MAYOR MICHELLE WU LEADS THE 42ND ANNUAL HOMELESSNESS CENSUS

MAYOR MICHELLE WU LEADS THE 42ND ANNUAL HOMELESSNESS CENSUS

BOSTON - Thursday, February 24, 2022 - Mayor Michelle Wu yesterday led a reduced group of volunteers, including U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development officials, City officials, State officials, homelessness services providers, and public health and first responders, in conducting the City of Boston’s 42nd annual homelessness census. Census organizers intentionally reduced the number of volunteers and began later this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The street count is part of the City's comprehensive yearly census of unsheltered adults, youth, and families in emergency shelters, transitional housing, domestic violence programs, as well as individuals living outside. The census helps inform the City of Boston’s policy development and allocation of resources for households experiencing homelessness. “Boston’s annual homelessness census is an opportunity to assess the need for housing in Boston and move closer to the goal of ensuring every resident has a safe, healthy home,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I am grateful for state and federal partners working with us to safely undertake this year’s count while taking pandemic-related precautions, and all the volunteers who made this year’s census possible. With this important data, we’ll continue taking action to tackle housing insecurity across our neighborhoods.” This year, more than 150 volunteers canvassed 45 areas after midnight, covering every city neighborhood, Logan Airport, and the transit and parks systems. Volunteers canvassed their assigned areas, identified those sleeping on the street, and conducted a short survey, when that could be conducted safely per COVID-19 guidelines. The surveys will be closely analyzed to ensure accuracy, and then cross-checked and combined with the results of the simultaneous shelter count. The annual homelessness census is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as a key component of Boston's $38 million federal grant for housing and services for households experiencing homelessness. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Boston received an extension from HUD and the Mayor’s Office of Housing postponed the census from late January to February 23rd.  Boston continues to have the lowest percentage of unsheltered homelessness of any major city as of 2020, the most recent year for which HUD has published national area-by-area data. In 2021, the unsheltered count was waived as a requirement for cities. On a single night in 2021, more than 326,000 people experienced sheltered homelessness in the United States, a decrease of eight percent from 2020. For Boston’s last census, the number of individuals experiencing homelessness decreased by 24.7 percent from 2,115 individuals in 2020 to 1,591 in 2021. In 2021, there were no unsheltered families on the streets of Boston on the night of the census.   “The Point-in-Time (PIT) count offers an important snapshot into homelessness in America’s communities, and we are pleased to join the Mayor in carrying out this important work,” said Arthur Jemison, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “HUD will continue to work with Boston and other communities to tackle the homelessness crisis by leveraging federal resources like those in the American Rescue Plan and by putting Housing First.”   House America, an All-Hands-on-Deck Effort to Address the Nation's Homelessness Crisis, is a federal initiative in which the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) are inviting mayors, city and county leaders, tribal nation leaders, and governors into a national partnership. House America will utilize the historic investments provided through the American Rescue Plan to address the crisis of homelessness through a Housing First approach. As part of the House America initiative, the City of Boston committed to rehouse 1,100 households experiencing homelessness and build over 650 units of housing for people facing housing insecurity by the end of 2022. “Collaborating with cities, like Boston, to understand the needs of our communities is crucial to our goal of making homelessness a rare, brief, and one-time occurrence,” said Richard Cho, Senior Advisor for Housing and Services at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “We continue to look forward to partnering with cities across the nation to ensure that every person has the security of safe and dignified housing.” The City of Boston and its partners continue to work to end chronic and veteran homelessness using the “housing first” approach, an evidence-based approach to ending homelessness that uses principles such as the philosophies that everyone is “housing ready” and everyone deserves permanent and stable housing without preconditions like sobriety or treatment. City agencies and community partners have dramatically redesigned the way services are delivered to homeless individuals, increasing resources devoted to housing and deploying new technologies to match homeless individuals with housing and services. This year, the City of Boston anticipates receiving about $40 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support Boston's homelessness programs in 2022 through HUD’s McKinney Homeless Continuum of Care program.  Housing is central to the City of Boston’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mayor recently announced a number of actions aimed to strengthen resources for affordable housing, including an audit of City-owned property that could be used for affordable housing development; proposed legislation that would give Boston the ability to implement a fee of up to two percent on the purchase price of any private real estate sale over $2 million, as a means to generate additional funding for affordable housing; studies to assess the current linkage (commercial) and inclusionary development (residential) levels to determine if there is the ability to generate more funds for affordable housing from development and, the Mayor is working on creating a rent stabilization advisory group to study rents in Boston, led by the newly-renamed Mayor’s Office of Housing.  “Ending homelessness is a critical public health issue,” said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health and Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission. “The annual census is an important opportunity to build trust with residents who are experiencing homelessness and develop immediate and long term solutions necessary to support their diverse needs.”    Additionally, with the support of many City agencies and partner organizations, more than 150 individuals formerly living unsheltered in the Mass/Cass area have been connected with low threshold, supportive housing.  The results from this year’s homeless census will be available in the coming months.

Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance Endorses Legislation to Protect Survivors from Dangerous Individuals, Distribution of Explicit Images

 Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance Endorses Legislation to Protect Survivors from Dangerous Individuals, Distribution of Explicit Images

MOVA’s five-member board unanimously voted to support proposals and urge legislative action

 

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Office for Victims Assistance (MOVA), an independent state agency that supports victims of crime in the Commonwealth, has endorsed legislation filed by the Baker-Polito Administration that will create comprehensive new protections for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, assault and battery, the harmful distribution of explicit images, and other crimes. MOVA’s five-member Victim and Witness Assistance Board unanimously voted to support both bills, H.4291 An Act Relative to the Harmful Distribution of Sexually Explicit Visual Material and H.4290 An Act to protect victims of crime and the public, which were filed by Governor Baker in December 2021.

 

“Massachusetts has always been a leader in protecting the rights of crime victims that are based on three basic provisions: the rights to be informed, present, and heard,” said Liam Lowney, Executive Director of MOVA.  “These bills, filed by the Baker-Polito Administration, provide survivors additional tools to protect their personal safety and empower well-informed decision making in the face of trauma. Through this endorsement, MOVA looks forward to furthering our shared commitment with the Administration to advance the rights of crime victims throughout the Commonwealth.”

 

“We deeply appreciate MOVA’s support and the endorsement from its board members who share our urgency about the need for this legislation and the protections it will provide survivors, communities and the public,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Our Administration is committed to strengthening and modernizing the laws required to ensure safety and protection from some of our Commonwealth’s most vulnerable citizens. I urge the legislature to act on these bills and demonstrate their commitment to survivor protections.”    

 

“MOVA’s support of this legislation speaks to the important impact it will have on survivors of violent crime, the harmful distribution of explicit images, and other crimes,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “We are thankful to MOVA for their support and look forward to working with them to pass these commonsense laws that close loopholes and protect those who need it most.”

 

“These laws will make a difference in the lives of those we serve and enhance public safety by equipping criminal justice and law enforcement professionals with the tools needed to address the threat of dangerous individuals and non-consensual sharing of explicit content,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy. “We are grateful for MOVA’s support in our effort to advance these important proposals.”

 

About MOVA: MOVA is an independent state agency governed by the Victim and Witness Assistance Board. MOVA strives to advance victim rights by ensuring all victims and survivors of crime across the Commonwealth are supported and empowered through access to high-quality services that are trauma-informed, culturally-responsive, and reflective of diverse communities. MOVA achieves this through survivor-informed work, advocacy for enhanced victim rights and services, partnerships with agencies and individuals, and a commitment to providing funding and services for underserved and marginalized communities.

 

An Act to protect victims of crime 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.

