波士頓市長吳弭釋出80萬元支持小企業爭取市府合約

MAYOR WU RELAUNCHES FUND TO SUPPORT EQUITY IN CITY CONTRACTING

BOSTON - Thursday, April 21, 2022 - Mayor Michelle Wu today relaunched the City of Boston’s Contracting Opportunity Fund with an additional $800,000 available to assist small, local businesses in building their capacity to bid on City contracts. The Boston Contracting Opportunity Fund was launched in April 2021 to support diverse, local businesses working in construction building and design, professional and support services, and goods and supplies. The goal of the Fund is to increase the quantity and availability of Certified Businesses by granting monetary assistance to help entities better access City-contracted projects. The Contracting Opportunity Fund application is now available here. “We must use every tool possible to ensure equity in City contracting and build wealth in our communities,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “As Boston continues to grow and recover from this pandemic, the reopening of the Contracting Opportunity Fund will help support and expand opportunity for our minority-owned and women-owned small businesses participating in the bidding process.” “Reopening the Contracting Opportunity Fund is an important step in the City’s effort to eliminate the existing barriers that our minority-owned and women-owned businesses face when contracting with the city,” said Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. “By prioritizing equity, this program will bridge the gap and assist our small business community in the bidding process.”  Applicants must show how funding will increase their capacity to bid on City contracts and commit to providing supporting documentation for grant expenditures. Applicants must be a Certified MBE (minority-owned business enterprise), WBE (woman-business enterprise), VOSB (veteran-owned small business enterprise), and/or SLBE (small local business enterprise) with the City of Boston’s Supplier Diversity Program, or must be eligible and apply for Certification before the Fund closes on May 20, 2022. Applicants must also be in good standing with the City of Boston. To learn more about business certifications visit here. In spring 2021, the City’s Supplier Diversity Program provided grants of up to $15,000 for certified MBE, WBE, VOSBE, and SLBE Boston-based businesses to support capacity building activities. A total of $820,000 was awarded to 56 businesses, of which 71% were certified minority-owned businesses and 20% were women-owned businesses. As a result of the fund application process, a total of 39 businesses applied for certification as minority-owned (MBE) or woman-owned (WBE) businesses. In March, Mayor Wu filed a home rule petition with the City Council that would expand access to City contracts for minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs). The proposal would raise the written quote contract maximum for contracts with certified MWBEs from $50,000 to the state Small Purchase threshold, which is currently $250,000. The written quote contract process allows the City to award contracts without a full Request For Proposal (RFP) process, making it significantly simpler and cheaper for businesses to apply. This change will dramatically lower barriers to access for MWBEs and allow the City to make a greater investment in these businesses. Once approved by the Boston City Council, the home rule petition must be passed by the Massachusetts Legislature and signed by the Governor in order to become law.  The renewal of this Fund builds on significant investments made by the City of Boston in supplier diversity and equitable procurement initiatives since February of 2021, when it established annual city spending goals of 25% to women and minority-owned businesses. Through key investments in staffing and programmatic needs, the City of Boston is implementing new initiatives that seek to address the past and present effects of discrimination, disparities, obstacles and barriers in its procurement process that impact minority-owned and women-owned businesses. To learn more visit here.

查理貝克政府提案斥資35議員修橋補路改善地方經濟

Baker-Polito Administration Files $3.5 Billion Economic Development Legislation

The FORWARD bill will make investments in all 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts

 

LYNN - Today, Governor Charlie Baker filed legislation to make $3.5 billion in investments to support Massachusetts’s path forward as the Commonwealth transitions into a post-pandemic world, including projects to strengthen state infrastructure, create jobs and invest in all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth.

 

The legislation, An Act Investing in Future Opportunities for Resiliency, Workforce, and Revitalized Downtowns (FORWARD) includes $2.3 billion in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and over $1.256 billion in capital bond authorizations.

