environmental Health Coalition, 2010.
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK: KEY FINDINGS
• Economic Opportunity
• Social Equity and Inclusiveness
• Environmental Health and Livability – Fields Corner has high levels
of particulates that negatively impact air quality.
SUSTAINABILITY TOUR OF FIELDS CORNER
SUSTAINABILITY TOUR: ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
SUSTAINABILITY TOUR: SOCIAL EQUITY & INCLUSIVENESS
SUSTAINABILITY TOUR: ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & LIVABILITY
• Economic Opportunity – Local job creation – Wealth generation
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK: OBJECTIVES
• Social Equity and Inclusiveness
• Environmental Health and Livability
• Economic Opportunity – Local job creation – Wealth generation
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK: OBJECTIVES
• Social Equity and Inclusiveness – Maintain affordability – Engage diverse communities
• Environmental Health and Livability
• Economic Opportunity – Local job creation – Wealth generation
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK: OBJECTIVES
• Social Equity and Inclusiveness – Maintain affordability – Engage diverse communities
• Environmental Health and Livability – Reduce pollution – Improve physical environment
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK: GROUPS FOR COLLABORATION
• Cleveland Community Center • Close to Home • Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation • Dorchester House • Dorchester Youth Collaborative • Fields Corner CDC • Fields Corner Collaborative/ MyDot Tours • Fields Corner Main Street • Five Streets Civic Association • Greater Four Corners Action Coalition • GreenDorchester • Kit Clark Senior Services • Mujeres Unidas en Accion • Social Capital Inc.
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK: REALMS FOR COLLABORATION
EXISTING HOUSING
NEW HOUSING
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
PUBLIC REALM
EXISTING HOUSING
EXISTING HOUSING: RATIONALE
• Economic Opportunity – Cut households’ energy costs
and increase disposable income
• Social Equity & Inclusiveness – Address absentee landlord
problem and prevent gentrification
• Environmental Health & Livability – Improve indoor environment
and comfort
• Issues – Low quality – Absentee landlords – Poor awareness
• Risks – Government funding to
expire soon (e.g. EECBG) – Potential gentrification
EXISTING HOUSING: KEY FINDINGS
• Opportunities – Whole envelope retrofits – Better indoor air quality
and comfort – Energy savings (average
$420 per HH per year) – Improved neighborhood
image • Strengths
– Viet-AID’s active role in existing EE programs
– Viet-AID’s connection with FC community
EXISTING HOUSING: PROPOSALS Housing Quality and Energy Efficiency Stakeholder Map
Original diagram : Amy Stitely, MIT CoLab
Owner/Tenant
Auditor
Financing Agent
Contractor(s) Viet-AID
Utility
Government/EE Program
Evaluator
EXISTING HOUSING: PROPOSALS
Viet-AID
• Short-term Roles – “Bridge”: Outreach – “Ambassador”: Organizing – “Partner”: Feedback
• Long-term Roles – “Platform”: One-stop services – “Leader”: Program design;
policy/funding advocacy
EXISTING HOUSING: SHORT-TERM PROPOSALS
Owner/Tenant
Auditor
Financing Agent
Contractor(s) Viet-AID
Utility
Government/EE Program
Evaluator
“Bridge”: Outreach
EXISTING HOUSING: SHORT-TERM PROPOSALS
Tenants
Viet-AID
Owners
“Ambassador”: Organizing
EXISTING HOUSING: SHORT-TERM PROPOSALS
Owner/Tenant
Viet-AID
Utility
EE Program
Housing Quality Improvement Program
“Partner”: Feedback
EXISTING HOUSING: LONG-TERM PROPOSALS
Owner/Tenant
Viet-AID Mass Save Renew
Boston, WAP A Better City
3D Program Breathe Easy
“Platform”: One-stop services
EXISTING HOUSING: LONG-TERM PROPOSALS
Owner/Tenant
Auditor
Financing Agent
Contractor(s) Viet-AID
Utility
Government
Evaluator
“Leader”: Program design; policy/funding advocacy
NEW HOUSING
NEW HOUSING
Say you’re the average renting household in Fields Corner...
– $33,500 annual income – 3 people in your household – You pay $213 more in rent
than what you can afford – You live in a triple-decker
What if you need to move, but you want to stay in Fields Corner? – Your landlord raised the rent – Your building is being converted to condos – Your child has asthma and your landlord won’t take care of the
mold problem – You want a more affordable place to live
NEW HOUSING
Say you’re the average renting household in Fields Corner...
– $33,500 annual income – 3 people in your household – You pay $213 more in rent
than what you can afford – You live in a triple-decker
$1,300
$1,050
$837
What's On The Market
What You Pay Now
What You Can Afford
and rising…
What if you need to move, but you want to stay in Fields Corner?
