Social Entrepreneurship and the Built Environment -- James Rouse and His Legacy - GSD, December 1, 6pm
Rodney Singleton
All,
The notice below was sent to me by Katie Swenson of Enterprise National Design Initiatives.
This notice is important because Enterprise has been engaged for Bartlett Place visioning. It's also important because the Rouse company was responsible for developing Faneuil Hall in Boston. Personal note: the urban planner in our family is my wife and she worked for Jim Rouse. Given the length of this RNC email thread, her experience moving from Maryland to Boston, and her experience working for Rouse, I appreciate her frustration where development is concerned close to where we call home (I wonder what Jim Rouse would say about this thread and our experiences here?).
Anyway, it should be an interesting and lively panel discussion. Your participation is encouraged and perhaps they'll be relevant case studies for our neighborhood that help us through development at home.
Thanks Katie.
Regards,
-RodneyWe are pleased to welcome Edward Norton and Jonathan Rose to Cambridge this week for a panel discussion at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design on the topic of social entrepreneurship, with a focus on James Rouse, Enterprise’s visionary founder.
The event is free and open to the public, but could get crowded, so get their early!
Hope to see you there,
Katie
Katie Swenson
Enterprise National Design Initiatives
3 Cameron Street l Wellesley, MA 02482
o: 781.235.2006 l c: 434.960.2484
www.enterprisecommunity.org l www.rosefellowship.org
**********************************************************
Wednesday, December 1, 6:00 PM
Piper Auditorium, Harvard University Graduate School of Design
48 Quincy Street
Gund Hall
Cambridge, MA 02138
***********************************************************
Social Entrepreneurship and the Built Environment -- James Rouse and His Legacy
A discussion with Rouse's grandson, actor and activist Edward Norton and with “green” real estate developer, planner, and investor, Jonathan Rose. Moderated by GSD Lecturer, Brian Kenet.
By 2050, the world's population will exceed over nine billion people, and two thirds of the population will live in cities. Jonathan Rose and Edward Norton will discuss some of the larger trends that effect cities today and in the future, and in particular, long-term strategies for accommodating this significant population growth in the most environmentally, socially, and economically responsible way possible. They will address the significant role that social entrepreneurs can play, following in Rouse’s footsteps, as well as the role of design and place making in addressing the challenges of affordable housing and community development.
Jonathan Rose, is the founder and president of Jonathan Rose Companies, which provides integrated urban planning, development and investment solutions to cities and not for profits. The firm currently is managing $1.3 billion of work. Founded in 1989 as a mission-based practice, the firm is recognized for its ability to achieve visionary goals through practical strategies and affordable green urban solutions. Jonathan is a Trustee of Enterprise Community Partners, and the founder of the Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellowship.
Edward Norton, is a committed social entrepreneur and environmental activist. He very actively supports more than a dozen charitable organizations including the Conservation Lands Foundation , the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, and the Highline in New York City. He recently co-founded Crowdrise (www.crowdrise.com) which is a the social networking site that helps grassroots fundraising efforts that recently was used by the New York Marathon organizers to raise over $30 Million for charity. In July of this year, Edward was designated as the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Edward is a Lifetime Trustee of Enterprise Community Partners.
About James Rouse
In the 1980's, Rouse created Enterprise Community Partners that today is the leading provider of financial- and intellectual-capital for affordable housing and community development. A unique for-profit/non-profit hybrid, Enterprise has raised and invested more than $10 billion to help finance more than 270,000 affordable homes across the United States.
Good point Chuck,So let's stick to Article 50. Nowhere in article 50 does it say anything about gentrification. That's not to say we shouldn't be mindful of it, we should. Indeed, discussions of gentrification do appear in the Roxbury Master Plan:“Attracting businesses, jobs, and wealth to this community requires not only promotion but also an acceptance on the part of the community of the difficult challenges that go along with having to balance economic development with transit access, traffic, air quality, parking, density and gentrification pressures.”
So the natral question is: Why isn't this the mission of the RNC more like the statement of purpose in Article 50 (below)?
