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星期五, 9月 30, 2022

華埠土地信託會2022年會 呼籲社區支持爭取公共空間

左起,鄭繼良,黃國威、李素影,湯建華等人歡迎波士頓房屋長Sheila A. Dillon出席年會。
(華人前進會提供)
                 (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 華埠土地信託會 (CCLT) 日前在信義大廈社區室舉行2022年會,闡述該會核心使命,報告目前工作進展,呼籲社區爭取更多開放空間,要求由社區來主導黃述沾公園和25號地段未來發展,倡議組織居民推動政府政策依歸民意。

               華埠土地信託會成立於2015年,歷經7年營運,不但在各界捐助支持下,已成為年收入約68萬元的非營利組織,員工人數也由1擴張至4

華埠土地信託會主任駱理德闡述該會宗旨。 (周菊子攝)
               924日一早,該會7名董事中的李素影,鄭繼良,黃國威,阿圖羅 (Arturo Gossage) 和波士頓房屋長狄倫 (Sheila Dillon),以及約20名華埠居民,一起檢視了該會過去一年多來的進展。

華埠土地信託會董事李素影 (右)提醒華埠居民關注相關議題。 (周菊子攝)
               華埠土地信託會主任駱理德說明,該會從土地出發,核心工作有5大領域,包括爭取永久性可負擔住宅,收購並修繕排屋,組織反對逼遷;以文化計畫,移民足跡史,華埠工人雕像等來建設華埠歷史文化保護區;成立華埠微電網,普及能源知識,爭取綠化及減少空屋等地倡議能源正義;爭取建華埠圖書館公園,主導黃述沾紀念公園及第25號地段成為交由華埠社區控制的公共空間;同時爭取政府通過政策,制定華埠總體發展計畫,設立排屋區域規劃,推動由租到購法案,限制短期租貸,以及收購機會基金擴增至2100萬元等。

               在爭取永久性可負擔房屋上,華埠土地信託會目前已斥資買下乞臣街95號,屋街29號這2棟樓與共7戶單位,面積從459902平方英尺不等,售價在167千元至228千餘元的單位。將繼續努力爭取資金,尋覓合適的可收購物業。

鄭繼良、李素影等人向波士頓市房屋長解說該會工作。(華人前進會提供)
               在爭取設立排屋保護區上,華埠土地信託會希望在夏利臣街 (Harrison Ave.)和屋街 (Oak)交界處,以及乞臣街 (Hudson)和哈佛街 (Harvard)交界處,設立2個新的排屋保護區,另外設立自由樹,華埠歷史,以及必珠街(Beach)、聶街 (Knapp)等保護區,以保護華埠的華人文化特色。

               包括徐乙漾的移民歷史足跡項目,曾文棣華埠工人雕像計畫,都是保持華埠文化傳統工作的一部分。

               由於華埠座落的位置,就在高速公路旁,面對著地下水流失,水位低陷,噪音大,氣溫高等狀況,還有91%的居民不知道社區中的緊急避難所在哪兒,華埠土地信託會還在推動由華埠主導的能源網計畫,以穩定區域內的能源供應。

               駱理德指出,該會還希望民眾能夠遊說R1地段旁的私人業主,把土地賣給政府或華人社區,以俾亞美社區發展協會在R1地段上蓋出約100戶住宅及將來的華埠圖書館時,旁邊的土地可建成公園綠地。黃述沾公園和相鄰的25號地段,該會也打算推動政府,交給民間社區用作開放空間與綠地。

               根據華埠土地信託會當天發給現場民眾的說明,該會理事共7人,除前述4人外,還有梅清嫣,莊穎詩,以及黃願明。該會職工包括駱理德,徐乙漾,吳晰,乙及Sari Kayyali

NEW BEDFORD MAN INDICTED IN CONNECTION WITH APARTMENT RENTAL SCAM ON THE SOUTH COAST

 NEW BEDFORD MAN INDICTED IN CONNECTION WITH APARTMENT RENTAL SCAM ON THE SOUTH COAST

Defendant Targeted Prospective Tenants in Spanish-Speaking and Immigrant Communities

 

            BOSTON – A New Bedford man has been indicted in connection with a rental scam that defrauded prospective tenants in Spanish-speaking and immigrant communities looking for affordable housing, and for threatening the life of a witness, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

 

            Victor Tiu Lopez, age 35, was indicted by a Bristol County Grand Jury on the charges of Larceny over $1,200 (11 counts), Larceny under $1,200 (4 counts), and Witness Intimidation (2 counts). Lopez will be arraigned in the Fall River Division of the Bristol County Superior Court on October 3.

