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Chinatown Stabilization Zone: Our Right to a Community (3 of 3)
Reform citywide policies to stabilize working class neighborhoods.
-Preserve existing subsidized housing. Many landlords of federally-subsidized housing may have the right to opt out of providing affordable housing, leaving thousands of tenants at risk. Proposed state legislation would permanently preserve these buildings as affordable housing. We also must call for adequate funding of affordable housing at all levels of government.
-Retarget local affordable housing resources. The mayor recently proposed important changes to Inclusionary Zoning, a policy to set aside affordable units within large market-rate housing developments. Up to now, these “affordable units” have been targeted to households at 80 to 120 percent of Area Median income ($66,150 to $99,100 for a family of four), around twice the median income of Boston households. We should focus scarce government resources on keeping Boston residents in their homes and communities
-Low-income rent subsidy fund. In Chinatown, even the affordable housing is becoming unaffordable. Developer dollars could be used to assist low-income tenants in the impacted community who are threatened with displacement by rent increases.
-Tenants’ right to organize. Workers have protected right to collectively bargain with the employers to safeguard their wage and working conditions, but tenants have no equivalent rights even though the interests at stake are just as great. A proposal before the city council would call on landlords to negotiate rental agreements with tenant associations in their buildings.
-Expand inclusionary zoning. Developers of new market-rate housing are required to make 13 percent of the units affordable, but the same developer could purchase an existing building, upgrade 100 percent of its units, jack up the rents, and force everyone out of their homes
-Public land for public use. Land is a scarce public resource. Publicly owned land should be developed for affordable housing or used in other ways that benefit the public.
-No public subsidy without living wage jobs. Development projects often receive tax breaks, zoning relief that escalates property value, or other public subsidies in the name of economic development. We need guarantees that these projects will truly benefit the community by providing living wage jobs.
These ideas are the beginnings of a strategy to stabilize the Chinatown community. If you are interested in getting involved in our campaign for a Chinatown Stabilization Zone, call CPA at (617) 357-4499
