bacc reaches 200 members in two weeks

[Kevin M. Carragee]

 To All:

 

            I’m pleased to report that the new advocacy group, the Brighton Allston Community Coalition, has grown to 200 members since announcing its formation only two weeks ago. We thank those of you on this Google group who have been so receptive and supportive. (If you want information about joining, or want to learn what the group stands for, please read the earlier email below or contact me directly at  kcar...@suffolk.edu 

 

           Thanks very much!

           

            Kevin M. Carragee (one of the BACC organizers)

  

 

LAST WEEKEND’S ANNOUNCEMENT

 

Faced with a scale of development unprecedented in Allston-Brighton’s modern history, community residents have organized a new group, the “BRIGHTON ALLSTON COMMUNITY COALITION” – or “BACC” – to advocate for the interests of area residents.

 

The BACC is open to Allston-Brighton residents, renters as well as owners. BACC seeks, through civil and effective advocacy, to influence not only the wave of development proposals, but a range of matters affecting our community.

 

The BACC’s mission statement, and a list of the organizers and their contact information, is at the bottom of this email, and residents are invited to join this organization.

  

Although the BACC will differ in its focus from other groups, the BACC will seek to collaborate with other community organizations where appropriate.

 

Joining is simple, and does not currently involve any dues. (At some point there may be nominal dues to cover minor costs). If you are interested in more information or want to join, contact any of the organizers who are listed below the mission statement, or send an email to BACC at bacommunit...@gmail.com

 

BRIGHTON ALLSTON COMMUNITY COALITION  MISSION STATEMENT (attached as PDF, too)

 

Given the pace and scale of residential housing development in Allston-Brighton, the Brighton Allston Community Coalition advocates for:

 

n A city planning process that is open, fair and responsive to the needs of the Allston-Brighton community;

 

n An increase in the creation of affordable housing in Allston-Brighton, a significant concern given that Brighton’s median household income is $56,729 and Allston’s is $42,722. The City of Boston should mandate that all new large residential developments in Allston-Brighton make 20 percent of their units affordable (instead of the now-required 13%);

 

n An increase in home-ownership units in new developments, with new condominium projects required to have high percentages of owner-occupancy to prevent them from being treated solely as rentals. Owner-occupancy would help stabilize an increasingly transient neighborhood. Allston’s owner-occupancy rate is 10 % -- among the lowest in the city. Brighton’s owner-occupancy rate fell from 26.8% in 2010 to 22.5 % in 2015, and is now rapidly spiraling downward. These rates are significantly lower than the citywide average of 34%;

 

n Improvements in Allston-Brighton’s quality of life, including the preservation and expansion of parks and green space, and enhancing access to these spaces;

 

n A binding commitment by Boston-based universities, particularly Boston College, Boston University and Harvard University, to house their students to help address our community’s housing crisis;

 

n Improvements in public transportation given Allston-Brighton’s expanding population;

 

n A city planning process that is comprehensive, rather than the current project-by-project approach;

 

n A community characterized by economic, racial, ethnic and age diversity.

 

The Brighton Allston Community Coalition seeks to forge a diverse and intergenerational coalition, uniting homeowners and renters, committed to creating a vibrant community.

 

The Brighton Allston Community Coalition will act in a democratic and civil manner.

 

To join the Brighton Allston Community Coalition, send your contact information (name, address and email) to: bacommunit...@gmail.com

 

Founding Members: 

 

Liz Breadon lizbr...@aol.com                                             

Kevin Carragee kcar...@suffolk.edu                        

Joanne D’Alcomo  dal...@comcast.net                    

Anthony D’Isidoro Anthony...@msn.com           

Ed Griffith  edgri...@aol.com                                         

Galen Mook  gmm...@gmail.com                                                                                                        

Barbara Moss barbar...@mac.com

Jim Prince  jpr...@jbcc.harvard.edu

Maria Rodrigues  guadal...@gmail.com

Max Rome max....@gmail.com

Charlie Vasiliades Charl...@aol.com

[Eva Webster]

Fantastic, Kevin — hope you get to 500 by the end of May.  Though I must say the bragging element is a little off-putting.  It’s not difficult to get people to sign up to neighborhood groups when all it takes is for folks to provide an email address — and you guys profess not to be in competition with other groups, but at the same time are trying to get other groups’ members on your list (and using google groups that other people painstakingly put together over the years).

Other groups have as many and more addresses on their email lists, and dues paying members as well.  It’s all besides the point because there is much overlap anyway.  For example, whoever was/is active in Brighton Neighbors United or Hobart Park Neighborhood Association would likely be motivated to join BACC too, because of encouragement from those groups leaders who now wish for a broader platform — but that does not necessarily mean we suddenly have a huge swell of civic engagement because yet another group formed.  