NEW HOUSING
Dramatic changes in Fields Corner between 2000 and 2010: – Incomes fell by around 20% – Rents rose by around 20% – Severe rent burden rose by 81% (up to 38% of renting households) – 85% of families making less than $50,000 are rent-burdened
Pressing need for reasonably priced, high quality places to live in Fields Corner
1460 Dot Ave Bloomfield Gardens
NEW HOUSING
Luckily… – Viet-AID knows how to develop multifamily housing – There are plenty of suitable sites to develop new housing
NEW HOUSING
$24,800 $33,500
$41,350 $49,620
Extremely Low-Income Household
Average RentingHousehold in Fields
Corner
Very Low-IncomeHousehold
Low-IncomeHousehold
= 2012 HUD-designated income limits for affordable housing units in Boston
New affordable housing would serve incomes already well represented in the neighborhood…
NEW HOUSING
• Economic Opportunity – Lower housing costs increased disposable income and savings
• Social Equity and Inclusiveness – Protect against rising rents and displacement – Stable homes civic engagement
• Environmental Health and Livability – Activate vacant and underutilized lots – Preserve access to the T
… and would make Fields Corner more sustainable
New affordable housing would serve incomes already well represented in the neighborhood…
NEW HOUSING: PROPOSALS
Short-Term • Continue leadership in
affordable housing development
• Investigate possible sites • Explore purchase options Long-Term • Develop new affordable
housing • Explore acquisition and
financing strategies • Monitor affordability
indicators
NEW HOUSING: SITE ANALYSIS
Approach
NEW HOUSING: SITE ANALYSIS
Approach • Improvement/land ratio
NEW HOUSING: SITE ANALYSIS
Approach • Improvement/land ratio • Minimum parcel size
NEW HOUSING: SITE ANALYSIS
Approach • Improvement/land ratio • Minimum parcel size • Parcel ownership
NEW HOUSING: SITE ANALYSIS
Approach • Improvement/land ratio • Minimum parcel size • Parcel ownership
NEW HOUSING: SITE ANALYSIS
Approach • Improvement/land ratio • Minimum parcel size • Parcel ownership
NEW HOUSING: SITE ANALYSIS
Approach • Improvement/land ratio • Minimum parcel size • Parcel ownership • Current uses and conditions
of site
NEW HOUSING: SITE ANALYSIS
Approach • Improvement/land ratio • Minimum parcel size • Parcel ownership • Current uses and conditions
of site • Site visit
NEW HOUSING: SITE ANALYSIS
Approach • Improvement/land ratio • Minimum parcel size • Parcel ownership • Current uses and conditions
of site • Site visit
NEW HOUSING: SITE ANALYSIS
Key Findings • Many suitable sites, some
available for purchase • Five most suitable sites
could support 300 new units
NEW HOUSING: SITE PROFILE
174-178 Adams Street • Unused Verizon Parking Lots • 5 Minute Walk to T Station • 2 Minute Walk to Dot Ave • Zoned for Multi-Family
Housing • Could Hold 40 Units
Ronan Park
Fields Corner T Station
NEW HOUSING: RECAP
Key Findings • Pressing need for new affordable housing in Fields Corner • New affordable housing would serve incomes already well
represented in the neighborhood
Recommendations • Investigate sites we identify as highly suitable • Explore purchase options • Explore financing strategies • Develop new affordable housing • Monitor affordability indicators
COMMERCIAL & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ECON DEV: OBJECTIVES
• Economic Opportunity
– Provide entrepreneurial and employment opportunities that build residents’ skills and income.
• Social Equity and Inclusiveness – Help local businesses
and residents take part in regional growth and prosperity.
Retail businesses by number of employees
• Environmental Health & Livability ― Provide daily goods and services in the neighborhood,
reducing car travel and increasing pedestrian activity.
ECON DEV: CONNECT WITH EXISTING PROGRAMS
• Finding: No small business assistance program specific to Fields Corner, but many around Boston
• Recommendation: Develop strategic partnerships and use the community center to engage local business owners
Fields Corner Main St
Boston Restore
Historic Boston
Renew Boston
Dorchester Bay EDC A Better City
Accion USA BU Business Accelerator
MA Small Bus Devt.
Center
ECON DEV: EXPAND VIET AID’S WORKFORCE PROGRAMS
• Findings: – 18% unemployment* and
job loss in sectors in which residents are employed
– Viet-Aid has provided some vocation-specific programs
• Recommendation: – Build upon prior success – Conduct needs assessment – Fundraise and hire staff – Consider connecting with
retail space investments
*2010 Census data
ECON DEV: INVEST IN COMMERCIAL SPACES
• Findings: – High vacancy (12%) and some poor
building conditions – Likely unmet demand for home goods,
electronics, clothing, deli/bakery – Parking requirements changing – Recent interior projects have been
successful – Market rents: $15-20/SF
ECON DEV: INVEST IN COMMERCIAL SPACES
• Recommendations: – Invest in retail improvements through purchase or long-term leases – Viet AID can influence the type of businesses that move in, require
participation in business assistance programs, etc.
PUBLIC REALM
• Environmental Health & Livability: – Promote sustainable modes of transportation – Enable transit-oriented development
• Equity and Social Inclusiveness: – Community engagement – Accessibility – Public Space
• Economic Opportunity – Increase access to a vibrant commercial core
PUBLIC REALM: RATIONALE
PUBLIC REALM: FOCUS AREAS
SHORT-TERM PROPOSAL: PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION
SHORT-TERM PROPOSAL: PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION
MID-TERM PROPOSAL: CONNECTIVITY
MID-TERM PROPOSAL: CONNECTIVITY
SHORT-TERM PROPOSAL: WALLS AND LOTS
SHORT-TERM PROPOSAL: WALLS AND LOTS
LONG-TERM PROPOSAL: PARKING
LONG-TERM PROPOSAL: COMPLETE STREETS
Charles Street existing
LONG-TERM PROPOSAL: COMPLETE STREETS
Charles Street proposed
LONG-TERM PROPOSAL: COMPLETE STREETS
Dorchester Avenue existing
LONG-TERM PROPOSAL: COMPLETE STREETS
Dorchester Avenue proposed
CONCLUSION
Viet-AID’s Role: • Vision • Collaboration • Immediate Action • Long-range Planning • Community Engagement
“Envisioning a vibrant, diverse and sustainable Fields Corner.”