 

The AG’s Office alleges that between February and April 2022, Lopez falsely presented himself as the owner, or soon-to-be-owner, of affordable apartments for rent in New Bedford and collected $22,050 in rental deposits from 15 unsuspecting prospective tenants. It is also alleged that Lopez threatened to kill a community organizer, who had been assisting victims of his rental scam, if the organizer reported the scam to local authorities.

 

            Lopez targeted Spanish-speaking and immigrant communities by posting advertisements for apartments on social media and on a local community chat group. The AG’s Office alleges that after prospective tenants gave him cash deposits for the apartments, Lopez came up with excuses as to why the tenants could not move in, including telling them that the apartments were still undergoing renovations and would repeatedly push out the move-in date, or telling them someone else ended up renting the apartment and offer to show them other ones. Lopez would also sometimes ask for additional money from prospective tenants, before ultimately failing to return their calls, or simply disappeared.

 

            These charges are allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

 

Individuals who think they may have been a victim of Lopez’s actions can call AG Healey’s White Collar and Public Integrity Division at 617-963-2929.

 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Mary L. Nguyen, of AG Healey’s White Collar and Public Integrity Division, Special Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Schmidt, Financial Investigator Patrick Cooney of the AG’s Financial Investigations Division, and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Attorney General’s Office. Assistance was also provided by the New Bedford Police Department and Bristol County District Attorney’s Office.

摩頓市政府撥款5萬元支持華夏文化協會服務社區

摩頓市政府臉書截圖。

The City of Malden recently announced the award of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds in the amounts of $50,000 to the Chinese Culture Connection (CCC) and $25,000 to The Food Drive. Following an application and review process, the awards were recommended by the City’s ARPA Subcommittee on Non-Profit Support which includes City Councillor Craig Spadafora, Library Director Dora St. Martin, and longtime resident Linda Zalk. The requests for funding were enthusiastically supported and approved by Mayor Gary Christenson.

“Organizations such as The Food Drive and Chinese Culture Connection have had a tremendous impact on our community as we face the challenges of COVID-19 and its aftermath,” said City Councillor Spadafora. “Throughout the pandemic and as we recover, food banks work tirelessly to provide healthy food to families in need while programs like the CCC continue to assist families with access to resources and supports through their programming. Dora St. Martin, Linda Zalk and I were pleased to be able to assist both of these non-profits.”

The Food Drive is located in Melrose and its mission is to promote food access, food justice, and climate action. They partner with commercial and community sources to rescue wholesome food that would otherwise go to waste and deliver it directly to our local pantries and programs. The Food Drive has delivered 100,500 pounds (over 50 tons) of food to recipients in Malden, including Bread of Life, Housing Families, the Malden Warming Center, and the Housing Families individual shelter at the OYO Hotel.

The Chinese Culture Connection, well-known to the Malden community since 1999, works to promote intercultural harmony and build bridges between American and Chinese people. They offer an array of cultural programs and resources for both children and adults. As a result of the pandemic, there has been an extraordinary increase in the demand for their services, and the funds will be used to restart expand programming.

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE ORDER TO STREAMLINE APPROVAL OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE ORDER TO STREAMLINE APPROVAL OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING

BOSTON - Thursday, September 29, 2022 - Today, Mayor Michelle Wu announced that she will sign an executive order designed to speed up the production of affordable housing in the coming days. She made the announcement during her speech to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce at their annual Government Affairs Forum. This executive order is a response to the challenges facing Boston’s housing market in order to remove barriers and make the process for developing affordable housing easier across the city. 


