- Joined
- Jan 7, 2012
- Messages
- 13,981
- Reaction score
- 22,075
There seems to be no attempt to save or renovate anything at all from the many projects that have been rebuilt in the past 10-15 years. It's all clearcut bulldozing, just like the West End.
In this particular case two 8 story towers are being ripped down. They are (were) a significant existing resource that could have been renovated (presumably it would have been cheaper, maybe significantly cheaper, than a fresh build). The new dense and integrated construction could then have been built around them. Is a full bulldoze the best use of taxpayer money?While this is true, in almost every case, the replacement has been more outwardly integrated with the surrounding community. Many of these projects when built suffered from the same urban development theories that led to Charles River park and other West End atrocities. The tear down and rebuilds we are seeing now tend to correct the mistake.
The housing projects from that era have become so completely associated with crime and family dysfunction that their demolition is necessary.There seems to be no attempt to save or renovate anything at all from the many projects that have been rebuilt in the past 10-15 years. It's all clearcut bulldozing, just like the West End.
“As the city grapples with Roxbury’s future, a local developer has proposed a residential hub for teachers on a dormant city parcel in Dudley Square.
“Teachers Place” — one of four proposals under consideration — envisions an enclave of “like-minded” educators, artists, and other city workers on the site at the old police station at Dudley and Warren streets, said the developer and city officials.”
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/04/17/developer-proposes-enclave-for-teachers-dudley-square/tPz19IISOIiB3He1jTGH3N/story.html
From the article: "rents in [the] proposal would start at $893 monthly and condo sale prices at $147,100" and the development will "target schools, teachers’ unions, and other groups to 'pre-market' the housing units to those working in education." Also from the article: "Boston public schools teachers make an average of $91,000 annually, school officials said."
From Boston's Income, Asset, and Price Limits a $893 monthly one-bedroom is between 40 and 50 percent AMI, corresponding with an income of about $35k. The average teacher salary of $91k is a bit over 120 percent AMI, corresponding with a one-bedroom monthly rent of about $2,250 (All calculations assume a one person household).
Yes averages don't tell you everything, multi-person households complicate matters further, and plenty of education workers make way less than BPS teachers do, but there is a clear mismatch here between the stated target tenants ("Teachers Place") and the stated prices. Either most teachers won't qualify to live here or most rents will be significantly above (like, 2x to 3x) the publicized "starting" rents.
Thanks for the legwork looking up those guidelines. $91k salary doesn't sound like someone who needs financial assistance. Its hard to believe that is the AVERAGE salary BPS. Is there a huge cohort of 30 year veterans propping up the average? Anyway, there are certainly young new teachers with lower salaries who will qualify for assistance. I don't think BPS starts as low as $35k though.