Bay State Banner 01/16/2014

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Diversity a top priority for carpenters union Martin Desmarais

The new Ferdinand Building and other construction projects are expected to add 50,000 square feet of office and retail space in the Dudley Square area. (Banner photo)

Dudley retail rents rising as area undergoes revitalization Sandra Larson The rising tide of new commercial development around Dudley Square is becoming ever more tangible, as the city began receiving proposals for leasing retail space in the new Dudley Municipal Center and financing was announced this month for a new and greatly expanded Tropical Foods store.

The Dudley Municipal Center, set to open in early 2015 on the Ferdinand’s site, will become the headquarters for the Boston Public Schools, bringing some 525 BPS employees and new restaurant and retail storefronts to the heart of Dudley Square. The new Tropical Foods building is the first phase of a project adding

commercial and residential space to the long-vacant corner lot on Melnea Cass Boulevard at Washington Street. Across Melnea Cass Boulevard, a new hotel, residential and retail project is in the works for the vacant lot next to Ramsay Park.

These three projects alone promise some 50,000 square feet of new retail space. In addition, plans for Bartlett Place, approved in fall 2013, include 17,000 square feet of new office and retail space on the old Bartlett Yard. And the mammoth Tremont Crossing proposal, still under review by the Boston Redevelopment Authority, would add 550,000 square feet of retail along with residential, office and cultural facility space at

Tremont and Whittier Streets in Lower Roxbury.

The surge of activity in Roxbury is sparking a mix of hopes and fears as area businesses and nonprofits contemplate what’s still unknown: the types of incoming businesses, the customer potential of an influx of BPS employees, and what will happen to area retail rents.

“You have to welcome the improvements,” said Sharif Abdal-Khallaq, whose family business, A Nubian Notion, has been in Dudley Square for 50 years.

“The downside is that it might not be the community it was. Will the people here be participants, or will they be on the sidelines?”

Dudley, continued to page 20

proximately 25 local unions and 22,000 carpenters, shop and millNew England Regional Coun- men, pile drivers and floor covercil of Carpenters Executive Sec- ers working throughout New Enretary Mark Erlich says the Mas- gland. sachusetts building trades’ future According to Erlich, the orgawill reflect a workforce that is nization’s efforts to diversify are diverse and inclusive — if for no reflected in the numbers from its other reason — based on the need apprenticeship program, which to add younger workers and the is the first step for workers to pool of talent available. enter into the trades. Focusing on While most building trades Boston neighborhoods that have unions remain overwhelmingly large minority populations, the white, the carpenters’ union has apprenticeship programs for the stood out for its efforts to diver- seven local unions that cover these sify its ranks in recent years. And areas have been about 32 percent as much as Erlich would prefer minority over the past four years. not to dwell on In addition, the past, progthe memberress is often “This is a union that ship of two of contingent on the NERCC’s a n a c k n o w l - thrives on a diverse statewide local edgement of membership, welcomes u n i o n s , t h e past wrongs. floor coverers “ W e a l l a diverse membership and the wood k n o w t h a t and is committed framers, is now historically majority mithe building to reflecting the nority. trades, includ- demographics of the The Banner ing the carsat down with penters, were city we work in.” some of the exclusionary, leaders of the — Mark Erlich NERCC and parochial, country club, with a number racist organizaof local orgations,” he says. “There is no point nizers to talk about the reality of in saying anything other than that hiring and growing their various and being honest. The reality is trades and the challenges in findthat, with the carpenters union in ing new workers from the comparticular, in the last generation munities that make up Boston and that has changed dramatically and surrounding cities. is continuing to change.

Like all the local organizers “And the frustration is that the in the room, Craig Ransom, a perception has not yet caught up NERCC representative and orwith the reality. We still have a ganizer in Boston and a member long ways to go, but this is a union of Local 40, as well as a commerthat thrives on a diverse member- cial construction worker, said ship, welcomes a diverse member- he spends plenty of time visiting ship and is committed to reflect- non-union job sites and talking ing the demographics of the city to workers about the benefits of we work in.” joining unions. He tells them unions, continued to page 19 The NERCC represents ap-

Local groups pressure loan giant on evictions, foreclosure policies Yawu Miller A coalition of Boston housing activists is calling on the federally-funded housing giant Fannie Mae to end foreclosure policies they say are destabilizing Boston neighborhoods and driving up the cost of housing.

And with the appointment this month of Melvin Watt as head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, coalition members are hoping they now actually have a

chance of effecting change.

As Watt completed his first week on the job, taking over from Bush appointee Edward DeMarco, members of City Life Vida Urbana, the Right to the City Coalition, the Greater Four Corners Action Coalition and other groups demonstrated at a foreclosed Dorchester property against the firm’s refusal to negotiate a sale to a nonprofit group while the former owner, Domingo Franco, is still living on the premises. housing, continued to page 6

Domingo Franco, still living in the Dorchester home he lost to foreclosure last year, says he would like purchase the home with a new loan. (Banner photo)

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2 • Thursday, Janurary 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER

Pressure yielding results for Haitian immigrants in D.R.

U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III co-authored a letter urging the Dominican Republic not to deport Haitian immigrants. (Photo courtesy office of Congressman Joseph Kennedy) Yawu Miller While running for Congress in 2012, Joe Kennedy III highlighted his experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic, where he worked with migrant Haitians to improve horrific living conditions in sugar-cane camps.

With less than a year in office, the newly minted congressman unexpectedly finds himself in the middle of a war of words between Haiti and the neighboring D.R. over a recent court decision stripping Dominicans of Haitian descent of their citizenship going back four generations.

Kennedy has been outspoken in denouncing the D.R. ruling and has been working behind the scenes to achieve a resolution of the issue, which has caused relations between the countries occupying the island of Hispaniola to deteriorate.

Back in November, the 4th Dis-

trict representative co-authored a letter to Dominican President Danilo Medina Sanchez urging him to “take all necessary steps to stay the tide of the denationalization campaign.”

Since the ruling, which was handed down by the Dominican Republic’s constitutional court in September, Caribbean heads of state and the United Nations have put pressure on Santo Domingo to reverse the decision, which has led to heightened tensions along the border and attacks on Haitians in the D.R. The ruling calls into question the citizenship of as many as 240,000 Dominicans of Haitian ancestry — children and grandchildren born to any noncitizens or those who cannot prove citizenship. The Dominican Republic has a population of 10 million, including more than 450,000 people of Haitian descent, many of whom lack proper documents.

Kennedy, the son of former U.S.

Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II, who compiled a strong record of advocating for democracy and social justice during his years in office, says it’s too soon for Congress to discuss taking such action as sanctions against the Dominican Republic.

“At this point, we want to give the Dominican Republic the opportunity to meet their obligations over this issue before we start discussing what we do if they don’t,” he said during an interview with the Banner.

While Kennedy and his colleagues in Congress are opting for diplomatic pressure, others have been calling for more direct action. State Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry urged the international community to bar Dominican firms from bidding on contracts to rebuild roads and housing damaged by the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

“We need to stop hiring Dominican companies,” she said, during remarks last week at a Haitian Independence celebration in Randolph.

Dominican government officials originally refused to discuss the ruling with the international community, but global pressure has led Dominican officials to the table. Representatives of the Dominican Republic and Haiti began meeting last week to talk about the court ruling, migration and border security.

“The Haitian government is asking for concrete measures to be taken to protect the fundamental rights of people of Haitian origin,” said Haitian Prime Minister Laurent

Lamothe in a prepared statement following the talks in the Haitian town of Ouanaminthe. “The Dominican government made this guarantee.”

The pressure from Haiti and the international community may be having an effect. Lamothe said the Dominican Republic’s National Office of Migration will provide temporary papers for Haitians who work in the country.

Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. Their history has been contentious since the newly liberated Haiti annexed the Dominican Republic in 1822. In 1937, Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo ordered the massacre of an estimated 20,000 Haitian migrant workers in what was widely seen as part of his efforts to whiten the predominantly Creole population.

There is even a word for the hatred of Hatians in the Dominican Republic — antihatianismo — and much of the public on the island is said to be behind the government’s anti-immigration policy.

But in the United States — which at various points in history has occupied both nations — many in the Dominican expatriate community have expressed opposition to the ruling.

Kennedy saw the conditions of Haitian workers in the Dominican Republic firsthand when he served there in the U.S. Peace Corps between 2004 and 2006. While on assignment near the town of Puerto Plata, Kennedy began working with a group of migrant laborers who lived in a work camp owned by a Dominican sugar company.

The 300 or so workers lived in deplorable conditions, sharing a single latrine and a single water tap.

“The living conditions were pretty squalid,” he said. “There was a

high incidence of intestinal parasites and low educational attainment.”

Through Kennedy’s efforts, Peace Corps workers built latrines in the camp. Kennedy, whose great-uncle, President John F. Kennedy, launched the Peace Corps, spent most of his time in the D.R. working with a set of rural waterfall guides, helping them to obtain a concession to run the national park where the falls were located. As a result of his efforts, new safety measures were introduced, salaries increased, and a community fund established to pipe clean water into the village.

For Kennedy, the exploitation of Haitian workers remains a pressing concern.

With Haitian and Dominican leaders meeting at the negotiating table, Kennedy says there’s still hope that the Dominican government can work around the court ruling. While Dominican officials have staunchly rejected the idea of overturning the court ruling, Kennedy says the government can work around it.

“The government can pass a law granting them citizenship,” he said.

“There have been indications from the government that they want the time and ability to implement the decision as a sovereign nation.”

Elected to the seat vacated by former Congressman Barney Frank, Kennedy’s district stretches from Newton in the north to Fall River in the south. Compared to urban districts in Massachusetts, the 4th has a small Dominican and Haitian population.

The 32-year-old congressman, who served as an assistant district attorney on the Cape and in Middlesex County before his election, said his commitment to seeking a resolution to the crisis is “a matter of civil and human rights. We all have an obligation to stand up for justice,” he said.

Thursday, Janurary 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER • 3

CDC proposes Fairmount Line housing development

The proposed Residences at Fairmount Station include 27 apartments in the three-story building. The estimated budget for the project is $9.5 million. (Image courtesy of Southwest Boston Community Development Corporation) Martin Desmarais Southwest Boston Community Development Corporation went public at a meeting last week with plans for a new 27-apartment development on Nott Street in Hyde Park near the MBTA’s Fairmount Station, and reaction was mixed.

Many of the homeowners in the area voiced objections over parking and funding, while those who view the project as the needed addition of more affordable housing in the neighborhood expressed support.

Whichever side the public stood on, though, developers admit the project still has a long way to go and they may be back to the drawing board in some areas to address some of the concerns raised. The developers are just now working with the Boston Redevelopment Authority, with all the necessary approvals still to come including submitting the plan to the Inspectional Services Department, and the estimate is that even if everything goes smoothly the project is still three-to-four years from groundbreaking.

“I think everyone has heard the mayor, numerous other public of-

ficials and the media talking about the need for housing for working families, and I think everyone recognizes this,” said Matt Thall, interim executive director of the Southwest Boston CDC, at the public meeting held on Jan. 8 at the Hyde Park Community Center.

“There is a tremendous need in our city. Twenty-one of the 27 units proposed here are going to be targeted toward working families.”

The project, which is Southwest Boston CDC’s first development, is labeled as a “mixed-income” project by developers and the presentation to the Hyde Park community suggested the housing would primarily serve working families with incomes between $28,000 and $66,000.

Dubbed the Residences at Fairmount Station, the proposed project sits on just under 20,000 square feet of land adjacent to the train station and would have the 27 rental units on three levels above a ground-floor parking garage, which would contain 27 spots — one per rental unit.

The units would range in size from studios to three-bedroom apartments. Monthly rental prices are

estimated from $425 on the low-income units to $1,600 on the market rate units. However, the “working families” monthly rental ranges from $925 for a studio to $1,325 for a three bedroom.

The plans also call for a community room open to neighborhood residents and green space and a play yard outside the building.

Developers are promoting the project as pumping money and consumers into the Logan Square commercial district in a similar fashion that the city touted the addition of the Fairmount Station.

“The retailers have heard for many years that they need more foot traffic on Fairmount Ave. to reestablish a strong retail business area,” said Southwest Boston CDC board member Bob Vance.“The housing we build here will increase the population of the area by almost 100 people — customers for local businesses — many of whom will not own cars because of proximity to a good transit option.”

“This new community housing resource on the doorstep of the Fairmount Station will begin to transform the station area from a drab, under-utilized industrial land into a lively, mixed-use downtown neighborhood,” added Marcia Thornhill, Southwest Boston CDC board member.

“We have talked to numerous neighbors and businesses, and there is enthusiasm for this new housing option right in downtown

Logan Square. This will begin to turn this area around, which is what we all want.”

While some at the public meeting questioned the ability of a firsttime developer to pull off such a project, Thall said that is exactly why Southwest Boston CDC is partnering with development veteran Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corp. — an organization that already has Fairmount Line projects under its belt and owns over 800 units of rental housing.

“We have a shared interest in the development of the Fairmount corridor all the way from here up to South Station,” said Mark Dinaburg, director of real estate development for Codman Square NDC. “We believe that the right response and the public investment, which the public has done in this line, is to do transit-oriented development.

Make these stops a destination if you can. We are trying to do that up there and we can only succeed if it is done all along the line and we are supporting Southwest Boston in trying to achieve that down here.”

Leading the concerns over the funding of the project, which Thall estimated at $9.5 million, was Hyde Park resident Joe Smith.

“Who don’t know who you are and what your future is in this area of the city. And I would like you to answer some questions about who you are financially and whether you are a viable organization without depending on an organization in Codman Square,” Smith said.

“You have no experience in this area at all, yet you are proposing to put a $7 million building up in our neighborhood.”

