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JUNE 10, 2021 BOOK YOUR POST IT Call Your Advertising Rep TTHEHE BBEEACONACON HHILLILL TTIMESIMES (781)485-0588 THERE ARE NO TIMES LIKE THESE TIMES NO EXCUSES FOR A MEET & GREET Mass General officials show public-realm improvements By Dan Murphy who along with Rep. Jay Living- stone, has been very active in the Representatives for Mass Gen- community process for the hospi- eral were on hand Monday, June tal’s planned expansion, said pub- 7, for a city-sponsored virtual lic realm is always a big issue when meeting to discuss public-realm it comes to large development improvements for the hospital’s projects like this, and that she has planned $1 billion expansion of its “definitely heard a lot from her Cambridge Street campus. Beacon Hill and West End constit- MGH intends to build a build- uents” on the proposal. ing comprising a pair of connect- Rep. Livingstone added ed, 12-story towers that would that both he and Councilor Bok provide 482 new hospital beds have appreciated MGH mak- (for a net gain of 94 new beds); ing adjustments to the proposed additional imaging and lab space, project throughout the process in as well as new exam rooms and accordance with input from the infusion bays; 971 parking spaces community, but that the “interac- (for a net gain of 191 new spaces) tion between the Beacon Hill and located beneath the development; West End neighborhood is greatly and 1,043 spots for bikes on the affecting everyone’s lives.” campus (for a net gain of 566 Tom Sieniewicz, a partner with new spaces). Construction is set the Boston office of the architec- to begin in the summer of 2022, tural and design firm NBBJ, said according to members of the proj- the project presents an opportu- ect team. City Councilor Kenzie Bok, (MGH Pg. 3) Local playwright explores Boston’s love for baseball COURTESY OF PATRICIA TULLY By Dan Murphy The Beacon Hill Civic Association held its monthly Beacon Hill Meet & Greet at Alibi at the Liberty Hotel on Monday, June 7. Beacon Hill Meet & Greets take place on the first Monday of each month at a to-be-deter- “Cursetown,” an upcoming mined location. Visit bhcivic.org for more information. play written by Mt. Vernon Street resident David Beardsley that hits the stage next summer, will explore Boston’s deep-seated love for the Red Sox and baseball, as well as Downtown Neighborhoods Mayoral the city’s fraught history of racial tension, unfolding over the course Candidates’ Forum to take place June 22 of three decades. “I really wanted to write a Bay, Saint Botolph Neighborhood better, and to encourage our neigh- By Dan Murphy Boston play and something that Association and the South End borhoods to participate in the explores what I love about the city The Boston Downtown Neigh- Forum, and West End Civic Asso- political process.” borhoods Mayoral Candidates and what sometimes disappoints ciation (WECA). Elliot Laffer, chair of the Neigh- me about the city,” said Beardsley. Forum is scheduled to take place The event moderator will be borhood Association of the Back via Zoom on Tuesday, June 22, Each key scene in “Cursed” cen- Montez Haywood, WECA Presi- Bay (NABB) board of directors, ters around a pivotal moment in from 6 to 7:30 p.m. dent, as well as a one-time Boston said, “We are proud to be one The forum is sponsored by myri- Red Sox history, he said, beginning District 8 City Council candidate. of the cosponsors of this event. with Game 6 of 1975 Boston-Cin- EMMA BEARDSLEY PHOTO ad downtown neighborhood orga- David Beardsley, a Mt. Vernon Rob Whitney, Chair of the The candidates have been given cinnati World Series, when Wil- nizations, including the Alliance of Street resident and author of the Beacon Hill Civic Association the questions in advance so they liam, a community-minded black Downtown Civic Organizations, (BHCA), stated: “Our organiza- can provide thoughtful answers, upcoming play, “Cursetown.” Bay Village Neighborhood Asso- law student, has a heated exchange tion is very excited to be co-spon- and we forward to hearing their with Fitzy, a bigoted white man ciation, Beacon Hill Civic Associ- soring this event with other neigh- responses to questions affecting from Southie, in a Boston bar. But after this awkward first ation, Boston Chinatown Resident borhood associations. Over the the downtown neighborhoods. “It’s mostly a white clientele, encounter, William and Fitzy Association, Downtown Boston years the BHCA has partnered This is probably one of the most and William’s in unfamiliar territo- develop a “genuine friendship,” Residents’ Association, Ellis South with many of these organizations important mayoral elections in ry, and somewhere where he’s not added Beardsley, as Boston, as well End