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.”