Statement of Purpose, Goals, and Objectives
. The purpose of this Article is to establish the zoning regulations for the comprehensive plan for the Roxbury Neighborhood District as required by the provisions of the Roxbury Interim Planning Overlay District, Article 27E of this Code. The goals and objectives of this Article and the Roxbury Neighborhood Plan are to provide for affordable and market rate housing for individuals and families; to promote and expand neighborhood educational and cultural facilities; to promote the viable neighborhood economy and provide for new economies and expansion of job opportunities; to preserve, enhance, and create open space; to protect the environment and improve the quality of life; to promote the most desirable use of land; and to promote the public safety, health, and welfare of the people of Roxbury.Regards,-RodneyOn Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 4:29 PM, Turner, Chuck <Chuck....@cityofboston.gov> wrote:
Dear All,You will find a response that I sent to everyone on Rodney's email. However, I hit the send button before it was ready to be sent. So I am sending a "corrected" copy. Since I am going to hand it out at the meeting to night I have eliminated the specific references to Rodney's email.chuck
From: Rodney Singleton [mailto:rodne...@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, November 22, 2010 12:16 PM
To: Kerrick Johnson
Cc: BOB TERRELL; Tony Herriquez; <roxsaf...@yahoo.com>; Ann Luster; Betty Toney; Robert Hector; Diane Zimbabwe; Richard Brown; <highland-park-ne...@googlegroups.com>; <highlandp...@googlegroups.com>; <jackson-s...@googlegroups.com>; Fitzgerald, John BRA; McKenzie, Brenda; <ne...@jamaicaplaingazette.com>; Ali-Salaam, Muhammad; <ckor...@urbanedge.org>; KatieProvencher; <dde...@bannerpub.com>; <jgon...@jpndc.org>; <rt...@jpndc.org>; <cla...@hydesquare.org>; <bmit...@mitchprop.com>; <awi...@jpndc.org>; <nma...@urbanedge.org>; <wfa...@gmail.com>; Monestime, Hugues; <lcri...@bostonherald.com>; <glickel...@comcast.net>; <jnhaile...@aol.com>; Palmieri, John; Meira Soloff; <e...@weldmgt.com>; Betsy Cowan; <za...@uphamscorner.org>; <haco...@urbanedge.org>; Whiteside, Dana; <shri...@aol.com>; <jasmine....@gmail.com>; <mgrif...@clvu.org>; <rth...@bostonabcd.org>; James McNeill; BertrameAlleyne; Hassan Williams; <jane.clo...@umb.edu>; Reginald Jackson; <dpr...@nuestracdc.org>; <kswe...@enterprisecommunity.org>; Turner, Chuck; <glori...@state.ma.us>; Frazier, Lynnette; Yancey, Charles; <car...@voteforcarlos.com>; <rep.li...@hou.state.ma.us>; Peter Lee; <liz....@mahouse.gov>; <glori...@mahouse.gov>; chr...@patch.com
Subject: Re: RNC State of MA info. on organizationFood for thought....We’ve heard lots dissent in this discussion over the RNC. Albeit contentious at times, it’s been a very important discussion. In summary, we’re asking: Who are we? Are we all represented? And, what is our mission?
In that discussion, it’s important to focus on our mission because our mission describes who we are, what we’re about and where we want to go.
Below is an excerpt from the Editorial page of the Bay State Banner from last Thursday, November 18 (http://www.baystatebanner.com/Editorial51-2010-11-18) . The editorial makes the point that education, and in particular math and science education, is a national challenge. The article goes on to say that our math and science educational shortcomings, with respect to other economies around the world, will weaken our economy because we have not been investing in our future. That lack of investment will ultimately cost us our innovative technical leadership role.
Our down economy is certainly the big story of the day. The affect of which is much worse in Roxbury because our unemployment rate is very often double that of the state or country as whole. That’s important because of the impact on our people, no different than gentrification, redlining, speculation, displacement and environmental degradation, noted in the RNC mission as having impact our people. And we shouldn’t apologize for a mission that attempts to address these issues. It may have made lots of sense then to craft such a mission statement, given the time and situation.