I truly, honestly, and sincerely welcome any and all civic efforts to empower Allston-Brighton residents — and for that reason I cheer your efforts.  But I also wish luck and perseverance to all other existing A-B groups that want to preserve their independence, uniqueness, experience, institutional memory, and pride in their past and current achievements.

Individuals join neighborhood groups mainly in search of like-minded people — but the larger a group, the harder it is to be on the same page on various issues.  So it’s not just about the size.  Sometimes, a large size can be a hindrance too — as you have to constantly negotiate different views, which can get exhausting.

Also, times are changing.  In this day and age of the internet, a small group of folks can mobilize a large and effective following on a specific issue (as was the case with “No Boston Olympics”), or one issue after another after another — and it makes no difference whatsoever if the people who answer their call for action consider themselves members of that group or not.

When push comes to shove, each person makes up their mind about issues irrespective of what any neighborhood group leaders tell them to think — and they will support others who effectively articulate and champion their views/issues, regardless of anybody’s group affiliation.

We are all in it together — even if some of us think they deserve to be more important than others.

Eva 

On 4/21/18, 2:42 PM, "Kevin M. Carragee" <allstonbr...@googlegroups.com on behalf of kcar...@suffolk.edu> wrote:

 To All:

 

            I’m pleased to report that the new advocacy group, the Brighton Allston Community Coalition, has grown to 200 members since announcing its formation only two weeks ago. We thank those of you on this Google group who have been so receptive and supportive. (If you want information about joining, or want to learn what the group stands for, please read the earlier email below or contact me directly at  kcar...@suffolk.edu 

 

           Thanks very much!

           

            Kevin M. Carragee (one of the BACC organizers)

  

 

LAST WEEKEND’S ANNOUNCEMENT

 

Faced with a scale of development unprecedented in Allston-Brighton’s modern history, community residents have organized a new group, the “BRIGHTON ALLSTON COMMUNITY COALITION” – or “BACC” – to advocate for the interests of area residents.

 

The BACC is open to Allston-Brighton residents, renters as well as owners. BACC seeks, through civil and effective advocacy, to influence not only the wave of development proposals, but a range of matters affecting our community.

 

The BACC’s mission statement, and a list of the organizers and their contact information, is at the bottom of this email, and residents are invited to join this organization.

  

Although the BACC will differ in its focus from other groups, the BACC will seek to collaborate with other community organizations where appropriate.

 

Joining is simple, and does not currently involve any dues. (At some point there may be nominal dues to cover minor costs). If you are interested in more information or want to join, contact any of the organizers who are listed below the mission statement, or send an email to BACC at bacommunit...@gmail.com

 

BRIGHTON ALLSTON COMMUNITY COALITION  MISSION STATEMENT(attached as PDF, too)

 

Given the pace and scale of residential housing development in Allston-Brighton, the Brighton Allston Community Coalition advocates for:

 

n A city planning process that is open, fair and responsive to the needs of the Allston-Brighton community;

 

n An increase in the creation of affordable housing in Allston-Brighton, a significant concern given that Brighton’s median household income is $56,729 and Allston’s is $42,722. The City of Boston should mandate that all new large residential developments in Allston-Brighton make 20 percent of their units affordable (instead of the now-required 13%);

 

n An increase in home-ownership units in new developments, with new condominium projects required to have high percentages of owner-occupancy to prevent them from being treated solely as rentals. Owner-occupancy would help stabilize an increasingly transient neighborhood. Allston’s owner-occupancy rate is 10 % -- among the lowest in the city. Brighton’s owner-occupancy rate fell from 26.8% in 2010 to 22.5 % in 2015, and is now rapidly spiraling downward. These rates are significantly lower than the citywide average of 34%;

 

n Improvements in Allston-Brighton’s quality of life, including the preservation and expansion of parks and green space, and enhancing access to these spaces;

 

n A binding commitment by Boston-based universities, particularly Boston College, Boston University and Harvard University, to house their students to help address our community’s housing crisis;

 

n Improvements in public transportation given Allston-Brighton’s expanding population;

 

n A city planning process that is comprehensive, rather than the current project-by-project approach;

 

n A community characterized by economic, racial, ethnic and age diversity.

 

The Brighton Allston Community Coalition seeks to forge a diverse and intergenerational coalition, uniting homeowners and renters, committed to creating a vibrant community.

 

The Brighton Allston Community Coalition will act in a democratic and civil manner.

