MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES JOANNE WISNIEWSKI AS BOSTON'S HR TRANSFORMATION DIRECTOR

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES JOANNE WISNIEWSKI AS BOSTON'S HR TRANSFORMATION DIRECTOR Wisniewski to lead City of Boston's human resources transformation

BOSTON - Friday, February 14, 2020 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced Joanne Wisniewski will join the City of Boston, serving as the City's Human Resources Transformation Director. Wisniewski will lead Boston's work to transform its human resources (HR) services, to better manage, train, recruit, and retain the City's workforce, made up of over 18,000 employees in over 60 departments serving the people of Boston.  "The City of Boston's greatest resource is its people, and in order to deliver the best services to our residents, we must hire and retain the talented, hardworking people who create the programs and run the departments that truly make a difference in Bostonians lives," said Mayor Walsh. "I'm excited to have Joanne join the City to transform how Boston delivers HR services, creating a stronger environment for Boston's employees, and improving services for all of Boston."  Last year, Boston retained the services of Deloitte Consulting to advise Boston on strengthening its HR services, and offer solutions to ensure the City is meeting the needs of its employees, and allowing them to deliver the best work and services to the people of Boston. Since the start of the work, a City-wide HR governance board has been established, which will identify and set priorities for the City's HR transformation; finalize its future HR operating model; and develop a multi-year transformational roadmap. As part of that work, Wisniewski has accepted the City's offer to lead this HR transformation work. Wisniewski is an accomplished HR professional who has led and supported similar HR transformations in other public and private sector organizations. She comes to the City from Deloitte Consulting, where she was a senior member of the team advising and supporting the City on its HR transformation. Prior to joining Deloitte, she held senior roles with Fidelity Investments and Revlon.   "To me, it seems every experience I've had during my career has led to this opportunity," said Wisniewski. "I thank Mayor Walsh for this opportunity, and know that in this new role, together we can make a lasting, positive impact on the City of Boston, its employees, and all those who rely on the City for services and programs."  Wisniewski is tasked with driving HR performance improvement across the City's departments and agencies. Earlier this year, in her role as a consultant, she helped establish the HR governance board comprised of a representative mix of leaders from across City Government. She will now lead that board in its efforts to address the City's most immediate HR goals and establish an updated means for delivering critical services to the City's workforce through changes in process, technology, and organizational design. Joining the HR Transformation project as Project Manager and Policy Analyst is Erin Santhouse, who recently served as Executive Director of Scheduling and Advance in the Mayor's Office. Erin previously directed SparkBoston (formerly ONEin3), the City's outreach to millennial residents designed to engage young people with the City of Boston's programs and services.  "We are delighted Joanne has joined our City team and know she's the right person at the right time to lead our HR transformation initiative," said Emme Handy, Boston's Chief of Administrative and Finance. "Working closely with leaders at City Hall, both Joanne and Erin will improve the employee experience and better enable employees to serve the missions of Boston's agencies." Wisniewski is a resident of the West End, and Santhouse is a resident of Dorchester.

麻州及鄰近城市考輛推廣公車專用道

(Boston Orange 編譯)新一代的公車專用車道要來了。

數個城市的交通計畫員正在考慮在一些主要道路的中心線道，增加公車專用道，並鋪上水泥安全島讓乘客上下車。

由於公車不是在靠近路邊的右線道行駛，公車被其它試圖停洎，或要轉彎車輛阻擋的可能性就會降低。麻州政府交通官員還說，他們考慮讓公車在某些高速公路的路肩(緊急車道)上行駛。

這些概念都不新。世界各地，甚至美國已有許多城市設有在路中央行駛的公車道，這是被稱為”公車捷運(bus rapid transit)”系統的主要關鍵。波士頓市也曾於2009年考慮過在藍山大道(Blue Hill Avenue)採用這一做法。至於高速公路，在允許公車和其它車輛分開行駛上，麻州比其它州落後幾十年。