 

An Act Relative to the Harmful Distribution of Sexually Explicit Visual Materials: First filed in 2017, the proposal modernizes the laws governing the distribution of sexually explicit images and empowers District Attorneys with additional tools to protect children. Under this proposal, the first step in an explicit images case involving minors will be to enroll in an educational diversion program rather than go through the juvenile justice process and potentially be committed to the Department of Youth Services. While District Attorneys and the Attorney General will still have the right to bypass educational diversion programs in certain instances, the focus will now be on educational diversion rather than legal punishment.

 

This legislation also 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.

第126屆波士頓馬拉松4/18舉行 中港台將有203人參賽

       (Boston Orange 周菊子綜合報導) 第126屆波士頓馬拉松將於2022年4月18日舉行，預計有3萬人參加，其中203人來自中港台。

                  波士頓體育會 (BAA)執行長Thomas S. Grilk預定5月1日卸任，這將是他在為11年後的最後一次主導波士頓馬拉松賽。

                波士頓體育會(BAA)回應本刊查詢，提供了以下數據，本屆波士頓馬拉松賽的參賽者中，有49名中國居民，66名香港居民，88名台灣居民。

            早前有台灣波馬跑者在社交媒體群組中稱，今年報名參加波士頓馬拉松賽的跑者，有85人來自台灣，61人來自香港，41人來自中國大陸。但經官方確認後，人數都有增加，共203人。

                        由於各地防疫、隔離規定不一，交通狀況不確定，到時候有多少人確實能夠到場參賽，目前還是未知數。

             Thomas S. Grilk表示，波士頓馬拉松賽傳統上在愛國者日(Patriots’ Day)舉行，因為新冠病毒疫情，過去2年除了時間調整外，還盡量要求所有參賽者及工作人員都完整接種疫苗。去年的參賽者疫苗接種率為93%，今年所有參賽者在領取號碼牌之前，都必須出示已完整接種經世衛組織認證疫苗的證明，才能參賽。

             2022年的這第126屆波士頓馬拉松賽將有成績在2小時23分以下的12名跑得最快的女生，以及成績在2小時06分以下的12名跑得最快男生參賽。這是近3年來第一次能夠這樣做到。

             2022年的波士頓馬拉松賽參賽登記，已於2021年的11月8日至11月21日完成。報名費為美國居民205美元，國際居民255美元。

             第127屆波士頓馬拉松賽預定在2023年4月17日舉行，並接受從2021年9月1日起的符合參賽資格紀錄。

             波士頓體育會在2月22日還宣佈，今年的官方智慧手機將是國際品牌的「一加 (OnePlus)」。該公司創辦人劉作虎  (Peter Lau)  表示，「一加   」一直在找方法創新，融入新體驗。他們很高興今年第一次能成為波士頓馬拉松賽這標誌性活動的官方手機。

             波士頓馬拉松賽在去年10月11日舉行，共有2106人以籌款員身分參賽的第125屆賽事中，為200多個非牟利組織共籌得2660萬元。如果從1989年波士頓馬拉松賽開始為慈善項目籌款起計算，波士頓馬拉松賽為非牟利機構共籌得4億2600萬元。

             第125屆波士頓馬拉松賽共有來自104個國家的15473人跑畢全程，有22890人參加了網上的虛擬賽事。

             波士頓體育會在2月23日宣佈Thomas S. Grilk預定5月1日卸任之外，早前還宣佈了Adrienne R. Benton獲選加入董事會，成為該會從1887年成立135年來的首名女性有色人種董事。 (2月25日更新)

緬因州參議會首次邀波士頓經文處長致詞 加強表態撐台灣

孫儉元處長(右二)送上感謝狀給緬因州參議會民主黨團。(經文處提供)

          (Boston Orange) 緬因州參議會上週邀駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長孫儉元赴該會議事廳，接受參議員們全體致意，藉以表達加強緬因州與台灣加強友好關係意願。