Thall pointed out that although Southwest Boston CDC has not developed housing before, the board has members who have many years of

experience in housing and real estate, including his own four decades of experience in development.

According to Thall, the plan to fund the estimated $9.5 million project is to use a mortgage to cover $1 million of the cost, collect $5.5 million from private investors and seek $3 million in city, state and federal loans and grants.

Southwest Boston CDC is calling the project “the first government-assisted rental housing for families to be built in Hyde Park in over 20 years.”

However, Thall admits that the government funding is the x-factor as the time it will take that to be approved — if at all — is unknown due to the large amount of demand in the current economic climate.

John Campbell, who is overseeing the project at the BRA, emphasized that the project is still very much in the review process.

“I did receive a phone call a few weeks ago and someone suggested to me that this project was already a done deal. I can tell you that is the furthest thing from the truth,” Campbell said. “This is in the very early stages and they have a long way to go.”

Rev. Beth Weiman, pastor at the Hyde Park Presbyterian Church, was one voice at the meeting speaking in support of the project based on the much-needed new housing it would provide.

“Some people talked about the worry of poor people coming to our neighborhood, but none of this sounds very poor to me actually,” Weiman said. “If I was not married and I was working as the minister I am now, I would be totally eligible for this. So look at me. This is me. This is who would go there — a person with a master’s degree, who works as a professional, who has money to spend in the community and who has children they care about and love.”

4 • Thursday, January 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER

Established 1965

A standing commitment to end poverty In his State of the Union address on Jan. 8, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson decreed that “this administration today, here and now, declares unconditional war on poverty in America.” In so doing, Johnson confirmed his commitment to a compassionate policy prevalent among many civilized societies.

In ancient times the Old Testament proclaimed that “the wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor” (Psalms 10:2). And in a special criticism of those who enjoy the comfort of wealth without any empathy for those who are less affluent the Bible further admonishes those lacking concern for the poor. “He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved; for I shall never be in adversity.”

(Psalms 10:6).

Now, on the 50th anniversary of Johnson’s declaration of war, the focus of discussion seems to be a conflict between conservatives and progressives.

Some of the conservatives insist that anti-poverty programs run by the government have failed. Others more realistically indicate that numerous efforts have produced some positive results. However, the fundamental issue in the American democracy is what responsibility does the government have to provide for the poor.

There is less national consensus on that issue than one might believe. In the recent campaign for U.S. president, Mitt Romney generated substantial opposition among voters with his so-called 47 percent comment at a meeting of millionaire contributors. He said: “There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president [Obama] no matter what … who are dependent upon government, who believe they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That that’s an entitlement.”

An analysis of the vote indicates that many Americans, even low income whites, find this position acceptable. Many people believe that in

America, the land of milk and honey, failure results only from laziness, a lack of commitment or damaging personal habits. An easy way to rebut that premise is to cite the fact that nearly 2 million people declared bankruptcy last year because of an inability to pay medical bills. That is a bigger cause of bankruptcy than defaults on mortgages or credit card debt, according to a report by Nerdwallet Health. Bad things can and do happen to good people.

A specious attack on anti-poverty programs is that they have not worked because poverty has increased from 38.6 million people in 1962 to 49.5 million in 2012. However, the country’s population has actually grown in the intervening years from 184.3 million to 310.7 million. As a result, the percentage in poverty has declined from 21 percent to 15 percent.

It is appropriate and efficient to review anti-poverty programs periodically to determine whether they are cost effective. One of the most successful programs, Social Security, has survived many attacks by conservatives and has greatly reduced poverty among the elderly.

Social Security could provide even greater benefits as proposed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren if a portion of the more than $2 trillion in the trust fund could be invested more aggressively like one of the sovereign funds established by oil-rich Middle Eastern countries. State pension funds like CalPERS ($277 billion) in California and college endowments like Harvard’s ($30 billion) earn a much higher return than Social Security without endangering the private free enterprise system.

Anti-poverty programs that are unsuccessful should be modified or eliminated. Those that work should be expanded or replicated. America is blessed with enormous wealth. There is no moral way that this nation can ignore the plight of citizens who are financially distressed. The New Testament decrees that “to whomever much is given … of [them] will much be required.” (Luke 12:48).

The war on poverty must be waged until its strategic goals are attained.

LETTERSto the Editor

Sees little reason to trust government

I read the Banner’s article about declining public confidence in government [Polls: public confidence in government down]. Well, what a surprise. After three House speakers in Massachusetts left office under indictment, the probation chief and former treasurer were dragged through the courts and a prominent state Senator caught on tape and convicted of taking bribes, it’s no wonder people are losing faith. According to your article, people have more faith in local and state government than in the federal government.

Maybe not here. We have the Boston Redevelopment Authority doling out tax breaks to multi-million-dollar developments claiming that the downtown real estate they’re occupying is “blighted.”

Mayor Menino and the City Council voted to give the BRA the power to declare land blighted in spite

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of the fact that there’s been no blight in our city’s downtown in decades. In the waning days of his administration, Menino tried to ram through acres of luxury high-rise apartments with little or no public input, comment or scrutiny. The BRA’s finances are about as transparent as Michael Kineavy’s deleted emails or the records on the computers Mitt Romney bought from the Commonwealth when he and his staff fled the State House. It’s amazing people in Boston have any confidence at all in government.

At the federal level, we have an administration that has spied on

us, spied on foreign heads of state, hacked into computers, intercepted emails and hid its snooping from the general public until a whistleblower blew the lid of the program last year.

We’re sinking billions of dollars into wars we have no capacity to pay for and all the while enriching corporate contractors whose business it is to profit from death and destruction. All on the taxpayers’ dime. It’s a wonder the people’s support for government is as high as it is.

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Thursday, January 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER • 5

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OPINION The War on Poverty

Excerpts from President Lyndon Johnson’s Jan. 8, 1964 State of the Union address With the growth of our country has come opportunity for our people — opportunity to educate our children, to use our energies in productive work, to increase our leisure — opportunity for almost every American to hope that through work and talent he could create a better life for himself and his family.

The path forward has not been an easy one. But we have never lost sight of our goal: an America in which every citizen shares all the opportunities of his society, in which every man has a chance to advance his welfare to the limit of his capacities.

We have come a long way toward this goal. We still have a long way to go. The distance which remains is the measure of the great unfinished work of our society.

To finish that work I have called for a national war on poverty. Our objective: total victory.

There are millions of Americans — one-fifth of our people — who have not shared in the abundance which has been granted to most of us, and on whom the gates of opportunity have been closed. What does this poverty mean to those who endure it? It means a daily struggle to secure the necessities for even a meager existence. It means that the abundance, the comforts, the opportunities they see all around them are beyond their grasp.

Worst of all, it means hopelessness for the young. The young man or woman who grows up without a decent education, in a broken home, in a hostile and squalid environment, in ill health or in the face of racial injustice — that young man or woman is often trapped in a life of poverty. He does not have the skills demanded by a complex society. He does not know how to acquire those skills. He faces a mounting sense of despair which drains initiative and ambition and energy.

The war on poverty is not a struggle simply to support people, to make them dependent on the generosity of others. It is a struggle to give people a chance. It is an effort to allow them to develop and use their capacities, as we have been allowed to develop and use ours, so that they can share, as others share, in the promise of this nation.

We do this, first of all, because it is right that we should. From the establishment of public education and land grant colleges through agricultural extension and encouragement to industry, we have pursued the goal of a nation with full and increasing opportunities for all its citizens. The war on poverty is a further step in that pursuit.

We do it also because helping some will increase the prosperity of all.

Our fight against poverty will be an investment in the most valuable of our resources — the skills and strength of our people. And in the future, as in the past, this investment will return its cost many fold to our entire economy.

If we can raise the annual earnings of 10 million among the poor by only $1,000 we will have added 14 billion dollars a year to our national output. In addition we can make important reductions in public assistance payments which now cost us 4 billion dollars a year, and in the large costs of fighting crime and delinquency, disease and hunger.

This is only part of the story.

Our history has proved that each time we broaden the base of abundance, giving more people the chance to produce and consume, we create new industry, higher production, increased earnings and better income for all. Giving new opportunity to those who have little will enrich the lives of all the rest.

Because it is right, because it is wise, and because, for the first time in our history, it is possible to conquer poverty, I submit, for the consideration of the Congress and the country, the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964.

The Act does not merely expand old programs or improve what is already being done. It charts a new course. It strikes at the causes, not just the consequences of poverty. It can be a milestone in our one-hundred eighty year search for a better life for our people. …

What you are being asked to consider is not a simple or an easy program. But poverty is not a simple or an easy enemy. It cannot be driven from the land by a single attack on a single front. Were this so we would have conquered poverty long ago.

If we now move forward against this enemy — if we can bring to the challenges of peace the same determination and strength which has brought us victory in war — then this day and this Congress will have won a secure and honorable place in the history of the nation, and the enduring gratitude of generations of Americans yet to come.

To finish that work I have called for a national war on poverty.

Our objective: total victory.

Lyndon B. Johnson

The Banner welcomes your opinion. Email Op-Ed submissions to:

yawu@bannerpub.com ­Letters must be signed. Names may be withheld upon request.

What do you think should be done to reduce poverty in the United States?

I think it’s educating the youth. If they’re going to get a job, they’re going to have to learn how to respect themselves and each other.

Joyce Hall

It’s a question of priorities. If there were a real interest in reducing poverty, it could be done. There is a vested interest in keeping people poor. That’s how capitalism works.

Stop sending jobs out of the country. Instead of creating jobs, they’re eliminating jobs.

Retired Dorchester

Public Health Worker Roxbury

Steve Wright

Gerry Hall

More jobs and affordable housing.

There needs to be more government programs. Everyone should have a fair chance to get a job.

They should raise the minimum wage.

Robert Butler

Amber Bennett

Jennifer Lomba

Mail Clerk Roxbury

Teacher Dorchester

Retired Dorchester

Nursing Assistant Roxbury

INthe news

Dr. Margaret Daniels Allard Dr. Margaret “Maggie” Allard was recently promoted to director of adult and family medicine at the Whittier Street Health Center in Roxbury.

Allard was born in Kerala, India, and immigrated to the United States at the age of two. She is a graduate of the University of Colorado School of Medicine in 1999 and Harvard University School of Public Health in 2006. Allard performed her residency at Montefiore Medical Center located in New York and joined Whittier in 2012. Prior to joining Whittier, she was on the medical staff at the Lowell Community Health Center from January 2008 to February 2011, and has been the medical director at the City of Nashua Division of Public Health and Community Services since January 2009.

In her new role as the director of adult and family medicine, she will work with the Whittier Patient Centered Medical Home team to ensure all adult and geriatric patients served have access to high quality, and culturally appropriate care. She

will also lead the implementation of Whittier’s Health Equity Plan, which is designed to track efforts in reducing the racial and ethnic disparities in health care, increase access and address the high rates

of mortality and morbidity rates in minority and underserved communities served by Whittier.

Allard’s clinical interests are public health, women’s health, HIV, hepatitis C and diabetes.

6 • Thursday, Janurary 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER

Members of housing rights groups gathered at 49 Speedwell St. in Dorchester to protest mortgage holder Fannie Mae’s policy of evicting tenants and former owners from homes following foreclosure. (Banner photo)

housing

continued from page 1

Maureen Flynn, coordinator of the Coalition for Occupied Homes in Foreclosure, says her group has tried unsuccessfully to negotiate with Fannie Mae over the Speedwell Street property and others in the Dorchester area.

“Fannie Mae is one of the biggest owners of foreclosed properties and we’re having the greatest difficulty with them,” she said.

COHIF is a coalition of nonprofits and city agencies working on a pilot project to keep owners and tenants in their homes. Their aims run counter to Fannie Mae policy.

“Fannie Mae’s goal is to empty

out buildings and sell them,” Flynn says. “It’s the opposite of our goal.”

Asked for comment, Fannie Mae spokeswoman Callie Dosberg sent the Banner a statement via email.

“Tenants under a bona fide lease or tenancy who rent a property that goes into foreclosure have the opportunity to continue renting the property from Fannie Mae,” the statement reads. “Former homeowners who are foreclosed upon must vacate the property unless they are able to satisfy the full debt of the foreclosed mortgage, including interest and the costs of pursuing the foreclosure.”

Franco’s tenant, Josephina Luna, says she never received notice that Fannie Mae was taking possession of her home, but she

did receive a notice requiring her to vacate the building.

City Life staff, who are working with the Franco, say it’s in the best interest of owners, tenants and neighbors keep the owners in their homes.

“If the banks force people out of their homes what you’ll have is an abandoned building, sometimes four or five on a block, which brings the values of everyone’s home down,” says City Life/Vida Urbana organizer Antonio Ennis.

When homes go into foreclosure, banks commonly send owners and tenants letters telling them to vacate in 14 days.

“We encourage people to stay in their homes because the bank doesn’t have the authority to evict tenants,” Ennis says. “The banks engaged in predatory practices. We encourage them to stay in place so they can have more leverage.”

Franco obtained a mortgage for the Speedwell Street triple decker from JPMorgan Chase in August 2002, purchasing the house for $430,000. In 2009, he lost his job as a union carpenter and squeaked by with payments before going into default.

“I called Chase to ask for a loan modification,” he said. “I was paying my mortgage with a credit card.”

Franco said he applied for a modifications six times, and updated his application for the modification many more times, as directed by Chase.

“They denied all my requests to do a loan modification,” he said.

The bank foreclosed in August 2013, “11 years and one day after I bought the house,” Franco notes.