 

The announcement was made today in Lynn at Breakwater North Harbor, a 331-unit apartment community that broke ground in 2019 and was built in part as a result of a $1.2 million MassWorks grant to fund roadway and water infrastructure improvements, and a $1 million Seaport Economic Council grant to ensure long-term integrity of the adjacent shoreline along North Harbor.

 

The legislation filed today would direct approximately $27 million to Lynn including $13 million for improvements to the Lynn Heritage State Park, $10 million for the South Harbor waterfront redevelopment site on the Lynnway, and millions more for traffic and safety improvements at the intersection of Broad and Washington Streets, as well as for local economic recovery in the city.

 

“The Commonwealth has an opportunity to make significant investments now to help our communities and local economies emerge stronger in a post-pandemic world,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The FORWARD legislation will make investments in every municipality in Massachusetts, strengthening downtowns, improving the resiliency of infrastructure and giving workers the tools they need to succeed in today’s economy. We look forward to working with the Legislature to take action on this bill quickly to ensure cities and towns receive much-needed recovery funding.”

 

“This bill will support hundreds of local projects, whether through funding to improve green spaces or grants to support economic development,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Making these local investments will help cities and towns fortify their infrastructure and redevelop their downtowns.”

 

The FORWARD bill includes $1.2 billion in ARPA funds for climate resiliency and preservation efforts. This includes a $750 million investment in the Commonwealth’s clean energy industry, building on Governor Baker’s October 2021 proposal. The $750 million will be utilized for a variety of areas within the sector, such as electric vehicle rapid charging stations at Logan International Airport, the expansion of the MassCEC Wind Technology Training Center in Charlestown, over $70 million in investments related to the New Bedford Marine Terminal, and a greater focus on higher education and workforce training in an effort to support the burgeoning clean energy industry. The bill also proposes $413 million to support over 100 projects across state parks and trails, water and sewer, and environmental infrastructure grant programs.

 

The FORWARD legislation proposes nearly $970 million for investments to support revitalizing the Commonwealth’s downtowns and communities, including $318 million in ARPA funding and $650 million in bond authorization. This includes $550 million for the MassWorks program, including $400 million in reauthorization and $147 million in ARPA funds to support 94 local projects. Nearly 250 municipalities will receive downtown recovery grants totaling $108 million. The Baker-Polito Administration commissioned a Future of Work report last year that found that downtowns will look fundamentally different coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, as many people have changed how and where they work. This funding will help municipalities adapt to this new reality.

 

The legislation also includes $325 million in ARPA funding for workforce efforts, including $300 million for the Unemployment Trust Fund to address unemployment overpayments. The HireNow program, which provides grants to employers to train and hire new workers, would receive $25 million.

 

The FORWARD bill includes $270 million in authorization to support housing production across the Commonwealth, including affordable rental housing production and rehabilitation, public housing, climate resilient housing, and transit-oriented development. The bill also makes several policy proposals to increase housing production, including an increase of the cap on the Housing Development Incentive Program from $10 million to $30 million.

 

The bill proposes significant funding to support the Commonwealth’s innovation economy including $50 million for a new competitive and secure future innovation program to make strategic investments in purpose-driven research, technology development, and innovation, and in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), robotics, quantum information science, cybersecurity, communications, and digital health.

 

This legislation would allow the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority to sell the Hynes Convention Center, with proceeds from the sale going to affordable housing development and the Back Bay area. Occupancy levels at the Hynes fluctuated around 60% before the pandemic, and numbers have still not recovered.

 

"The FORWARD legislation brings together critical capital spending authorizations and key investments backed by remaining ARPA dollars to propose a transformative economic development and environmental spending package that benefits every city and town in the Commonwealth," said Secretary of Administration and Finance Michael J. Heffernan. "The hundreds of projects supported will invigorate local economies and infrastructure at a crucial point in time, and we look forward to working with the Legislature to pass this bill."