 去年，緬因州參議會才首度聯同該州眾議會，無異議的通過決議案，支持臺緬關係及臺灣參與國際組織，並鼓勵緬因州與臺灣洽簽駕照互換協定，2月16日再邀波士頓經文處處長孫儉元出席到該會議事廳，接受全體參議員致意，以展現該參議會對臺灣及駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處的支持。

孫儉元處長在緬因州參議會參議員面前致詞。(經文處提供)

             孫儉元處長當天先拜訪緬因州參議會，由參議長Troy Jackson正式唱名介紹後，向兩黨參議員致詞，代表台灣政府及人民感謝緬因州參議會的友誼，並說明臺緬關係現況及未來合作方向，敦請緬因州全體參議員繼續支持與協助。

                           根據維基百科，緬因州原本是麻州的一部分，1820年3月15日才獨立成州，並成為美國第23州，也是位於美國最東部的州，2019年時的人口134萬多，因境內面積90%由森林覆蓋，又稱「松樹之州(Pine Tree   State) 」。該州議會現有參議員35人，眾議員151人。

孫儉元處長(右二)送上感謝狀給緬因州參議會共和黨團。(經文處提供)

New group of racial justice leaders names Sonia Chang-Díaz their top candidate for Governor

 New group of racial justice leaders names Sonia Chang-Díaz their top candidate for Governor 

20 community leaders, elected officials, advocates cite Chang-Díaz’s record fighting for communities of color as a determining factor for their endorsements 

BOSTON, MA - Twenty racial justice leaders from across Massachusetts are backing State Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz as their top candidate for Governor. This group of racial justice champions joins a group of over 50 elected officials as well as national and statewide progressive organizations who are supporting Chang-Díaz’s candidacy.

The new endorsers include elected officials, community leaders, activists, and organizational leaders who all support Chang-Díaz for her track record of delivering results, not just words, on issues of racial justice.

"I’m honored to have the endorsement and support of these leaders of color," said Chang-Díaz. "We have so much work to do to move the dial on racial justice in Massachusetts. We need to close the racial wealth divide, invest in our students of color, provide paths to homeownership, follow through on implementing our criminal legal reforms, and ensure that leaders of color are included at every decision making table. I’m grateful to have these champions in that fight with me."

Chang-Díaz was elected Massachusetts’ first Latina and Asian-American State Senator in 2008. On Beacon Hill, she’s passed major progressive reforms, including $1.5 billion in progressive education funding to close opportunity and achievement gaps, criminal justice reform, and LGBTQ equal rights legislation. She’s been key to passing major racial justice policies, including budget measures to build wealth and small business ownership, reforms to Massachusetts' system for English language education, equity provisions in state law governing the new marijuana industry, and a statutory ban on racial profiling by police.

The new slate of endorsers praised Chang-Díaz for her record of fighting for racial justice on Beacon Hill alongside activists and community leaders, even when it wasn’t politically convenient.

"I have fought alongside Sonia to ensure that racial justice is central to how Beacon Hill leads the Commonwealth," said Russell Holmes, State Representative, 6th Suffolk. "I’m confident that as Governor, Sonia will continue to lead the fight for justice. I’m proud to endorse her to be the next Governor of Massachusetts."

"Sonia's been breaking barriers and delivering real results for over a decade — and often when no one was watching," said Boston City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune. "She's lit the path for racial justice and progressive change on Beacon Hill, and made the impossible possible over and over again. That's the kind of leadership all of our communities need in the Governor's office. I'm thrilled to support her candidacy."

"Sonia has been leading with urgency and insisting that communities of color are put front and center for over a decade," said Malia Lazu, an entrepreneur and racial justice advocate. "We have an open Governor’s seat and a choice between the status quo and moving our movement forward. This is the moment we have been waiting for, and Sonia is our candidate."

