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Developing Interventions
for Fields Corner
11.436 Greenhouse Studio
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
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OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION
Where we stand
Framework
Key criteria
Areas for
intervention
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PRESENTATION TO VIET-AID BOARD Presented our findings to Viet-
AID board and othercommunity leaders.
Heard five major areas of
concern:
Collaboration/Communityengagement
Public realm: Cleanliness/
Safety
Housing: New/Existing,Affordable/Mixed income
Jobs/Businesses
Absentee Landlords
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Our vision is a vibrant and diverse Fields Corner. Cross-cutting issues include:
Environmental Health
Community Engagement Equity
Livability
Affordability Wealth Generation and Economic Opportunity
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK
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Connection to sustainability framework
Capacity (our class and Viet-AIDs)
Cost
Feasibility
Impact
Timeframe (short vs. long term)
CRITERIA FOR INTERVENTIONS
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Housing/Residential Dealing with absentee landlords Energy efficiency/weatherization andindoor air quality
Tenant organizing
Economic/Commercial Dealing with absentee landlords
Energy efficiency/weatherization
Business development and greenentrepreneurship
Public Realm Commercial faade improvements Streetscape and public spaceimprovements
Neighborhood connectivity
CATEGORIES FOR INTERVENTIONS
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Housing/Residential
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HOUSING QUALITY: RATIONALE
AND KEY FINDINGSRationale:
Housing quality is key to ensuring neighborhood livability and has serious
health and affordability implications.
Housing quality improvement projects have great potential for tenant and
renter organizing.
Findings:As of 2010 about 75% of Dorchester housing stock was built before 1939.
Most of Fields Corners housing stock have never been remodeled.
During our neighborhood visits we found a lot of run-down buildings.
Old housing stock tend to suffer from poor housing code enforcement,
including issues of structural and fire safety and health (issues of indoor air
quality, vermin, roaches, mold, lead, asbestos, ground contamination).
Fearing retaliation, low-income and immigrant communities tend not to
complain about housing quality to municipal code enforcement agencies.
Code enforcement programs are often harbingers of gentrification and
displacement.
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HOUSING QUALITY: BEST PRACTICES
AND NEXT STEPSBest practices
Low-income communities organize (often as tenants associations) to
demand regular inspections of dilapidated buildings and ensure that they will
be renovated as long-term affordable housing.
Communities/CDCs/NGOs work with government to redirect its housing code
enforcement to move buildings into tenant, community or CDC/NGOownership.
Different financial and operation schemes can be used to finance building
improvements and convert rental housing to tenant ownership.
Next Steps
Get more data on housing quality issues.Analysis of Bostons building, sanitary and fire safety codes and related
ordinances (e.g. sanitary code enforcement happens with each new renting).
Contacting Boston Code Enforcement Division to inquire about Fields Corner.
Confirm Viet-AIDs interest and identify potential community partners.
Tie into other absentee landlords and community organizing initiatives.
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Rationale
Increase discretionary income
$350 - 450 annual energy costssavings per household (DOE 2008,
2009) Improve environmental quality
Key Findings
Landlords lack incentives to
upgrade rental units. There is a need tofacilitateaccess
to available programs andcoordinate across community, city,state, and federal levels.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY: RATIONALE
AND KEY FINDINGS
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What: Physical retrofits and behavioral
change. Weatherstrip windows, doors, atticaccess and air leaks.
Install energy efficient lighting, airheating and water heating equipment.
Add insulation to facades andwindows.
Build awareness about energy-savingbehavior.
How: Seek partnerships to participate inexisting programs.
Weatherization Assistance Program(WAP) of Action for Boston CommunityDevelopment (ABCD).
ENERGY EFFICIENCY: NEXT STEPS
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Rationale Property neglect impacts safety,
quality of life, and affordability. A barrier to energy efficiency
improvements is that they requireowner participation.
Key Findings Anecdotal evidence suggests the
prevalence of absenteeism inFields Corner.
Bostons Code EnforcementDivision is largely focused on trashdumping and illegal vending and
advertising.
ABSENTEE LANDLORDS: RATIONALE
AND KEY FINDINGS
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Investigate best practices:
Rental Registry Program.
Expansion and proactive
enforcement of city codes. Receivership for severely
blighted properties.
Work with tenant rights
groups to collect data onlandlords in Fields Corner.
Research current practices
of City of Boston.
ABSENTEE LANDLORDS: NEXT STEPS
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Viet-AID
Does not have the capacity to administer neighborhood-
scale housing quality improvement, energy efficiency and
weatherization programs on its own.
Needs a strategy to engage and organize both Vietnamese
and non-Vietnamese renters.
Could benefit from partnering with groups that have more
experience in community and tenant organizing,
weatherization/EE programs and code enforcement.
PARTNERSHIPS AND ENGAGEMENT:
RATIONALE
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Key Findings
Viet-AID is interested in community organizing, but needs a
specific outlet before it expands its capacity in this area.
Other neighborhood organizations are more organized
around environmental justice and public health issues.
Next Steps
Determine what role Viet-AID could play (depending on theprogram, the partners involved and the funding source).
Gauge other neighborhood orgs interest and capacity in
housing quality and weatherization/EE initiatives.
Establish framework for collaboration and outreach.
PARTNERSHIPS AND ENGAGEMENT:
KEY FINDINGS AND NEXT STEPS
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Economic/Commercial
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There is a need to: Increase economic activity in
the central commercial area.
Provide more products and
services within theneighborhood.
Make the neighborhood look
better and feel safer. Generate wealth through
local entrepreneurship and
job creation.
RATIONALE
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KEY FINDINGS
Fields Corner has highcommercial vacancy rates.
12.5% of commercial squarefootage is vacant.
Of 30 empty spaces, 12 are
not currently in rentablecondition.
Fields Corner has higher
unemployment than Bostonas a whole.
18% in Fields Corner, 9% inCity of Boston.
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KEY FINDINGS
Core community retail areasinclude:
515,000 square feet in smallstorefronts and shoppingcenter.
150-200 existing businesses.
Fields Corner has a lower shareof retail businesses compared to
other neighborhoods in Boston.Potential unmet demand for:entertainment, fitness, homefurnishing, clothing/shoes, etc.
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NEXT STEPS:
PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS Make spaces business-ready.
oGrants, loans, code enforcement (carrots and sticks)
Make improvements to existing businesses.
o Facades, energy efficiency upgrades
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NEXT STEPS: WEALTH CREATION
Provide technical assistance
for businesses.Business planning, marketing and legal
services for start-ups and existing
businesses.
Potential focus on green businessesand green business practices.
Identify financing sources:
start-up and working capital.
Promote workforcedevelopment for residents.
Connect with growth segments in the
Boston economy.
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PUBLIC REALM
Public Realm
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RATIONALEEffective design can help
create:A vibrant commercial core
Clear connections within
Fields Corner
Improved connectivity to
greater Boston
Walkable neighborhoods that
enhance the pedestrian
experience
Accessible streets
Visual continuity
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KEY FINDINGS
Key intervention areas include: Streetscape design guidelines
Pedestrian circulation
Commercial facades
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NEXT STEPS
WHAT WILL WE PRODUCE?
Visualizations of what Fields Corner
could be
Design guidelines
Design intervention proposals in
response to site conditions Implementation strategies
HOW WILL VIET-AID USE IT?
Work with local businesses on small
scale improvements Engage community to create shared
vision
Lobby city government to implement
community vision