CIVIC AGENDA Fenway Health Is an Option
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MAY WWW.FENWAYNEWS.ORG 2019 FREE COVERING THE FENWAY, AUDUBON CIRCLE, KENMORE SQUARE, UPPER BACK BAY, PRUDENTIAL, LONGWOOD, AND MISSION HILL SINCE 1974 • VOLUME 45, NUMBER 5 • MAY 3, 2019 - MAY 31, 2019 STUDENT RENTALS TURN MISSION Spring Ritual: The Fens in Flames As reliably as HILL HOUSES INTO DEVELOPER ATMs forsythia and daffodils, fires in BY ALISON PULTINAS Typically when converting housing to the phragmites have he most recent data from the accommodate students, a developer purchases become a sign of Department of Neighborhood a property for a high price, then to maximize AHMADIFAR NANCY PHOTO: spring. This year the Development’s annual report, their return, often adds another floor, converts flames—possibly Student Housing Trends, confirms dining rooms and front parlors to bedrooms, set off by homeless that Mission Hill and Fenway/Kenmore are the or builds an addition that doubles or triples people who use the T the original size. Some examples include 813 dense stands for city neighborhoods with the greatest number of undergraduate and graduate students living Parker St. and 72 and 76 Alleghany St. encampments— off campus. According to a Boston Planning The Alleghany Street units were broke out on March and Development Agency (BPDA) publication, architecturally distinctive Greek Revival style 28. They consumed Boston by the Numbers, the neighborhoods homes on land with deep backyards. Then, the dried-out plant have a low percentage of owner-occupants, developer Joseph LaRosa combined the lots, material on the built three-story additions entire west bank of to both properties, and the river between converted the front lawns Boylston Street and from grass to AstroTurf. Agassiz Road. No zoning variances were PHOTO: ALISON PULTINAS PHOTO: required. His properties in Mission Hill and Roxbury are held by various trusts and limited liability corporations (LLCs). Since his death in March, his wife Mary in the neighborhood are in ill repair, lack Mission Hill Neighborhood Housing Services LaRosa has managed the modern comforts …” Project Review Committee. companies. Peselman and Lepler attended the March Following meetings with the Similarly, the large meeting of the Community Alliance of Mis- Neighborhood Housing Services Project house at 813 Parker St. sion Hill; Peselman sat in the audience while Review Committee, several projects have is getting a three-story Lepler and their architect Peter Vanko de- agreed not to allow undergraduates on the addition. The property is scribed a proposal for replacing a 19th-century leases. However, no city officials are involved part of what neighbor Kara house at 42 Wait St. They presented a Hob- with these agreements. Developers willingly Verrochi calls “fraternity son’s Choice, explaining that they have per- make these promises, but without penalties, is row,” houses bought by Alex mits to build three five-bedroom apartments it just a goodwill gesture? Peselman and Mark Lepler, that will undoubtedly be filled with students, Even when the City is involved, promises currently the most active or the community could allow them a variance like the unwieldy “No More Than Four” developers in the Mission and they’ll agree to create seven smaller units Boston student housing rule has proved Hill student rental market. with seven parking spaces, signing an agree- unenforceable by Inspectional Services and is Their company, Mission ment for no undergraduates and doing their considered possibly illegal. Capital Group, is located at best to save the large backyard tree. Residents who attend project-review 39 Brighton Ave. At the Alliance meeting, Lepler said meetings often speak emotionally about Peselman’s business “we hold what we buy,” implying that they do the decline of home ownership in the holdings, however, aren’t not intend to flip their properties. The group neighborhood. If condominiums are proposed, limited to Mission Capital asked the developers to consider seven condos they will advocate for deed restrictions for Group. His LLCs fill eight instead of rentals if the economics work. owner occupancy in the sale agreements. pages on State Secretary The 42 Wait St. vote will be in May, so the However, there is often pushback from Upper: 42 Wait St., will be torn down and redeveloped William Galvin’s corporate developers have time to study and compare the investors and their attorneys, as mortgage by the Mission Capital Group. Bottom: Construction at database. According to financials for condos versus rentals. banks dislike deed restrictions. The residents 813 Parker St. the firm’s website, “at The Mission Hill review process for small also believe that student tenants bring down approximately 10 percent. The communities Mission Capital we understand the demand building projects requiring zoning variances the value of adjacent property and quality of experience development pressures and of the market we develop for… most of these includes an abutters’ sidewalk meeting with life, citing late