Question is: Given our current economic woes and the lack of advocacy to improve education, which has greater impact on our economic future, would we now consider changing the RNC mission to address impacts and symptoms like unemployment or are we better served addressing the root of the problem, education. Causality is important here because the symptoms of what is really troubling our community can change over time, but the ultimate root cause may not.
The Banner editorial also sites a number unhealthy statistics we experience in Roxbury. Should the RNC mission reflect these symptoms as well? Or will the mission recognize that we can never capture all the ills we experience, so long as we consider ourselves victims, having things done to us. We have to take responsibility for defining what future we want for our community, not from a victim’s perspective. We have to ask: Is our mission going to get “ALL” Roxbury residents to this future? If not, why not?
So long as we consider ourselves victims, we’ll be stuck in the past., with no clear future and our voice will not be representative of “ALL” Roxbury residents. These issues must be addressed in the current RNC mission statement.
Thanks for your time!
Regards,
Rodney
************************
There is general agreement that world economic leadership in the future will depend on technological innovation. To compete in this realm, a country’s citizens must be well educated in math and science. According to a recent study sponsored by Education Next and Harvard University’s Program on Education Policy and Governance, only 11 percent of Massachusetts high school students graduated with advanced math skills. More than twice as many students from Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea did so.
The national results are even more distressing. The U.S. ranks 31 among 56 countries in a test of advanced math skills. Only 6 percent of U.S. students achieved that level compared with 28 percent of Taiwanese students.
A recent report by the Council of the Great City Schools indicates that the U.S. math deficiency is not likely to improve. Only 12 percent of black eighth-grade boys are proficient in math, compared with 44 percent of white boys in the same grade. What is even worse, black boys from financially well off homes are not doing better than white boys who are poor, and the percentage of minorities in the student age population is growing.
Demographic projections indicate that the problem will become worse if it’s not remedied. For the first time, census data indicate that in 2010 more minority babies will be born in the U.S. than white babies. It is now believed that the majority population of the country will be so-called minorities by 2042.
Clearly, education reform must be a major national priority. The U.S. will need a very highly educated population to compete in the technological global economy. But it is also important for African Americans to recognize that there are also some aspects of the black culture that are not helpful to academic success. Blacks are no longer merely impotent victims of racial discrimination, and they must assume some responsibility for their own failures as well as their successes.
Why are 72 percent of black children born to unwed mothers? Do parents read to their children and require them to do their homework? Why is such a high level of youth violence tolerated? Why do so many blacks refuse to learn standard English? Why do many black boys wear hairstyles usually found only among African women? Why do so many black boys dress like criminals and gang members? What has happened to the respect for one another that once was common?
Indeed, the quality of public education must improve; but African Americans must also modify the dysfunctional aspects of their culture lest they condemn future generations to be merely “hewers of wood and drawers of water.”
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On Sat, Nov 20, 2010 at 11:22 AM, Rodney Singleton <rodne...@gmail.com> wrote:
Fine idea..
iPhone Regards,-Rodney SingletonI have a proposal. After the last day of dialog, it seems there is a good deal more to say. Let's get together and say it all in the same room. How about a series of forums (it will likely take more than one session) on visions for the future of the RNC? Existing, former and future RNC members and concerned citizens can meet to air our concerns, inform each other, and craft a shared vision for the future.How about it Bob? Klare? Carlos? Rodney?It's a first step....