支持以這做法來解決交通阻塞，空氣汙染的人認為，對大波士頓來說，”遲到好過沒到”。

交通及發展政策院(Institute for Transportation and Development Policy)的Julia Wallerce說，這是交通有優先順序，任何可以採行此法的地方都應該這麼做。

這路中心行駛道可能首先出現在波士頓市，沿著洛士百利(Roxbury)和牙買加平原(Jamaica Plain)邊界，Egleston 和 Jackson 廣場之間的哥倫布大道(Columbus Avenue)上。

波士頓交通計畫主任Vineet Gupta表示，這段路只有半英里長，但因為它寬，已經有四線道，還有停車空間，以及中間帶，乘坐公交車的人也很多，很適合這結構。

在那路段上來往的人，約有三分之一都搭乘公車，而塞車會讓他們的通車時間加長三倍。

Vineet Gupta說，設計哥倫布道上的公車專用道，大概需時六個月，要真正實施這做法得更久。不過波市府已分享過中間車道的初步想法。其中一個版本士讓公車停在兩條公車道的中間，不過那需要車門開在左邊，而MBTA現有車隊的車輛，門都開在右邊。另一個方法可能是在反方向那邊錯開公車站，在站台台上裝遮棚，加燈，以及其它設施。

           在艾佛瑞(Everett)市，市長Carlo DeMaria誓言最終要為沿著百老匯街(Broadway)行駛的MBTA公車設置一個類似的系統，把現有的公車專用道向南推得更遠，遠道超越安可波士頓海港賭場(Encore Boston Harbor casino)，進入波士頓市。他希望這條路線延伸到北車站。

北岸也考慮在Lynnway現有的繁忙六線道設中央線道。MBTA和市府官員表示，作為改善林市(Lynn)交通評估的一部份，這些類型的公車專用道也可能讓大眾交通工具乘客在來往市中心和瑞維爾(Revere)市的旺德蘭(Wonderland)藍線地鐵站時，更容易些。

麻州政府擁有的Lynnway是大部分北岸城市進入波士頓市的主要連街區，一天約有4萬多輛車。不過林市市長Thomas McGee認為目前的結構，可以在影響其它交通不大的情況下容納公車專用道。再者，在中央島嶼上設上下站的公車系統，對跨越Lynnway的行人來說，也更容易些，對林市把預定都要作重大發展的城中區和現在很荒涼的水前區連結起來這長程計劃來說，很重要。

麻州交通廳也在研究一些高速公路的路肩(緊急車道)可以在交通尖峰時段，撥作公車專用道。

在全美時幾個都會區中，這做法很常見，但是麻州在1980年代選擇了另一做法，在交通尖峰時間，允許大多數車輛在某些高速公路的路肩上行駛。

           不過在今年內，有關人員希望很快可讓MBTA，以及其它公車在波士頓城中區以北的93號州際公路路肩上行駛，讓那些通勤者能夠擺脫全美最糟的一些動彈不得窘況。這還需要聯邦高速公路局的批准。麻州交通廳廳長Stephanie Pollack說，在其它高速公路上也實施之前，作為試驗計畫，這會是個很好的學習經驗。

華埠天滿街上180戶可負擔住宅大樓計畫 BPDA批准了

(Boston Orange 編譯)在波士頓華埠邊的天滿街(Tremont)停車場上蓋一座高350英尺，有180戶有收入限制可負擔公寓大樓的計畫，甫於2月13日由波士頓計畫及發展局(Boston Planning & Development Agency)批准了。

這是波士頓市擁有，劃為可負擔住宅的預定地。在波士頓市中心發展土地經驗豐富的千禧年夥伴(Millennium Partners)將和亞美社區發展協會(ACDC)，Corcoran Jennison 公司，以及塔芙茨大學(Tufts)合作興建。整個土地發展計畫除180戶可負擔住宅大樓，還包括有200個房間的酒店，供鄰近塔芙茨醫療中心用，有340個停車位的停車場。

