波士頓響應租住者行動日訂 9/22 晚遊行

Renters Day of Action, Thursday 9/22, 4:00 - 6:00 pm.  Renters Day of Action is a national action to highlight displacement, happening in 46 cities across the country.

We will be marching from the Greater Boston Real Estate Board at 4 pm through downtown Boston to the Reggie Wong Park on Kneeland Street at 5 pm to highlight the displacement crisis, calling for tenant protections, liveable wages/rents, and community control of public land.

The march will end at Reggie Wong Park in Chinatown, where we will call for Public Land for the Public Good!

MassDOT plans to sell Parcels 25 and 26 (including the park) to the highest bidder, for a minimum of $160 M. While they will list community benefits in the Invitiation to Bid, we say that there must be a hard guarantee that the developer will deliver, since this is taxpayer-owned land.

Chinatown's demands:

-20% or 200 affordable housing units for low-income households, with additional units for the middle income

-expansion of the Reggie Wong Park

-community participation in ownership/management of the park

-design buildings and park to mitigate air pollution 

-community priorities embedded in land disposition or contractual agreements with developer

Join us for the march at 4 pm at One Center Plaza, across from Boston City Hall.  Or if you cannot make the march, you can join us at 5 pm at Reggie Wong Park on Kneeland Street.

全國租客面臨着房屋危機，我們如何解決？

請加入全國租客行動日！

9月22日，星期四

下午4:00時，在大波士頓房產局門前集會

                         地址：One Center Plaza，Government Center綠線地鐵站對面

下午5:00 時，遊行到唐人街的26地段

(或者你也可以於下午3:15分在前進會辦公室集中出發)

• 負擔得起的租金，基本生活薪酬！

• 停止所有不公平的驅逐！

• 社區控制土地和住房！

• 租戶有權組織！

查詢詳情，請電： 617-357-4499

What can we do about the #RenterStateofEmergency?

JOIN THE RENTER DAY OF ACTION

Thursday, September 22

4:00 pm March from the Greater Boston Real Estate Board

       (Chinatown residents can gather at CPA at 3:15, or go directly to One Center Plaza)

5:00 pm Rally at Parcel 26 in Chinatown/Leather District

         (6:00 pm All invited to join Rent Relief 4 Boston Not GE in Fort Point Channel)

·      Liveable rents, liveable wages!

·      Stop unjust evictions and rent increases!

·      Community control of land and housing!

·      Tenant rights to organize!

For information, call 617-357-4499

#PublicLand4PublicGood      #RenterStateofEmergency     #Right2Remain    #BostonNotForSale

波士頓市長簽署溝通渠道條例 撥款20萬元做翻譯

波士頓市長馬丁華殊（Marty Walsh）表示自己和吳弭都是第一代移民
，深知移民的需要。（周菊子攝）

波士頓市議會議長吳弭（Michelle Wu）。（周菊子攝）

波士頓市長馬丁華殊（前中）在多名華人圍繞中，簽署溝通渠道條例。
（周菊子攝）

MAYOR WALSH TO KICK-OFF NATIONAL WELCOMING WEEK AT CITIZENSHIP DAY IN BOSTON WITH SIGNING OF COMMUNICATIONS ACCESS ORDINANCE

