A Happy New Year
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HAPPy HOLIDAYS! & a Happy New year DECEMBER 19, 2019 BOOK YOUR POST IT Call Your Advertising Rep TTHEHE BBEEACONACON HHILLILL TTIMESIMES (781)485-0588 THERE ARE NO TIMES LIKE THESE TIMES Four new SHOP LOCAL Accolades BHAC Appleton Bridge receives prestigious members American Architecture Award confirmed By Dan Murphy and cutting-edge design in the U.S., and also promote American architecture and design domesti- By Dan Murphy The Frances Appleton Pedestrian Bridge racked up anoth- cally and abroad. The program The City Council confirmed the er accolade upon receiving the drew a record number of appli- appointment of four new members prestigious American Architecture cants this year for new buildings, to the Beacon Hill Architectural Award for 2019 during a recent landscape architecture and urban Commission during a hearing of ceremony in Miami, Fla. planning projects submitted by its Committee on Development, Jointly organized by The some of the most venerable firms Planning and Transportation on Chicago Athenaeum and The practicing in the U.S. and globally. Dec. 10 at City Hall. European Centre for Architecture “The Appleton Bridge is a great The new appointees are Arian Art Design and Urban Studies and example of a bridge conceived as Allen and Alice Richmond, the now celebrating its 25th year, the structural art balancing architec- mayoral at-large member and American Architectural Awards ture and engineering goals,” wrote alternate, respectively; Matthew are considered the nation’s highest Miguel Rosales, the award-win- Blumenthal, the alternate mem- and most prestigious distinguished ning bridge designer and longtime ber nominated by the Beacon building awards program for new (BRIDGE Pg. 5) Hill Civic Association; and Wen Wen, the alternate member nom- inated by the Boston Society of Architects. Mayor Walsh signs affordable Richmond’s term lasts until May of 2023 while Wen is slated housing Home Rule Petition to serve with the Commission until May of 2023; Blumenthal’s By John Lynds City Council approved the mea- and Allen’s terms are both set to sure by a vote of 10-3. expire in May of 2024. It was a huge win for District The signing by Walsh now “As the Chair of the Beacon 1 City Councilor Lydia Edwards, moves Edwards and Jayne’s Home Hill Architectural Commission I The Beacon Hill Women’s Forum (BHWF) is all about bringing neigh- her colleague Councilor Kim Janey Rule Petition to the Massachusetts am very pleased to learn that soon borhood women together in the spirit of friendship. But it is also and affordable housing advocates Legislature for approval. If we will welcome new commis- about doing as much as possible to support our Beacon Hill commu- across the city. approved by the state, the City sioners representing the Mayor’s nity which includes our local Charles Street merchants. Next week On Monday, Mayor Martin would have the ability to deter- office, the Boston Society of members will host our annual Wassail Holiday Celebration at the Walsh signed Edwards and Janey’s mine the final rate for the fee, Architects and the Beacon Hill Hampshire House and rather than ask for donations many thought Home Rule Petition to impose a collection method and any exemp- it better to shop at as many local shops as they could and ‘lead by Civic Association,” wrote Miguel real estate transfer fee of 2 percent tions that would exist. example’. They carved out an allowance from our annual BHWF bud- Rosales, whose appointment on the purchase price of any pri- “Housing is the biggest eco- get and were able to purchase over 20 gifts under $20 each from the vate real estate sale over $2 million nomic challenge facing the resi- with the Commission began in various Charles Street merchants. At our festive party next week, they and dedicate all revenues to afford- dents of Boston and people across December of 2016, and is set to will explain that these raffle items were purchased locally and hope it able housing. The 2 percent fee our region,” said Mayor Walsh. will encourage our BHWF members to do the same! Pictured Senaida “That’s why it’s critically import- (BHAC, Pg. 2) Bautista (left) - Pres BHWF and Lisa Macalaster Founder BHWF. will be used to generate additional funding to create and preserve affordable housing in Boston. The (HOUSING Pg. 2) Beacon Hill Civic Association Community Corner Have you tried BOS:311? a year. at https://www.cityofboston. WE’LL SEE YOU NEXT YEAR! The City of Boston has an 311 provides access to all gov/311/. The mobile app allows important and useful resource for non-emergency City services. you to easily send a photo of the The Beacon Hill times will not be published on Dec. 26. all Boston residents. 