這可負擔住宅大樓將有三分之二為出租單位，三分之一為出售單位，大部分建築費用將由千禧年公司在溫卓普中心(Winthrop Center)蓋摩天大樓，因應包容性發展政策(IDP)而必須提交給波士頓市府的經費來支付。波士頓市府上週還撥款700萬元，資助亞美社區發展協會這一住宅計畫。

根據波士頓市府的一項實驗計畫，住在新大樓附近的居民，將在這棟大樓的抽籤過程中獲得優先權。發展商希望該方法有助於一銼把工薪階級逼趕出這社區的土地發展趨勢。

亞美社區發展協會行政主任劉安琪表示，我們等著為低及中等收入家庭建造更多永久住家，以容許他們留在華埠安居樂業，並保留這地區的歷史民族感。她說，”我們的移民家庭需要留在和華埠很近的地方，以獲得對他們很重要的服務與工作機會。

波士頓環球報在報導中形容，這棟大樓也將是波士頓公共圖書館華埠分館的永久館址。發展商同意在地面樓層撥出8000平方呎社區空間，並預期那兒能夠容納圖書館。不過這一部分的最後決定還沒落實。

吳弭發起進華埠吃點心 破除坊間新冠狀病毒恐懼

(Boston Orange 周菊子綜合報導) 波士頓市議員吳弭(Michelle Wu)，愛德華費林(Ed Flynn)，昆士市市議會議長梁秀婷(Nina Liang)，將和亞美專業人士協會波士頓分會(NAAAP Boston)，麻州餐館協會，全美亞裔總商會下一代分會(ACE Nextgen)等組織攜手合作，呼籲各界於2月15日早上10點至12點，到波士頓華埠龍鳳酒樓”飲茶”，吃點心，支持波士頓華埠企業。

世界衛生組織定名為COVID-19的新型冠狀病毒，在2019年12月底最早從中國武漢傳出疫情後，由於陸續證實病毒可經由飛沫等途徑人傳人，傳染範圍遍及20多國，確診人數攀升至6萬，死亡人數逾千。

截至2月13日，全世界確診病例已有60314，其中約6萬宗發生在中國，5萬多宗集中在湖北，湖北武漢更是高發區，逾3萬宗。死亡人數則高達1367，近千人逝於武漢。

世界各國採取的禁航，檢疫，嚴格執行隔離14天等措施，以及媒體的大幅度報導，不但使得”新型冠狀病毒恐懼症”越演越烈，許多華人、亞裔，及其食肆、店鋪都被波及，成為避免接觸對象。

坊間陸續曾有報導指出，以美國為例，每年的流感季，都有逾千萬人感染，死亡人數也逾萬，照說比新型冠狀病毒危害更烈，人們只要像因應一般流感一樣，做好預防措施，用肥皂或酒精勤洗手，打噴嚏或咳嗽要用紙巾遮住，避免用手觸摸眼睛，鼻子和嘴巴等地方，避免和患病人士接觸等，對這新型冠狀病毒不須過於敏感。

有觀察家認為，是新型冠狀病毒成因不明，迄今無確切藥物可治，絕大部分染患者都是中國人，再加上媒體的大幅度報導，才增加了人們的恐懼。

波士頓市議員愛德華費林，波士頓市政府，昆士市政府也都為此發出過中英文的新型冠狀病毒解說與預防方法。

COVID-19疫情的越演越烈，引發美國各地華埠人潮銳減情況，波士頓華埠也出現商家生意暴跌現象。全美亞裔總商會下一代分會(ACE Nextgen)波士頓會長蘇宇寅(Ian So)表示，華裔商家的營業額普遍約暴跌50%到70%，情況頗嚴峻，受影響的遠不只是商家，還有這些企業的僱員及其家人。