BOSTON - Monday, September 19, 2016 - On Saturday, Mayor Martin J. Walsh kicked-off National Welcoming Week in Boston by celebrating Citizenship Day and signing the Communications Access Ordinance at the James P. Timilty Middle School in Roxbury. Hundreds of interested applicants were screened for eligibility via telephone leading up to the event, and 350 people began their applications for naturalization with the help of 280 trained volunteers at the event. Due to high demand, an additional clinic will be held on October 27 at WilmerHale to serve eligible applicants who were unable to be served on Citizenship Day. "Many of Boston's residents have come to America for a better life and more opportunities," said Mayor Walsh. "I am committed to ensuring that all of our residents feel included in Boston's civic life and have full access to everything our city has to offer. For National Welcoming Week, I am proud to sponsor Citizenship Day and sign the Communications Access Ordinance." The Communications Access Ordinance, sponsored by Boston City Council President Michelle Wu and Councilor Timothy McCarthy, was passed unanimously by the City Council. The ordinance establishes a citywide structure for access to city services and information for those who are limited English proficient or have communications-related disabilities. To support the new ordinance, Mayor Walsh has invested $200,000 in new funds in the FY 2017 budget to hire a Communications Access Coordinator to guide the development of agency-specific plans and expand translation and interpretation capacity, beginning with Boston 311. The ordinance will consolidate existing efforts by individual City departments to provide language access. Additionally, the Department of Innovation and Technology has made significant improvements to the City's website, Boston.gov, to make online resources more accessible for all. Changes to the website'sdesign and technology has brought the website to AA compliance (based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). These changes make resources more accessible for users with vision impairments or those who access the website using assistive technology. The City will also be professionally translating content on the website into the five languages most commonly spoken in Boston, including Spanish, Chinese, Haitian Creole and Portuguese. Incorporating human translation will greatly improve access to essential city services and make the City's digital front door more welcoming for those with limited English proficiency. "I'm proud to partner with Mayor Walsh, Councilor McCarthy, and all my colleagues on an ordinance that codifies Boston's commitment to serving all residents and provides resources for residents with limited English proficiency or a communications disability," said City Council President Michelle Wu. "We are a city that welcomes everyone, and we recognize that empowering residents from all backgrounds is the best way to make Boston stronger." "Interacting with the government can be intimidating," said Felix Arroyo, Chief of Health and Human Services. "We want to make sure that Bostonians have access to accurate information and government services, whether they be for naturalization application assistance at the federal level or for services and programs at the city level." At Citizenship Day, the majority of applicants were from Haiti, the country with the third-largest immigrant population in Boston. Applicants came from 43, with ages ranging from 18 to 103. Among the volunteers were attorneys, law students, undergraduate students and community members from the Boston area. 2014 We Are Boston Community Champion awardee Goodwin provided 60 pro bono attorneys. "We are proud to partner with Project Citizenship again for the third Citizenship Day in Boston," said Alejandra St. Guillen, Director of the Mayor's Office for Immigration Advancement (formerly New Bostonians). "Project Citizenship's expertise ensured the day's success." "We appreciate Mayor Walsh's leadership and support on promoting naturalization among eligible lawful permanent residents," said Veronica Serrato, Executive Director of Project Citizenship. "We look forward to continuing to serve applicants who came to Citizenship Day as they continue the process." In April, Mayor Walsh launched Immigrant Information Corners in the Boston Public Libraries as a result of a Letter of Agreement with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to increase awareness and knowledge about citizenship and the naturalization process. The Immigrant Information Corners, which will also have programming on financial empowerment, is made possible through support from AmeriCorps, Boston Cares and Cities for Citizenship. About National Welcoming Week National Welcoming Week is an annual series of events, during which communities bring together immigrants and U.S.-born residents in a spirit of unity to raise awareness of the benefits of welcoming everyone - including new Americans. Last year, there were 245 events in over 80 communities during Welcoming Week, with more than 22,000 people participating. As a Welcoming City within the Welcoming America network, the City of Boston, through the Mayor's Office for Immigrant Advancement, is committed to proactively welcoming newcomers and ensuring their successful integration.

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES UPDATES FOR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES AS STUDENTS BEGIN SCHOOL YEAR

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES UPDATES FOR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES AS STUDENTS BEGIN SCHOOL YEAR