"In my years directing Neighbor to Neighbor, Sonia never failed in reaching out to us to engage us and seek our input, whether it was criminal justice or education reform," said Maria Elena Letona, former Executive Director of Neighbor to Neighbor. "And she never failed in sitting down with us to listen to our concerns and champion climate justice legislation for us. I have never known an elected official who is as proactive in engaging and attentive in listening to people of color communities."

"An effective governor for Massachusetts must have two qualities: a progressive vision to uplift every member of our state and the experience to operationalize that vision. Senator Chang-Díaz clearly has both," said Sana Fadel, racial justice advocate and community leader from Newton. "In her rise from local activist to state senator, she has carried some of the most impactful policies from a call to action to implementation. I was so impressed with her power, pragmatism and effectiveness through some of the toughest policy debates bringing to fruition school equity and policing reforms that have only made Massachusetts stronger. She has the vision and the expertise to earn my vote as our next Governor."

"From championing investments to close the achievement gap, her leadership on CORI reform, racial equity and her bold vision for addressing climate change, Sonia Chang-Díaz has shown us what deep listening and swift action can look like for working families and all of us. The will to change is here; the Governor we need is Senator Chang-Díaz," said Nate Bae Kupel, a racial justice and community leader in Malden.

The slate of endorsers includes:

• Russell Holmes, State Representative, 6th Suffolk District

• Ruthzee Louijeune, Boston City Councilor

• Izzy Rivera, Holyoke City Councilor

• Bobby Bailey, Fall River School Committee Member

• Josh Alba, Lawrence School Committee Member
  

• Malia Lazu, Entrepreneur and racial justice advocate from Boston

• Hodan Hashi, Co-Founder of Black Boston, Inc.

• Colette Phillips, CEO, GetKonnected

• Maria Elena Letona, Former Executive Director, Neighbor to Neighbor

• Shaleen Title, social justice advocate and former Cannabis Control Commissioner

• Diana Hwang, Founder, Asian American Women's Political Initiative

• Miren Uriarte, Founder and Professor, The Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy

• Tanisha Arena, Community leader from Springfield
  

• Lezlie Campbell, Community leader from Springfield

• Sana Fadel, Advocate and community leader from Newton

• Helina Fontes, Community leader from Lynn

• Nate Bae Kupel, Community leader from Malden

• Jean-Luc Pierite, Indigenous Community Leader from Boston

• Saritin Rizzuto, Community leader from Wakefield

• Nicole Eigbrett, Community leader from Somerville

 

Full list of 50+ endorsers across the state here: https://www.soniachangdiaz.com/endorsements 

About Sonia Chang-Díaz:

Sonia is the daughter of a social worker and America’s first Latino astronaut, Franklin Chang-Díaz. She was elected the Commonwealth's first Latina and first Asian-American State Senator in 2008 and quickly became a driving force behind many of the state’s biggest progressive reforms — including landmark $1.5 billion progressive education funding reforms, criminal justice reform, LGBT equal rights, and police reform and accountability. For more information about Sonia Chang-Díaz and her campaign for Governor, please visit www.soniachangdiaz.com.

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COURTESY PHOTOS OF ENDORSING RACIAL JUSTICE LEADERS (download them here):

Russell Holmes

Ruthzee Louijeune

Colette Phillips 

Sana Fadel

Maria Elena Letona

Lezlie Braxton Campbell

Malia Lazu

Nate Bae Kupel

Helina Fontes

Diana Hwang

Hodan Hashi

Bobby Bailey

Saritin Rizzuto

Tanisha Arena

Shaleen Title

Izzy Rivera 

Jean-Luc Pierite

Miren Uriarte

Joshua Alba

Nicole Eigbrett

Attachments area

Department of Public Health Reminds Residents of Availability of COVID-19 Treatments for Positive Higher-Risk Individuals

 Department of Public Health Reminds Residents of Availability of COVID-19 Treatments for Positive Higher-Risk Individuals

 

 

BOSTON (February 23, 2022) – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) today reminded residents that free treatment options are available that can be used to prevent severe illness and hospitalization from COVID-19. Several treatments, including monoclonal antibody infusions and oral therapeutics, are widely available across the Commonwealth.