On Nov 19, 2010, at 2:29 PM, BOB TERRELL wrote:
THe message below is from me: BOB TERRELL
From: bobter...@hotmail.com
To: kerrick...@earthlink.net
CC: rodne...@gmail.com; votefo...@gmail.com; roxsaf...@yahoo.com; fithe...@yahoo.com; bjt...@hotmail.com; hector...@ymail.com; diannez...@yahoo.com; math...@aol.com; highland-park-ne...@googlegroups.com; highlandp...@googlegroups.com; jackson-s...@googlegroups.com; john.fitz...@cityofboston.gov; brenda.mc...@cityofboston.gov;ne...@jamaicaplaingazette.com; muhammad.al...@cityofboston.gov; ckor...@urbanedge.org; kprov...@urbanedge.org; dde...@bannerpub.com; jgon...@jpndc.org; rt...@jpndc.org; cla...@hydesquare.org; bmit...@mitchprop.com; awi...@jpndc.org; nma...@urbanedge.org; wfa...@gmail.com; hugues.mon...@cityofboston.gov; lcri...@bostonherald.com; glickel...@comcast.net;jnhaile...@aol.com; john.pal...@cityofboston.gov; me...@actionma.org; e...@weldmgt.com; eglesto...@gmail.com; za...@uphamscorner.org; haco...@urbanedge.org; dana.whit...@cityofboston.gov; shri...@aol.com; jasmine....@gmail.com; mgrif...@clvu.org; rth...@bostonabcd.org; jimmy...@aol.com; ball...@yahoo.com; more...@yahoo.com; jane.clo...@umb.edu;reginald...@simmons.edu; dpr...@nuestracdc.org; kswe...@enterprisecommunity.org; chuck....@cityofboston.gov; glori...@state.ma.us; lynnette...@cityofboston.gov; charles...@cityofboston.gov; car...@voteforcarlos.com; rep.li...@hou.state.ma.us; prl...@verizon.net; liz....@mahouse.gov; glori...@mahouse.gov
Subject: RE: RNC State of MA info. on organization
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 2010 14:28:36 -0500
Dear Folks, Just to clarify. Like many organizations in our community the borad elections involve the members of good standing
within the ogranization. Organizations are free to select their method of governance. I don't
remember the Roxbury Guild, which Mr. Johnson organized,having any public elections. It was mainly composed of people from
the construction industry. Did this mean they were the captives of a particular interest group because other people were not
involved directly?
As for debate around diferent perspectives that is always healthy as long as the debate is honest. When Mr. Johnson was
a member of the RNC he attaked another Board member in public. When the board asked to speak with him to find out what
really happened HE RESIGNED!! Where was Mr. Johnson's interest in discussion or debate on that occasion??
Subject: Re: RNC State of MA info. on organization
From: kerrick...@earthlink.net
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 2010 11:59:05 -0500
CC: rodne...@gmail.com; votefo...@gmail.com; roxsaf...@yahoo.com; fithe...@yahoo.com; bjt...@hotmail.com; hector...@ymail.com; diannez...@yahoo.com; math...@aol.com; highland-park-ne...@googlegroups.com; highlandp...@googlegroups.com; jackson-s...@googlegroups.com; john.fitz...@cityofboston.gov; brenda.mc...@cityofboston.gov;ne...@jamaicaplaingazette.com; muhammad.al...@cityofboston.gov; ckor...@urbanedge.org; kprov...@urbanedge.org; dde...@bannerpub.com; jgon...@jpndc.org; rt...@jpndc.org; cla...@hydesquare.org; bmit...@mitchprop.com; awi...@jpndc.org; nma...@urbanedge.org; wfa...@gmail.com; hugues.mon...@cityofboston.gov; lcri...@bostonherald.com; glickel...@comcast.net;jnhaile...@aol.com; john.pal...@cityofboston.gov; me...@actionma.org; e...@weldmgt.com; eglesto...@gmail.com; za...@uphamscorner.org; haco...@urbanedge.org; dana.whit...@cityofboston.gov; shri...@aol.com; jasmine....@gmail.com; mgrif...@clvu.org; rth...@bostonabcd.org; jimmy...@aol.com; ball...@yahoo.com; more...@yahoo.com; jane.clo...@umb.edu;reginald...@simmons.edu; dpr...@nuestracdc.org; kswe...@enterprisecommunity.org; chuck....@cityofboston.gov; glori...@state.ma.us; lynnette...@cityofboston.gov; charles...@cityofboston.gov; car...@voteforcarlos.com; rep.li...@hou.state.ma.us; prl...@verizon.net; liz....@mahouse.gov; glori...@mahouse.gov
To: bobter...@hotmail.com
Fantastic Dialog!This is exactly the kind of debate that should be happening within the RNC!We should be careful about a few points however:1. It is impossible to have a debate that is representative of the community on email because so many in our community do not have computers.2. Critiquing each other's behavior seems inappropriate. The real problem is not Klare's 'behavior' but the fact of Klare's dissent. It is precisely this suppression of dissent that is the RNC's greatest weakness. Demonizing the dissenting voice doesn't help Roxbury. Listening to dissent does!3. The internet conversation over the last day had been dominated by the interests of Highland Park residents. The second greatest danger to the RNC is that it will become the voice of a single economic interest group. This is part of the reason why the district representation requirement for the RNC board membership is so important.4. The original design of the RNC was to have the group open to members of the community who would then elect a board of directors. In recent years this has become inverted; the board of directors choses the members! That is like asking Karl Rove who is eligible to vote! No minority community has an excuse for voter suppression, and the RNC's exclusionary tactics amount to as much. The group must return to its member-driven status.5. Speaking of 'outside groups' is a symptom of the disease. The RNC was organized to give voice and venue to all groups and interests in the community. The 'outside group' is a collection of individuals with a common interest--to join the RNC. They (I should say we) have been kicked off, driven out, or locked out of the RNC. We are outside only because the RNC wanted us there.6. As an insular club, governed by fiat, and restricted by loyalty oaths, the RNC can only serve its own interests. DEMOCRACY, TRANSPARENCY, INCLUSION! should be its motto.Kerrick Johnson--
On Nov 19, 2010, at 10:44 AM, BOB TERRELL wrote:
Hey Rodney,
I agree!! Very well put!! Now lets get to the real work we have ahead of us. As I indicated before the RNC is setting up another meeting to discuss
the 7 parcels in Highland Park we want re-zoned for open sapce use. As the RNC requested twice before does anyone from the PRC wish to attend?? Are
there specific dates that work best?? By the way when is the next PRC meeting?? I will attend to address some concerns the RNC has over the tone and
actions of some PRC members. They seem a little confused about organizational requirements, paperwork and protocol. We will be glad to clear up any
confusion that exists.
Some have distributed our Incorporation Documents. For what purpose?? Have they done so for any other organization in Roxbury?? We review our mission and purpose every year and to
date the RNC is clear and committed to the mission statement that is found on our membership form. In fact one requirement for memebrship is agreement
with that mission statement. At this point the RNC will continue its work based on our current mission statement.
You see the type of exchange Ms. Allen had with Rep. Henriquez. This behavior does not surprise us as we have seeen this before. This is one
of the reasons Ms. Allen will not be considered for RNC membership. Is not that we do not want new members. We just had a membership recruitment
meeting last night and will have more in the future. But there are particular individuals whose behavior is such that they would not be helpful or productive
members. Hence their memebership would be rejected. Perhaps it would be best if Ms.Allen spent her time building her SafetyNET group which received
funding some years ago for that purpose. I wonder what SafeNETY's mission and purpose is?? Has anyone researched their paperwork??
She has stated that she speaks for SafetyNET. Who are they?