 

“Throughout the pandemic, the partnerships we’ve been able to build with individual communities, the business community, academia, and across state government became more important than ever, and this legislation reflects that spirit of collaboration by targeting funding toward key priorities in all cities and towns across the Commonwealth,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy.  “In addition, this bill lays out a thoughtful strategy that will accelerate our transition to a post-pandemic world by making the kinds of investments that support our downtowns, our workforce, core infrastructure, and the state’s housing needs with the urgency this situation calls for.”

 

“Through the Baker-Polito Administration’s continued efforts, Massachusetts leads the nation in taking action on climate change, including the advancement of climate resiliency investments at the state and local level and developing and deploying clean energy solutions at scale,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. “With the filing of the FORWARD Act, we will expand on these efforts by investing $750 million to further support the clean energy industry by fostering innovation and technology advancements, continuing the growth of a homegrown clean energy and climate workforce, and beginning construction of important resilient infrastructure improvements.”

 

ARPA funds must be committed by states by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026. This legislation prioritizes investing ARPA funding into projects that are already sufficiently defined and narrow in scope so they can be completed by 2026.

 

FORWARD Highlights:

 

Climate Resiliency and Preservation Efforts (ARPA funding):

• $750 million in clean energy investments including:
• $300 million for the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) for programs, including grants and incentives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector consistent
• $167 million at MassCEC for clean energy technologies and innovations that result in greenhouse gas emission reductions
• $72 million at MassCEC for port facilities to bring inactive and under-utilized site into productive use for the offshore wind industry
• $42 million for programs which support clean transportation or result in greenhouse gas emissions reductions from the transportation sector
• $232 million to support 67 projects for parks, trails, and campground expansion and rehabilitation
• $97 million for 55 coastal infrastructure projects
• $64 in for 12 clean water projects, including COSs
• $7 million for fishing and boating access projects
• $6.4 million for resiliency and habitat projects
• $4 million for open space acquisition
• $1.4 million for culvert projects

 

Revitalized Downtowns & Communities (ARPA and bond authorization):

• Almost $550 million for MassWorks grants for local infrastructure projects, including $147 million in ARPA funds to support 100 local projects and $400 million in capital reauthorization
• $108 million for downtown recovery grants for 246 municipalities
• $32 million for the Community OneStop for Growth competitive grant program
• $10 million for site readiness evaluation projects
• $7 million for brownfields redevelopment projects
• $8 million for underutilized property program projects
• $3.5 million for rural redevelopment grants
• $1.2 million for community planning grants
• $104 million in authorization for Clean Water Trust Fund grants
• $50 million in authorization for the Revitalizing Underutilized Properties Program
• $50 million in authorization for broadband matching funds in anticipation of competitive programs at the federal level
• $12 million in authorization for “middle mile” broadband grants
• $10 million in authorization for Seaport Economic Council grants
• $10 million in authorization for the Rural and Small Town Development Fund
• $5 million in authorization for Community Planning Grants

 

COVID-19 Response (ARPA funding):

• $250 million for fiscally distressed hospitals
• $100 million for future COVID-19 response needs, including testing
• $30 million for ongoing efforts to adapt state government services to a post-pandemic world
• $25 million for compliance and oversight costs associated with optimizing federal COVID funds
• $20 million for local workforce training grants to recruit and train municipal employees that deliver important public services across the Commonwealth

 

Workforce (ARPA funding):

• $300 million transfer to the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund to address unemployment overpayments
• $25 million for HireNow

 

Housing (bond authorization):

• $243 million in reauthorizations for existing programs to increase affordable rental housing production and rehabilitation, public housing, climate resiliency and transit-oriented development
• $26 million in authorization to expand a public housing demonstration program and smart growth housing

 

Innovation (bond authorization):

• $50 million for a new Competitive and Secure Future Innovation Program
• $30 million for the Mass. Manufacturing Innovation Initiative
• $24 million for R&D grants
• $23 million for the Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerate Program
• $10 million for tourism destination development grants
• $200 million for matching funds for anticipated federal grant opportunities in the technology and innovation industry

 

