MAYOR WALSH RELEASES QUARTERLY HOUSING REPORT

MAYOR WALSH RELEASES QUARTERLY HOUSING REPORT

Completed housing now exceeding expected population growth, 17,000 units permitted or complete; 18,000 in pipeline

administration's housing plan,  "Our population is growing faster today than at any time in our city's history, and I'm committed to making sure that Boston stays affordable by meeting the demand of our growing city," said Mayor Walsh. " By working across multiple agencies, this Administration is working everyday to bring new units on line at a variety of income levels, and we are seeing results." More than 3,000 new units, representing $1.4 billion in new investment, were approved by the City this quarter, resulting in an active development pipeline of 18,644 units of housing.  In total, 35,808 new units of housing have either been completed or are in the development process. Currently, there are more than 8,000 new units of housing in construction in Boston - representing more construction employment in the housing sector than at any time in the last 20 years. By the end of Q1 2016, enough new housing had been completed to house 20,237 new Bostonians. Completions are now exceeding projected population growth: in the last year, enough housing came on line to house 5,900 people, while the Metropolitan Area Planning Council's projection for population growth is 4,590 people per year. The City's most recent rental data is beginning to show a slight decrease in the growth of rents in Boston's older buildings, which the City defines as those completed prior to 2011. For example, city-wide, rent for a two bedroom apartment in an older building only increased three percent, which is approximately normal annual rental growth.  Demand remains high, however, for studios and one bedroom apartments, which respectively saw 13 and nine percent growth in rental prices.   Certain neighborhoods across the city may also be seeing slower rental pricing growth in existing stock: in Back Bay/Beacon Hill, Mattapan, the South End, and the Central district, rents have only risen by one to two percent since 2014.   Eight projects creating new low-income housing were approved this quarter by Department of Neighborhood Development and the Neighborhood Housing Trust. These developments will create 450 new units of housing, 325 of which are low-income affordable. The City recently awarded $27 million in funding and 143,000 square feet of City real estate, which will leverage more than $200 million in other private and public resources.  Since May, 2015, the Walsh administration has awarded more than $66 million in funding for affordable housing.   In his January 2016 State of the City Address, Mayor Walsh highlighted the importance of the City's anti-displacement efforts and announced the creation of the Office of Housing Stability. This new office is charged with the responsibility of preventing involuntary displacement in all its forms. The new office will be a new division of Department of Neighborhood Development, with the goal of being staffed and running at the beginning of FY17.  The City currently funds two significant anti-displacement programs: Foreclosure Prevention and Homelessness Prevention. Since 2014, more than 2,000 households have been able to retain their housing as a result of these programs.

Massachusetts Officials to Provide $2 Million to Test for Lead in Drinking Water at Public Schools

Massachusetts Officials to Provide $2 Million to Test for Lead in Drinking Water at Public Schools

Funds Will Pay for Technical Assistance, Lab Analysis of Water Fountain and Tap Samples

BOSTON – In a continued effort to ensure safe drinking water in schools around the Commonwealth, State Treasurer Deb Goldberg and Governor Charlie Baker today announced $2 million from the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust (MCWT) to fund cooperative efforts to assist Massachusetts public schools test for lead in drinking water. The funds, to be used by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), will provide technical assistance to ensure that public school districts can sample the taps and water fountains in their schools, and to identify any results that show lead contamination over the federal action level.

“As chair of the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust and the Massachusetts School Building Authority, I am proud to leverage the expertise of my office to address the issue of lead in our schools’ drinking water,” said Treasurer Deb Goldberg. “These funds allow for us to test more schools and identify where the need is for further investigation to make sure our children are drinking safe, clean water.”

“Protecting the health of our children is a top priority,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “By proactively offering this critical assistance, we can ensure that all students and parents across the Commonwealth are in a safe environment where they can learn and grow.”

“Parents are right to be vigilant when the health and safety of their children is at stake, and the Clean Water Trust partners are proud to make this funding available so that we can ensure that all water utilized at school is of the highest quality,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.

The funding from the MCWT, which will allow the assistance program to launch this spring, will pay for sampling to confirm that drinking water levels are below action levels in public school water fountains and fixtures used for food preparation, and will be utilized for the training of school personnel to assist in designing sampling plans.

“This program will help the Commonwealth, local schools and communities ensure that we have up-to-date information and are taking the necessary steps to guard against lead exposure,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “The Baker-Polito Administration will make sure that any school district that needs our help to assess its water supply system will be able to get it in a timely way.”

The Commonwealth estimates that $2 million could provide full support to about 1,750 schools for designing and executing a water sampling program. The funding will also be used to provide technical help to school systems, which will include training, designing sampling plans, and helping schools address fixtures that exceed the action level.

“The Trust’s vote to provide funds for our cities and towns across Massachusetts to test their school district’s water quality is another example of the Commonwealth and municipalities working together as partners to provide important services to our constituents,” said Kristen Lepore, Secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, who is also a member of the Clean Water Trust Board of Trustees.

MassDEP will spearhead the assistance program as part of its implementation of the federal Lead Contamination Control Act (LCCA). Under the LCCA, MassDEP earlier this year e-mailed to thousands of school officials a voluntary survey asking school districts to provide information about their drinking water testing programs, the results of any testing done recently and what plans were implemented to address any contamination uncovered during sampling. MassDEP is still collecting those school surveys and has extended the submission deadline to coincide with the start of this new assistance program.

This most recent effort comes as one of a number of initiatives to ensure safe drinking water. The House Ways and Means 2017 Budget proposal includes $500,000 in new funding for technical assistance to municipalities and public water suppliers.

“We are reaching out to school officials to take advantage of this initiative, which provides expert help to the schools,” said MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg, who is also a member of the Clean Water Trust Board of Trustees. “MassDEP and its partners will provide technical assistance and free lab analysis of local water samples, focusing on those most in need of assistance.”

Within the next week, MassDEP and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will make available to school districts, municipal officials and others the form needed to participate in the technical assistance and sample analysis program.

“We encourage our school districts to take advantage of this important resource and thank all the partners who have come together to support the safety and well-being of our Commonwealth's children,” said Education Secretary Jim Peyser. 

“This initiative keeps Massachusetts in the forefront with our efforts to guarantee safe drinking water for all our residents,” said Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Executive Director Fred Laskey.

Water supplied to schools is generally free of lead, but lead can be introduced into drinking water through plumbing and fixtures in buildings – especially in facilities more than 20 years old. Copper can also enter drinking water through plumbing, so the assistance program will also address copper levels in drinking water.  Historically, the majority of lead poisoning cases in Massachusetts are attributable to lead paint exposures, however other sources including drinking water in schools continues to be an important concern for children’s health.

Additional information on lead in drinking water and school-related issues can be found here.

The Massachusetts Clean Water Trust lends financial assistance to the Commonwealth under the State Revolving Fund program by providing subsidized loans to cities and towns for clean water and drinking water infrastructure development. Since its establishment in 1989, the Trust has loaned approximately $6.6 billion to improve and maintain the quality of water in the Commonwealth. An estimated 97 percent of Massachusetts’ citizens have benefited from the financial assistance of the Clean Water Trust. 

Massachusetts Officials to Provide $2 Million to Test for Lead in Drinking Water at Public Schools

Massachusetts Officials to Provide $2 Million to Test for Lead in Drinking Water at Public Schools

Funds Will Pay for Technical Assistance, Lab Analysis of Water Fountain and Tap Samples

BOSTON – In a continued effort to ensure safe drinking water in schools around the Commonwealth, Governor Charlie Baker and State Treasurer Deb Goldberg today announced $2 million from the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust (MCWT) to fund cooperative efforts to assist Massachusetts public schools test for lead in drinking water. The funds, to be used by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), will provide technical assistance to ensure that public school districts can sample the taps and water fountains in their schools, and to identify any results that show lead contamination over the federal action level.

“Protecting the health of our children is a top priority,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “By proactively offering this critical assistance, we can ensure that all students and parents across the Commonwealth are in a safe environment where they can learn and grow.”

“Parents are right to be vigilant when the health and safety of their children is at stake, and the Clean Water Trust partners are proud to make this funding available so that we can ensure that all water utilized at school is of the highest quality,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.

“As chair of the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust and the Massachusetts School Building Authority, I am proud to leverage the expertise of my office to address the issue of lead in our schools’ drinking water,” said Treasurer Deb Goldberg. “These funds allow for us to test more schools and identify where the need is for further investigation to make sure our children are drinking safe, clean water.”

The funding from the MCWT, which will allow the assistance program to launch this spring, will pay for sampling to confirm that drinking water levels are below action levels in public school water fountains and fixtures used for food preparation, and will be utilized for the training of school personnel to assist in designing sampling plans.

“This program will help the Commonwealth, local schools and communities ensure that we have up-to-date information and are taking the necessary steps to guard against lead exposure,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “The Baker-Polito Administration will make sure that any school district that needs our help to assess its water supply system will be able to get it in a timely way.”

The Commonwealth estimates that $2 million could provide full support to about 1,750 schools for designing and executing a water sampling program. The funding will also be used to provide technical help to school systems, which will include training, designing sampling plans, and helping schools address fixtures that exceed the action level.

“The Trust’s vote to provide funds for our cities and towns across Massachusetts to test their school district’s water quality is another example of the Commonwealth and municipalities working together as partners to provide important services to our constituents,” said Kristen Lepore, Secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, who is also a member of the Clean Water Trust Board of Trustees.

MassDEP will spearhead the assistance program as part of its implementation of the federal Lead Contamination Control Act (LCCA). Under the LCCA, MassDEP earlier this year e-mailed to thousands of school officials a voluntary survey asking school districts to provide information about their drinking water testing programs, the results of any testing done recently and what plans were implemented to address any contamination uncovered during sampling. MassDEP is still collecting those school surveys and has extended the submission deadline to coincide with the start of this new assistance program.

This most recent effort comes as one of a number of initiatives to ensure safe drinking water. The House Ways and Means 2017 Budget proposal includes $500,000 in new funding for technical assistance to municipalities and public water suppliers.

“We are reaching out to school officials to take advantage of this initiative, which provides expert help to the schools,” said MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg, who is also a member of the Clean Water Trust Board of Trustees. “MassDEP and its partners will provide technical assistance and free lab analysis of local water samples, focusing on those most in need of assistance.”

Within the next week, MassDEP and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will make available to school districts, municipal officials and others the form needed to participate in the technical assistance and sample analysis program.

“We encourage our school districts to take advantage of this important resource and thank all the partners who have come together to support the safety and well-being of our Commonwealth's children,” said Education Secretary Jim Peyser. 

“This initiative keeps Massachusetts in the forefront with our efforts to guarantee safe drinking water for all our residents,” said Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Executive Director Fred Laskey.

Water supplied to schools is generally free of lead, but lead can be introduced into drinking water through plumbing and fixtures in buildings – especially in facilities more than 20 years old. Copper can also enter drinking water through plumbing, so the assistance program will also address copper levels in drinking water.  Historically, the majority of lead poisoning cases in Massachusetts are attributable to lead paint exposures, however other sources including drinking water in schools continues to be an important concern for children’s health.

Additional information on lead in drinking water and school-related issues can be found here.

The Massachusetts Clean Water Trust lends financial assistance to the Commonwealth under the State Revolving Fund program by providing subsidized loans to cities and towns for clean water and drinking water infrastructure development. Since its establishment in 1989, the Trust has loaned approximately $6.6 billion to improve and maintain the quality of water in the Commonwealth. An estimated 97 percent of Massachusetts’ citizens have benefited from the financial assistance of the Clean Water Trust. 