The current process to approve affordable housing can take as long as 337 days. This executive order aims to reduce that time in half.


"Building a Boston for everyone means ensuring that all of our residents and families have access to safe, affordable housing across our communities," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "By streamlining the timeline on affordable housing projects we’ll identify ways to make our processes more predictable for all projects to keep our city green and growing. I'm grateful to the Mayor's Office of Housing and the BPDA for their leadership and look forward to accelerating our efforts for affordability across our neighborhoods."


“This executive order will require City departments to prioritize the review of affordable housing developments and create new processes that will streamline our work and the work of our development partners,” said Chief of Housing Sheila Dillon. “We know that access to affordable housing helps stabilize the lives of those who receive it – giving them predictability in budgeting, and allowing them to put down roots in our neighborhoods. This prioritization is the right thing to do.”


The executive order consists of five components designed to increase the speed by which affordable housing projects are approved for development: 

  • Create a more efficient path for Article 80 development review and approval
  • Study and address zoning challenges to affordable housing development
  • Prioritize affordable housing in the development review processes
  • Create a system to track affordable housing reviews and approvals
  • Establish a governance structure to ensure effective implementation


The order directs the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) to recommend changes to Article 80 of the Boston Zoning Code to establish an alternative path for the review of affordable housing developments. The new process will include community engagement and thorough agency review, but also establish clear and accelerated timelines. The order directs that any currently required review processes not take place if there was previous community engagement during the disposition of City- or BPDA-owned land that is proposed for affordable housing development.


“The BPDA is looking forward to creating a process that streamlines review and approval of affordable housing developments,” said Chief of Planning Arthur Jemison. “These projects are critical to boosting our city’s housing supply and making Boston more affordable – one of the BPDA’s top three priorities, along with resilience and equity.”


To eliminate barriers to affordable housing development, the BPDA will study and address zoning challenges to affordable housing development. Within 120 days, the BPDA will issue a report on potential Boston Zoning Code changes that would incentivize the creation of affordable housing while minimizing the need for variances or other permitting burdens for these projects. 


The order directs the relevant agencies, boards, and commissions of City government to immediately give affordable developments priority status on any and all meeting schedules. It also directs these agencies to evaluate existing review requirements to identify those that can be done concurrently and those that are potentially unnecessary. These agencies include the following:


  • Boston Planning and Development Agency 
  • Mayor’s Office of Housing
  • Boston Civic Design Commission 
  • Boston Zoning Commission
  • Inspectional Service Department
  • Boston Landmarks Commission
  • Boston Parks Commission
  • Public Improvement Commission
  • Boston Transportation Department


“We greatly appreciate Mayor Wu’s outstanding leadership to increase affordable housing options in the City of Boston,” said Aaron Gornstein, President and CEO of Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH).  “This new executive order will make an enormous difference in expediting new affordable housing proposals, enhancing coordination among key city agencies, and reducing overall costs.  We look forward to working closely with the Mayor and her leadership team on implementing these measures so that we can help more low income households as quickly as possible.”


“In the face of an unprecedented crisis in housing, it is very meaningful that Mayor Wu is taking actions to implement a review process for affordable housing development that emphasizes expedited and coordinated review while balancing accountability and community engagement, “ said Leslie Reid, CEO Madison Park Development Corporation. “This proposed ordinance is a critical tool to ensure that we can continue the important work of fostering vibrant, healthy neighborhoods that support well-being for all.”


The order also requires the City of Boston form an Affordable Housing Development Review Advisory Committee to evaluate the actions being taken to prioritize and lessen the time associated with the development review and permitting of affordable housing developments. This committee will have representatives from City agencies that are critical to the review process and external organizations that are knowledgeable of the review and permitting process. During this review, the City will look to identify ways to make the approvals processes more predictable for all development projects moving forward. The City will establish the committee within 90 days following the Mayor signing


The order builds on Mayor Wu’s initiatives to address Boston’s housing affordability, including investing $380 million in housing affordability through the City’s Operating budget, the Capital budget, and federal recovery funds, filing a Home Rule Petition relative to real estate transfer fees and senior property tax relief, signing an Executive Order relative to affirmatively furthering fair housing, convening a Rent Stabilization Advisory Committee to inform future legislative proposals, hiring the City’s first Chief of Planning, and announcing the results of the Citywide land audit.