Education (ARPA funding):

• $35 million for planning grants to higher education institutions

林昭亮等3名國際音樂大師5月7日晚 Jordan 廳演出

 

(中華表演基金會提供)

            (Boston Orange) 中華表演藝術基金會將於5月7日(週六)晚8點，邀小提琴家林昭亮、大提琴家Clive Greensmith、鋼琴家Juho Pohjonen等三名國際樂壇大師，在紐英崙音樂學院喬頓廳 (Jordan Hall) 同台演出巴赫、舒曼、拉威爾，以及勃拉姆斯的作品。

            小提琴家林昭亮和大提琴家馬友友及指揮小澤征爾 (Seiji Ozawa) 在國際樂壇並列多年，都是最活躍、最有名望的亞裔音樂家。

林昭亮不但是獲得英國「留聲機年度唱片獎」(Gramophone’s Record of the year) 的第一位華人演奏家，二次獲得葛萊美(Grammy)獎提名，還被「音樂美國」Musical America 雜誌選為2000年的年度器樂演奏家 (Instrumentalist of the year)，名列”企鵝指南得獎名人錄( Penguin Guide Rosettes) ”。

在台灣出生的林昭亮，12歲時遠赴澳洲雪梨，後來到美國追隨大師 Dorothy Delay學習，19歲在林肯中心「莫札特主題音樂節」(Mostly Mozart Festival)首演，20歲和紐約愛樂 (New York Philharmonic Orchestra) 及指揮Zubin Mehta 演出後備受樂壇重視。如今他已與全球最主要的樂團及名指揮合作演出過無數次，享譽全球。1991年，他回母校茱莉亞 Juilliard音樂學院任教，2006年受聘加盟德州萊斯 (Rice)大學。他在加州 La Jolla、香港、及台灣都成功舉辦過國際大師音樂節，為青年音樂家提供向大師們學習並同台演出的珍貴機會。

大提琴家 Clive Greensmith 是著名的東京四重奏 (Tokyo String Quartet)(1999-2013)成員，從最開始到最後一季，每年演出百餘場，14年來足跡遍布全球各地的最著名音樂廳，也贏得全世界的尊敬及讚賞。他還每年在各地的音樂節演出、教學，和倫敦交響樂團等大樂團合作擔任獨奏，也和林肯中心室內樂團 (Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center)一齊到各地演出。在他輝煌燦爛的簡歷上，與他合作演出及錄音的，都是當今樂壇上最頂尖大師級人物。他現任加州 Colburn 音樂學院的大提琴及室內樂教授。他的學生中已有多人考上著名樂團，並在國際大賽中獲獎。

芬蘭鋼琴家 Juho Pohjonen 曾獲無數芬蘭及國際鋼琴大賽大獎，是當今樂壇公認最傑出的鋼琴家之一。紐約時報  (The New York Times) 稱讚他「珍珠般的觸感，如詩歌般的聲音和敏感度，Pohjonen 在整個節目中展示了他的音樂才華」。他在個人獨奏會，與著名樂團合作，製作錄音專輯之外，還經常和林肯中心室內樂團合作，在全球各地巡迴演出。

5月7日晚的預訂演奏曲目如下:
巴赫：G大調第六小提琴與鋼琴奏鳴曲 BWV 1019
舒曼：《F-A-E》奏鳴曲中的間奏曲
勃拉姆斯：《F-A-E》奏鳴曲中的諧謔曲
拉威爾：小提琴與大提琴奏鳴曲
勃拉姆斯：C大調鋼琴三重奏 Op. 87

這場演出共90分鐘，沒有中場休息。雖然不強制觀眾戴口罩，但為慎重安心起見，還是建議戴上口罩。需出示打過疫苗，或測試陰性證明才可入場。票價為$15 (7至13歲)、$30、及$50三種。提供學生免費票 (14歲以上)及非學生贈送券。需事前預訂。臨時到場者需付10元現款，沒有免費優待。6歲以下兒童請勿入場。詳情請查官網:http://www.chineseperformingarts.net/contents/season/20220507/index.html     