National Re-Entry Week “Employer Information Summit”

National Re-Entry Week “Employer Information Summit”
Planned for Thursday
Federal agencies co-host event with business leaders on hiring returning citizens
BOSTON – On Thursday, April 28, 2016, several federal agencies in Boston will co-host an “Employer Information Summit” as part of the Justice Department’s National Reentry Week. Members of the business community are invited to attend. The Summit is also open to the media.
“The Department of Justice plays a critical role in reducing recidivism,” said United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz. “We need to prepare individuals who have served prison sentences to reenter their communities and the workforce so that they can contribute in positive ways. Supporting successful reentry efforts is a critical means of breaking the cycle of recidivism and is an important step in improving our criminal justice system.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Probation Department, U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration and the Federal Bureau of Prisons will meet with local business leaders about issues surrounding employment for citizens returning from incarceration. The Summit will take place at the John F. Kennedy Federal Building, Room 900-B, from
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Business leaders and policymakers are invited to attend to learn about vocational training provided to inmates while in federal custody and how such training can provide returning citizens with valuable experience and specific job skills. Representatives from U.S. Probation will discuss resources that assist returning citizens in securing employment, and the Department of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration will discuss grant programs that provide job training and placement, tax benefits of hiring returning citizens and the Federal Bonding Program. More details about the Federal Bonding Program can be found at http://www.bonds4jobs.com/.
Participants will also have the opportunity to hear from local businesses that currently employ returning citizens and learn about the advantages, as well as how to successfully overcome challenges with respect to hiring.
Opening remarks will be provided by U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz, U.S. Probation Chief Christopher Maloney and Regional Administrator Holly O’Brien of the Department of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration. Perspectives from the federal bench will also be offered by U.S. Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley.

The Summit is being held in connection with National Reentry Week, which aims to amplify the importance of sustainable employment as a factor in the successful reintegration of individuals returning to the community following incarceration. For more information, please read Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s editorial, National Reentry Week: An Essential Part of Our Mission.
For further information or to register to attend this event, please contact Kasim Adamson at U.S. Probation at kasim_adamson@map.uscourts.gov or Martha Wyatt at the U.S. Attorney’s Office at martha.wyatt@usdoj.gov. 

SIX INDIVIDUALS CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY SELLING AND POSSESSING FIREARMS

SIX INDIVIDUALS CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY SELLING AND POSSESSING FIREARMS

BOSTON – Six individuals have been indicted in three separate cases in connection with illegally selling and possessing loaded firearms, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

These cases are the results of investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which found that the defendants were not licensed to legally possess or sell firearms or ammunition.

“Gun violence is a public health crisis and our office is committed to keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people and going after those who make illegal gun sales,” AG Healey said

“ATF is committed to targeting prohibited individuals from possessing and trafficking in firearms,” said Daniel Kumor, ATF Special Agent in Charge Field of the Boston Field Division. “ATF will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to eliminate these type of crimes and remove firearms from illegal commerce.”

Kervin Guilliod

Kervin Guilliod, 33, of Cambridge, was indicted on April 21 by a Middlesex County Grand Jury on the charges of Possession of a Firearm (one count) and Possession of a Loaded Firearm (one count). He will be arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court at a later date.

An ATF investigation revealed Guilliod allegedly arranged the sale of a revolver to an undercover police officer in a car outside of a barbershop in Cambridge.

Canez Tout-Puissant

Canez Tout-Puissant, 40, of Boston, was indicted on Monday by a Suffolk County Grand Jury on the charges of Possession of a Firearm (two counts), Possession of a Loaded Firearm (one count) and Possession of Ammunition (two counts). He was also charged with being a Level 1 Armed Career Criminal.

An ATF investigation revealed Tout-Puissant allegedly illegally sold a rifle, a pistol and ammunition to an undercover police officer in a car in Mattapan. He will be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court at a later date.

Timothy Lawrence, Josue Hilaire, Edoward Leger and Erica Bettencourt

A Statewide Grand Jury indicted four individuals on Monday in connection with illegally selling firearms to an undercover police officer in a car.

