APRIL WWW.FENWAYNEWS.ORG 2017 FREE SERVING THE FENWAY, KENMORE SQUARE, UPPER BACK BAY, PRUDENTIAL, LONGWOOD AREA AND MISSION HILL SINCE 1974 VOLUME 43, NUMBER 4 MARCH 31-APRIL 28, 2017 Conservancy’s Annual Meeting Spotlights Environmentalist, New President BY RUTH KHOWAIS The silence lasted for 17 years, and Francis (who now talks each other manifests in the physical environment around us.” he Emerald Necklace Conservancy, now in its 19th quite a bit) says, “I realized the importance of listening. It’s Francis began and ended his address by playing his banjo. the part of communication we don’t think about too much. I Ruth Khowais lives in the West Fens. year, held its annual meeting on March 22 at Mass. PHOTO: KATE OESER College of Art. After recognition of volunteers and realized by not listening, I had stopped learning.” remarks by chair Ben Taylor and new President In the course of his 17 years of not talking and not riding Karen Mauney-Brodek, the keynote address was delivered by in cars, Francis was able to communicate with people all over T the country about the importance of the environment (strangers environmentalist Dr. John Francis. Known as the “Planetwalker,” Francis became an invited him in and children took him to school for show and environmentalist in the 1970s—before it was fashionable— tell). He also earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. He has after witnessing two oil tankers collide beneath the Golden written a book called Walking the Earth, is a visiting associate Gate Bridge. A self-described hippie, he was horrified by professor at the University of Wisconsin, an Education Fellow the oozing sludge and dying birds, and decided to make a at the National Geographic Society, and now lectures all over difference by refusing to ride in automobiles from then on. the world. Francis said, “Environment is more than about Everyone he knew told him that one person can’t change the pollution and endangered species. It’s about human rights and world, yet Francis walked back and forth across the United civil rights—how we relate to each other and how we treat States playing his banjo for 22 years. MEET KAREN MAUNEY-BRODEK, THE At one point, tired of arguing with people about whether Environmentalist and (and banjo player) Dr. John Francis CONSERVANCY’S NEW PRESIDENT. PAGE 3. one person can have a significant impact, he stopped speaking. spoke at the Emerald Necklace Conservancy annual meeting PHOTO: LONGWOODCYCLISTS.ORG PHOTO: Avenue, where flexible vertical posts called LMA PONDERS “delineators” will be installed alongside a segment of the existing bike lanes, creating a STREET CHANGES physical barrier between riders and drivers. PHOTO: PETER FURTH According to some advocates these are only IN RESPONSE TO incremental steps, as they only create bike lanes in one direction. Peter Furth’s presentation envisioned RISING CYCLING “informal flares” on Longwood Avenue that would eliminate underutilized left-turn lanes DEMAND in order to create space for cyclists where BY ALISON PULTINAS the road widens, or “flares.” His plan creates ongwood Medical Area bikers con- both east- and westbound lanes on Longwood vened last month at the Jimmy Fund to accommodate the huge increase in area Auditorium on Binney Street for an bikers. A 2016 survey of peak-hour traffic at hour-long lunchtime presentation on the Longwood/Brookline intersection found Lpotential cycling improvements in the area. that 39% were bikers (according to data from The room was packed, and David Read, vice the Boston Cyclists Union). This is a very president at Dana Farber and local cycling high number according to MASCO’s Sarah advocate, facilitated. Hamilton, who cautioned that eliminating left- Speakers included Rick Corsi, the turn lanes could be dangerous, as this design Department of Conservation and Recreation’s The volume of cyclists in the Medical Area has grown rapidly. LMA cyclists got a allows drivers to enter the bike lane in order to project manager for the Charlesgate East look at proposed bike-infrastructure improvements at a recent meeting. pass cars stopped to turn left. Greenway project, and Peter Furth, professor The Livable Streets Alliance, a local of civil and environmental engineering at and Scientific Community Organization), lanes, and includes the more controversial idea organization promoting equitable transporta- Northeastern. Corsi announced that his discussed some improvements proposed for of restricting the far right lane on Longwood tion solutions, envisions a larger public en- project, a multi-use path connecting the Longwood Avenue. Avenue’s eastbound block between Brookline gagement campaign, initially partnering with Esplanade to Beacon Street and ultimately MASCO has contracted with Watertown- Avenue and Binney St. to bus and