Improvements are funded through the Building a Better Boston Capital Plan

BOSTON - Friday, September 16, 2016 - As Boston Public School (BPS) students complete their first full week of classes, Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the physical improvements made to Boston Public Schools, overseen by BPS's Capital & Facilities Management and the City of Boston's Public Facilities Department. The investments, totaled at over $89 million, are funded primarily through Building a Better Boston, Mayor Walsh's $1.9 billion five-year capital plan. "I'm proud to highlight the progress we have made in improving our Boston Public School buildings as students begin their school year," said Mayor Walsh. "These improvements reflect the City's dedication to providing the best resources for Boston's schools and students." "At Boston Public Schools, we are enthusiastic about welcoming students, teachers and administrators back for the 2016-2017 school year," said BPS Superintendent Tommy Chang. "These projects, both completed and ongoing, will create an improved learning environment for all." Updated school projects include: Dearborn School The topping off ceremony held on September 13th marked the completion of the new building's structural steel. The $73M project is utilizing state grant funds, and will be reimbursed upwards of  $37M by the Massachusetts School Building Authority ("MSBA"). The design of the new school is based upon a project-based learning curriculum, with an emphasis on STEM education. There will be a Learning Commons on the ground floor that will include a state-of-the-art library/media center, classrooms and science laboratories that will provide an ideal environment for 21st century Learning.   The project is scheduled to be completed in the winter of 2017/2018, and is the first new school the City of Boston has built in 15 years. Murphy Schoolyard This $695,000 renovation of the play space at the Richard J. Murphy K-8 School provides upgrades to an existing play area. The scope of work includes installation of handicap accessible play equipment, fitness stations, and an synthetic turf running field. This project will provide an inclusive play area that will serve the needs of the Murphy School's  diverse student population. The project is anticipated to be complete in mid-September. Madison Park Technical Vocational High School (MPTVHS) Welding Room As part of the Mayor's Capital Plan, the Public Facilities Department was engaged to renovate the welding shop at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School. This $2 million dollar investment will increase the number of welding booths for students. The additional welding booths will enable concurrent teaching opportunities with related trades and increase opportunities for the MPTVHS student population. The Public Facilities Department and Madison Park Technical Vocational High School are in discussions with Wentworth Institute of Technology and the Ironworkers Local 7 to explore potential partnerships with MPTVHS regarding the use of this newly renovated space and how Madison Park students can access either of these organizations to grow their career opportunities. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016. In addition to the large-scale projects above, the BPS's Capital & Facilities Management has also invested over $13.6 million this spring and summer to maintain and improve over two dozen BPS buildings and facilities. Projects include $1.5 million for improved security, including card key access and security cameras at 18 schools; $450,000 in gym upgrades at Boston Latin Academy as part of the Youth Lead the Change participatory budgeting initiative; $120,000 for rubberized surfaces at three school playgrounds (Mary Lyon, Warren-Prescott and Orchard Gardens). A full list of BPS's Capital & Facilities Management projects are below: SCHOOL PROJECT SCOPE BUDGET Dante Alighieri Montessori School Site work Environmental remediation $184,000 Another Course to College Relocation Phase I School renovation Elementary to high school renovation (at former E. Greenwood School) $3,700,000 Boston Latin Academy Gym upgrades Paint, new bleachers, flooring upgrade, locker repairs, HVAC upgrades $450,000 Central Kitchen New floors Epoxy flooring $320,000 James Condon Elementary School Lockers New lockers $25,000 James Condon Elementary School Roof FEMA roof replacement project $123,000 Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School Modular addition Four new modular classrooms $3,004,038 Eliot Upper School Classroom expansion Temporary classrooms $25,000 Gardner Pilot Academy Basement renovation New science lab, new bathrooms $728,000 Hennigan Elementary School Classroom expansion New kindergarten classroom $25,000 Hennigan Elementary School Doors New doors and hardware $61,500 Washington Irving Middle School Site work Site work enhancements with Boston Water & Sewer Commission $1,384,000 Madison Park Technical Vocational High School New freezer and food truck Grant funded for culinary art program; walk in freezers, and food truck $450,000 Mendell Elementary School Basement renovation Flooring, partitions and ventilation $45,000 William H. Ohrenberger School Playground Installation of new playground $376,000 P.A. Shaw Elementary School Classroom expansion Radiator covers and classroom expansions $41,500 P.J. Kennedy Elementary School Site improvements Grant funded new astroturf field $75,000 Oliver Hazard Perry School Schoolyard Grant-funded schoolyard renovations $54,000 Quincy Elementary School Classroom expansion Kindergarten classroom expansions $23,477 Mary Lyon, Warren-Prescott, Orchard Gardens Schools Rubberized surface New rubber surface for playgrounds $120,000 Sarah Greenwood School Boiler replacement New boilers and classroom controls $654,000 Security at 18 Schools Security Card key access and security cameras at:Trotter, Holland, Holmes, Kenny, Perkins, Perry, BTU, Gardner, Eliot, Guild, Mason, Manning, Mendell, Sumner, Curley, Conley, Roosevelt Lower, Tobin $1,500,000 Sumner Elementary School Schoolyard Phase I schoolyard renovations $18,000 Tech Boston Academy Gym renovation Gym floor and bleachers $180,000 Warren-Prescott School Toilet partitions Removal and replacement of toilet partitions $95,000 TOTAL $13,661,515 ###

Governor Baker, MBTA Launch RIDE Pilot Program with Uber, Lyft

Governor Baker, MBTA Launch RIDE Pilot Program with Uber, Lyft

Innovative ride-share partnership offers on-demand options for paratransit customers

WATERTOWN – Governor Charlie Baker joined Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack, MBTA managers, disability advocates, and executives with Uber and Lyft today to launch a first-of-its-kind innovative pilot program with ride-share companies to save costs and deliver customers of the MBTA’s, THE RIDE, options for on-demand service through their smartphones.

“The reliability of our transportation system depends on the MBTA’s ability to improve its core infrastructure and provide efficient, innovative transit options that meet the needs of the system’s one million daily riders,” said Governor Baker. “This initiative represents the MBTA’s efforts to increase accessibility in a more cost-effective and efficient way that also delivers more convenient service for its paratransit customers.”

The On-Demand Paratransit Pilot Program will allow the MBTA to learn and understand the opportunities and challenges of incorporating on-demand paratransit options into public transit, and follows a program launched in January with multiple Boston-area taxi providers to subsidize trips for RIDE users via cab. Customers unable to use a smartphone or without access to one can book rides by using a phone-in option from Lyft or obtain a smart phone from Uber on a limited basis.

“We want to meet the needs of our customers to help them get to where they are going efficiently and that is why we are increasing investments in the core transit system and introducing innovative options for our paratransit customers,” said Secretary Pollack. “This pilot takes a major step toward providing the kind of flexibility, responsiveness and on-demand customer service that has been the focus of our reforms, and that our paratransit riders deserve.”

The pilot is also part of the MBTA’s efforts to deliver more efficient and cost-effective service. Current RIDE service comes at a variable cost of $31 to the MBTA, a $3.15 set fare for customers and a minimum of one day advance notice required. Ride-share pilot participants will have on-demand service available via their smartphone app or the phone-in option and pay the first $2.00 of the trip. The MBTA will pick up the next $13.00 of the trip, with the customer picking up any remaining trip costs.

Today’s event was held at the Perkins School for the Blind which helped initiate the pilot, working closely with disability advocates and the MBTA.  Joining Governor Baker and Secretary Pollack for the announcement were MBTA Interim  General Manager Brian Shortsleeve, Perkins’ President and CEO Dave Power, Perkins’ Chief Financial Officer Lisa Calise, (who was appointed to the MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board by Governor Baker last year), and  the Boston General Managers for Uber and Lyft.

“This collaborative effort between the MBTA, our partners at Uber and Lyft, Perkins, and so many others shows how we can use private market innovation and emerging technology to enhance service and accessibility for our riders,” said Interim General Manager Shortsleeve. “The MBTA will continue to explore opportunities like these to reduce costs and provide flexible transit options while investing in the core system.”

As part of the pilot, Lyft will partner with a local Americans with Disabilities Act/Non-Emergency Medical Transportation firm to provide wheelchair accessible rental vehicles to Lyft drivers. To incentivize the supply of wheelchair accessible vehicles on the road, the MBTA will offer an additional $12 per completed trip to those Lyft drivers using an accessible rental. Uber currently has wheelchair accessible vehicles through its UberACCESS program that will be available for the MBTA pilot.

“We are honored to be working with the MBTA to improve convenient and reliable transportation options for their customers, our riders,” said Uber Boston General Manager, Chris Taylor. “Uber’s technology has helped expand access to convenient transportation options, while improving mobility and independence for thousands of people across the Commonwealth,”

“Lyft is proud to bring on-demand transportation to customers of The RIDE,” said Tyler George, General Manager of Lyft Boston. “This partnership with the MBTA marks an exciting next step in enhancing and expanding The RIDE’s service by reducing passenger wait times and increasing access to jobs, education, errands, and social activities.”

Driver-partners will undergo third-party safety screenings, vehicle and criminal background record checks and receive educational materials on providing service for RIDE customers with accessibility needs. Uber and Lyft will also offer sessions to train driver-partners to better serve pilot customers.

“Independent, reliable transportation is critical for people with disabilities to get to work, school or other community activities on time,” said Dave Power, President and CEO of Perkins School for the Blind. “Para-transit riders can now access the same on-demand services enjoyed by people without disabilities – bringing us another step closer to inclusive public transportation.”

Interested RIDE customers are encouraged to participate by visiting the MBTA’s website for more information and signing up with both Uber and Lyft to maximize participation. RIDE-eligible users approved for the pilot will receive app access to request on-demand services.

“We are excited to see THE RIDE expand customer options and efficiencies, with a commitment to long-term accessibility options,” said Bill Henning, Director of the Boston Center for Independent Living.

“Thousands of seniors who are no longer able to use fixed route service rely on The RIDE for their transportation needs but as costs have escalated it has become important to explore new options to meet those needs,” said Carolyn Villers, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Senior Action Council. “This pilot is an important step forward because it has the potential to improve access to responsive service while also providing a more cost-effective model.”

“AACT is looking forward to working with Lyft/Uber and the MBTA in providing an additional transportation resource to the disability community on the RIDE program,” said James White, Chairman of the Access Advisory Committee to the MBTA.

The RIDE provides an average of 7,000 daily trips, with demand set to grow as the senior population continues to expand. Customers over 65 years of age account for about 60% of RIDE users and 9% require wheelchair-accessible vehicles.  The RIDE currently provides door-to-door transit service for individuals in a 712-mile-square area that includes 60 cities and towns and over 2.5 million people unable to access or use the MBTA’s fixed-route system.  Users of The RIDE are required to book trips one day in advance. For more information on The RIDE paratransit program, including service area, click here.