Timothy Lawrence, 32, of Fall River, allegedly sold a revolver, rifle, sawed-off shotgun and pistol on three different occasions in Mattapan. He was charged with Possession of a Firearm (two counts), Possession of a Rifle (one count), Possession of a Sawed-Off Shotgun (one count), and Trafficking in Firearms (one count). Lawrence was also charged as a Level 1 Armed Career Criminal.

Josue Hilaire, 48, of Randolph allegedly sold a revolver and one pistol on two different occasions in Mattapan. He was charged with Possession of a Firearm (two counts).

Edoward Leger, 43, of Dorchester allegedly sold one pistol in Mattapan. He was charged with Possession of a Firearm (one count).

Erica Bettencourt, 29, of Fall River allegedly sold a rifle in Randolph. She was charged with Possession of a Rifle (one count).

Lawrence, Hilaire and Leger will be arraigned at later dates in Suffolk Superior Court and Bettencourt will be arraigned at a later date in Plymouth Superior Court.

All of these charges area allegations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

 AG Healey is committed to putting an end to irresponsible and illegal gun use and sales and to getting guns out of the hands of dangerous people.

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Gina Kwon, of AG Healey’s Enterprise, Major and Cyber Crimes Division, with assistance from Paralegal Emily Bartlett, also of AG Healey’s Enterprise, Major and Cyber Crimes Division. The cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Police, Cambridge Police, and the Massachusetts State Police.

STATEMENT OF MAYOR WALSH ON AMAZON SAME DAY DELIVERY

STATEMENT OF MAYOR WALSH ON AMAZON SAME DAY DELIVERY

BOSTON - Tuesday, April 26, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today released the following statement after speaking with Amazon:  "After speaking personally with the executives at Amazon, the company informed me today that they will now be offering same day service to every neighborhood in Boston. I thank Amazon for this decision, and look forward to its implementation."

Regis enhances science learning with opening of newly renovated science laboratory

Regis enhances science learning with opening of newly renovated science laboratory

WESTON, MA.—April 25, 2016--Regis President Antoinette Hays, PhD, RN, was joined by Travis McCready, President & CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center  (MLSC) and other federal, state and local officials to mark the opening of the university’s newly renovated 826 square foot science laboratory that will strengthen science learning on campus. The renovated space and scientific equipment is the result of a $355,000 MLSC capital grant awarded to Regis in 2015.

“Massachusetts’ evolving innovation economy and academic institutions continue to attract and educate the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Regis College’s newest life sciences training facility embodies the Commonwealth’s ability to leverage its talent and resources to bring game changing technology to fruition, grow our economy and create jobs.”

“This is an exciting day for Regis, as our newly renovated science laboratory and equipment represent important strategic investments in our future.  We are focused on accelerating STEM learning to help more students fully participate in today’s innovation economy,” said Regis President Antoinette M. Hays, PhD, RN.  “We are very appreciative to Travis McCready and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center for their tremendous support.”

“We are pleased to participate in today’s opening of Regis’ state-of-the-art science laboratory,” said Travis McCready, President & CEO of the MLSC.  “The MLSC has been making capital investments to support education and training at academic institutions across the entire Commonwealth in order to meet the workforce needs of our state’s fastest-growing industry, and to enable life science employers to find the talent they need.  Through this effort, Regis will be better positioned to connect students with job opportunities in the Massachusetts life sciences ecosystem.”

Regis also has invested in state-of-the-art scientific equipment to support biology and biochemistry studies, including a Vertical Laminar Flow hood, a minus-86 degree freezer, inverted phase contrast microscope, a glass still for purified water, centrifuges, and a Countess II cell counter – all of which will advance student tissue culture training and research using tissue culture cells,High Pressure Liquid Chromatography system (HPLC), a gas chromatograph, and scales, pH meters, physiology equipment, gel scanner, as well as UV/Vis spectrophotometers.

Regis is expected to leverage an increase in the number of life sciences students and foster new industry partnerships by raising the experience and profile of its science graduates.