波士頓華埠組織聯袂邀政府協商 改善治安從燈光、監視錄影、911開始

華埠關於治安的會議，華埠及城中區共175人以上出席。(視屏截圖)

            (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 波士頓華埠近一個多月來發生2起槍擊案，一起劫車案，波士頓華埠社區議會和紐英崙中華公所、華商會、華埠居民會等，4月19日晚聯袂邀請波士頓市政府官員，議員及警察出席網路會議，商討對策，逾175人參加。

              波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu)的幕僚長朱為亭 (Tiffany Chu) 當晚全程參與會議，並總結指出，在改善地方治安上，社區民眾表達的意見包括燈光，監視錄影機，911電話。

全美安良工商會總理陳仕維等華埠商家也來出席會議。)(視屏截圖)

              燈光部分是民眾指出，乞臣街等街道有些店鋪目前歇業，道路燈光不足，歹徒容易生事。監視錄影機部分則是社區民眾希望確保街道上的錄影監視器角度夠廣，解析度夠高，分佈數量足以包括各重要街道，以備一旦事故發生，能夠追蹤。911電話部分有2點，社區民眾一是希望有通曉中文的接線員，二是希望911接線員不必追問太多無關重要細節，先協助處理他們所舉報案件。

波士頓市長吳弭的幕僚長朱為亭。

              紐英崙中華公所主席暨波士頓華埠社區議會共同主席雷國輝表示，4月11日及4月17日，波士頓華埠內的泰勒街，以及必珠街和乞臣街交界處一連發生2起槍擊案，3月份又有一名水果攤商停在路邊的車輛被劫，令許多人憂慮。大家都希望能和市府相關單位合作，改善地方治安。

              波士頓市警察局職位最高的華裔警察，社區參與局副總監陳孔恩 (James Chin)和波士頓警察局A-1區警長Robert Ciccolo應邀出席會議。

              轄區包括華埠的Robert Ciccolo表示，在今年1到4月間，波士頓華埠共發生4宗這類案件，其中2宗警察逮捕了人。他指出，這幾宗案件大都是凌晨2，3點，在泰勒街，以及華埠一帶的停車場內發生，涉案者幾乎都是年輕人，在酒吧關門後來到華埠用餐。警方已經草擬了解決情況的短期及長期方案，包括增加午夜到凌晨四點等地巡邏班次，加派警員，會說中文的優先，另外增加騎單車警察巡邏等。

波士頓市議會議長Ed Flynn。

              Robert Ciccolo還說，警察局也會加派人手實時監看華埠內個監視錄影器動態，將來考慮和牌照局合作，為餐館等商家提供課程，教育他們警察需要的是那些資訊，雙方該如何合作等。

              波士頓市議會議長愛德華費林 (Ed Flynn)，波士頓華商會會長蔡倩婷，理事余麗媖，紐英崙中華公所行政主任珠蘇珊，社區人士羅燕玲，Elinor Wong，Rebecca，Arturo等有許多人發言，費林議員的助理盧善柔協助做廣東話翻譯。

波士頓警察局社區副總監James Chin。

              蔡倩婷指出，波士頓市外有好些商家聽聞槍擊事件後，都表示要暫時不進華埠，以策安全。余麗媖以翠園餐廳為例，指商家撥打911報案時，得回答太多無關重要問題，他們覺得等警方終於趕到，事件已是明日黃花。朱蘇珊提醒警方，曾有商家在撥打911電話報案後，反而被處罰，警方若要鼓勵商家報案，必須改正這有時出現的情況。

波士頓警察局A-1區警長Robert Ciccolo。

              Elinor Wong在會中敘述自己在華埠街頭被一名白人男子無故毆打事件。她表示自己報警，事後調出來看的監視錄影片，竟然只看到她，卻沒有毆打她那人的蹤影。她因而質疑華埠內的監視錄影機到底都安裝在哪，可以監視到多少個角落。

    波士頓市議會議長Ed Flynn聽聞Eilnor Wong的遭遇後，直言這是仇恨犯罪，必須制止。他並強調自己將和市長合作，積極協助華埠改善治安與相關狀況。

              當晚出席會議的州市議員及代表眾多，除前述個人外，還包括波士頓市府社區參與長Brianna Millor，波士頓市議員Ruthzee Louijeune，以及市議員Michael Flaherty，Julie Mejia，Erin Murphy，麻州眾議員Nick Collins的代表，波士頓市華埠聯絡員黃楚嵐等等。

紐英崙中華公所主席雷國輝

              在會議中提供給社區大眾遇事可聯絡的電郵包括，吳弭市長的資深顧問Rufus J. Faulk，Rufus.Faulk@boston.gov，塔芙茨大學警察 Brian Moran，brian.moran@tufts.edu，小隊長Jameson Yee ，Jameson.yee@tufts.edu，塔大政府及社區關係的Liza Perry，liza.perry@tufts.edu，波士頓市議會議長愛德華費林及其助理的電郵，ed.flynn@boston.gov， 盧善柔  melissa.lo@boston.gov，議員Julie Mejia的助理Jacob deBlecourt，Jacob.deblecourt@boston.gov；Erin Murphy的幕僚長，David Mareira，David.Mareira@Boston.Gov ，Ruthzee Louijeune的助理Emily Polston ，emily.polston@boston.gov，波士頓市亞裔聯絡員黃楚嵐， chulan.huang@boston.gov等。

Baker-Polito Administration Joins Survivors of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence to Highlight Public Safety Proposals in Salem

Baker-Polito Administration Joins Survivors of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence to Highlight Public Safety Proposals in Salem

For high resolution and additional photos, click here.

 

SALEM – Today, Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito joined Secretary of Public Safety and Security Terrence Reidy, Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett, legislators, survivors and members of their families, advocates and law enforcement officials to participate in the fourth roundtable discussion highlighting the importance of the Baker-Polito Administration’s refiled public safety proposal, which would provide comprehensive new protections for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, assault and battery, the harmful distribution of explicit images and other crimes.

 

Watch the roundtable here.

 

Since refiling An Act to Protect Victims of Crimes and the Public and An Act Relative to the Harmful Distribution of Sexually Explicit Visual Materials in December, the administration has hosted regional roundtables in Plymouth, Springfield, Worcester and Salem as part of its continued efforts to work with survivors and their families and urge the passage of critical legal reforms. Held during Victim Rights Month, today’s roundtable featured survivors and their family members whose cases and safety would have been aided by the administration’s dangerousness reforms. April is also Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month.

 

“We continue to hear from survivors, their families and advocates that there is more we can and should be doing to protect the brave men, women and children who have been traumatized by violent offenders and predators,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “This legislation will support survivors by enacting simple, commonsense measures that hold offenders accountable and – most importantly – keep survivors safe.”

 

“Survivors and their families have already endured so much, and it is incumbent upon us to ensure that their rights are upheld before, while and after their cases are adjudicated,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We are deeply grateful to all of today’s participants and their courage in sharing their harrowing experiences in the hopes of passing this critically important legislative package.”

 

“We remain grateful to the dozens of survivors, loved ones, prosecutors, service providers, and advocates who have participated in these roundtables,” said Public Secretary and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy. “Their lived experiences expose shortcomings in the Commonwealth’s existing law, which needs urgent, common sense attention. The impact of our proposals will bring hope to those in despair and light into a survivor’s moment of darkness.”

 

“Since 2018, I have urged the Legislature to address the gaping hole in the law (MGL Chapter 276, Section 58A) which does not permit an assistant district attorney to request a dangerousness hearing for a person charged with raping or sexually assaulting a child,” said Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett.  “One of the primary obligations of government is to protect the safety of the public, particularly the vulnerable, from dangerous people.  It is hard to think of anyone more dangerous than an adult who sexually assaults a child and anyone more vulnerable than a child.”