bike traffic David Read on the Longwood Cyclists website the Riverway, will hold a public meeting this based transportation consultants VHB to only. The city is reviewing these concepts, launch and an online survey. A follow-up is spring and go out to bid in the summer. Furth, design safer bike accommodations for the which could be implemented as early as July. expected with area stakeholders this spring. alongside planners Sarah Hamilton and Paul Longwood area. VHB’s design shifts the lane Another improvement targets Brookline CYCLISTS on page 5 > Nelson from MASCO (the Medical Academic lines on some blocks to create space for bike Fenwickian Finds a Job—and a Cause—Solving Families’ Housing Needs BY EESHA PENDHARKAR through the voucher program in Massachu- “It all starts by having a home,” he says. “You “I’ve met very nice, hardworking people, -year-old Fenway resident setts. Nemer has complete belief in the orga- need someplace to live before you get a paying heard stories of people who’ve benefited Drew Nemer doesn’t just have nization’s ability to lift people out of poverty. job. There’s so many more chances of people greatly from this program.” his own home to think about, According to him, the number of families getting rejected if they don’t have a permanent With MBHP’s impending move to he has about 200 more. His seeking MBHP’s help in the past decade or so address.” Roxbury Crossing, Nemer says he’s looking work at the Metropolitan Boston Housing has doubled, so the work is more important Nonprofit work has been a part of forward to helping people from the Fenway, 25 than ever. “The rent prices in Boston are astro- Nemer’s life since his days at Brandeis which has been his home for two years. His Partnership (MBHP) has helped low-income residents find and maintain University. He studied sociology and daily tasks include income monitoring of affordable homes. anthropology and was an advocate for social families residing in subsidized homes and Nemer works as a justice and women’s rights throughout his time helping resolve any problems that may arise program representative in the in school. He worked at another nonprofit, the due to changes in incomes, living conditions Massachusetts Rental Voucher Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee, or family issues. Program, one of many before switching to helping people find and “A lot of it is paperwork, lot of it is different programs offered sustain homes. calculations, but it cannot be done without the by the MBHP. “The voucher He began working at MBHP by assisting human element.” is tied to a certain set of with the intake coordinating of Section 8, a He thinks of his work like healthcare. apartments that are controlled federal program offering subsidized housing. According to him, people worry about their by companies [and] landlords, During his few months there, Nemer helped home like they worry about healthcare, and he and we fill them with people approximately 150 individuals who had acts like a doctor who they go to when they’re who apply,” Nemer explains, PARTNERSHIP HOUSING BOSTON METROPOLITAN PHOTO: spent as much as 10 years on the waiting list having health problems. describing the work the for a lease. At the beginning of this year, He says what he learns from his work at MBHP does. When there’s a he switched to his current position with the MBHP is balancing everyone who comes to problem between the tenants voucher program. him in need to trying and address all of their and owners, any conflict, or Nemer takes his dedication to helping problems. As for future plans, he wants to tenants want to relocate, it’s people very seriously. “They look to us, and build on the sort of work he does now. “I hope Nemer’s job to resolve it. “I’m Drew Nemer works at the MBHP helping families find it’s a huge responsibility and a privilege,” to improve welfare in low-income people and like their case worker,” he affordable homes in Boston neighborhoods. he says. His daily work involves dealing to make Boston a much better place to live for states. Some of the people whose residency nomical,” he says with indignation. with a lot of questions from those looking for everyone.” Nemer helps maintain have been in the It’s easy to forget housing when you think affordable housing, and his way of speaking Eesha Pendharkar is a graduate voucher program for 30 years. of basic needs, especially when the number of about them displays a genuine concern for student at the Boston University School of MBHP is a nonprofit, governmental con- people living without it is factored in. Nemer’s their residential problems. “I’ve been touched Journalism. For more information on the tracting agency that serves 5,100 households list of basic needs has housing highlighted. by the people I’ve encountered,” he relates.