波士頓市議員吳弭及愛德華費林，昆士市市議會議長梁秀婷因此和華人團體組織合作，呼籲各界在2月15日早上10點進華埠，到龍鳳餐廳飲茶吃點心活動。波士頓市長馬丁華殊也在社交媒體上推廣”華埠賓果(Chinatown Bingo)”遊戲，主旨都在強調，新冠狀病毒在麻州只出現一宗確診案例，波士頓市府也立即採取了安全措施，民眾不需要害怕得整個華埠社區都不敢涉足。

波士頓主流媒體如波士頓環球報(Boston Globe)，波士頓前鋒報(Boston Herald)，CBS的4號頻道WBZ，NBC，25號頻道，廣播電台的WBUR等，近日紛紛踏足波士頓華埠，採訪了華埠大排檔的Raymond Choi，南北和的宮雪花，龍鳳酒樓的梅沛傑，樂嚐軒的陳文棟等食肆老闆，報導相關情況，要讓更多人知道踏進波士頓華埠和到麻州任何其他地方，一樣安全。

波士頓亞美電影節(BAAFF)為支持這活動，特地宣佈凡是購票(10元)，參加到華埠吃點心活動者，都可免費獲得在派拉蒙劇院(Paramount Theater)放映的"愛之船:台灣(Love Boat: Taiwan)”紀錄片的入場券一張，https://artsemerson.org/Online/article/love-boat 。

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES THAT HOME FORECLOSURES IN BOSTON DROPPED MORE THAN 60 PERCENT IN 2019

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES THAT HOME FORECLOSURES IN BOSTON DROPPED MORE THAN 60 PERCENT IN 2019

Citywide, foreclosures were reduced from 103 to 40, a 61 percent reduction

BOSTON - Tuesday, February 11, 2020 - Building on his Administration's work to prevent foreclosures and keep people in their homes, Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced foreclosures in the City of Boston have dropped 61 percent since 2018, reaching a 17 year low, according to year-end reporting. Citywide, foreclosure executions were reduced from 103 in 2018 to 40 in 2019. At the height of the foreclosure crisis in 2008, the foreclosure executions in Boston numbered 1,215.  "I'm proud that through our work with homeowners, we have been able to reduce the number of foreclosures in Boston, and keep more families in their homes," said Mayor Walsh. "These results show that our programs and policies to prevent foreclosures and evictions are working. Housing stability is vital to ensuring Boston has strong neighborhoods and communities, and I want to thank the leadership and staff of the Boston Home Center and all of our provider partners who work so hard for Boston's homeowners every day." According to the year-end reporting, the number of foreclosures executed against owner-occupant homeowners was halved from 35 in 2018 to 17 in 2019. Of the 40 foreclosure executions in 2019, 17 were owner-occupant homeowners while the remaining 23 executions were on investor-owners. Reducing the number of foreclosure executions on owner-occupied homes in the City of Boston to less than 20 per year is one of the goals of Mayor Walsh's comprehensive housing policy for Boston, Housing a Changing City: Boston 2030.  The Boston Home Center, a division of the Department of Neighborhood Development works with Boston homeowners at risk of foreclosure and funds foreclosure prevention programs at ABCD/Mattapan Family Services, ESAC, Urban Edge, and Nuestra Communidad. These partnerships are made possible by grants from the federal government, and competitive awards the Home Center receives from the Massachusetts Division of Banks and the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. In 2019, the Boston Home Center and its partners assisted 205 homeowners at risk of foreclosure or in need of a more sustainable housing situation, preserving more than 100 tenancies in multi-family homes. More than half of the homeowners assisted were seniors, and the average owner income was $40,300.  "Since its inception in 2007, the partnership between the City of Boston Department Neighborhood Development/Boston Home Center and ABCD Mattapan Family Service Center has provided foreclosure prevention and homeowner stabilization counseling to more than 1,000 Boston families," said John J. Drew, ABCD President and CEO. "This partnership has a 96 percent success rate at negotiating affordable mortgage payments and implementing strategies that have prevented foreclosures and stabilized the Mattapan neighborhood. Increasing housing stability strengthens communities and we are proud of the work we do to assist our clients." The number of lender-owned (REO) properties, homes that are held by a bank or mortgage company after not being sold at a foreclosure auction, has also been reduced by 60 percent. This 60 percent reduction benchmark means that Boston has not only exceeded the goal of a 50 percent reduction of REOs established in Mayor Walsh's housing plan but is a further indicator that Boston's housing market has largely recovered from the housing financial market collapse of 2008.  "The Boston Home Center has been an essential resource for local homeowners facing foreclosure and other housing challenges," said Attorney General Maura Healey. "We are grateful for the City's ongoing partnership in our efforts to combat the foreclosure crisis and support housing stability across the state." Earlier this week, Mayor Walsh announced that one in four units of new housing permits in the City of Boston in 2019 was below-market-rate and deed-restricted. According to the data, nearly 26 percent, or 830 of the 3,206 housing units permitted in 2019, will be made available to those meeting income-eligibility criteria.  Since Mayor Walsh took office in 2014, the City of Boston has built more than 65 percent of all new homes in Greater Boston, with 20 percent of them deed-restricted for low- and middle-income households. Boston has surpassed 32,000 units permitted under the Administration's housing plan, including more than 6,200 deed-restricted units and 500 units for senior housing. More than 1,000 Boston Housing Authority units have been renovated, and the Department of Neighborhood Development (DND) has assisted more than 600 homebuyers in purchasing their homes and has aided 946 homeowners with mortgage workouts or other assistance in averting foreclosure or stabilizing their housing.  As part of the Administration's commitment to preventing displacement, Mayor Walsh filed a legislative package to the State Legislature that includes anti-displacement proposals. They include measures that would allow tenants and non-profits the right of first refusal to purchase properties subject to foreclosure or short sale; the right to counsel for tenants in housing court; protections for senior tenants; and the creation of a state income tax credit for renting unsubsidized units at below-market rates. Mayor Walsh has publicly testified at the State House to support the passage of these proposals.