He and Luna have remained in the house, while Flynn continues to attempt negotiations with Fannie Mae on behalf of COHIF. While Boston housing advocates cite Fannie Mae as a bad

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actor in neighborhoods that have been hit hard by foreclosures, the agency was founded as an attempt to make homeownership more attainable. Under the Administration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the Federal National Mortgage Association was incorporated as a New Deal initiative aimed at creating a secondary market for mortgages. By purchasing federally insured home loans from banks, Fannie Mae enabled the banks to reinvest their assets and make more loans, thereby expanding home buying opportunities during the Depression era.

Although Fannie Mae is not a government agency, the federal government owns a majority interest in the now publicly traded company.

mortgages, some communities are taking things a step further. The city of Richmond, Calif., last year approved a measure to take homes with underwater mortgages from banks by eminent domain, paying the banks a fair market value for the properties. That measure has drawn fire from the banking industry and the Obama administration.

Wall Street investment firms and banks created the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association to lobby Congress to block Richmond and other cities from using eminent domain to buy mortgages.

The financial institutions also threatened to stop issuing new mortgages in Richmond if the town follows through on its plan.

Back in Dorchester, the battle

“Fannie Mae’s goal is to empty out buildings and sell them. It’s the opposite of our goal.”

— Maureen Flynn Follo w i ng t he m o rt ga ge crisis of 2007 — which was precipitated largely by investment bankers buying and selling mortgaged-backed securities from unregulated conduits — the federal government used public funding for a $71 billion bailout of Fannie Mae, which the mortgage giant has since paid back.

In some ways, the principal reduction Franco, COHIF and Right to the City Coalition members are now asking of Fannie Mae is the holy grail of community groups in high-foreclosure neighborhoods like Dorchester. But as common sense as it sounds to community groups, agreeing to write down the principle on a mortgage that exceeds the fair market value of a home is a non-starter for the banking industry.

Even though Franco’s mortgage originator, JPMorgan Chase, was part of a $25 billion mortgage settlement reached last year with 49 attorneys general to settle claims of mortgage fraud — a settlement that required that 30 percent of the settlement amount go toward principal reduction — JP Morgan and the other banks have only dedicated 14 percent of the $25 billion to writing down mortgages in the first nine months of the settlement.

While many states are relying on lawsuits and settlements with unscrupulous lenders to help save borrowers with underwater

for principal reduction is quieter, but Fannie Mae’s heels are dug in.

“We want to work with any borrower who is struggling, and our goal is to prevent foreclosure whenever we can,” Fannie Mae’s Dobson says in her statement.

“As the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced in 2012, principal reduction is not an option that Fannie Mae is able to offer.”

On August 21 of last year, Fannie Mae attempted to auction off 49 Speedwell St., setting the opening bid at $337,000.

Flynn said the Coalition for Occupied Homes in Foreclosure could not have afforded to purchase the building at Fannie Mae’s bid prices, considering the work needed to bring the building up to code and the rent Franco’s tenant can afford.

“We don’t evict anyone living in a property hoping to get higher rent from the next tenant,” Flynn said.

Investors who attended the auction may have reached a similar conclusion. None bid on the property.

Franco says he hopes new Federal Housing Finance head Watt will change Fannie Mae’s policies and allow him to stay in his home.

“I do not want to live in this house for free,” Franco says. “That never has been my intention. I understand that everyone who makes an investment wants to have a return. I want to ask Mel Watt for the opportunity to buy this house.

Or rent it from COHIF.”

Thursday, Janurary 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER • 7

U.S. deported 369,000, many without criminal convictions Anthony Advincula The U.S. government deported about 369,000 immigrants during fiscal year 2013, according to new statistics from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement released last month, showing a 10 percent drop from the previous year — the first since President Barack Obama took office in 2008.

Nearly 60 percent (216,810) of the total deported immigrants, the year-end report showed, had been previously convicted of a crime.

Of this number, ICE apprehended and deported 110,115 individuals with a crime conviction from within the country and another 106,695 at the border while attempting to unlawfully enter or re-enter the United States.

ICE officials described these figures as “meeting one or more immigration enforcement priorities” that the Obama administration announced two years ago, stating that his administration would no longer

Most of these immigrants only had immigration violations such as overstaying their visas, which is considered to be a civil offense, and those who are ignoring deportation orders.

“The government would claim that they have achieved its enforcement goal, and that they only look for criminals. That’s all rhetoric,” said Emelyn Tapaoan, a Filipino-American adjunct professor who teaches race and ethnic studies at City University of New York’s Manhattan College. “If you’re undocumented, even with no criminal record, you have no immunity to deportation. That’s the truth.”

Pablo Alvarado, executive director of National Day Laborer Organizing Network, also looked at the deportation numbers with skepticism.

“It’s easy for the [Obama] administration to say that those deported fit their priorities when the White House has practically made

“It’s easy for the [Obama] administration to say that those deported fit their priorities when the White House has practically made sneezing a criminal act for immigrants.”

— Pablo Alvarado devote federal resources to deporting immigrants with “low priority cases,” including those without a criminal record and not a threat to national security.

“The 2013 numbers make clear that we are enforcing our nation’s laws in a smart and effective way, meeting our enforcement priorities by focusing on convicted criminals while also continuing to secure our nation’s borders,” John Sandweg, ICE acting director, said in a news release.

But the new removal figures provoked Filipino-American groups and other advocates for immigrant rights, saying that the numbers are misleading and that they don’t add up on Obama’s promise to stop unnecessary deportations, while Congress remains deadlocked on comprehensive immigration reform that will give millions of undocumented immigrants a path to legalization.

While it is true that the Obama administration deported criminals, advocates say, the report also revealed that it ousted 151,834 individuals without a criminal conviction.

sneezing a criminal act for immigrants,” Alvarado said. “These numbers may represent political calculus for the beltway but, for immigrant families, they represent our parents, siblings and loved ones.”

To date, the total number of deportations has reached to more than 1.9 million since President Obama was first elected in 2008, the highest record by far for any U.S president.

Top 10 countries of removal With 241,493 Mexicans deported from the United States in 2013, Mexico continued to be the leading country of origin for those who were removed, followed by other Latin American countries such as Guatemala (47,769), Honduras (37,049), El Salvador (21,602) and the Dominican Republic (2,462).

The other countries in the top 10 include Ecuador (1,616), Brazil (1,500), Colombia (1,429), Nicaragua (1,383), and Jamaica (1,119).

While the Philippines was not part of the list — and the year-end ICE report did not mention its ranking — the population of un-

documented Filipinos (270,000) in the United States remains the second highest, slightly lower than Chinese (280,000), among the Asian groups.

Asian immigrants make up 11 percent of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, living and working in the shadows.

According to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, about 4 million people born in the Philippines now live in the United States, and

that 1 of every 6 Filipino immigrants in the United States is undocumented, mostly in key cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Chicago.

“Usually, what we have seen in recent years, a number of Filipinos face deportation because they have criminal convictions,” said Joemar Miane, a Filipino-American immigration lawyer based in New York City. “Most of their cases involve domestic violence and DWI [driving while intoxicated].”

He also said that some undocumented Filipinos, although they did not commit a crime, ran into immigration authorities, say, getting randomly inspected at an airport or on the train during their travel. In turn, they get arrested and deported.

In other cases, he says, there are Filipinos who have no criminal

record, but who overstayed their visas. After filing a green card application, they also end up under removal proceedings.

“Their application would alert enforcement officers,” Miane added, “and soon they will receive a notice to appear, known as NTA, before an immigration judge.”

NTA is the first step to removal proceedings.

Miane said that, to avoid deportation, immigrants — both undocumented and green card holders — must not commit a crime, even if it may appear to be minor.

“Ninety-nine percent of those who got caught driving while drunk, especially with no proper documentation, may get a deportation order,” Miane said. “It just pays to be a law-abiding person.”

New American Media

8 • Thursday, Janurary 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER

SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

King studied, preached, fell in love, demonstrated in Hub Martin Luther King Jr. first came to Boston in 1951 to study at Boston University’s School of Theology. He received a doctoral degree in systematic theology in 1955.

King lived at 397 Massachusetts Avenue with a former classmate from Atlanta’s Morehouse College.

Their apartment became the meeting place for the Philosophical Club, a group of black students they organized to discuss the issues of the day.

The same year King arrived in Boston, his future wife Coretta Scott came here to study at the New England Conservatory of Music. In early 1952, the two met. A romance blossomed and in June 1953, they were married in Heilberger, Ala. After their wedding, the Kings returned to their studies in Boston and made their new home in a four-room apartment near the Conservatory.

At Boston University, King studied philosophy and theology under Edgar S. Brightman and L. Harold DeWolf, two leading advocates of personal idealism. Through this philosophy, King strengthened his idea of a personal God and formed his belief in the dignity and worth of all human personality.

During his student years at Boston University, the historic

Twelfth Baptist Church (now on Warren Street in Roxbury) was an important part of King’s life. He worshipped, taught religious classes and preached Sunday morning sermons at the church.

By the winter of 1954, King began thinking about beginning his ministry. He was offered and took a job at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala. In June 1954, Coretta Scott King finished her studies at the Conservatory. The couple closed up their Boston apartment and went south.

The Boston years had sharpened King’s gift as a religious thinker and leader. When he was needed, King returned to the city.

Among the most important things King did for Boston were to lead a massive demonstration in April 1965, and to solidify the fight against racism in the Boston Public Schools.

The years 1964 to 1965 saw debate over de facto segregation in the Boston Public Schools. Black parents called for the closing of the inadequate Boardman School in 1964.

That same year, parents and their supporters boycotted the schools in a protest over segregation and set up the Freedom Schools. King came to Boston to give his support.

He returned in 1965 for a second boycott as the struggle with the Boston School Committee over inadequate and segregated schools.

King tried to visit the Boardman School but was turned away by school officials.

When King left Boston in 1954 after finishing his theological studies at Boston University, he was a young minister known by a small circle of friends and admirers. But when he returned to Boston in 1965 to support blacks in their struggle to desegregate the schools, he was an internationally known personality, having won the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent black struggle for civil rights.

The hallmark of the visit was King’s April 22 speech delivered to a joint convention of the two houses of the general Court of Massachusetts at the State House. This was his first speech before any state legislature in the country.

Boston Globe reporter Wilfred Rogers described the scene in the House chamber: “Spectators stood in the packed galley. Some legislators used camp stools on the crowded House floor. Many edged forward in their seats when Rev. Dr. King warned that segregation isn’t limited to any one section of the

nation. He never mentioned Boston or Massachusetts specifically, but he did stress ‘school imbalance’ and ‘de facto segregation.’ ” In strong tones, King spoke of the “tragedy” and evils of school segregation. Again, while not mentioning Boston by name, it was clear that his remarks were targeted at the state and Boston.

“Now is the time to end segregation in the public schools,” King told the State House gathering. “Young boys and girls must grow up with world perspectives. Segregation debilitates the segregator as well as the segregated.”

The day before the speech, King had visited the Patrick T. Campbell Junior High School in Dorchester.

The school, later renamed for King, had a virtually all-black student body and faculty.

Rogers’ Globe report said that motorcycle police cars protected King’s entourage along Blue Hill and Lawrence avenues as a precaution against death threat calls received by the Boston Police Department and the NAACP. With bullhorn in hand and speaking from the elevated entranceway to the school, King told the cheering crowd: “Today I am happy to become a member of PUSH — Parents United to End School Hoax, a local desegregation group.”

King attempted to arrange a visit with former Boston School Committee President Louise Day Hicks.

The meeting collapsed when Hicks refused to include local civil rights and school activists in the talks with

the Nobel laureate. The struggle over school desegregation and education was the primary focus for King while he was in Boston.

On April 22, he led a major protest march from the Carter Playground in the South End to Boston Common in support of school desegregation before addressing the Massachusetts Legislature that afternoon.

The Massachusetts Racial Imbalance Act was passed in 1965, and King’s voice and actions were part of that legislative movement toward school desegregation.

In the opening of his address to the Legislature, King said, “Let me hasten to say that I come to Massachusetts not to condemn but to encourage! It was from these shores that the vision of a new nation conceived in liberty was born, and it must be from these shores that liberty must be preserved; and the hearts and lives of every citizen preserved through the maintenance of opportunity and through the constant creation of those conditions that will make justice and brotherhood a reality for all of God’s children.

“Although we have come a long, long way in the struggle for brotherhood and the struggle to make civil rights a reality for all people ... we still have a long way to go ... we do not have to look very far to see that ... we only need to open out newspapers, or turn on our televisions or look around in our own communities, and we realize that there are still problems alive that reveal to us that we have not reached the promised land.”

Thursday, Janurary 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER • 9

SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

10 • Thursday, Janurary 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER

SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King’s address to the Mass. state Legislature

Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders meet with President Lyndon Johnson. King addressed the Massachusetts Legislature in April 1965.

The following is Martin Luther King’s April 23, 1965 address to the Massachusetts state Legislature: To the distinguished members of this august body, I need not pause to say how very delighted

and honored to have the privilege and the opportunity to meet with this auspicious body. For one who has been barricaded from the seats of government and jailed so many times for attempting to petition

legislatures and councils, I can assure you this is a momentous occasion ...

Although we have come a long, long way in the struggle for brotherhood and struggle to make

civil rights a reality for all people, I must say to you this afternoon that we still have a long, long way to go — all over this nation. We do not have to look very far to see that. We only need open our newspapers, or turn on our televisions, or look around in our own communities, and we realize that there are still problems alive that reveal to us that we have not yet reached the promise land in civil rights.

But I am convinced, as I stand before you this evening that, if America and democracy are to live, segregation must die! In a real sense segregation is a cancer in the body politic which must be removed before our moral health can be realized.

In a real sense segregation, whether it is de jure segregation of certain sections of the South or de facto segregation of the North, is a new form of slavery covered up with certain niceties of complexities. And all men of goodwill all over this nation must work together passionately and unrelentingly to solve this problem.

