Developing Interventions for Fields Corner

11.436 Greenhouse Studio Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Urban Studies and Planning Tuesday, April 10, 2012

OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION
Where we stand Framework Key criteria Areas for intervention

PRESENTATION TO VIET-AID BOARD

Presented our findings to VietAID board and other community leaders. Heard five major areas of concern: Collaboration/Community engagement Public realm: Cleanliness/ Safety Housing: New/Existing, Affordable/Mixed income Jobs/Businesses Absentee Landlords

SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK
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

CRITERIA FOR INTERVENTIONS

Connection to sustainability framework Capacity (our class and Viet-AIDs) Cost Feasibility Impact Timeframe (short vs. long term)

CATEGORIES FOR INTERVENTIONS

Housing/Residential
Dealing with absentee landlords Energy efficiency/weatherization and indoor air quality Tenant organizing

Economic/Commercial
Dealing with absentee landlords Energy efficiency/weatherization Business development and green entrepreneurship

Public Realm
Commercial faade improvements Streetscape and public space improvements Neighborhood connectivity

Housing/Residential

HOUSING QUALITY: RATIONALE AND KEY FINDINGS

Rationale: 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.

HOUSING QUALITY: BEST PRACTICES AND NEXT STEPS

Best 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/NGO ownership. 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.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: RATIONALE AND KEY FINDINGS

Rationale
Increase discretionary income $350 - 450 annual energy costs savings per household (DOE 2008, 2009) Improve environmental quality

Key Findings
Landlords lack incentives to upgrade rental units. There is a need to facilitate access to available programs and coordinate across community, city, state, and federal levels.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: NEXT STEPS

What: Physical retrofits and behavioral change. Weatherstrip windows, doors, attic access and air leaks. Install energy efficient lighting, air heating and water heating equipment. Add insulation to facades and windows. Build awareness about energy-saving behavior. How: Seek partnerships to participate in existing programs. Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) of Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD).

ABSENTEE LANDLORDS: RATIONALE AND KEY FINDINGS

Rationale
Property neglect impacts safety, quality of life, and affordability. A barrier to energy efficiency improvements is that they require owner participation. Anecdotal evidence suggests the prevalence of absenteeism in Fields Corner. Bostons Code Enforcement Division is largely focused on trash dumping and illegal vending and advertising.

Key Findings

ABSENTEE LANDLORDS: NEXT STEPS

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 on landlords in Fields Corner. Research current practices of City of Boston.

PARTNERSHIPS AND ENGAGEMENT: RATIONALE

Viet-AID
Does not have the capacity to administer neighborhoodscale 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: KEY FINDINGS AND NEXT STEPS

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 the program, 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.

Economic/Commercial

RATIONALE
There is a need to:
Increase economic activity in the central commercial area. Provide more products and services within the neighborhood. Make the neighborhood look better and feel safer. Generate wealth through local entrepreneurship and job creation.

KEY FINDINGS
Fields Corner has high commercial vacancy rates. 12.5% of commercial square footage is vacant. Of 30 empty spaces, 12 are not currently in rentable condition. Fields Corner has higher unemployment than Boston as a whole. 18% in Fields Corner, 9% in City of Boston.

KEY FINDINGS
Core community retail areas include: 515,000 square feet in small storefronts and shopping center. 150-200 existing businesses. Fields Corner has a lower share of retail businesses compared to other neighborhoods in Boston. Potential unmet demand for: entertainment, fitness, home furnishing, clothing/shoes, etc.

NEXT STEPS: PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS

Make spaces business-ready.
o Grants, loans, code enforcement (carrots and sticks)

Make improvements to existing businesses.

o Facades, energy efficiency upgrades

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 businesses and green business practices.

Identify financing sources: start-up and working capital. Promote workforce development for residents.
Connect with growth segments in the Boston economy.

PUBLIC REALM

Public Realm

RATIONALE
Effective 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

KEY FINDINGS

Key intervention areas include: Streetscape design guidelines Pedestrian circulation Commercial facades

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