311 is an You can call 311 from any tele- problem you are reporting. You The next edition of the newspaper easy to remember telephone num- phone, or you can call directly can even Tweet @BOS311. will be published Thursday, Jan. 2 ber that will connect you with the to 617-635-4500. You can also There are hundreds of topics The Advertising Deadline for the next issue City’s Constituent Service Center. connect with 311 by downloading that can be addressed by the 311 TH The center is open 24 hours a the mobile app, or by submit- center, and these can be found IS FRIDAY, DEC. 27 day, 7 days a week and 365 days ting a request or concern online The Office will be CLOSED Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 in (BHCA Pg. 5) observation of Christmas and New Years holidays. 2 PAGE 2 THE BEACON HILL TIMES DECEMBER 19, 2019 HOUSING (from pg. 1) ant that we do everything we can erate wealth in our communities speculative real estate practices to support the creation of homes must be part of ensuring residents and stands to bring as much as that are affordable, while also pre- can remain in the neighborhoods $169 million in revenue annually serving our existing housing stock. they love. that can be invested in affordable I am proud to sign this Home Rule “Today, Boston joins a growing housing.” Petition that is a significant step coalition of municipalities asking According to an analysis con- forward in our work, by giving the state for the power to ensure ducted by PFM Group Consulting, Boston the ability to impose a that the housing we build truly real estate sales in Suffolk County modest fee on the sale of private meets our residents’ needs,” she have ranged from approximately property, which will collectively said. $3 billion to over $12 billion do a world of good towards our This fall, the Walsh adminis- in the last decade. The City of efforts to make Boston a more tration commissioned a study on Boston accounts for 86 percent affordable place to live.” the potential impact of transfer of the county’s population and Mayor Martin Walsh signs Councilor Lydia Edwards and Councilor According to the Home Rule fees in the City of Boston and real estate activity. From 2009 Kim Janey’s Home Rule Petition to impose a real estate transfer fee Petition would authorize the City examine transfer fees across the through year-to-date, total private of two percent on the purchase price of any private real estate sale of Boston to impose a fee of up country. The study found that real estate sales have averaged over $2 million and dedicate all revenues to affordable housing. to 2 percent of the purchase price “market actors do not appear to $8.4 billion. Based on average upon the transfer of property val- be fully incorporating the transac- sales in Suffolk County, estimates ued at over $2 million, with 1 tion costs…. Transfer taxes may show that a 1 percent fee on all like NOAH’s (Neighborhood of Now we need to mobilize that percent paid by the seller and one have only muted impacts on real private-market sales would have Affordable Housing) Executive coalition at the State House, percent paid by the purchaser. estate markets.” It also noted that raised $84 million per year over Director Phil Giffee, are elated where we know Rep Madaro and The funding generated would a separate study of real estate the last decade, and a two per- by what they are calling a ‘mon- Senator Boncore will help lead the be dedicated to the Neighborhood commissions, another “point of cent fee would have generated umental’ step in ensuring more charge for passage. To the credit Housing Trust (NHT) or appro- sale” fee, had minimal impacts on over $168 million, a significant affordable housing is built and of the Mayor and Lydia, I appre- priated through the annual budget residential housing in the Boston increase on the City’s existing preserved in neighborhoods like ciate they discussed implementa- process to support the creation or on the days a property was affordable housing investments. Eastie. tion differences and worked to the and preservation of affordable listed on the market. “There is no question that in “This is monumental news middle for a workable alliance of housing in the City. Since it was Municipalities such as Boston we need to do everything for affordable and workforce interests. I also appreciate seeing created by statute in 1987, the Somerville, Concord and we can to support the creation housing for the City of Boston,” leaders working together to solve NHT has expended approximate- Nantucket have advanced home of homes that are affordable, said Giffee. “A big thank you to problems that affect real people, ly $197 million to finance hous- rule petitions to authorize a real while also preserving our existing both the Mayor and to our City and there are few issues as import- ing and supported approximate- estate transfer fee.