Neighborhood Association, to hold candidate forums to help decades and a very different field Fenway Civic Association, Neigh- necessarily comfortable,” Beards- as society in general, struggles with our respective neighborhood resi- ley said of the unnamed establish- borhood Association of Back dents get to know the candidates (FORUM Pg. 4) ment. (CURSETOWN Pg. 3) PAGE 2 THE BEACON HILL TIMES JUNE 10, 2021 editorial HAS AMERICA GONE FROM ON THE GUEST OP-ED BRINK TO OVER THE EDGE? With Americans emerging cicada-like from the restrictions imposed Boston needs more affordable, affordable housing by COVID-19, one would think that this would be a time of joy as we ket rate. This large gap is causing mortgage of the same amount—we resume participating in all of the things that make life worth living. By Councilor Annissa Essaibi George low to middle income families to just have to make home ownership But rather than embracing in a positive way our newly-rediscovered Right now, Boston’s residents fall through the cracks. We need accessible! freedom after 15 months of restrictions, it would seem as though we are struggling to pay rent, our affordable, multi-bedroom hous- The City also has to invest more have lost our collective minds. families can’t find or afford stable ing for our families and we need in our first time homebuyers pro- Fights and other outbreaks of violence, once rare in our airports and housing, and too many individuals to push developers to build it. We gram, which not only prepares on airplanes, have become so commonplace and dangerous that two air- are experiencing chronic home- must also look into amending and first time home buyers looking to lines, American and Southwest, have decided to halt all sales of alcohol lessness. The past year has only updating HUD’s Area Median purchase their first homes, but also until September. emphasized these realities and the Income (AMI) standard for the offers residents, many of whom effects will last long after the pan- Mass shootings are more prevalent than ever all across the country city. The formula does not reflect would not be able to otherwise, the demic. thanks to the easy access to high-powered weaponry in many states. the income of the many residents opportunity to purchase a home by Affordability and accessibility who need more affordable hous- qualifying to make a below aver- Drug overdose deaths soared in 2020 to record heights and show no of both rental units and homes for ing. age down payment upon purchase sign of abating. sale is key for a thriving city. We For those who do qualify for and lower monthly mortgage rates. Random hate crimes, especially toward the AAPI and Jewish commu- need to ensure that everyone who subsidized housing, the housing Finally, more must be done to nities, have soared in the past year. wants to call Boston home has the voucher allocation processes are encourage the creation of more Our political discourse has not been this divisive since 1861, when the opportunity, option and a path- not consistent and the number of senior-specific housing and ensure Confederates fired on Ft. Sumter to start the Civil War. way to ownership to do so. We can available vouchers varies dramati- that those who have made Bos- We finally can travel, but who wants to venture to our usual getaway start by building more housing and cally year to year. As Mayor, I will ton their home can stay here. We destinations (especially cruise ships with unvaccinated passengers) along ensuring what we build is actually push for dedicated investments must support our seniors to age in with the hordes of other travelers who have the same idea? It’s one thing affordable for Boston’s residents. in public housing and extremely the community they call home by for airports and flights to be jammed, but the crowds will be huge wher- Our housing stock must also be low-income housing and improve creating more secure and accessi- a reflection of the needs of those ever we might want to go, which only will exacerbate the new epidemic measures to prevent race-based ble affordable housing options, who call this city home. That’s and income-based voucher dis- including housing for older resi- of short-temperedness that seems to be infecting our present emotional why I’ve called for a hearing on criminatory behavior. dents who identify as LGBTQIA+ state. our City’s existing residential unit Housing production should also or older residents with disabilities. Here’s our theory to explain the sudden surge in the general level of diversity, so we can understand provide our residents more oppor- I was born and raised in Boston. unruliness among our nation’s population: After 15 months of being told what units we have and what units tunities for home ownership.