I look forward to the next PRC meeting and hope to hear from you soon. BOB TERRELL
From: rodne...@gmail.com
To: votefo...@gmail.com; roxsaf...@yahoo.com
CC: highland-park-ne...@googlegroups.com; highlandp...@googlegroups.com; jackson-s...@googlegroups.com; john.fitz...@cityofboston.gov; brenda.mc...@cityofboston.gov; ne...@jamaicaplaingazette.com; muhammad.al...@cityofboston.gov; ckor...@urbanedge.org; kprov...@urbanedge.org; dde...@bannerpub.com; jgon...@jpndc.org;rt...@jpndc.org; cla...@hydesquare.org; bmit...@mitchprop.com; awi...@jpndc.org; nma...@urbanedge.org; wfa...@gmail.com; hugues.mon...@cityofboston.gov; lcri...@bostonherald.com; glickel...@comcast.net; jnhaile...@aol.com; john.pal...@cityofboston.gov; me...@actionma.org; e...@weldmgt.com; eglesto...@gmail.com; za...@uphamscorner.org;haco...@urbanedge.org; dana.whit...@cityofboston.gov; shri...@aol.com; jasmine....@gmail.com; mgrif...@clvu.org; rth...@bostonabcd.org; math...@aol.com; jimmy...@aol.com; fithe...@yahoo.com; hector...@ymail.com; ball...@yahoo.com; more...@yahoo.com; jane.clo...@umb.edu; reginald...@simmons.edu; dpr...@nuestracdc.org;kswe...@enterprisecommunity.org; bobter...@hotmail.com; chuck....@cityofboston.gov; glori...@state.ma.us; lynnette...@cityofboston.gov; charles...@cityofboston.gov; car...@voteforcarlos.com; rep.li...@hou.state.ma.us; prl...@verizon.net; liz....@mahouse.gov; glori...@mahouse.gov
Subject: RE: RNC State of MA info. on organization
Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:12:47 -0800
Well said Carlos!
We’ve got lots to do and much of it we can agree needs doing. Let’s get to it!
Here are a few things that can get us started. We need engagement on the following:
Jackson Square
While our overall infrastructure project work hours seem to be falling only slightly short of our goals, individual sub-contractor hours are much less than desirable. And this matters because these dollars (close to $2 million for the 1st phase of the project) are being spent in parts of our community. A community with high unemployment that is in dire need of jobs. We’ve got to hold contractors and subs accountable and set a precedent for the remaining money to be spent (over 200 million). More importantly, sub-contractors that claim Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) status have some of the worst Boston job compliance hours for resident, minority and women categories (see MBE Havana-Mac Construction and K. DaPonte below). One question the community should be asking is: How can a contractor claim to be an MBE with such poor compliance numbers? We should also insist that non-MBE subs dramatically improve their compliance numbers. Folks, this information is in the contract and they have to comply. But they will only comply if we make them comply and we can’t make them comply unless we’re organized.
What the community can do: Reply to this email and address it to: Chuck Turner, Felix Arroyo, Ayanna Pressley, Gloria fox, Liz Malia, Sonia Chang-Diaz, Tom Menino and John Palmieri. I’ll see that each get your responses. You can also call the each office directly and make the case.
Bartlett Place
This project is back on the front burner, but has undergone some change. These changes will be presented as part of an article 80 process, but we should be asking how dramatic the changes are. Do the changes warrant a Notice of Project Change? How much of the RFP has changed, if at all? One gets worried when architects imagine a 20+ story building in Dudley Square, or perhaps one says that’s just what we need there. Bottom line: we want to see the new plan and start to vet the merits of the changes and what was proposed.
What the community can do: Again, reply to this email and address it to: Chuck Turner, Felix Arroyo, Ayanna Pressley, Gloria fox, Liz Malia, Sonia Chang-Diaz, Tom Menino and John Palmieri. I’ll see that each get your responses. You can also call the each office directly and make the case.
Ferdinand’s
Chuck Turner is setting a series of meetings with the NAACP that will provide continuity to the process and apply the needed engagement to help get keep community focus on completion of this project.
What the community can do: Reply to this email and address it to: Chuck Turner, Felix Arroyo, Ayanna Pressley, Gloria fox, Liz Malia, Sonia Chang-Diaz, Tom Menino and John Palmieri. I’ll see that each get your responses. You can also call the each office directly and make the case.
Highland Park Open/Green Space
Closer to my home, our PRC is trying to move a 7 parcels to designation as open/green space. It’s slow going, but the community voice is the kind of leverage and support that keeps things moving.
What Highland Park residents can do: Again, reply to this email and address it to: Chuck Turner, Felix Arroyo, Ayanna Pressley, Gloria fox, Liz Malia, Sonia Chang-Diaz, Tom Menino and John Palmieri. I’ll see that each get your responses. You can also call the each office directly and make the case.