 

Treatment is available for people who are at increased risk of severe disease, test positive for COVID-19 and have any symptoms, even mild ones (such as runny nose or cough).

 

Residents who think they may be eligible and have questions on if treatment is right for them should contact their medical provider or call the COVID-19 Self-Referral Treatment Line operated by Gothams. The Gothams call line is a free resource that can help refer individuals to sites for monoclonal antibody treatments.

 

These treatment options have been authorized by the FDA for the treatment of COVID-19 in individuals ages 12 and over who are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness.

 

There are five treatment options in Massachusetts:

 

Oral Therapeutics (Pills)

• Paxlovid (must be taken within 5 days of your first COVID-19 symptom)
• Molnupiravir (must be taken within 5 days of your first COVID-19 symptom)

 

Oral therapeutic treatments require a prescription from a healthcare provider.

 

Monoclonal Antibody Intravenous (IV) and Antiviral Infusion

• Sotrovimab (must be administered within 10 days of your first COVID-19 symptom)
• Remdesivir (must be given within 7 days of your first COVID-19 symptom)
• Bebtelovimab (must be administered within 7 days of your first COVID-19 symptom)

 

Referrals for monoclonal antibody treatment can be provided by the Gothams call center by calling (508) 213-1380, Monday – Saturday 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., or by an individual’s healthcare provider.

 

“These therapeutics, including COVID pills and infusions, are potentially lifesaving but for eligible individuals, they need to be administered quickly to be effective,” said Public Health Commissioner Margret Cooke. “They can help keep you from getting very sick and out of the hospital. If you test positive for COVID-19 and have any kind of risk factor such as diabetes or high blood pressure or asthma – we encourage you to call your provider or the Gothams phone number immediately to see if the treatment could be right for you. Do not wait to see if your symptoms worsen.”

 

“Importantly, the new guidance on use of these therapeutics and their increased availability enables essentially all patients who are diagnosed with COVID-19, are experiencing even mild symptoms, and are at an increased risk of severe illness to access proven treatments that can prevent severe disease and save lives,” said Massachusetts Medical Society President Dr. Carole Allen. “Don’t wait. Even if symptoms are mild, please consider these safe and effective treatments to prevent the disease from progressing to a point that may require hospitalization.”

 

“We are fortunate that there is now an ample supply of therapeutic treatments available widely across the Commonwealth,” said Patricia Noga, Vice President, Clinical Affairs, Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association. “Our healthcare community views these therapeutics as a part of routine COVID care and hospitals are strongly encouraging clinicians to utilize them to the greatest extent possible. MHA and our members are committed to expanding access to these treatments as we navigate our way out of this latest surge.”

 

Treatments are free and widely available across the Commonwealth. Residents who have recently tested positive for COVID-19 can view treatment locations by visiting the COVID-19 Therapeutic Locator. There are seven state-sponsored locations managed by Gothams in Pittsfield, Holyoke, Athol, Plymouth, Everett, Lowell, and Fall River, in addition to select pharmacies and healthcare settings.

 

To receive treatment, residents should:

 

1. Contact your doctor. They can help identify the best treatment for you, OR
2. Call the Gothams COVID-19 Self-Referral Treatment Line, Monday – Saturday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. at (508) 213-1380 to speak to a representative who can help individuals access treatment.

 

There is capacity within the Commonwealth and those in need are often able to receive same-day appointments. 

 

Visit www.mass.gov/covidtreatments to learn more about the options available to you.

 

The best protection against severe illness or hospitalization from COVID-19 is vaccination and getting a booster dose. Visit www.mass.gov/covidvaccine to learn more.