第四屆波士頓台灣影展 10/1-2 AMC Boston Common 揭幕

          (Boston Orange) 第四屆波士頓台灣影展將以「裂縫與光(Crack & Light)」為主題,訂10 1 2 日在波士頓 AMC Boston Common電影院,放映8部影片,邀3名台灣導演來波士頓座談,和觀影人探討,生命中的缺憾如何帶給人力量,又如何讓人重拾勇氣,迎向未來。

大約20多人組成的波士頓台灣影展(Taiwan Film Festival of Boston)籌備組,經新北市政府,波士頓遠見地產,綠楓法律事務所等的協助與贊助,共取得6 部電影及 2 部短片的放映權。

其中2部紀錄短片,《通道》、《苦 伶的臉譜》由新北市政府提供,6部影片中的《魔法阿嬤》由波士頓遠見地產冠名贊助,《我的兒子是死刑犯》由綠楓 法律事務所(Green Maple Law Group)贊助,其他影片為《尋找神話之鳥》、《聽見歌在唱》、《老鷹之手》、《乘著光影旅行》。

今年的波士頓台灣影展,在籌備團隊努力下,《魔法阿嬤》王小棣、《尋找神話之鳥》梁皆得,以及《我的兒子是死刑犯》李家驊等3名導演,將特別從台灣飛來波士頓出席導演座談,與觀眾面對面對話。

               哈佛大學商學院副教授黃樂仁 (Laura Huang),哈佛比較動物學、博物館學與鳥類博士 Scott Edwards,以及 15 年來在美 國麻州州立監獄與青少年感化院擔任電腦及科學教師的 Sandy Liang,將分別主持這3場導演座談,帶觀眾和導演近距離交流。

               第四屆波士頓台灣影展團隊認為裂縫象徵生命的不完美,而填滿裂縫的光,代表著契機與希望,而這影展可讓人看見裂縫,看見光。

               查詢影展影片、詳情或購票,可上網https://www.tickettailor.com/events/taiwanfilmfestivalofboston/742152

星期四, 9月 29, 2022

中華公所、安良及華僑協會10月辦雙十盃乒乓球賽

          (Boston Orange) 紐英崙中華公所、安良工商會和波士頓華僑協會合作,將於103日及9日,在紐英崙中華公所舉辦「雙十國慶盃乒乓球賽」,以慶祝中華民國僑委會成立九十週年,中華民國111歲生日。

這場乒乓球賽將以奧運會的團體賽形式舉行,3人為一隊,總分數5100,單人2100以下,由USTTA認可,若無分數,必須在18日前先報上名,由主辦方評分后再組隊。

比賽的初賽時間為103 (週一)的下午610點,決賽時間為109 (週日)的下午4點至10點,決賽結束立即舉行頒獎典禮。

前三名可獲獎盃及獎金,分別為第一名:$300加奬杯三個,第二名:$200加奬杯三個,第三名:$100加奬杯三個。

乒乓球曾經是華人社會中最受歡迎的體育活動之一,1971年甚至還出現了乒乓外交一詞。近來在麻州,打乒乓球有更漸風行現象,北昆士市的Faxon公園和歡迎青年遊樂園,新添了一張全天候的乒乓球桌,既能2人,也能4人對打。摩頓市還有桌球俱樂部呢。

去年 (2021) 3月,昆士市還傳出有隻貓很會打乒乓球的視頻。

查詢或報名,可洽紐英崙中華公所。

波士頓市府廣場臨時啤酒花園 9/28 起重開

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES THE REOPENING OF TEMPORARY BEER GARDEN ON CITY HALL PLAZA 


67 Degrees Brewing, a Black, woman, and veteran-owned craft brewery out of Franklin, MA, has been selected to operate the temporary Beer Garden

BOSTON - Wednesday, September 28, 2022 - Today, Mayor Michelle Wu announced the reopening of the temporary Beer Garden on City Hall Plaza, in partnership with the Office of Economic Opportunity & Inclusion (OEOI) and the Property Management Department. The City has selected 67 Degrees Brewing, a Black, woman, and veteran-owned brewery located in Franklin, MA, as the operator for the duration of the program. 


Reopening the City Hall Plaza Beer Garden in partnership with 67 Degrees Brewing is part of the City's ongoing efforts to bring vibrancy back to Downtown Boston.  This partnership between OEOI and Property Management is another piece of the Wu Administration’s plan to revitalize our Downtown and activate city-owned spaces throughout the neighborhood. 67 Degrees Brewing will operate the Beer Garden starting Wednesday, September 28 from 12:00PM - 7:00PM (There is a private event from 5:00 - 7:00 PM on September 28). The hours of operations will be Wednesdays through Sundays from 12:00PM to 7:00PM until early November, weather conditions permitting. Food trucks will also be on site during operating hours. The City will be releasing an RFP later this fall to select a longer term vendor to take over operation of the Beer Garden starting in the spring. 


“City Hall Plaza is a space to bring people together and build community,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m grateful to 67 Degrees Brewing and excited to welcome residents, workers and visitors to join us at the newly reopened Beer Garden at Fischer Park on City Hall Plaza.”


“The City Hall team, residents, tourists, and workers are excited to have this space available again on City Hall Plaza as we build on our commitment to support small businesses by bringing people together and giving people another reason to come and enjoy the area,” said Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. “This is yet another opportunity this Administration is providing to welcome residents, workers, and visitors back to Downtown Boston to enjoy the fall season with friends and neighbors.” 


“I’m thrilled that we’re able to activate the Beer Garden again at City Hall,” said Chief of Operations Dion Irish. “It’s a pleasure to be able to use City property to contribute to the vibrancy of downtown Boston and support a local black-owned business while doing so.”


Founded in 2020, 67 Degrees Brewing is a Black, woman, and veteran-owned brewery based in Franklin, MA. 67 Degrees Brewing participated in a competitive application process to identify a vendor that would activate City Hall Plaza during the fall season for workers, residents, and tourists. 67 Degrees Brewing's commitment to social impact, diversity and inclusivity and use of local ingredients stood out in its proposal to partner with the City of Boston to create a welcoming space in Downtown Boston on City Hall Plaza.


"We are particularly stoked to share our Mara Belgian Ale with Passion Fruit, which is a delicious beer with amazing tropical character," said Olivier Edouard, Founder of 67 Degrees Brewing. "It is one of our biggest sellers and throughout the month of October proceeds from its sale will go to an organization that provides support services to breast cancer patients. It is amazing to have an opportunity to serve in front of City Hall, we have some cool event ideas planned between now and November. Weather permitting, we look forward to connecting with the community over some brews, art and musical events."


“67 Degrees Brewing is very excited to make its way to Boston City Hall! A number of our founders have their roots in Boston, and we can't wait to pour our beers in the city," said Laury Lucien, Partner and Legal Advisor of 67 Degrees Brewing. "We want to be known for the quality of our beers, which is why we make every effort to use the finest local ingredients New England has to offer and use time-honored methods to guarantee the best pour for our customers. We look forward to meeting the Boston Beer enthusiasts this Fall!"


The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted Downtown and its businesses, and the Wu Administration remains committed to its Downtown Revitalization plan, announced in April 2022 to address decreased foot traffic and consumer spending. As the City aims to welcome people back to its commercial centers, the City is moving forward bold initiatives to increase consumer confidence and support small businesses. Downtown is integral to the economic standing of the City of Boston. While Boston aims to activate spaces in all of our neighborhoods, the City is also seeking to ensure its Downtown core is flourishing.


In June 2022, Mayor Wu announced the launch of Boston Together Again, a series of weekday cultural, food, and wellness events in Downtown running from mid-July to mid-October. From yoga in Copley Square, to music and dancing on City Hall Plaza, and movie nights on the Rose Kennedy Greenway at Dewey Square. In partnership with Boston-based Rosemark Production, Boston Together Again was designed to bring and keep Bostonians together in community while also driving foot traffic and customers to the City’s Downtown business districts to support our small business community. These events are free and open to the public and run through mid-October. 


To learn more, please visit: https://www.boston.gov/news/temporary-beer-garden-now-open-city-hall-plaza

波士頓教育組慶教師節 籲老師支持台灣雙語教育

部分參加經文處教育組教師節感恩餐會的老師們合影。 (周菊子攝)

經文處教育組組長黃薳玉   (左起)  和在哈佛大學任教的中研院院士王正德,
Walnut Hill School for the Arts中學副校長翁柏緯。 (周菊子攝)

                           (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 波士頓經文處教育組
924日邀20多名大中小學中文老師,在納堤克(Natick)Minado餐廳慶祝教師節,  報告台灣訂2030年推動雙語政策,教育部正推廣優華語項目,為教師們建line群組,加強交流聯繫。

經文處教育組組長黃薳玉還特地提醒老師們,今年的美國外語教學委員會 (ACTFL) 年會訂11月18日至20日在波士頓舉行,教育部將設台灣館,展位號碼1111,展出許多來自台灣的華語教學教材、教具,希望老師們邀請各自任教學校師長前往參觀。

波士頓經文處教育組組長黃薳玉向甫辭世的葉金蕙老師祝酒致意。 (周菊子攝)
                   自從新冠病毒疫情爆發以來,這還是在主流學校教中文的老師們第一次實體聚會,也是第一次同時有大中小學,以及台灣派到美國學校執教,當助教等不同學程的中文老師們一起聚會,交流心得,給了老師們機會,聽聞在不同環境中的教學經驗。

林遊嵐 (左二) 儘管已經退休,仍然從旁協助中文老師們的各項教學需求。 (周菊子攝)
           波士頓經文處教育組組長黃薳玉指出,在經文處處長孫儉元等支持下,這天不但有中研院院士,目前在哈佛大學東亞文明系任教的語言學教授王正德,遠從緬因州來的3名大學老師,在藝術中學 (Walnut Hill School for the Arts) 擔任副校長的翁柏緯等人出席,還有台灣派在屋斯特理工學院 (WPI) 任教的華語文老師

教育部派到新英格蘭地區的華語文老師,還有2人在羅德島州布朗大學,當助教的有2名在羅德島大學。

當天還有一位女生是經由布爾富萊特交換項目派到波士頓大學當華語文助教。

波士頓慈濟人文學校校長彭淑敏說明該校正在籌備成立華語文教學中心。 (周菊子攝)
                       中小學部分,除了已退休,依舊熱心助人,曾任波士頓公校國際語部門主任的林遊嵐之外,還有張福增,王明德,張君芳,許英伶等在不同學校任教的9名老師。

波士頓慈濟人文學校校長彭淑敏,這天也來和老師們交流,講述該校正在籌備成立華語文中心的努力。

經由教育部選送來新英格蘭的華語文教學人員,包括語文教師及助教,共5人。其中3人還都加入了波士頓台灣龍舟隊,為波士頓的台灣人爭光。

黃薳玉在教師節感恩餐會中代表教育部感謝老師們一年來的辛苦教學,為老師們成立了line 

3名從台灣來的華語文年輕老師,都加入了波士頓台灣龍舟隊。 (周菊子攝(
群組,期許中文老師們將來加強交流,彼此扶持。她還很感慨的舉杯ˇ悼念早前甫從台灣返美,竟陡然驟逝的葉金蕙老師,稱許她曾任新英格蘭中文教師協會會長,麻州外語學會理事,表現十分優秀,卻英年早逝,讓人十分不捨。

黃薳玉提醒老師們,如果有學生想要到台灣學中文,唸學位,可以鼓勵他們申請獎學金,有意願促成美國主流學校和台灣中小學做國際交流的,可以找該組從旁協助,利用IEW等項目。由於台灣訂2030年實施雙語政策,將大量需要雙語老師與助教,希望出席老師們可以多方協助,代為宣導。  (部分內容轉載自僑務電子報:   https://ocacnews.net/article/321083?cid=2 )