In the final analysis, discrimination must be uprooted from American society, not merely to meet the Communist challenge, not merely to appeal to Asian and African peoples, ultimately it must be uprooted because it is morally wrong! It must be done not merely because it is diplomatically sound, but because it is morally compelling.

And if we as a nation will do this, it will carry us to higher heights of morality, and it will help us realize our great dream.

Now if this is to be done, there must be a massive action program all over our nation and in every community ...

May I say in conclusion that I still have faith in America, and I still have a deep belief that we will solve this problem. We are developing a grand alliance that will make it possible in the not too distant future to solve this problem. So I have no despair about the future.

Somehow I know that we as Negroes will win our freedom, abused and scorned though we may be. Our destinies are tied up with the destinies of America.

Before the pilgrim fathers landed at Plymouth Rock, we were here!

Before Jefferson wrote the great words of the Declaration of Independence, we were here! Before the great words of the “Star Spangled Banner” were written, we were here! For more than two centuries our foreparents worked in this country without wages where they made cotton king.

They built a home for their masters in the midst of the most humiliating and oppressive conditions. And yet out of the bottomless vitality, they continued to grow and develop. I am convinced that if the cruelties of slavery could not stop us, the opposition that we now face will surely fail.

Before the victory is won, some more may have to go to jail.

Before the victory is won, some will be scarred up a bit. Before the victory is won, maybe somebody else like the Reverend Reeb of this community will have to face physical death. Physical death is the price that some must pay to free their children and their white brothers from a permanent death of the spirit. Nothing can be more redemptive!

Yes, we shall overcome! We shall overcome! We shall overcome with your help! We shall overcome because the arch of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. We shall overcome because Carlisle is right: “No lie can live forever.” We shall overcome because William Cullen Bryant is right: “Truth crushed to earth will rise again.” We shall overcome because James Russell Lowell is right: “Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne; Yet that scaffold sways the future, and behind the dim unknown standeth God within the shadows keeping watch above his own.”

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to speed up the day when all of God’s children all over this nation, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics will be able to join hands and sing the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we are free at last.”

Martin Luther King Jr., seen here at the Boston Garden, was relatively unknown when he studied at the Boston University School of Theology in the 1950s. When he returned in the 1960s, he gave speeches to large audiences.

Thursday, Janurary 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER • 11

SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Life of Martin Luther King Jr.: a chronology of key events 1929

1963

- Born at noon on Jan. 15 to the Rev. and Mrs. Martin Luther King Sr. of 501 Auburn Avenue N.E. in Atlanta.

- On Good Friday, April 12, King is arrested with Ralph Abernathy by Police Commissioner Eugene “Bull” Connor for demonstrating without a permit.

1951 - Enters Boston University for graduate studies.

1955 - Receives doctoral degree in systematic theology from Boston University on June 5. Dissertation title: “A Comparison of God in the Thinking of Paul Tillich and Henry Wiseman.”

- Joins the bus boycott after Rosa Parks was arrested on Dec. 1.

- On Dec. 5, he is elected president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, making him the official spokesman for the boycott.

1956 - On Nov. 13, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that bus segregation is illegal, ensuring victory for the boycott.

1957 - King forms the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to fight segregation and achieve civil rights.

1958 - The U.S. Congress passes the first Civil Rights Act since reconstruction.

- King’s first book, “Stride Toward Freedom,” is published.

- In Harlem for a speaking engagement, King is nearly killed when stabbed by an assailant.

- Meets with President Eisenhower along with Roy Wilkins, A. Philip Randolph and Lester Grange to discuss problems affecting black Americans.

1959 - Visits India to study Mohandas Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence.

- Resigns from his role as pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery to concentrate on civil rights full time.

- Moves to Atlanta to direct the activities of the SCLC.

- The following day, the Birmingham campaign is launched.

This would prove to be the turning point in the war to end segregation in the South.

- During the 11 days he spent in jail, King writes his famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”

- The March on Washington, held Aug. 28, is the largest civil rights demonstration in history, with nearly 250,000 people in attendance. At the march, King makes his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

- On Nov. 22, President Kennedy is assassinated.

1964 - On Jan. 3, King appears on the cover of Time magazine as its Man of the Year.

- King attends the signing ceremony of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 at the White House on July 2.

- During the summer, King experiences his first hurtful rejection by black people when he is stoned by black Muslims in Harlem.

- King is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Dec. 10. At age 35, he is the youngest person to receive the award.

1967 - In January, King writes his book, “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” while in Jamaica.

- On July 26, black leaders King, Randolph, Wilkins and Whitney Young appeal for an end to the Detroit riots, which they say “have proved ineffective and damaging to the civil rights cause and the entire nation.”

- On Oct. 30, the Supreme Court upholds the contempt-of-court convictions of King and seven other black leaders who led the 1963 marches in Birmingham.

King and his aides enter jail to serve four-day sentences.

Martin Luther King Jr. was named “Man of the Year” by Time magazine in 1964.

- On Nov. 27, King announces the formation by Southern Christian Leadership Conference of a Poor People’s Campaign, with the aim of representing the problems of both poor blacks and whites.

1968 - King announces that the Poor

People’s Campaign will culminate in a March on Washington, demanding a $12 billion Economic Bill of Rights that guarantees employment to the able-bodied, incomes to those unable to work, and an end to housing discrimination.

- King marches in support of sanitation workers on strike in Memphis, Tenn.

- On March 28, King leads a march that turns violent, the first time this has happened during one of his events - On April 3, King delivers the “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech at Mason Temple

in Memphis.

- At sunset on April 4, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is fatally shot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn. There are riots and disturbances in 130 American cities that culminate in 20,000 arrests.

- King’s April 9 funeral is an international event.

- Within a week of King’s assassination, Congress passes the federal Fair Housing Act.

1986 - On Nov. 2, a national holiday is proclaimed in King’s honor.

12 • Thursday, Janurary 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER

Thursday, Janurary 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER • 13

14 • Thursday, Janurary 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER

Musical adaptation

carries on weighty legacy of

‘The

Kevin C. Peterson Celie, the lead character in the musical “The Color Purple,” which is playing in Boston at the Speakeasy Theater until Feb. 8, is stuck throughout most of her life in a suffocating reality. She comes from an uncomfortable past — a poor black child of the postbellum South whose father was lynched, whose mother was helpless and subjected to spousal betrayal, and whose stepfather molested her. By age 14, Celie is illiterate and already the mother of two babies.

But things only get worse for her.

Given away with a cow to a monster named Mister, Celie feels the full aches of patriarchy and the numbing oppression of living at the very bottom of a society that is manifestly misogynistic, racist and caste-conscious.

Celie’s plight reflects how black women persisted at the lowest stratae of society in rural Georgia in the 1930s — fighting against many demoralizing slights, dehu-

manizing hostilities and ever-threatening, randomly delivered acts of physical violence.

After forceful separation from her sister, Nettie, and suffering the incessant insults of Mister, Celie can only bellow out her most searching existential rage, asking the divine, “What kind of God are you?”

She concludes disappointedly that God is simply no more than other man, “trifling and lowdown.”

Based on the 1983 Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning novel by Alice Walker and drawing on the legacy of the 1985 Steven Spielberg movie starring Whoppie Goldberg, Danny Glover and Ophra Winfrey, the musical version of “The Color Purple” is spritely despite the daunting themes.

Powered by the magnificent performance of Roxbury native Lovely Hoffman as Celie, the musical’s narrative follows her slow, inexorable journey toward self-realimuscial, continued to page 16

Color Purple’

Clockwise from top: Lovely Hoffman (l) as Celie and Crystin Gilmore (r) as Shug Avery in a scene from the SpeakEasy Stage Company musical adaptation of “The Color Purple” running through Feb. 8 at the Boston Center for the Arts. Roxbury native Hoffman performs to rave reviews as the lead of “The Color Purple.” A scene features most of the cast of the musical, including Hoffman, Maurice Emmanuel Parent, Crystin Gilmore, Valerie Houston, Anich D’Jae, David Jiles Jr., Cliff Odle and Jared Dixon. (Glenn Perry photos)

Thursday, Janurary 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER • 15

Golden Globes disappoint in snub of black Hollywood

Although “12 Years a Slave” won the Golden Globe for best motion picture in the drama category, lead actor Chiwetel Ejiofor (above) failed to win in the best actor category. All other nominated black actors and actress also failed to win Golden Globes. (Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight) Keli Goff Last Sunday’s Golden Globes may be considered a big night for the slavery epic “12 Years a Slave,” which took home the award for best motion picture, drama. But it was not a big night for the film’s stars, director or frankly anyone else who happened to be black and in the room that evening.

Despite nominations in a number of major categories, black

artists were shut out through the awards show. Making it particularly disappointing for many viewers is the fact that, thanks to the box office and critical success of films like “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” and “12 Years a Slave,” many were heralding 2013 as a banner year for black cinema.

Actors Chiwetel Ejiofor and Idris Elba were both nominated in the best actor category for their lead roles in “12 Years a Slave”

and “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.” Lupita Nyong’o was nominated in the best supporting actress category for her role in “12 Years a Slave,” and Barkhad Abdi was nominated in the best supporting actor category for his performance in “Captain Phillips.”

Kerry Washington was nominated for her role as Olivia Pope in “Scandal,” while Don Cheadle was nominated for his role in the series “House of Lies.” Steve Mc-

Queen was nominated for best director for “12 Years a Slave,” while John Ridley, who penned the film’s screenplay, also received a nomination.

The disappointment online was palpable. High-profile African Americans revealed their increasing displeasure on Twitter throughout the evening. MSNBC’s Joy-Ann Reid tweeted “@ TheReidReport If the mark of a great film is that it demands that you never, ever forget it, 12 Years a Slave should have swept tonight. #GoldenGlobes” Following Lupita Nyong’o’s loss, PBS’s Gwen Ifill tweeted: “Wait. @Lupita_Nyongo was dissed?”

While the win of “12 Years a Slave” is significant, one award out of 26 is ultimately not.

The concern about the lack of diversity among this year’s winners was not limited to African Americans in media. Rachel Sklar, a prominent writer and advocate for gender diversity in Silicon Valley, tweeted the following exchange with Alex Leo, who works for Newsweek: “@thelist @rachelsklar (returning from an ice cream run): “What’d I miss?” @AlexMLeo “Nothing. White men won some awards.”

Both women are white.

So if “12 Years a Slave” ultimately won the night’s major award, is there a legitimate reason for critics of color, and others, to be concerned?

In a word: absolutely.

While many have argued that 2013 turned out to be one of the

strongest years for leading men in recent memory, with a number of compelling best actor performances across the spectrum, there is not a self-respecting critic on the planet who would pretend that Jennifer Lawrence’s performance in “American Hustle” and Lupita Nyong’o’s performance were in the same league. And I say that as a Jennifer Lawrence fan.

Had Nyong’o won last night it is possible that there would have been less overall disappointment with how the evening turned out.

But her loss struck many — if not all — except perhaps Lawrence’s friends and family, as such an egregious snub that it set an uncomfortable tone for the rest of the night.

Furthermore, having seen both films (and being personally partial to crime capers) I must say that the fact that “American Hustle” is being positioned as on par with “12 Years a Slave” is, to put it mildly, perplexing. One is moderately entertaining. The other is cinematically extraordinary. One will be remembered as an important work 20 years from now. The other may not be remembered at all.

Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t consider “12 Years a Slave” easy to watch, or the definition of a fun night out. But it is a masterpiece.

For that reason, I hope Anna Holmes, founder of the women’s site Jezebel, ends up being right.

She tweeted, “i think so too MT@Geniusbastard: I think 12 Years A Slave will do better on Globes, continued to page 17

16 • Thursday, Janurary 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER

Crystin Gilmore (center) as Shug Avery with (l-r) Lovely Hoffman, Taylor Washington, Carolyn Saxon and Maurice Emmanuel Parent in a scene from the SpeakEasy Stage Company production of “The Color Purple,” running through Feb. 8 at the Boston Center.

“The Color Purple” performers Jared Dixon and Valerie Houston during the musical adaptation of the prize-winning book by Alice Walker. (Glenn Perry photos)

musical

woman.”

The musical is a salute to the high-art of story-telling and is a recognition that “creation” is not only the work of God, but is the stuff of mutual growth and slow, inexorable evolution within the context of community.

Hoffman, the daughter of Bishop Edward W. Hoffman of Dorchester’s Calvary Church International Ministries, is a local rising star, a commanding stage force as she showcases her abilities at rendering human feeling in splendidly conveyed and emo-

continued from page 14

zation. She is alternatively shocked into personal development through episodic abuse, sexual encounters and then familial love and reconciliation.

Shug Avery, an always searching and lubricious juke joint singer, (played with charismatic flare by Crystin Gilmore) is central to Celie’s evolution. Their love affair represents an honest

and earned self-awareness that is punctuated in one of this musical’s well-performed songs, “Too Beautiful for Words,” which is rendered with affecting tenderness, hope and smoldering desire.

“The Color Purple” is a spiritual coming-of-age story on many levels and a harrowing psychological journey for several of the musical’s central characters. Immature and unaware at the story’s beginning, Celie, Avery, Sophia and Mister experience an upward growth — a new form of “creation” gained through revelation

wrought by soul searching and moral testing.

No transformation is more dramatic than Celie’s who — through Hoffman’s considerable interpretive skill and mastery of her character’s spoken words and unpronounced thoughts — comes to accept pathos as a road toward wisdom, forgiveness and redemption.

“The Color Purple” currently rests at the center of the modern American literary canon, a feminist resistance against the travails of being “black, poor, ugly and a

tionally composed coloring.

The supporting cast is bright, including worthwhile performances by Jared Dixon as Harpo, Maurice Emmanuel Parent as Mister, Alia Hodge at Nettie and Boston Conservatory graduate Anich D’Jae, who possesses an irrepressibly palpable stage presence and an accomplished sense of comedic intelligence as Squeak.