 

To join the Brighton Allston Community Coalition, send your contact information (name, address and email) to:bacommunit...@gmail.com

 

Founding Members: 

 

Liz Breadon lizbr...@aol.com                                             

Kevin Carragee kcar...@suffolk.edu                        

Joanne D’Alcomo  dal...@comcast.net                    

Anthony D’Isidoro Anthony...@msn.com           

Ed Griffith  edgri...@aol.com                                         

Galen Mook  gmm...@gmail.com                                                                                                        

Barbara Moss barbar...@mac.com

Jim Prince  jpr...@jbcc.harvard.edu

Maria Rodrigues  guadal...@gmail.com

Max Rome max....@gmail.com

Charlie Vasiliades Charl...@aol.com

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[David Strati]

Sounds like sour grapes Eva

Sent from my iPhone

[Eva Webster]

You’re free to interpret it any way you want, Dave.  But consider you might be mistaken.  I have absolutely no negative feelings about BACC forming — I know the people who got together to do it – and it’s too much knowledge, experience, drive, and commitment to the neighborhood to be left unused.

I personally support most of their goals, but I think they are mistaken in some of their approaches and thinking — and it has the potential to undermine what they want to accomplish, only they don’t see it.  If I had more time right now, I would explain this, but I don’t want to sacrifice any more of my weekend than I already have.

Having said that, even if I think BACC leaders are misguided on this or that, I want them to succeed as a group, and to advance their broader goals — and the fact that I don’t see eye to eye with them on some issues doesn’t matter.  Trust me on this, I mean it. 

Lets’ look at the activist landscape in A-B:

• Brighton Neighbors United seems to have died a quiet death (I apologize if that is not the case, but there has been no word about them for a very long time);
• The Hobart Park Neighborhood Assn. is too locally focused to stay on top of larger issues;
• The Aberdeen- Brighton Residents Assn. is in mothballs, and people remain connected only through the Cleveland Circle google group;
• The Brighton-Allston Improvement Assn. is active but given the volume of changes happening, it can’t do it alone (it takes much more than monthly meetings to deal with this development tsunami);
• The ACA is trying to be relevant, but seems much weaker than it used to be (additionally, both the BAIA and ACA have members with conflicting views on what the neighborhood should be like — which ties their hands on some issues);
• The Allston-Brighton CDC appears to have a leadership vacuum at this time, and its mission is not meant to appeal to everyone anyway;
• The Homeowners Union of Allston-Brighton is only a year and a half old — and by definition, it is a union, meaning that they are focused on the interests of homeowners who are their paid/voting members (and yet, HUAB has been totally overworked trying to positively influence every single large development project — which is only a portion of what it would like to do overall).

So you can see — there is room for BACC, and whatever work they are going to do will be relieving pressure on the other groups – and benefiting the neighborhood as a whole.  What’s not to like?  (Well, I just don’t like bragging, because it may be making members of other groups feel challenged or inadequate. That’s all.) 

Eva 

[Eva Webster]

Clarification:  By saying that the ACA is weaker than it used to be, I meant no disrespect to Tony Disidoro, its new president, who took over after the previous long-serving and hard-working president, Paul Berkeley, stepped down due to changes in his personal circumstances.

From what I know — and that may or may not be the whole picture — the ACA’s membership started to dwindle as years went by due to the older members retiring, moving away, or passing.  Such is life.  The newcomers often are not as attached to certain aspects of the neighborhood that the older guard cherished — or maybe it’s just an impression, because when the younger generation matures, they too want a family-friendly neighborhood (and that’s what the older guard was/is trying to preserve).

I know that Tony is doing everything in his power to keep ACA active as possible — including trying to bridge the generations — but it’s a Herculean task in a neighborhood that is 90% rental housing.  This is a Case Study of what happens when the City abrogates its planning function, and pays no attention to homeownership matters when it oversees and permits development.

[Eva Webster]

Sorry for yet another email – but I just want to report that I may have been unfair by characterizing the ACA as “weaker than before”.  I was comparing the way things are now with they way they used to be 20-30-40 years ago, when more families lived in Allston, and participated in civic life.  This is still going on, even though there a fewer old-timers.  Tony has called me to say that they are getting new membership applications from new residents now — and I’m very happy about it.  I know he works hard.  Everyone in Allston — please get involved with the ACA, since it’s the only group that is specifically focused on Allston – a great neighborhood that is worth protecting and improving.

On 4/21/18, 5:55 PM, "Eva Webster" <allstonbr...@googlegroups.com on behalf of evawe...@comcast.net> wrote: