Education funding was at the heart of Senate budget talks on Tuesday in the Massachusetts State House. The Senate Ways and Means Committee is recommending a close to 43-billion-dollar fiscal 2020 budget that would boost spending by about three percent. Part of this proposed budget is a suggested 268-million-dollar increase in funds to K-12 public…
Boston Housing Authority announces 1,000 new vouchers for the homeless
Boston’s public housing agency is making 1,000 rental housing vouchers available to homeless folks looking for long-term housing. The Section 8 vouchers are the result of federal Housing Choice Program funding and will provide housing search assistance, stabilization services and funds for those moving into a home for the next six months, according to a…
Emerson photo exhibit showcases stories of recovery
David DeCourcey is a 37-year-old Boston local who currently works at the Devine Recovery Center as a peer to peer specialist. His experience with recovery allows him to connect deeper with those who come to Devine. He has two sons, Joseph, 14, and David Jr.,15, who help drive his recovery process. photo by Jakob Menendez…
Needle Take Back Day launches in Boston
Councilor Annissa Essaibi George (middle) at the inaugural Needle Take Back Day event. On Thursday, April 25, nearly 30 community health care organizations and centers across Boston banded together for the city’s inaugural Needle Take Back Day. The event, promoted by City Councilor At-Large, Annissa Essaibi-George, is part of her continuing objective to increase the…
People Demonstrate for Worker, Immigrant rights on May Day
On May 1, International Workers Day, hundreds of people trekked for miles to advocate for the rights of immigrants and workers. The Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH) led hundreds of protestors from Everett, Chelsea and East Boston on a march to Liberty Plaza, where they held a rally. The collection of workers,…
“Release the Report!”: Citizens rally for Mueller’s full report
On Thursday, April 4th, hundreds of demonstrators protested at the Boston Common in the late afternoon to call for the Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report to be released to the public. Mueller’s report contains the findings of his investigation into whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election. The highly anticipated report was also expected to…
Hiding the Problem
Once again the Boston Marathon is upon us, and so is another tradition: pushing the homeless out of the marathon area. It happens every year. Homeless folks are sent packing while tourists, politicians, and runners travel back and forth around the area. Barriers are put up around the public library where the homeless sit, where…
Mayor Walsh Seeks to Expand IDP Program, Housing Activists Seek More
As the fight to quell Boston’s housing displacement continues, city officials plan to expand their Inclusionary Development Policy, which currently mandates the majority of housing developers to aid in the construction of affordable, income-restricted units. The Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP) states that private housing developers must either make 13 percent of units in their new…
Cambridge eyes major zoning relief for affordable developments
Cambridge City Hall. Cambridge City Council dedicated the March 20 Housing Committee meeting to hearing public comments on the 100% Affordable Housing Zoning Overlay. The proposal would allow developers of affordable housing exclusively for low and medium income renters to build significantly more densely and with a streamlined permit process citywide. The meeting drew a…
‘I Always Came Back’: A Story of Survival
“Hey, baby!” Linda Burston, with an illuminating smile and wide eyes, greets every woman who comes through the doors of Women’s Lunch Place. They always know when Linda is in the room; even among the clink clank of dishes being piled high, the scraping of metal fork against ceramic plate, the hum of conversation among dozens of…