The Columbia Savin Hill Civic Association (CSHCA) looks for properties in our neighborhood that are unsafe, unattractive, under-utilized, or has problems in other ways. We ask you to help us identify such properties and, if you’re willing, help us deal with them.
Please join us to help develop strategies to address each problem property or send an e-mail that identifies properties you’re not happy about. Address the e-mail to our Planning Committee chair, Eileen Fenton.
There are two major reasons to do this. The first reason is, simply, that we want to live in a quality neighborhood. While the vast numbers of parcels in the CSHCA area are nice, we do have some problem properties. We believe that the civic association can help improve these.
The second reason is that there are resources out there that could help if property owners were aware of them. The City of Boston has programs to help both home owners and business owners. Very often, many owners know nothing about them.
Additionally, the Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (DBEDC), a non-profit development company started by CSHCA members in 1978, offers both grants and loans to eligible residents. The grants range from $15,000 for a single family to $30,000 for a three family. These grants (that means free money!) are restricted to homeowners with household incomes less than $62,000. DBEDC has below market rate loans for higher income households and businesses. Again, most property owners don’t know about these resources.
The Planning Committee does not intend to be nasty, aggressive or strident in dealing with property owners. Our intention is to help property owners access resources necessary to improve their properties. Having the civic association actively supporting the property owner will help the owner. An owner that improves his/her property helps the neighborhood.
Please send us your problem sites and consider joining the committee to work on them.