Community Benefits Committee Meeting Minutes, 2/16/23

Meeting Summary

The committee focused on:

  • Update of key factors driving committee’s efforts                                                                                      -10k housing units and 7m sq ft of commercial space; planned  by city project by project, not comprehensively

-actual amount of total Community Benefits yet to be established; waiting for city clarification. Could be $100m in combined amounts; TBD

-Senator Nick Collins and Councilor Frank Baker working on separate necessary infrastructure financing options

  • Efforts to reach out to potential supporters of Comprehensive Planning

-heard comments about efforts to date; encouraged continued outreach

-suggestion that CSHCA organize a public meeting with targets and potential partners; general agreement to pursue; Kristine Hoag volunteered to organize meeting

-effort to reach out to urban planning students for help is in process; Jake Wachman leading

  • CSHCA Priorities for distributing Community Benefits Funds

-didn’t  spend much time; need to get information from BPDA

-the city’s Community Advisory Committee (CAC) is suppose to discuss funds allocation and make recommendations but has yet to do so; no new CAC meeting scheduled; 5 CSHCA members on the CAC   

  • The $750k “gift” from Center Court developers

– concern about image of accepting developer’s money

-concern about how the money would  be managed

          –need our own 501c3 standing or rely on an existing local 501c3 to hold the money

          –need clear guidelines on who would be money managers and under what rules

          –need a legal document with Center Court, clarifying expectations, responsibilities

-Elisabeth Doyle, Kristine Hoag and Bill Walczak volunteered to create a sub-committee to explore “management options” and report back in March

-Bill Walczak distributed a list of “ideas” for using developers’ funding; list below

  • New name for area seeing the 10k and 7m

-updated list below

  • Next meeting

-Thursday, March 23rd at 7pm at SHYC

Bill Walczak’s List:

Columbia-Savin Hill Civic Association – Ideas for use of community benefit dollars

The Columbia-Savin Hill Community has an opportunity to use community benefit dollars that come from developers who wish to build in the CSHCA community.  These are one-time donations and should be seen as such.  How the dollars are used can make a big difference in how the neighborhood functions as a neighborhood.

I therefore suggest that the dollars be used to build the community’s ability to advocate for itself and create a greater sense of community.  This can be done in different ways:

  1. Staffing the civic association.  This can be done by funding a Main Street organization (which would potentially allow for further funding from the City after the community benefit dollars are gone), or staff positions that could reside within a local nonprofit that would allow the staff to answer to the civic association. It could also be through the creation of a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) nonprofit, though this would be more costly. 

The staffing would support the Civic Association participating in important state and city efforts (e.g. Morrissey Blvd/K Circle commission), local efforts (e.g., Dot Ave Vision Committee, Friends of parks and green spaces, Pear Square group, etc.) and be the connector between CSHCA and other entities which have an impact on our community (police, parks, ISD, etc.)

Staffing would allow for the creation of a communication network (newsletter and social media) for the neighborhood with regular reports on the following: neighborhood events, real estate proposals, hearings that affect the neighborhood, community and city events that people can participate in, programs that residents can join, etc.  Booklets could be created for new residents, for people with children covering daycare/school options and other children’s services, the LGBT community, etc.  We could also have outreach efforts to various communities which are not connected to CSHCA.

Staff could also be available to attend meetings and hearings to present neighborhood views or just record information that would be useful for the neighborhood to know. Staff would also be available to support volunteer efforts for CSHCA events and traditions.  I suggest funding for three years, perhaps $600,000 (1 full time, 2 part time employees, plus dollars for office materials and support, printing and internet, etc.)

  • Hiring a firm to assist CSHCA in creating a vision for the community.  This is important because the BPDA and developers need to know what development is acceptable and not in our community in the event that the BPDA starts a process of re-zoning the city. This would involve getting a community perspective on what they’d like the community to be like in 10-15 years; what would be different and what would be the same, and how the current community would interact with the new communities springing up in adjacent areas. It could also promote ideas like the Pear Square area historic district, the idea of completing the Emerald Necklace by implementing the Columbia Road plan of Olmsted, beautifying the Burial Ground on Stoughton Street by removing the wall and billboards, etc.  Maybe $50,000.
  • Dollars can also be used to support events that bring neighborhood residents together, building relationships among residents and with the Civic Association.  CSHCA currently has a picnic, a music event, a park clean up, holiday decorating, caroling and lighting, and events for children.  Other events such as a neighborhood tour, Vietnamese New Year, beach celebration and clean up, restaurant tours, celebrations for various holidays could be considered.  These can be enhanced, expanded and funded.  Perhaps $60,000 over 3 years.
  • Funds.  An innovation fund that would allow residents to apply for small grants that would enhance the quality of life in the community.  A scholarship fund for children in the community.  Perhaps $40,000 over 3 years.

Community Benefits Committee’s List of Names for Area:

Bay City

Boston South ,      Boston Metro East,     Boston  Southeast  Corridor

Coastal  Dorchester

Columbia Point,  Columbus Park

Dorchester Bay Waterfront,   Dorchester  Bay,  Dorchester  First

Dorchester Shores

Dorchester Waterfront

Emerald Shoreline,    Greater  Savin  Hill

Morrissey Korner

New Boston

North Dorchester

Old Colony,   Old Harbor

South  Harbor

Southern Bay,    Southeast  Boston  Shoreline,   Southeast  Corridor,   Southeast  Technology  Corridor

Southern Shore,   Southern Harbor,  Southern  Waterfront

The Bay

University Place,   UMass  Technology  Area,   UMass  Technology  Zone