 

An Act to Protect Victims of Crimes and the Public: First filed in 2018, the Administration’s proposal would expand the list of offenses that can provide grounds for a dangerousness hearing and close certain loopholes at the start and end of the criminal process that currently limit or prevent effective action to address legitimate safety concerns. It would strengthen the ability of judges to enforce the conditions of pre-trial release by empowering police to detain people who they observe violating court-ordered release conditions; current law does not allow this, and instead requires a court to first issue a warrant. Under this proposal, judges will be empowered to revoke a person’s release when the offender has violated a court-ordered condition, such as an order to stay away from a victim, or from a public playground. Current law requires an additional finding of dangerousness before release may be revoked.

 

The legislation also expands the list of offenses which can provide grounds for a dangerousness hearing including crimes of sexual abuse and crimes of threatened or potential violence. It also follows the long-standing federal model in including a defendant’s history of serious criminal convictions as grounds that may warrant a dangerousness hearing. Current law requires courts to focus only on the crime charged and ignore a defendant’s criminal history when determining whether the defendant may be the subject of this sort of hearing.

 

An Act Relative to the Harmful Distribution of Sexually Explicit Visual Materials: First filed in 2017, this legislation seeks to close a loophole under current law by creating penalties for adults who distribute a sexually explicit image for purposes of revenge or embarrassment. While current law addresses non-consensual recording of an unsuspecting person, it does not address instances where someone distributes an image without consent regardless of whether the initial image may have been taken with consent. This legislation closes the gap in state law by creating a new felony offense and empowering judges in criminal proceedings to ensure an explicit image in question is permanently destroyed. 

 

Learn more about the legislation here.

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES PROGRESS TOWARD REFORMING INCLUSIONARY DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND COMMERCIAL LINKAGE PROGRAM

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES PROGRESS TOWARD REFORMING INCLUSIONARY DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND COMMERCIAL LINKAGE PROGRAM