Directed ably by Paul Daigneault, this staging also features the strong composing efforts of Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.

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shading the movie, just how we sometimes overreact to certain achievements #Obama.”

He’s right that a race for best picture may not be as important as a race for the presidency, but part of why President Obama was able to win the presidency in the first place was because the way that black Americans were depicted in the media had evolved enough so that certain white Americans, who may have once been afraid to vote for someone who looked like Obama, no longer were. Karl Rove, the GOP political operative, even credited “The Cosby Show” with President Obama’s election.

So moments like this matter. But how much weight we as black people place in how much these moments matter is something we should continue to reflect on, especially in the Age of Obama.

As managing editor of The Root Lyne Pitts concluded following the Golden Globes ceremony, “If we keep looking to the mainstream for our validation we will continue to be disappointed.”

At the Golden Globes, the slavery epic “12 Years a Slave” was the only film out of black Hollywood that won an award, despite numerous nominations. (Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight) @jbouie “And the Hollywood Foreign Press breathes a quiet sigh as it narrowly escapes the wrath of #blacktwitter.” continued from page 15 But some, including radio Oscar night. Call me an optimist. host Al Butler, wondered aloud if HFPA [Hollywood Foreign Press sometimes we as African AmerAssociation] are weirdos.” icans get too upset about the Of course it is worth noting wrong things, tweeting, @ALBthat the Golden Globes are not Damn “Before y’all start, I loved always a crystal ball when it comes #12YearsASlave and I’m not The Root to foreshadowing Oscar winners.

But after the Globes’ outcomes, I can’t help bracing myself for a repeat of 1986. That was the Sunday, February 16, 2014 year that “The Color Purple” was nominated for 11 Academy Come follow the north star road to freedom Awards, and failed to win any. gospel concert featuring THE MIGHTY CLOUDS OF JOY THE CLOUDS will be presented with Of course, in 1986, the AcadThe Proclamation To Boston by emy didn’t have to worry about the Jacquelyn Stokes The City of Boston wrath of social media, or more spe857-249-4053 cifically the wrath of black Twitter.

LOCATION: TIME: Jeanette Farrow As Jamelle Bouie of the Daily Beast United House Of Prayer 3:00pm 617-298-1906 tweeted after “12 Years a Slave” of All People, 206 Seaver Skippy White Records was named best motion picture: Street Dorchester Mass 617-524-4500

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THE CLOUDS ARE ROLLING

Nina LaNegra & The Roxbury Media Institute Present

“Art Is Life Itself!”

The Performance Series That Embraces Art, Culture & Spirituality

ART IS LIFE ITSELF! RETURNS ON THU JAN 23!

THU JAN 23 The Blakats CD Release Performance “Don’t Feed The Animals” & Workshop on “Do You Believe Our Community Can Live In Abundance And Peace?” & Open Mic THU JAN 30 Performance by Linda and Sumner McLain & Open Mic THU FEB 6 The Fulani Haynes Jazz Collaborative & Open Mic Program begins at 7PM - Dinner from 5PM!

Upcoming Events at HHBC: Feb 7 Dinner & A Movie: Mission Hill & the Miracle of Boston Feb 9 Souper Bowl Fundraiser for HH Soup Kitchen Feb 11 Michael Reiskind on “The Lost Breweries of Roxbury and Jamaica Plain” 12 Dade Street, Roxbury, MA 02119 617-445-0900 www.haleyhouse.org/cafe

Community Calendar Monday January 20

Danforth Art Artist Winfred Rembert will visit Danforth Art in conjunction with special programs celebrating the birth of civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. Rembert will also be present to demonstrate techniques for making vibrant paintings on tooled leather during Danforth Art’s Martin Luther King, Jr., Family Day on January 20. Thanks to generous support from Bernardi Auto Group, Museum admission will be free on MLK Day from 12-5pm, with demonstrations, gallery talks and art-making activities from 2-4pm. Activities for all ages are inspired by the works in the galleries, including John Wilson’s compelling monumental bronze portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rembert’s vibrant carved leather paintings tracing his turbulent life during the Civil Rights movement in the American South. Visitors will also be encouraged to view works

by Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller, one of the first African-American sculptors of importance and former resident of Framingham, MA. For more information about family programs at Danforth Art, please visit www. danforthart.www.danforthart.org or call 508-620-0050.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A Day of Service & Celebration Mayor Martin J. Walsh & Target present Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A Day of Service & Celebration Celebrate With Spoken Word & Music. 1pm, Faneuil Hall. Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, The Museum of African American History, Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism, & Special Events. Free.

Upcoming Through Barbed Wire presents 4th Friday Series: Reading of Prisoners’ Writings January 24 Monthly Reading of Prisoners’ Writings. Audience participation encouraged. Light refreshments offered. Created and directed by Arnie King, www. arnoldking.org. Standard-size wheelchair accessible. Near T bus and train lines and Amtrak. Location: South End Tech Center, 359 Columbus Ave., ground floor, 1 block south of Back Bay Station, Boston. RSVP throughbarbed wire@yahoo.com. Cost: donation.

Super Foods & You T h u r s d a y, J a n u a r y 3 0 , 3:30pm - use these healthy

“SUPER” foods to get you feeling better and keep you healthy this winter. Nutritionist Molly Warner will introduce Super Foods: Packed with nutrients, easy on your wallet, and sure to help boost your energy, make you feel better, and improve your health.

Come taste a “SUPER” yummy winter soup and other tasty snacks. www.bpl.org. Uphams Corner Branch of the Boston Public Library, 500 Columbia Rd, Dorchester ~ 617-265-0139.

Got Talent Youth Showcase Matt Parker presents: in partnership with the Perkins Community Center 2014’s kick off Got Talent Youth Showcase. Location: the famous Lee School Auditorium, 155 Talbot Ave, Dorchester.

Friday, January 31. Doors open at 5:30pm, show starts at 6pm.

General Admission $3. Media partner Tayla Andre from Big City Radio 101.3fm. For more information or to inquire about performances: ithinkinspired@gmail.com or 617-230-8178/617-548-6468.

Ongoing Palestinians in Cambridge: Stories from the Diaspora Cambridge Bethlehem People to People Project presents an exhibit of

photographic portraits and excerpts from interviews with twenty Palestinians and Palestinian-Americans living, working or studying in Cambridge concerning the formation of their identities based upon personal experience, that of their families, and the complex legacy of their Palestinian background.

On view in the Lower Gallery at the Multicultural Arts Center through January 24, 2014, “Palestinians in Cambridge” features portraits taken by Cambridge photographer Phyllis Bretholtz. Cambridge Bethlehem People to People Project: http://cambridgebethlehem.org.

Gallery website: http://www.multiculturalartscenter.org/galleries/.

FREE and open to the public Regular Gallery hours: Monday-Friday, 10:30am - 6pm. Multicultural Arts Center, Lower Gallery, 41 2nd St., Cambridge.

Tuesday Recitals at King’s Chapel King’s Chapel announces t h e T U E S D AY N O O N H O U R RECITAL programs for JANUARY 2014. Historic King’s Chapel is located in downtown Boston at the corner of School and Tremont Streets. Hailed by residents and visitors alike as a treasure in the midst of a bustling city, this year-long series features a wide

range of programming from classical to jazz and more! Admission to the Noon Hour Recitals is by suggested donation of $3 per person; the donations are given to the performing musicians.

Programs begin at 12:15pm and last approximately 35 minutes; for more information, please call 617-227-2155.

Solidarity Works: Politics of Cultural Memory Solidarity Works explores how art and architecture can act as vehicles for community making, both real and imagined, and generate a sense of solidarity in contexts of conflict and crisis. Critical reflections on Islamic architecture and the politics of cultural memory are presented through multiple thematic clusters. Bridging art, architecture and history, Solidarity Works presents work in a variety of media, including textile, furniture, architectural sculpture, video, audio and networked productions. Featured is Aksamija’s prayer space design at the Islamic cemetery in Altach, Austria, winner of a 2013 Aga Khan Award. Wolk Gallery, MIT School of Architecture + Planning. Through March 21. For more information visit http://sap.mit.edu/resources/ galleries/wolk_gallery/.

The Community Calendar has been established to list community events at no cost. The admission cost of events must not exceed $10. Church services and recruitment requests will not be published. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE OF PUBLICATION. To guarantee publication with a paid advertisement please call advertising at (617) 261-4600 ext. 7797 or email sandra@bannerpub.com. NO LISTINGS ARE ACCEPTED BY TELEPHONE, FAX OR MAIL. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. Deadline for all listings is Friday at noon for publication the following week. E-MAIL your information to: calendar@bannerpub.com. To list your event online please go to www.baystatebanner.com/events and list your event directly. Events listed in print are not added to the online events page by Banner staff members. There are no ticket cost restrictions for the online postings.

B

18 • Thursday, Janurary 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER

HEALTHNews

The hidden salt: Americans eat more than recommended

Processed foods, such as the bacon in this BLT (bacon, lettuce, tomato) sandwich, are a significant source of sodium in the diet. (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia; photographer Ollylain) Karen Miller, Dr.P.H. Sodium, more commonly known as salt, can make some foods taste so much better, but it doesn’t do much for one’s health. Excess salt, especially when paired with reduced amounts of potassium, can increase the risk of high blood pressure. This can start a chain reaction with unfortunate results.

High blood pressure increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, heart

failure and kidney disease. Twenty-five percent of the cases of kidney failure, which requires dialysis or kidney transplant, are attributed to high blood pressure.

It’s not that sodium is bad for you.

The body requires it to function properly. Sodium helps transmit nerve impulses and assists in muscle contraction. But you can have too much of a good thing.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting salt

intake to 1,500 milligrams (mg) a day for older adults, particularly African Americans and those with high blood pressure. That amounts to a scant half a teaspoon a day. Yet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the typical American consumes 3,400 mg a day, or more than twice the recommended amount.

There is a misperception that easing off the salt shaker will do the trick. But, as noted in a report published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, only 6 percent of sodium comes from adding salt at the dinner table. Another 5 percent comes from salt added while cooking. The major culprits are packaged, processed foods and foods served in restaurants, which account for more than three-fourths of one’s sodium intake. For instance, it is possible to consume more than 1,200 mg of sodium with just one cheeseburger at a fast foods restaurant.

The problem is that, even when trying to limit the daily intake of salt, the odds are stacked against you. So many foods contain salt, but one has to carefully read labels to detect the ingredient. Some foods are obvious.

Salty snacks like potato chips and pretzels are easy to spot, but in many other foods it’s not so easy.

Most people do not realize that they are getting a good dose of salt

in their morning cereal, but several cereals contain 250 mg of sodium in one half-cup serving. Cereals are but the tip of the iceberg. Top sources of sodium in the diet are breads and rolls, cold cuts, pizza and soups.

Even foods that don’t taste salty contain sodium. Much of the raw chicken or pork purchased at supermarkets has been injected with a sodium solution. Some salts occur naturally. Cantaloupe, honeydew melon and grapes contain a small percentage of sodium as do broccoli,

tain over 450 mg of sodium. One serving of “98 percent fat-free oven roast turkey breast” contains only 25 calories and one gram of fat, but 250 mg of sodium. Doubling the serving, which is typical for a sandwich, does little to the fat and calorie content, but approaches one-third of the daily limit of salt.

Sodium in food is hard to avoid.

That makes it a challenge to limit its intake, but it is possible. Limit consumption of processed foods, such as processed turkey and bacon; eat a diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables

The problem is that, even when trying to limit the daily intake of salt, the odds are stacked against you. carrots and bell pepper. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, two medium stalks of celery contain 115 mg of the mineral. All of these foods, however, account for a minimal percentage of the daily sodium intake. The nutritional values of fruits and vegetables, such as potassium, fiber and vitamins, far outweigh the scant salt content.

There’s a kind of sleight of hand in the description or labeling of foods. The focus may be more on fat content or the number of calories, thereby diverting attention away from sodium. Yet, foods labeled as “healthy” can be chock full of salt. For instance, a half cup of small curd cottage cheese can con-

and whole grains. Use herbs and spices to flavor foods and eat sparingly frozen meals and vegetables with sauce. Read the Nutrition Facts labels. Products that are low sodium contain 140 mg or less per serving; very low sodium, 35 mg or less. Sodium-free products contain less than 5 mg per serving.

The taste for salt is acquired.

Slowly decrease your use of salt and your taste buds will gradually adjust.

To participate in a webinar on sodium reduction on Jan. 21 from noon to 1 p.m., register at https://www.surveymonkey. com/s/HVHLGYB. The webinar is hosted by the Boston Public Health Commission.

RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS NEEDED!  I have been newly diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder within the past 8 years  I am aged 18- 45  I am currently taking psychiatric medications Qualifying participants will receive study-related evaluations and weekly treatment at no cost and up to $1,175 in financial compensation.

For more information, please contact the BICEPS Study: 617-754-1224 or bicepsboston@gmail.com

Thursday, Janurary 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER • 19

(l-r) New England Regional Council of Carpenters union representatives and organizers Craig Ransom, Ernesto Belo, Mynor Perez, Charles Cofield, Mario Mejia and Executive Secretary Mark Erlich at the organization’s training center workshop. The workshop at the council’s Boston headquarters on Dorchester Street is used to provide ongoing training. (Banner photo)

unions

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about the apprenticeship program, which teaches them a trade with weekly training sessions four times a year during their first four years in the industry. And he also makes the rounds at local high schools.

Ransom said he is frequently at schools such as Madison Park Vocation High School in Roxbury recruiting for the trades.

“We talk about our apprenticeship program, saying if you are not bound for college and if you want a sustainable career, give construction a chance,” Ransom said. “We are saying the trades are really good because it is a trade that, once you learn it, it is yours.

