General Boston Discussion

This is the golden age of apartment renting compared to the 1980's
 
. 1-5% or maybe 10% (nobody could afford a 5-10% rent increase each year)

Depends on where you live and who your landlord is. My second-to-last apartment in Boston raised rent 2% over 4 years (floor through walkup w/roofdeck & parking in Back Bay, but individual landlord) and my last apartment raised it 23% after one year (Longfellow Place). We ended up signing because we had nowhere else to live and breaking the lease after 5 months to buy a place. Longfellow Place rented our place within a couple weeks...for our original rent amount. I couldn't be too mad though, since that freed me of the obligation to pay more months of the lease.
 

If Massachusetts has spearheaded the gun laws, then why in the Sam Hill are there still so many shootings in Boston's neighboring communities such as Mattapan, Dorchester & other places?!!!! :eek:
 
This isn't just about Boston, but the state of Massachusetts as a whole. However, I figured it would get more eyeballs here. According to this msn article we have the highest per capita debt in the nation out of all 50 states.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/mar...cfb400602134623a389d4446843fa28&ei=12#image=3

How did we get here and what does that mean going forward?

Part of this is just down to government structure. Many activities in Massachusetts, and other New England States, that are done at the State level are done at the county, municipal, or special district level in other states. 75% of state and local debt in Mass is at the state level and 25% is from the cities in towns. In Arizona that's reversed where the state only holds 25% of state and local debt.

We also have higher income levels and GDP/capita than other states.

If you look at (State+Local Debt)/GDP we're ninth on that list, which I don't think is as concerning.
 

If Massachusetts has spearheaded the gun laws, then why in the Sam Hill are there still so many shootings in Boston's neighboring communities such as Mattapan, Dorchester & other places?!!!! :eek:
Turn it around: Why is the crime rate in Boston and Massachusetts and New England so low?
 

If Massachusetts has spearheaded the gun laws, then why in the Sam Hill are there still so many shootings in Boston's neighboring communities such as Mattapan, Dorchester & other places?!!!! :eek:

There aren't. Boston is arguably the safest big city in the country.
 
I just can't believe it!! Northeastern University bought one of the Sheraton Hotel towers? Can't they build more or their own budlings?!! :eek:
 
So the question that interests me is why is there persistent crime and poverty among such wealth?
 
Cambridge has always struck me as having a small town mentality. No real planning that's actually implemented, no sweeping vision for the future. It just seems like a reactive hodge-podge in places like the West Cambridge/Alewife area., and the Kendall Sq/First Street area as well I grew up there and have seen that all my life. The only reason Cambridge Crossing has any kind of cohesive plan is because it was developed by one developer all at once. Otherwise, it too would have been a stitched together mess.
 
Unless I'm mistaken, Park 151 is in Cambridge, opened in 2023, and added 468 housing units to the city. Not a very well-researched article to have missed that (and probably others).
Housing is a regional issue that requires regional solutions. When it comes to communities pulling their weight to generate new housing the last decade, Cambridge of all places has definitely done a better job than most.
 

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