Mayor's Office of Financial Empowerment Launches Credit-Building Program for Young Adults

Mayor's Office of Financial Empowerment Launches Credit-Building Program for Young Adults

Collaboration with Citi Community Development and other organizations will engage the City's working youth, 18-28

BOSTON – The Mayor's Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE) with support from Citi Community Development has launched the City of Boston Credit Building Initiative for Young Working Adults, a first-of-its-kind credit-building program designed to introduce young adults to the importance of credit and to help them increase their credit score over the duration of a year.

The OFE initiative, which began in March with 300 participants, promotes youth credit-building using three steps: an introductory workshop that explains how credit works, why it is so important, and how it can result in life-long savings; free one-on-one financial coaching available to participants throughout the year; and the opportunity to sign up for an asset-building CW-3 account.

A CW-3 account is a special credit-building tool in which a mainstream lender (in this case, nonprofit Justine PETERSEN) deposits a 12-month installment loan of $300 into a locked savings account. The participant's monthly $25 payments into the account act as loan repayments, thus building the individual's credit score. At the end of the year, the participant is encouraged to use the balance in the account to open a new credit card.

“By connecting young people with the tools of financial empowerment, we can help them along the path to future prosperity and long-term success,” said Mayor Martin J. Walsh, who has made addressing income inequality a priority for his administration. “We're grateful to partners like Citi for their commitment to helping us link residents with asset-building opportunities.”

“According to data from FamilyAssetsCount.org, 43% of Bostonians age 35 and under are financially vulnerable,” said Bob Annibale, Global Director of Citi Community Development and Inclusive Finance. “This important program, in collaboration with the City of Boston, will ensure that young people have the tools and support necessary to build a healthy financial identity now and in the future.”

Working Credit NFP provides workshops and financial coaching for the program. "There's a growing interest in credit building across the country," said Ricki Lowitz, Executive Director of Working Credit NFP. "But just a few organizations have made it the centerpiece of their approach to financial education. Boston's is the first municipal effort in the country, that I know of, to focus solely on credit-building. It's also one of the first programs to focus credit-building efforts specifically on young workers."

Credit building is especially crucial for those young workers starting their financial lives from an already disadvantaged position. Of the approximately 18,000 young adults in Boston who are employed and un-enrolled in school, 35 percent live at 200 percent of the poverty line or poorer.

Vahsaun Givans, 25, is a City Year member who signed up for the youth credit-building program and attended one of the initial workshops.

"I figured out if I use my credit card and pay it off in a timely manner, that's better than using my debit card, because the Credit Bureau doesn't check what you do with your savings," he said. "Already, I've switched from my debit account to my credit account for paying back my student loans."

Northeastern University's Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy will track and measure the youth credit-building program's ability to improve credit and credit-building behaviors in this hard-to-reach age group, providing important new insights for other youth asset-building opportunities across the United States.

Several Boston-area organizations have helped with youth outreach and engagement for the program, including City Year, Year Up, ROCA, Roxbury Community College, Madison Park Development Organization, BEST Corp., and Boston's Department of Youth Engagement and Employment.

The Mayor's Office of Financial Empowerment is part of the Office of Workforce Development, an affiliate of the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

About the Mayor's Office of Workforce Development 

The Mayor's Office of Workforce Development (OWD) is an innovative agency within the Boston Redevelopment Authority that seeks to ensure the full participation of all Boston residents in the city's economic vitality and future. The OWD funds and oversees programs that promote workforce development through education, jobs training, apprenticeships, financial coaching, career pathways, literacy initiatives, and the like. Please visit OWD.Boston.Gov to learn more about the OWD's work.

About the Boston Redevelopment Authority

As the City of Boston’s urban planning and economic development agency, the BRA works in partnership with the community to plan Boston's future while respecting its past. The agency’s passionate and knowledgeable staff guides physical, social, and economic change in Boston’s neighborhoods and its downtown to shape a more prosperous, resilient, and vibrant city for all. The BRA also prepares residents for new opportunities through employment training, human services and job creation. Learn more at www.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org, and follow us on Twitter @BostonRedevelop.