night roofdeck parties, trash, construction impacts from Boston’s economic [tenants] come from upper-middle class the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services and noise as evidence. boom. However, residential real estate in the families and are accustomed to a certain grade representative, and presentations at the MISSION HILL on page 4 > two neighborhoods is quite different. of living. Unfortunately, a lot of the buildings Community Alliance of Mission Hill and the Like the Fenway, Mission Hill includes masonry rowhouses, larger apartment complexes and affordable housing developments. But the top of the hill is Students Turn to Off-Campus and Peer-Based Care primarily two- and three-family structures EDITORS NOTE: This is the second in patients are in the college age range, challenges is off-campus peer with a dwindling number of single-family a two-part series on mental health or as he says, are in a “transitional counseling, such as the Metro Boston homes. The wood-frame multi-family units on college campuses. The first article stage in life.” Recovery Learning Community. built before 1930, some as early as the mid- focused on issues with mental health Though Todisco says the wait Howard Trachtman, co-founder of the 19th century, experience the highest number services. This story highlights solutions time for an appointment can be up to group, experienced his own mental of student housing conversions. both on- and off-campus. a few weeks, Fenway Health offers health struggles and now works to BY JULIA HARRINGTON consistent care and support, as the help others. or students who want to center has well over 25 practicing He attended both Northeastern attend regular counseling, behavioral health specialists. and the Massachusetts Institute of CIVIC AGENDA Fenway Health is an option. “There has always been a supply- Technology and now regularly speaks Tuesday, 5/21: The center was founded and-demand challenge. The need for at universities in the area. He shares Fby Northeastern students in 1971, and behavioral health services is greater his own recovery story and advocates District 8 City Council while it focuses on LGBT health, it than what is available in the area, it for the learning community, which Candidates Debate also offers traditional therapy, group seems,” Todisco said. has five centers, including one in the Four candidates running for the soon- psychotherapy, and support groups Many mental health centers South End, and a hotline available. to-be-vacant District 8 City Council regardless of the patient’s ability to face similar struggles, but Todisco “Too many people are going seat will debate in a “community pay. encourages and commends people away to colleges, and they might not conversation” at Berklee’s 160 Mass. According to its “2018 At A who seek help. He recommends have the independent living skills” Ave. dorm. Former Lesley University Glance” web page, the Fenway Health students learn to notice signs of they need, he said. “They might not president Margaret McKenna will Behavioral Health department cared mental illness in themselves and act have the ability to adapt to a new moderate the discussion with Kenzie for 4,200 people who made more on them. environment like that.” Bok, Landon Lamoine, Kristen Mobilia, than 36,400 individual therapy, group “It’s not a sign of weakness, it’s Trachtman believes that peer and Helène Vincent. Doors open at therapy, and psychopharmacology a sign of courage and strength to ask groups offer a safe space to speak 6pm, program begins at 6:30. Visit bit. appointments. for help,” he said. “People do recover about personal challenges and hear ly/BostonD8Forum for tickets, which David Todisco, a trained social from mental health issues. This won’t from others going through similar are required. Sponsored by Ward 4 and worker and the acting Director of last forever.” things. He says that opening up the Ward 5 Democrats, the Fenway CDC, Behavioral Health at Fenway Health, Another alternative for students conversation is a good first step Fenway Civic, MassVOTE, and other says that the majority of those struggling with mental health MENTAL HEALTH on page 2 > groups. 2 | FENWAY NEWS | MAY 2019 > MENTAL HEALTH from page 1 they have been rather unresponsive. Tatte Will Open On Mass. Ave. PHOTO: KELSEY BRUUN to help others understand mental Williams, a fourth-year student, illness. joined Active Minds her freshman Emmanuel College senior Maria year after starting a mental health George met Trachtman through club at her high school. As vice support groups and is working on president, she hopes to increase a capstone project about mental student involvement and hopes to healthcare on college campuses continue creating a safe, stigma- and is shadowing at the learning free environment for anyone to community. talk about mental health when the She says that college is a universities facilities are not enough. stressful time for students and that “There’s just this kind of taboo universities cannot always serve the as soon as someone mentions needs of their students.