It is a value that you can take it with you wherever you go.”

Ransom said he leaves cards with a lot of kids and follows up with them. He said he remembers a lot of the students and if they do pursue a career in the trades he makes an effort to sit down with

them and make sure it is something they really want.

Carpenter Ernesto Belo, who represents the wood framers Local 723 and reps for NERCC, said he finds it is most important to be involved in the community to help spread the word about the benefits of a career in the trades.

“I am well known amongst my peers and people approach me and they are looking for jobs and they are looking to better their lives and we try to accommodate them with those opportunities,” Belo said.

According to Belo, he reaches out to young kids in the neighborhoods across all different communities, always trying to present the trades as a viable career option.

“It is entrenching yourself in your community and getting to know the individuals in your community. And word gets around,” he added.

Mario Mejia, an organizer for NERCC and also a member of the wood framers Local 723, said that being able to speak Spanish is

a massive benefit to his efforts to bring in new workers.

“Right now in the construction industry probably the majority you see out there … is Latino

guys, so we go to the non-union world and we talk to Latino and Hispanic workers and that has a big impact,” Mejia said.

Mejia said he shares his personal story about entering the trades and the carpenters union and how having benefits and the support has impacted his life. He believes hearing this message from someone speaking Spanish has a big impact on attracting new workers.

Charles Cofield, a member of Local 67 and commercial construction worker who recently started organizing with NERCC is quick to point out that, although the efforts for diversity and inclusion are important, companies really want good workers and will draw from any communities that can provide this.

“We are always looking to bring people in. We are always looking for females. We are always looking for a spot for Boston residents,” Cofield said.

“Because I was born and raised in Boston I am always looking to get city workers on.”

However, he said that he always emphasizes that skills, attitude and hard work will be what leads to success in the industry, not background or demographics.

Mynor Perez of local 2168, who represents floor coverers as a business manager for the union,

agrees with Cofield. He explains that the union is very welcoming to all new workers, but they still have to show up and get the job done. Typically contracts only allow for a few guaranteed hours, the rest is based on performance.

“I have people that have lasted 20 years in the same company. I have people that last one day or a few months, so I think the way our contracts are structured really allows for the cream of the crop to rise,” Perez said.

Perez also reemphasizes that the reality of his trade now is that minority workers are the majority and the competition for workers is leading to more diversity — as a necessity.

“It is not that we target a particular group, it is just basically going after our competition and the majority of the people working in my industry, in the nonunion side, happen to be minority,” Perez said.

“This isn’t just something that we all of a sudden decided to do because it is politically correct or the thing to do right now. It is something that our organization did, seeing that if we didn’t change, we would die,” Belo added. “It is like any other business. If you are not growing and expanding your base then you are losing ground and you are slowly but surely dying.”

The 14th Annual Boston Charter Public School Enrollment Showcase Come and meet representatives from a number of Boston-area charter schools to learn about the high-quality educational choices offered for your children!

Charter schools are tuition-free public schools open to all children in Grades K-12.

Fill out enrollment forms on the spot! Enrollment is free and determined by lottery (held in March).

Give your child a good educational foundation to succeed in life: charter schools are known for longer school days and school years, high academic standards, uniforms and college preparatory programs. Many charter schools have the best MCAS scores in the city!

When: Saturday, January 25, 2014 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Where: Watson Auditorium at the Wentworth Institute of Technology 550 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA 02115.

Translators will be available.

Please note: For each application you fill out, you may be required to submit up to two proofs of address (utility bills or rental lease) and a copy of the student’s birth certificate. Please bring plenty of copies with you as there isn’t a photocopier onsite!

Public Transportation: the closest T Stations are the MFA stop on the Green Line E or the Ruggles Station stop on the Orange Line Parking: a parking lot is available at the corner of Parker and Helleck Streets For more information: please call 978-212-5507 or visit www.masscharterschools.org

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20 • Thursday, Janurary 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER

Dudley

continued from page 1

Abdal-Khallaq has no doubt rents will go up. A Nubian Notion has already downsized to survive rent increases, he said, squeezing its inventory of Afro-Centric figurines, jewelry, greeting cards and general convenience store items into a smaller space.

“Any time you make an improvement in a neighborhood you can expect the rents to go up,” he said. “The rents have climbed, and they will continue to climb.”

Kalila Barnett, executive director of the nonprofit Alternatives for Community & Environment said her organization is seeking new office space in Dudley Square when their lease ends this spring after five years at 2181 Washington St. “I would say rents are definitely rising,” Barnett said. “We want to lock in a long term lease.

I’m concerned about whether ACE will be able to stay in Dudley over the next 10 or 15 years.”

The average retail lease rate in Dudley Square is currently $24 per square foot per year, according to Joyce Stanley, executive director of Dudley Square Main Streets. This translates to a monthly rent of $4,000

for a 2,000-square-foot shop. While Stanley said this rate is far lower than in some other Boston neighborhoods, it is up about 50 percent from 1995 rates of $16 to $18.

Rent trends and averages can be complicated to pinpoint, as rates vary widely between old rundown buildings, renovated buildings and brand new ones. In some cases nonprofits or desired “anchor” tenants were offered below-market rates long ago — and those rents sometimes jump dramatically up to market rate, Stanley said, potentially pushing a business out. Abdal-Khallaq noted that long leases may lock in base rent, but escalation clauses allow landlords to pass on to tenants increases in taxes, insurance or maintenance costs.

The Dudley Renaissance Center on Warren Street near the new municipal building currently has vacant retail space listed for $27 per square foot, and some say $30 rates are on the way for new space.

Officials have yet to announce rent figures for retail in the cityowned Dudley Municipal Center.

In the Request for Proposal, potential tenants are asked to propose a rent they can pay, and potential bidders have been informed that a committee com-

While no one is sure what impact new office and retail space will have on Dudley Square, many think rents in the neighborhood shopping district will continue to rise. (Sandra Larson photo) prising city officials and Dudley community representatives will evaluate and rank potential tenant businesses on several factors, not just the highest bids.

The Dudley Municipal Building project team has said they hope to see local businesses in at least some of the spaces and that they are actively seeking a sit-down restaurant for the large space at the “nose” of the building with windows onto Warren and Washington Streets. At 7,800 square feet, the restaurant could have a capacity of up to 250 people. Five other spaces up for bids range from 1,800 square feet to 2,300 square feet, though subdividing into smaller units may be possible.

Rob Robledo is vice president of retail tenant services at CBRE/ Grossman Retail Advisors, the firm hired by the city to publicize and market the Dudley Municipal Center’s retail space. His goal has been to get “as many eyes and ears as possible” on the Dudley Square opportunity, tapping a database of 7,000 local and national retailers.

Proposals are due Feb. 10, and Robledo expects a good response.

He said a mix of local, regional and national businesses, ranging from “service to dry goods to restaurants,” have shown interest.

Not surprisingly, those in the retail leasing business express enthusiasm for the spate of development, though in interviews, they tend to downplay the rising rents and highlight the expected increases in street life and new customers.

“It should be a win-win situation,” said Russell Hill, a local commercial real estate broker and a co-owner of the Dudley Renaissance Center building. “Dudley in my memory has always wanted

to not have its stores closing at 5 p.m. I think we’re going to see a more lively Dudley. A wider variety of services should be available, serving residents old and new and having better services and hours.”

Hill declined to say existing businesses would be pushed out by higher rents, but speculated that some would respond better than others to opportunities presented by a new set of customers and greater activity during the day

“Any time you make an improvement in a neighborhood you can expect the rents to go up.”

— Sharif Abdal-Khallaq and into the night.

“In a free economy, the market will dictate if the nature of a business will generate enough income to support higher rent,” Hill said. “If there’s more foot traffic, then existing businesses should benefit. If they remain competitive and maintain their businesses, they’ll benefit.”

Abdal-Khallaq agrees that business success in Dudley Square may depend on readiness to adapt to a changed neighborhood. “A Nubian Notion might be able to pay higher rent as time goes by,” he conceded, even as he wondered aloud how many employees from the new

building would come to his store for milk or bread or ethnic products.

Barnett suggested that with so much new development, the Boston Resident Jobs Policy must be enforced so that construction dollars benefit local workers. And beyond construction jobs, she said, the development ideally will bring businesses that can provide a living wage for neighborhood residents and their families.

“I think this neighborhood deserves and needs more services and amenities,” she said. “But if we’re not able to figure out how to maintain the businesses and housing that support low-income folks, than this neighborhood is going to become like the South End.” With rents likely to keep rising, Joyce Stanley is working to help existing businesses make improvements and remain competitive, conducting workshops from bookkeeping to social media. “[Local businesses] sometimes need to change direction, examine what they’re selling, do better marketing,” she said.

As for the overall impact of all the attention focused on Dudley Square, it’s a “mixed blessing,” Stanley said.

“We want new things to happen, we want a better mix of retail,” she said, “but those businesses that stuck it out all those years when nobody cared about Dudley Square — we want them to get something out of it, too.”

For more information on the Dudley Municipal Building or how to submit a retail proposal, see www. dudleyvision.org. For information or assistance from Dudley Square Main Streets, see www.facebook.com/dudleysquare or call 617-541-4644.

Thursday,Janurary January 16, 16, 2014 2014 •• BAY BAY STATE STATE BANNER BANNER •• 21 21 Thursday,

New mortgage rules aimed at consumer protection Charlene Crowell Although many economists claim the recession is over, millions of Americans are still reeling from its financial effects. In particular, communities of color continue to be disproportionately affected by billion-dollar losses in family wealth. New mortgage rules, effective as of Jan. 10, offer a strong foundation to begin rebuilding what has been lost. These new rules will provide protections for consumers whether they are struggling with troubled mortgages, looking to buy a home or seeking access to credit.

Summarizing the reasons for the new rules, Richard Cordray, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, recently said, “Consumers want — and need — someone to stand on their side and provide safeguards against bad mortgage deals that ruin their credit, cost them their homes, and saddle them with additional problems. … No debt traps. No surprises. No runarounds. These are bedrock concepts backed by our new common-sense rules that take effect on Jan. 10.”

A central part of the new rules is a new designation of a Qualified Mortgage, which sets standards that apply to all lenders and covers about 95 percent of loans currently in the marketplace. QM loans are restricted from having the kind of risky features that caused the financial crisis. QM loans must be fully amortization, meaning that loan balances cannot increase as payments are made. Other key QM characteristics require that: • Loan terms cannot exceed 30 years • Lenders are required to determine a borrower’s ability to repay the loan, reviewing consumer income and assets against debt and other obligations beyond an initial teaser rate • Points and fees for the total

loan amount are capped at 3 percent with an adjusted threshold for smaller loans • Lenders offering adjustable rate loans cannot use teaser rates to underwrite these loans and are to use the maximum rate during the first five years of the loan.

Another CFPB rule bans “yield-spread premiums,” the financial incentives formerly paid to brokers for steering borrowers into higher cost loans rather than those that were cheaper and for which they qualified.

It is important to note that none of these new rules affects the required amount of a mortgage down payment. Secondly, these rules apply to new mortgages that people apply for after the January effective date.

In response to these rules, Barry Zigas, the director of housing policy for the Consumer Federation of America was swift to express his approval. “Consumers are finally going to be in an environment where their ability to repay a loan will be the fundamental determining factor about whether they will get a loan or not. This is a terrific week for Americans” said Zigas.

Similarly, Chris Polychron, president-elect of the National Association of Realtors, said, “These regulations will go a long way to protecting consumers from receiving loans that may be inappropriate for them and gives them some additional legal protections.

NAR supports these changes and has provided input throughout the rulemaking process.”

For borrowers with existing mortgages, as well as future borrowers, other rules will now affect mortgage servicing, for example, how house payments are collected and managed. Loan servicers must now provide borrowers with a monthly statement that shows the interest rate, loan balance, escrow account balance and how payments are applied. Servicers cannot begin foreclosure proceedings until after 120 days

MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Sealed General Bids for MPA Contract No. L1240-C2, TERMINAL C CRAWL SPACE PHASE II, LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, will be received by the Massachusetts Port Authority at the Capital Programs Department Office, Suite 209S - Logan Office Center, One Harborside Drive, East Boston, Massachusetts 02128-2909, until 11:00 A.M. local time on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2014 immediately after which, in a designated room, the bids will be opened and read publicly.

Sealed filed sub bids for the same contract will be received at the same office until 11:00 A.M. local time on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2014, immediately after which, in a designated room, the filed sub bids will be opened and read publicly.

NOTE: PRE BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD AT THE CAPITAL PROGRAMS DEPARTMENT (ABOVE ADDRESS) AT 1:00 PM LOCAL TIME ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014.

The work includes REPLACEMENT OF STEAM AND CHILLED WATER VALVES IN THE TERMINAL C CRAWL SPACE. REPAIRS TO EXISTING PIPE SUPPORTS AND HANGARS. INSTALLATION OF STEAM PIPING, AUTOMATIC CONTROL DAMPERS AND FILTER RACKS. REPLACEMENT OF PIPE INSULATION AND LABELING OF ALL PIPE SYSTEMS IN THE CRAWL SPACE. DEMOLITION WORK, ELECTRICAL WORK, AND HATCH IDENTIFICATION WORK IN THE CRAWL SPACE ARE ALSO INCLUDED. PROVIDE HATCH SAFETY LIGHTING IMPROVEMENTS IN TERMINAL C CRAWL SPACE FOR EACH HATCH. Bid documents will be made available beginning THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2014.

Bid Documents in electronic format may be obtained free of charge at the Authority’s Capital Programs Department Office, together with any addenda or amendments, which the Authority may issue and a printed copy of the Proposal form.