BOSTON - Wednesday, April 20, 2022 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the selection of research and consulting firm David Paul Rosen & Associates (DRA) to study Boston’s Inclusionary Development Policy, as well as an 11-member Technical Advisory Committee to guide the study. Mayor Wu also announced the selection of Karl Seidman Consulting Services and ConsultEcon, Inc. to study Boston’s commercial Linkage program, focusing in particular on commercial lab space. These studies will closely look at ways in which the City can increase the amount of affordable housing in Boston.  “Safe, affordable housing is the foundation of our City’s recovery,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “As we work to address Boston’s housing crisis, I’m grateful to this team and committee who will drive these critical steps forward to ensure Boston is a city for everyone.”  Boston’s Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP) was created by Executive Order in 2000. The policy requires that market rate residential developments with ten or more units in need of zoning relief support the creation of income-restricted housing through on-site units, off-site units, or through payment to the IDP Fund managed by the Mayor’s Office of Housing. The IDP was last updated in December 2015. In January 2021, the Massachusetts State Legislature approved a Home Rule Petition that allows Boston to codify inclusionary development into the zoning code. Through 2021, almost 3,600 on-site and off-site income-restricted units have been created through the IDP and the fund has supported the construction or preservation of nearly 2,500 additional income-restricted units.     The study will look at a range of options to update the policy, including increasing the proportion of units that are income-restricted to at least 20 percent, deepening affordability requirements, increasing contribution fees to the IDP Fund, and other reforms so as to better meet Boston’s housing needs. David Paul Rosen & Associates (DRA) is a California based housing research and consulting firm with a deep knowledge of inclusionary housing policies. Founded in 1980, DRA has extensive experience advising cities, housing authorities, nonprofit developers and for-profit developers on affordable housing development, underwriting, origination, asset management, program design, strategic planning, and best practices. DRA has helped more than 40 communities research and develop inclusionary housing programs, in lieu fees, and other housing mitigation measures, including Cambridge, MA; New York City, NY; Los Angeles, CA; San Jose, CA; Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; Denver, CO; Chapel Hill, NC; and Philadelphia, PA. Mayor Wu also announced the formation of a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to shape the IDP study. The TAC will include individuals with a range of backgrounds and perspectives, including advocates, policy experts, and for-profit and nonprofit developers. The members of this committee are: Donna Brown, Executive Director, South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation Jesse Kanson-Benanav, Executive Director, Abundant Housing Massachusetts George Lee, Coalition for a Truly Affordable Boston/Keep it 100 for Real Affordable Housing & Racial Justice Abe Menzin, Principal and Executive Vice President of Development, Samuels & Associates Greg Minott, Managing Principal, the D/R/E/A/M Collaborative Markeisha Moore, Coalition for a Truly Affordable Boston/Dot Not For Sale Leslie Reid, Chief Executive Officer, Madison Park Development Corporation Erica Schwarz, Board Member, Boston Neighborhood Community Land Trust Tamara Small, Chief Executive Officer, NAIOP Massachusetts Peter Spellios, Principal, Transom Real Estate Justin Steil, Associate Professor of Law and Urban Planning, MIT The 2021 Home Rule Petition also gave the City of Boston the power to more readily make changes to the Linkage policy without seeking further state approval. The City increased linkage fees with this new flexibility in March 2021. Mayor Wu has directed the Mayor’s Office of Housing to evaluate additional changes to the policy. This study will examine the relationship between new commercial development and the need for new, income-restricted housing and job training and will also consider policy options such as increasing the linkage fees, lowering the square footage that triggers linkage fees, and differentiating between different development types.. Karl Seidman Consulting Services and ConsultEcon, Inc. completed the last linkage study for Boston in 2016. For 25 years, Karl F. Seidman was Senior Lecturer in Urban Studies and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he taught classes in Economic Development Finance, Economic Development Planning and Revitalizing Urban Main Streets. Seidman founded ConsultEcon, Inc. in 1991 to provide services to clients in the areas of project and plan concept development, evaluation, and implementation, in the fields of real estate, community economic development, adaptive reuse, and visitor attractions and tourism. Over the last ten years, in addition to Boston, this team has completed or is in the process of completing similar studies for Cambridge, Everett, New Bedford, Somerville, and Watertown. The Linkage program began in 1983, with the approval of Article 26 of the Boston Zoning Code, which sought to balance large-scale commercial development with needed residential construction. In 1986, the City of Boston launched the Neighborhood Housing Trust (NHT) to manage housing linkage funds, and expanded Article 26 to include job training as an element of the linkage program, now managed through the Neighborhood Jobs Trust (NJT). From 1987 to 2021, the Neighborhood Housing Trust collected $217.1 million in funds, $102 million of which was collected in the last ten years. These funds have supported the creation of 7,149 new income-restricted units, and preserved 5,795 existing income-restricted units. From 1988 to 2021, the Neighborhood Jobs Trust disbursed over $69 million in Linkage funds to support Boston’s education and workforce development efforts, with almost $3.5 million disbursed in 2021 alone. Both the IDP and the Linkage studies are expected to be completed over the next several months and make policy recommendations to the Mayor’s Office of Housing in September. Last December, Mayor Wu announced her intention to launch these studies alongside a suite of complementary initiatives to increase affordable housing in Boston.  These announcements build on Mayor Wu’s initiatives to address Boston’s housing affordability, including 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, and announcing the City’s new Chief of Planning.  About the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH) The Mayor’s Office of Housing is responsible for housing people experiencing homelessness, creating and preserving affordable housing, and ensuring that renters and homeowners can obtain, maintain, and remain in safe, stable housing. The department develops and implements the City of Boston’s housing creation and homelessness prevention plans and collaborates with local and national partners to find new solutions and build more housing affordable to all, particularly those with lower incomes. For more information, please visit the MOH website.