Planning and Organizing

Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP)

Fenway CDC is a member of the Coalition for a Truly Affordable Boston (CTAB) to improve Boston’s Inclusionary Development Policy. Boston’s IDP program requires a percentage of new housing development to include units that are income restricted. The program is overseen by the Boston Planning and Development Agency. If the policy were strengthened, IDP could provide more deeply affordable homes to Bostonians.

Visit the CTAB website to learn more: www.affordableboston.org

The Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA)

The Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) would let Massachusetts cities and towns adopt a preservation, anti-displacement and tenant empowerment tool that can preserve affordable rental housing stock, provide a mechanism for tenant associations to collectively purchase their buildings, and stabilize low-income households. TOPA would allow municipalities the option of providing tenants in multi-family buildings the right to match a third-party offer when their homes are being sold.

Visit the TOPA Coalition website to learn more: www.topa4ma.org

Transfer Fees

We are working on two different Transfer Fee proposals. One bill is at the State Hose and seeks to allow cities and towns to place a fee on real estate transactions to fund affordable housings. Monies collected could go to the municipal or regional housing fund. In addition, the Mayor of the City of Boston has filed a petition with the City Council for a Boston specific fee on real estate transactions over $2 million. This will have to be passed by the City Council and go to the State House for passage as a Home Rule Petition. If passed, it is estimated that approximately $100M of funding per year would be generated for affordable housing.

Visit the Local Option for Housing Affordability Coalition website to learn more: www.realestatetransferfee.org/coalition

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH)

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) is a municipal effort to implement fair housing mandates from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2015 (later withdrawn by the Trump administration). The Affirmatively Fair Housing Advisory Committee drafted 14 goals and 100+ actions. Our collective work to achieve those goals is to educate the community, support implementation, monitor, and enforce accountability. AFFH requirements have been put into the Boston Zoning Code and into the Boston Planning and Development Agency review process. We seek to educate and empower residents to hold developers accountable to these new requirements.

Visit the BPDA’s website to learn more: www.bostonplans.org/housing/affirmatively-furthering-fair-housing-article-80

The #55 Coalition was assembled in 2021 in response to #55 cuts, schedule reduction, and a Bus Network Redesign that proposed a route incompatible with community needs. Fenway CDC has supported this coalition as the the lead coordinator in collaboration with the Fenway Civic Association, Peterborough Senior Center/Operation PEACE, elected representatives, and residents. 

After completely cutting service to the 55 route during the pandemic in 2020, the 55 Bus Route Coalition rallied over several summer months to restore the 55 Bus. We have participated in MBTA’s Public Community meetings with the Bus Network Redesign Project team, attended public hearings, created a petition with 200+ signatures, and conducted a community focus group as part of our advocacy efforts.  Recently, the coalition has successfully changed the name on the #55 Bus from ‘Queensberry St’ to ‘Fenway’ to increase awareness of the route’s stops and ridership.

MBTA’s partial restoration of the 55’s bus service (10AM to 4PM) and limited route (ending at Copley instead of Park Street) does not meet current community need, especially for Fenway’s most vulnerable populations and vital service workers.

Fenway CDC has a long history of supporting tenants to preserve “expiring use” units through community organizing. Our efforts have contributed to the preservation of nearly 600 units of expiring use housing. As the only neighborhood-based group in the Fenway working to preserve long-term affordable housing, we are organizing tenants and building leadership from within the community. Our tenant organizing activities promote social and economic diversity as well as social justice.

Our staff have intervened to help hundreds of at-risk residents remain in their homes, manage conflicts with landlords, and advocate for themselves to improve their living conditions. We work with elected officials, other community organizations and CDCs, Greater Boston Legal Services, City Life/Vida Urbana, Massachusetts Alliance of HUD Tenants, and Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership to provide stabilizing services to Fenway residents.

The Organizing Committee is open to all community members who are interested in advocacy and organizing in the Fenway—no experience or knowledge is necessary!

Click here to see the most recent organizing newsletter and join our mailing list to learn about organizing events and how to get involved!

Organizing Committee meetings are held every month, typically on the second Thursday of the month at 6-7:30PM. For more information, please contact Leo Ruiz Sanchez at lruizsanchez@fenwaycdc.org.