In order to be eligible and responsible to bid on this contract General Bidders must submit with their bid a current Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance and an Update

of delinquency, giving borrowers time to apply for loan modifications before initiating a foreclosure process.

In response to critics of these mortgage servicing reforms, Di-

rector Cordray said, “Our rule means simply that mortgage servicers must now do their jobs …

Over the past year, we have heard plenty from realtors around the country who are just as frustrated as consumers at poor mortgage servicing practices.”

A new web-based resource by the Center for Responsible Lending brings together fact sheets on the new rules, related analysis and testimony. For more information on these new rules visit: http:// rspnsb.li/KxNeFa.

As CRL President Mike Calhoun has said, “Families across the country need an opportunity to rebuild their household balance sheets after the worst financial crisis in decades. … The CFPB is setting the course for a financial marketplace with greater transparency and accountability. Consumers, responsible lenders and our nation’s economy all benefit from the improved markets that result from this work.”

New American Media

23 Drydock Avenue • Boston, MA 02210 • 617-261-4600 www.baystatebanner.com

Calendar 2014 Feature Editorial

PUBLISH DATE

8 • Thursday, April 18, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER

a special health advertorial

SPRING INTO HEALTH Reimagining Healthcare: The Patient-Centered Medical Home

Codman Square Health Center in Dorchester was recently recognized as the highest level of Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) by the National Committee for Quality

Assurance (NCQA). This sounds like an important recognition, but what exactly is a Patient-Centered Medical Home? And what does this mean for the health center’s patients?

The Patient-Centered Medical Home Model

The term “Patient-Centered” is simply a way of saying that the pa-

tient is the most important person in the healthcare system. The “Medical Home” is a way of referring to one place where you can receive total healthcare. At a Patient-Centered Medical Home, patients are invited into a care team that includes their healthcare provider, nurses, educators, counselors, community programs, and, for those who would like it, trusted friends or family members. This kind of collabora-

At Codman Square Health Center, healthcare is delivered by a care team of health professionals including providers, nurses, medical assistants and more. (Scotland Huber photo)

tion requires new standards of access and communication that transforms how healthcare has often been delivered in the past. A health center’s transformation into a PCMH is a complex and far-reaching process in which no part of the organization remains untouched.

At Codman Square Health Center (Codman) the transformation into a PCMH has been a gradual process over the course of many years, but recently, staff have begun to recognize the way these new standards are improving healthcare.

“Since we started Patient-Centered Medical Home, I feel much more useful and more connected to our patients. Patients are now calling me and know me as someone who can help. It feels good. I think me and [my doctor] are a better team and more productive. I’m thinking more about how the clinic works together to provide good care for our community,” stated Melissa Edouard, a medical assistant at Codman.

In addition to increasing staff involvement and collaboration, numerous studies have shown that practices adopting the PCMH model have reduced hospital admissions and emergency room visits, increased rates of cancer screening and improved management of diseases like diabetes and asthma.

Dr. Ethan Brackett, a family medicine provider and one of the champions of the Patient-Centered

Codman

continued to page 13

Thursday, October 11, 2012 • BAY STATE BANNER • 11

Fall EDUCATION

& CAREER

guide

WHAT’S INSIDE Kraft Center ..........................2A RCC .....................................3A Shady Hill School ..................4A Steppingstone Academy ........5A Roxbury Latin School .............6A The Park School ....................8A Commonwealth School ..........9A Winsor .................................10A

* Advertorial Section

January 9th* January 16th

– Career Advancement/Education

February 6th

– Black History Month

February 13th * March 13th

– Healthy Living

March 20th* April 17th*

– Career Advancement/Education

May 15th*

– Career Advancement/Education

June 5th

– Summer Arts Guide

June 12th* August 7th*

– Men’s Health

September 11th* October 9th*

– Fall into Health

November 6th* December 4th*

– Career Advancement/Education

– Special Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

– Summer Youth Programs

– Spring into Health

– Career Advancement/Education

– Fall Education Guide

– Healthy Family

A special advertorial section from Banner Publications Inc.

Contact Sandra Casagrand for advertising rates and deadlines at (617) 261-4600 ext. 7797 or via email at sandra@bannerpub.com.

Statement. The General Bidder must be certified in the category of MECHANICAL. The estimated contract cost is $ 2,500,000.00.

ance sections of Division I, General Requirements and Division II, Special Provisions for complete details.

In order to be eligible and responsible to bid on this contract, filed Subbidders must submit with their bid a current Sub-bidder Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance and a Sub-bidder Update Statement. The filed Sub-bidder must be certified in the sub-bid category of work for which the Sub-bidder is submitting a bid proposal.

Filed sub bids will be required and taken on the following classes of work:

Bidding procedures and award of the contract and sub contracts shall be in accordance with the provisions of Sections 44A through 44H inclusive, Chapter 149 of the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

A proposal guaranty shall be submitted with each General Bid consisting of a bid deposit for five (5) percent of the value of the bid; when sub bids are required, each must be accompanied by a deposit equal to five (5) percent of the sub bid amount, in the form of a bid bond, or cash, or a certified check, or a treasurer’s or a cashier’s check issued by a responsible bank or trust company, payable to the Massachusetts Port Authority in the name of which the Contract for the work is to be executed. The bid deposit shall be (a) in a form satisfactory to the Authority, (b) with a surety company qualified to do business in the Commonwealth and satisfactory to the Authority, and (c) conditioned upon the faithful performance by the principal of the agreements contained in the bid.

The successful Bidder will be required to furnish a performance bond and a labor and materials payment bond, each in an amount equal to 100% of the Contract price. The surety shall be a surety company or securities satisfactory to the Authority. Attention is called to the minimum rate of wages to be paid on the work as determined under the provisions of Chapter 149, Massachusetts General Laws, Section 26 to 27G, inclusive, as amended. The Contractor will be required to pay minimum wages in accordance with the schedules listed in Division II, Special Provisions of the Specifications, which wage rates have been predetermined by the U. S. Secretary of Labor and / or the Commissioner of Labor and Industries of Massachusetts, whichever is greater.

The successful Bidder will be required to purchase and maintain Bodily Injury Liability Insurance and Property Damage Liability Insurance for a combined single limit of $10,000,000.00. Said policy shall be on an occurrence basis and the Authority shall be included as an Additional Insured. See the insur-

ELECTRICAL

Engineers Estimated Cost $200,000.00

The Authority reserves the right to reject any sub bid of any sub trade where permitted by Section 44E of the above referenced General Laws. The right is also reserved to waive any informality in or to reject any or all proposals and General Bids.

This contract is subject to a Minority/Women Owned Business Enterprise participation provision requiring that not less than FIVE PERCENT (5%) of the Contract be performed by minority and women owned business enterprise contractors. With respect to this provision, bidders are urged to familiarize themselves thoroughly with the Bidding Documents. Strict compliance with the pertinent procedures will be required for a bidder to be deemed responsive and eligible.

This Contract is also subject to Affirmative Action requirements of the Massachusetts Port Authority contained in the Non Discrimination and Affirmative Action article of Division I, General Requirements and Covenants, and to the Secretary of Labor’s Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Opportunity and the Standard Federal Equal Opportunity Construction Contract Specifications (Executive Order 11246).

The General Contractor is required to submit a Certification of Non Segregated Facilities prior to award of the Contract, and to notify prospective subcontractors of the requirement for such certification where the subcontract exceeds $10,000.

Complete information and authorization to view the site may be obtained from the Capital Programs Department Office at the Massachusetts Port Authority. The right is reserved to waive any informality in or reject any or all proposals.

MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY THOMAS P. GLYNN CEO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

22 • Thursday, January 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER

EMMANUEL CHURCH ALLEY WALL PRESERVATION Emmanuel Church, the Awarding Authority, requests bids for brick masonry repointing, coping stone resetting, and slate roofing and flashing repairs at the Emmanuel Church, Boston, Massachusetts, which is listed in the State & National Registers of Historic Places. The project is being partially funded with a grant from the Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund through the Massachusetts Historical Commission.

All work must be performed in accordance with the documents prepared by and available from Spencer & Vogt Group Inc., 1 Thompson Square Suite 504, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02118 (617-227-2675) and meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.

State law prohibits discrimination. Awarding of this contract is subject to Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity guidelines.

A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held in the Church alley behind 15 Newbury Street, Boston on Thursday, January 30, 2014 at 11 AM. Bids shall be evaluated on the basis of price, previous experience with similar types of construction projects, ability to perform the work in a timely manner, and references. All bids must be delivered to the architect’s office at the above address no later than 12:00 noon, Friday, February 28, 2014, to be eligible for consideration.

MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Sealed General Bids for MPA Contract No. L1025-C8, LOGAN OFFICE CENTER SECOND FLOOR RENOVATIONS, ONE HARBORSIDE DRIVE, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, will be received by the Massachusetts Port Authority at the Capital Programs Department Office, Suite 209S - Logan Office Center, One Harborside Drive, East Boston, Massachusetts 02128-2909, until 11:00 A.M. local time on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 immediately after which, in a designated room, the bids will be opened and read publicly.

Sealed filed sub bids for the same contract will be received at the same office until 11:00 A.M. local time on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014, immediately after which, in a designated room, the filed sub bids will be opened and read publicly.

NOTE: PRE BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD AT THE CAPITAL PROGRAMS DEPARTMENT SUITE 209S – LOGAN OFFICE CENTER, ONE HARBORSIDE DRIVE, EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02128-2909 AT 9:00AM LOCAL TIME ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014.

The work includes A PHASED 8,000 SF INTERIOR OFFICE RENOVATION AFFECTING DEPARTMENTS ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE LOGAN OFFICE CENTER. Bid documents will be made available beginning THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2014.

Bid Documents in electronic format may be obtained free of charge at the Authority’s Capital Programs Department Office, together with any addenda or amendments, which the Authority may issue and a printed copy of the Proposal form.

In order to be eligible and responsible to bid on this contract General Bidders must submit with their bid a current Certificate of Eligibility issued

by the Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance and an Update Statement. The General Bidder must be certified in the category of GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION. The estimated contract cost is NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($900,000.00).

In order to be eligible and responsible to bid on this contract, filed Subbidders must submit with their bid a current Sub-bidder Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance and a Sub-bidder Update Statement. The filed Sub-bidder must be certified in the sub-bid category of work for which the Sub-bidder is submitting a bid proposal.

Bidding procedures and award of the contract and sub contracts shall be in accordance with the provisions of Sections 44A through 44H inclusive, Chapter 149 of the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

A proposal guaranty shall be submitted with each General Bid consisting of a bid deposit for five (5) percent of the value of the bid; when sub bids are required, each must be accompanied by a deposit equal to five (5) percent of the sub bid amount, in the form of a bid bond, or cash, or a certified check, or a treasurer’s or a cashier’s check issued by a responsible bank or trust company, payable to the Massachusetts Port Authority in the name of which the Contract for the work is to be executed. The bid deposit shall be (a) in a form satisfactory to the Authority, (b) with a surety company qualified to do business in the Commonwealth and satisfactory to the Authority, and (c) conditioned upon the faithful performance by the principal of the agreements contained in the bid.

The successful Bidder will be required to furnish a performance bond and a labor and materials payment bond, each in an amount equal to 100% of the Contract price. The surety shall be a surety company or securities satisfactory to the Authority. Attention is called to the minimum rate of wages to be paid on the work as determined under the provisions of Chapter 149, Massachusetts General Laws, and Section 26 to 27 G, inclusive, as amended.

The Contractor will be required to pay minimum wages in accordance with the schedules listed in Division II, Special Provisions of the Specifications, which wage rates have been predetermined by the U. S. Secretary of Labor and /or the Commissioner of Labor and Industries of Massachusetts, whichever is greater.

The successful Bidder will be required to purchase and maintain Bodily Injury Liability Insurance and Property Damage Liability Insurance for a combined single limit of $1,000,000. Said policy shall be on an occurrence basis and the Authority shall be included as an Additional Insured. See the insurance sections of Division I, General Requirements and Division II, Special Provisions for complete details.

Filed sub bids will be required and taken on the following classes of work: HEATING, VENTILATING, AND AIR CONDITIONING

$53,000

PAINTING

$35,000

ELECTRICAL

$82,000

$44,000

FIRE PROTECTION SPRINKLER SYSTEM

$26,000

ACOUSTICAL TILE

The Authority reserves the right to reject any sub bid of any sub trade where permitted by Section 44E of the above referenced General Laws. The right is also reserved to waive any informality in or to reject any or all proposals and General Bids.

WATCH FACTORY LOFTS

Moderate Income Restricted Apartments in Chelsea, MA

www.WalthamWatchFactory.com www.princetonproperties.com

On-site parking, in home W/D, fitness center, on bus lines, storage space, on-site management & 24-hour emergency maintenance

NEW! 4 Studio Apartments 1 One Bedroom Apartment

Affordable Housing Lottery Waltham, MA

All applicants must meet the community’s Resident Selection Plan criteria.

The Maximum Income Limits for Households are as follows:

Lottery will be held on 2/10/14.

$67,750 (4 people)

The Lottery for eligible households will be held on March 20th at 6 pm.

For Lottery Information and Applications, or for reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, go to www.s-e-b.com/lottery or call (617) 782-6900x2 and leave a message. Applications and Information also available at the Waltham Public Library on 735 Main St (M-Th 9-9, Fri-Sat 9-5, Sun 1-5)

Docket No. SU13D2620DR

SUFFOLK Division

Divorce Summons by Publication and Mailing Angela Martin Baliruno

vs.

Marcus Baliruno

To the Defendant: The Plaintiff has filed a Complaint for Divorce requesting that the Court grant a divorce for irretrievable breakdown of the marriage pursuant to G.L. c. 208, Section 1 B. The Complaint is on file at the Court.