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING PERMITS IN BOSTON ROSE TO MORE THAN 25 PERCENT OF ALL UNITS PERMITTED IN 2019

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING PERMITS IN BOSTON ROSE TO MORE THAN 25 PERCENT OF ALL UNITS PERMITTED IN 2019

Reflects shift to increasing affordable units in Boston's neighborhoods

BOSTON - Monday, February 10, 2020 - Building on Boston's work to address the need for more affordable housing in Boston, Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced that one in four units of new housing permitted in the City of Boston in 2019 was below market-rate and deed-restricted, according to an analysis of year-end data from the Walsh Administration. According to the data, nearly 26 percent, or 830 of the 3,206 housing units permitted in 2019, will be made available to those meeting income-eligibility criteria. The data also shows that in 2019, 77 of all new permits were in Boston's neighborhoods outside of the downtown area.  "There is no question that housing is the biggest economic challenge our residents face," said Mayor Walsh. "These permits show that in Boston, we're taking our role in creating and permitting affordable housing seriously, and we continue to do everything in our power to ensure there are affordable housing options available for all those who call Boston home. I want to thank all our partners who share our goals, and make this work possible." As of the end of 2019, Boston had permitted 32,627 new units of housing, 127 percent  of the target pace necessary to successfully execute Mayor Walsh's comprehensive housing plan, which calls for the creation of 69,000 new units by 2030 as described in Housing a Changing City: Boston 2030. More than half of the 2019 newly permitted affordable housing units are income- restricted to households earning less than approximately $54,000 for a two-person household. During 2019, the City awarded $50 million in funding to create 445 new income-restricted units and preserve 194 existing affordable units. In addition in 2019, the Boston Planning & Development Agency approved 4,715 residential units, including 1,216 income-restricted units, representing over 26 percent of total units. The BPDA approved projects will generate over $2 million in new Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP) funds and $21.7 million in Linkage fees to support affordable housing and job training.  These actions have brought the active affordable housing pipeline to a total of 4,890 units. Along with the 6,309 units permitted to date, the City now has 11,199 affordable units that are complete, in construction or underway. This total represents 70 percent of the City's 15,820-unit target for 2030. "Building affordable housing in Boston is a challenge, but one that we are committed to," said John B. Cruz III, President and CEO of the Cruz Companies. "In 2019, we moved forward on the Michael E. Haynes Arms Apartments on Warren Street in Roxbury. We're building 55 rental units, 46 of which will be below-market and affordable, plus great commercial space, partly on formerly city-owned land. This is one of 14 affordable housing projects we've worked on with the City of Boston. Together, we've built more than 830 units of affordable housing, and I look forward to our continued partnership."  The Walsh Administration has also made commitments to incentivizing these kinds of affordable developments by making 3 million square feet of city-owned land and buildings available for redevelopment. 2.3 million square feet is in the process of redevelopment, and will ultimately produce 1,770 units of housing, of which 71 percent will be income-restricted affordable units. In 2019 alone, DND designated developers for 262,000 square feet of City-owned real estate that will result in 310 new affordable units.  "At Caribbean Integration Community Development (CICD), we're working with the City of Boston as we move forward on creating Cote Village, a 100 percent affordable housing facility that reflects the needs of the working class residents in Mattapan," said Donald Alexis, President of CICD. "This city-owned land that has been an eyesore for many decades will house 76 units to be rented at below-market prices, community space, and commercial space that will benefit the Mattapan Square Neighborhood. This is truly a transformative project for Mattapan and we're proud to be a part of it."  Last week, Mayor Walsh awarded $69.2 million in funding for the creation and preservation of 1,097 units of housing in Brighton, Chinatown, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Roslindale, Roxbury and West Roxbury. These funds represent the largest affordable housing funding awards by the City of Boston since the release of Housing a Changing City: Boston 2030 in 2014. The $69.2 million commitment is over and above the commitment made in his State of the City address last month, where Mayor Walsh pledged $500 million over the next five years to create thousands of homes across Boston affordable to households with low and middle incomes.  In an effort to remove barriers to housing for residents, Mayor Walsh last week also announced that he is launching a working group to study broker fees in Boston to understand how these fees impact renters in the City.  Through increases in the City's operating and capital budgets, the investment announced in the Mayor's State of the City address will double the City's current funding in affordable housing to $100 million. Additional revenue will be generated by selling the Lafayette Garage, as well as working with the Massachusetts Legislature to approve a transfer fee of up to 2 percent on private real estate sales over $2 million in the City of Boston. These combined investments will increase the available funds for affordable housing to five times current funding levels over the next five years. The need for affordable housing options for Boston's aging population has also been a focus of similar incentives. Mayor Walsh's housing plan calls for 2,000 new units of low-income senior housing by 2030. Offering city-owned land and funding for deeper affordability has stimulated development, with 507 units currently in development, and another 853 in the pipeline.That pipeline includes Boston's first LGBTQ-friendly senior housing development on the site of the former Rogers School in Hyde Park. When complete, the $33 million development will preserve the beauty of the original 1899 building, while creating 74 new income-restricted rental units that will be welcoming to seniors 62 years and older, and specifically welcoming to seniors who identify as LGBTQ. All units will be deed-restricted in perpetuity, and will provide affordable, safe housing for seniors across a wide variety of incomes. Since Mayor Walsh took office in 2014, the City of Boston has built more than 65 percent of all  new homes in Greater Boston, with 20 percent of them deed-restricted for low- and middle-income households. Boston has surpassed 32,000 units permitted under the administration's housing plan, including more than 6,200 deed-restricted units and 500 units for senior housing. More than 1,000 Boston Housing Authority units have been renovated, and the Department of Neighborhood Development has assisted more than 600 homebuyers in purchasing their homes, and has aided 946 homeowners with mortgage workouts or other assistance in averting foreclosure or stabilizing their housing.