An Automatic Restraining Order has been entered in this matter preventing you from taking any action which would negatively impact the current financial status of either party. SEE Supplemental Probate Court Rule 411.

You are hereby summoned and required to serve upon: Angela Martin Baliruno, 610 Cummings Hwy #314, Mattapan, MA 02126 your answer, if any, on or before 02/20/2014. If you fail to do so, the court will proceed to the hearing and adjudication of this action. You are also required to file a copy of your answer, if any, in the office of the Register of this Court.

Witness, Hon. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court.

Date: December 10, 2013 Patricia M. Campatelli Register of Probate

call (617) 261-4600

baystatebanner.com

Sec 8 OK

617-283-2081

For more information on the lottery and to receive an application: CALL: (888) 238-2168 | TDD: CALL 7-1-1

Affordable Homeownership Opportunity in Newton

E-MAIL: BOXDISTRICT@HALLKEEN.COM

Available on a First Come, First Served Basis.

Must be First Time Homebuyer

ADVERTISE YOUR CLASSIFIEDS WITH THE BAY STATE BANNER

(617) 261-4600 x 7799 • ads@bannerpub.com Rate information at www.baystatebanner.com/advertise

1 Bedroom - $136,259

(City of Newton to provide $5,000) Final Price to Buyer $131,259

Temporary Management Office Located at 88 Gerrish Avenue, Chelsea, MA 02150

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

@baystatebanner

Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department

Please mail or drop off your completed application to: Gerrish Compliance, 88 Gerrish Avenue Chelsea, MA 02150

A Public Info Session will be held on February 12th, 2014 at 6:00 pm at 119 School Street in the first floor of the Waltham Government Building Auditorium Completed Applications and Required Income Documentation must be received, not postmarked, by 2 pm on March 11th, 2014

MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY THOMAS P. GLYNN CEO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

4+ bdrms Newly renovated, 2000+ sq ft apt in 3 fam, no smkng/pets, hrdwd flrs, eat-in kit, pantry, lg master bedroom, din and lv rm, laundry rm, enclosed frnt/bck prchs, off street prkng, T access, min to Bost.

Applicants will be chosen through a lottery.

Applications will be taken until 2/9/14.

Applications must be fully completed and received by 2/9/14.

$61,000 (3 people)

Complete information and authorization to view the site may be obtained from the Capital Programs Department Office at the Massachusetts Port Authority. The right is reserved to waive any informality in or reject any or all proposals.

CHELSEA APARTMENT

Max. Monthly Gross Annual Income Limits: 1 person $47,450 | 2p $54,200 *HUD published effective 12/18/2013, Revised FY 2014.

Subject to change annually.

100% Smoke Free community, Fitness Center on site, Pets welcome (breed restrictions apply), Washer/Dryer in each apartment, half a mile from Waltham MBTA Station, Access to Charles River walking and bike paths, nearby Moody Street’s many dining and entertainment options

$54,200 (2 people)

The General Contractor is required to submit a Certification of Non Segregated Facilities prior to award of the Contract, and to notify prospective subcontractors of the requirement for such certification where the subcontract exceeds $10,000.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BANNER

Monthly Rents: Studio $1,053 | 1 Bedroom $1,088 *Effective 12/18/2013, Revised FY 2014.

Subject to change.

1BRs @ $1,234/mo 2BRs @ $1,358/mo Rent does not include any utilities

$47,450 (1 person)

This Contract is also subject to Affirmative Action requirements of the Massachusetts Port Authority contained in the Non Discrimination and Affirmative Action article of Division I, General Requirements and Covenants, and to the Secretary of Labor’s Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Opportunity and the Standard Federal Equal Opportunity Construction Contract Specifications (Executive Order 11246).

Projected occupancy: Winter 2014

7 New Affordable Apartments The historic Watch Factory, located along the Charles River in Waltham, Massachusetts, is being adapted into a vibrant mix of office, residential and retail use with riverfront amenities. There are 67 apartments being development in the third phase of the project. 7 of these apartments are reserved for individuals and families who qualify for this affordable housing program.

This contract is subject to a Minority/Women Owned Business Enterprise participation provision requiring that not less than THREE PERCENT (3%) of the Contract be performed by minority and women owned business enterprise contractors. With respect to this provision, bidders are urged to familiarize themselves thoroughly with the Bidding Documents. Strict compliance with the pertinent procedures will be required for a bidder to be deemed responsive and eligible.

The condominium is subject to a deed restriction that limits the amount of appreciation.

Income Limits are 80% of area median income.

1 person

$47,450

2 people

$ 54,200

Buyers should have sufficient income to pay property taxes, condominium fees and debt service.

For Information and application contact Karen Morand at (978) 235-5595 or karmorand@yahoo.com, www.mcohousingservices.com

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

BayStateBannerFanPage

Thursday, January 16, 2014 • BAY STATE BANNER • 23

Parker Hill Apartments

381 Congress Street South Boston, MA 02210

The Style, Comfort and Convenience you Deserve!

Parkview Place Workforce Housing, South Weymouth, MA One 3BR Townhome $320,000

Applications due by 2 pm on March 10th, 2014 www.WhitmanHomes.com AND www.SouthField.com

44 Unit Loft Building with contemporary finishes and historical architectural detail. Common roof deck, energy efficient heating/ cooling, pet friendly with historic brick and beam details.

Heat and Hot Water Always Included Modern Laundry Facilities Private Balconies / Some with City Views Plush wall to wall carpet Adjacent to New England Baptist Hospital Secured Entry, Elevator Convenience Private Parking Near Public Transportation and much more ...

Parkview Place is now being built in the newly redeveloped South Weymouth Naval Air Station. Workforce Homes have the same specs as typical market-rate homes but are offered at a discounted price (nearly $70,000 off market value) to eligible households through a lottery process. The resale restriction (i.e. discounted price) on these homes is removed after 5 years and the home is then worth full market value without any restrictions!

Studios starting at $2,000/month & 1 bedrooms starting at $2,100/month Tours by appointment only Monday thru Friday 3:30 – 6:30 P.M.

The Biltmore shows excellent value for the price with over 1,500 sq ft and a country sized kitchen complete with pantry and dining area, expansive family room, main level laundry, all bedrooms on upper level, nice foyer entrance, mudroom with coat closet, cozy balcony off the dining area, 2 car garage, basement with storage available or finishing options. Please go to www.WhitmanHomes.com for more info on floorplans, specifications and neighborhood details.

For more info or reasonable accommodations, call Boston Residential Group LLC at 617-934-2315 or see website for more info.

Open House on Saturday Between the hours of 10 AM-12 noon Available 1 bedroom $1600

www.381congress.com Equal Housing Opportunity

Call Today for more details and to schedule a visit...

888-842-7945

Income Limits based on household size: MAX MIN:

OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE

Completed Applications and required Income Documentation must be delivered, not postmarked, by 2 pm on March 10th, 2014. The SouthField Welcome Center will be the location for a public Info Session on February 11th at 6 pm and the Lottery on March 19th at 6 pm. For Lottery Information and Applications for the lottery, go to www.s-e-b.com/lottery or call (617) 782-6900 and Leave A Message. Applications and Information also available at the SouthField Welcome Center on 223 Shea Memorial Drive in South Weymouth (Monday-Friday 10-5, Sat+Sun 11-5). Details on the Townhomes can be found at WhitmanHomes.com.

RIVERWAY PLAZA

OFFICE SPACE

$79,044 (1), $90,336 (2), $101,628 (3), $112,920 (4), $121,954 (5), $130,987 (6) $47,450 (1), $54,200 (2), $61,000 (3), $67,750 (4), $73,200 (5), $78,600 (6)

90 RIVER ST, MATTAPAN, MA 02126 1,672 Sqft

DORCHESTER/ MILTON 1st Class Office Space Corner of Gallivan Blvd and Washington St ample parking.

THE COMMONS AT SOUTHFIELD HIGHLANDS South Weymouth, MA

$375/mo. $695/mo. $1000/mo. $1395/mo.

www.TheCommonsAtSouthField.com • www.SouthField.com

GREAT SPACE 2nd FLOOR with Elevator Access/Stairs • 1,672 sqft open floor plan • Great office space/showroom • Monthly rent includes all CAM fees • 1 –month security deposit preferred • Property is surrounded by many restaurants/retailers and local business • Ample parking Trinity Management has a great space for lease at 90 River St. The Space is located on the 2nd floor with elevator access/ stairs. Open floor plan with two private offices.

Women and Men’s bathroom. Easily accessible to public transportation with Central Ave trolley stop next door and major highways mins away.

heated

OWNER

617-835-6373 Brokers Welcome

Wollaston Manor 91 Clay Street Quincy, MA 02170

The Commons at SouthField Highlands is the first apartment community to be introduced to the planned community of SouthField located in South Weymouth at the former location of the Weymouth Naval Air Station.

The Commons at SouthField Highlands will offer studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom apartment homes in buildings that personify the South Shore’s picturesque way of life. Interior features and finishes include distinctive Berber carpeting, private washers and dryers, and ceramic tile. Community amenities include a workout center, seasonal swimming pool, community room, indoor parking and an easy walk on intimate, pedestrian-friendly streets to the on-site commuter train into Boston. In keeping with SouthField’s “green” vision, the apartment homes will be constructed using eco-friendly building standards from the U.S. Green Building Council under its Leadership in Energy Efficient Design requirements.

Please go to www.SouthField.com for more information on the SouthField planned community.

Workforce Apartments for Households Under 120% AMI Studios @ $1,400 • 1BRs @ $1,650 • 2BRs @ $1,950

Senior Living At It’s Best

A senior/disabled/ handicapped community

Household Size

Minimum Income Limit 80% AMI

Maximum Income Limit 120% AMI

1

$47,450

$79,044

2

$54,200

$90,336

3

$61,000

$101,628

4

$67,750

$112,920

5

$73,200

$121,954

6

$78,600

$130,987

0 BR units = $1,027/mo 1 BR units = $1,101/mo All utilities included.

Call Sandy Miller, Property Manager

Completed Applications and Required Income Documentation must be delivered, not postmarked, by 2 pm on March 10th, 2014. The SouthField Welcome Center will be the location for a public Info Session on February 11th, 2014 at 7 pm and the Lottery on March 19th, 2014.

Phone: 617-265-5800 Fax: 617-265-5888 dgoldwait@trinitymanagementcompany.com

#888-691-4301

Program Restrictions Apply.

For Lottery Information and Applications for the lottery, go to www.s-e-b.com/lottery or call (617) 782-6900 And Leave A Message. Applications and Information also available at the SouthField Welcome Center (Monday-Friday 10-5, Sat+Sun 11-5).

Doug Goldwait, Property Manager 1916 Dorchester Ave. Dorchester, MA 02124

PILOT GROVE HILL APARTMENTS - Stow – Massachusetts - 01775

ACCOUNTING MANAGER

New Affordable (2) and (3) Bedroom Townhouses and Flats.

Developed by Stow Community Housing Corporation Managed by The Community Builders, Inc. • Stow Local Preference

Applications are available now at the following locations: Stow Town Building/ Randall Library/ Stow Post office; in person at Pilot Grove Hill 11 Warren Road Stow, MA Monday & Tuesday ....................................................................... 9am - 8pm Wednesday-Thursday-Friday ....................................................... 9am - 5pm Saturday March 29, 2014 ............................................................. 9am - 12pm

MADISON PARK DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

For additional details an Informational Session will be held in the Community Room located at Plantation Apartments 22 Johnston Way Stow, MA 01775 on Thursday March 6, 2014 from 7pm - 9pm.

or by calling (978) 897-0313

2014 INCOME LIMITS

# of Units

# of BRs

Rent

% of AMI

2

2

30% of adjusted income

30%

1

3

30% of adjusted income

30%

4

2

30% of adjusted income

50%

6

3

$1,396

60%

17

2

$1,207

60%

(All rents include heat-Hot water & air conditioning) Sec.8 households are encouraged to apply. Rent & income limits based on HUD guidelines and subject to change. Rent for PBV units are calculated at 30 % of the adjusted annual household income.

All units’ selection by lottery. Use and Occupancy restrictions apply.

Reasonable Accommodations will be provided upon verbal or written request for persons with disability. Preference for 2 barrier-free units to households who require wheelchair access. Preference for displaced and homeless households. Preference for Town of Stow residents for up to 50% of the Project Based Vouchers units and 70% of non Project Based Voucher Units.

# in HH

30% AMI

50% AMI

60% AMI

1

$19,770

$33,950

$39,540

2

$22,590

$37,650

$45,180

3

$25,410

$42,350

$50,820

4

$28,230

$47,050

$56,460

5

$30,510

$50,850

$61,020

6

$32,760

$54,600

$65,520

Applications must be post marked no later than 4/07/2014 in order to be eligible for the lottery on 4/ 16/ 2014.

Applications must be mailed to: Pilot Grove Hill Apartments 11 Warren Road Stow, MA 01775

MPDC is expanding operations and real estate development activities. The Accounting Manager is a new position (with career growth potential) created to support the CFO in building the financial infrastructure and increasing the sophistication of safeguards, managing staff and the increasing daily load, and in assisting with complex real estate accounting processes. Duties will include daily oversight of accounting, reporting and cash management functions, staff supervision, production of financial reports, budget development and monitoring, among others.

Qualifications: • B.A. degree in accounting with 4-6 years of related experience. CPA certification and/or public accounting experience preferred; experience in the real estate industry preferred; • Effective business written and oral business and technical communication skills; • Proven financial and mathematical acumen; • Significant experience with Microsoft Word and Excel; experience with online web-based systems. Experience with Blackbaud’s Financial Edge preferred; • Ability to manage in a rapidly growing environment; Supervisory experience.

MPDC values diversity in its workforce and candidates from a wide range of backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Candidates should send cover letters and resumes to: jgrogan@madison-park.org