That’s all I have for now, but I’m sure we have a very full plate and there are other projects not on my radar.
Thanks for your engagement and commitment!
Regards,-Rodney
From: Carlos Henriquez for State Representative (5th Suffolk District) [mailto:votefo...@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2010 1:58 PM
To: Klare Laallenst allenname
Subject: Re: RNC State of MA info. on organization
Klare and Concerned Residents,
Let me take the opportunity to be very clear. I am a resident of Roxbury. I have been my entire life. I joined the RNC because like you I am concerned about my community and committed to serving it. I did not join Bob's group, I joined the Roxbury Neighborhood Council.
Was I aware of the filing or lack there of of official paper work at the time of joining ? No.Who is responsible ? A chair, treasurer, secretary ? All of them ? I'll raise the issue but besides that, the focus of the RNC is not its paper work, it is the work that is done on the ground that all of you know well. Let us focus on that.I am ready to move past the past and the recalling of whom did what to whom. I am also well aware of the personality conflicts between many of the participants both present and past. What next ? The question is always asked but seldom is an answer proposed.
I would like to assume that everyone that is concerned and feels that the RNC is not on track would like to see it made right.But some of the language and comments I have heard leads me to believe that there are other interests. Some want to see it dissolved, some want to reinvent it and some simply want to be a part of it.
It would benefit the group and the conversation if folks made it clear what their intentions are as individuals. Once this happens I believe their concerns should be given to each member of the Roxbury Neighborhood Council for discussion.
Also, in the meantime, identify what issues and projects may be falling through the cracks and need to be addressed by not only the RNC but Roxbury residents in general.
We spend far too much time in deficit based conversations instead of developing solutions. Let's move forward.
Serving Community,
Carlos Henriquez
On Thu, Nov 18, 2010 at 4:29 PM, Klare Laallenst allenname <roxsaf...@yahoo.com> wrote:
THX
KXA
--- On Thu, 11/18/10, prl...@verizon.net <prl...@verizon.net> wrote:
From: prl...@verizon.net <prl...@verizon.net>Subject: RNC State of MA info. on organizationDate: Thursday, November 18, 2010, 9:01 PM
A call to a very helpful man at the Secretary of State's office has yielded
the following and the attachments:
-- Formed in 1993
-- Has not filed any reports since 2003 and is therefore not a viable
organization. The 3 documents are all they have on file and they should
have a report each year.
Here is the Sec. of State's website to see their filings for RNC
http://corp.sec.state.ma.us/corp/corpsearch/CorpSearchFormList.asp?SearchType=E
Peter
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Rodney Singleton
What is Social Entrepreneurship anyway?
Definition gleaned from Wikipedia: A social entrepreneur recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to organize, create and manage a venture to achieve social change (a social venture). Whereas a business entrepreneur typically measures performance in profit and return, a social entrepreneur focuses on creating social capital.
Sounds good and familiar, but the definition goes on to say the venture needn’t be a not- for-profit effort. The definition reminds me of three letters I wrote to the Banner. The letters are critical of two things.
The first critique was why education policy is rarely considered as part of our development policy. We see lots of pent up fear over gentrification, which has more to do with other issues left unaddressed like education, than any other long-term resident VS. new-comer tiff that ensues. Yet somehow we never consider education, in our development plans. Why?
The second critique was why we continue to outsource development of our neighborhood to CDC organizations, over developing small and minority businesses that have a present stake in our community now. If we have no businesses, what happens to the TAX base? This is no different than large swathes of land owned by educational institutions. And it damages the sustainability of our community.
Given the definition of Social Entrepreneurship and the problems our community faces, metrics for achieving the creation of social capital are important.
A few metrics that come to mind are:
- Cutting the high school drop out rate by 1/2
- Doubling the matriculation rate to college
- Cutting the unemployment rate by 1/2
- Expanding investment for growth in legitimate MBE/WBE organizations
- Expanding investment for growth of small businesses
- Providing balance to our development plans that yield sustainable neighborhoods
I’m sure we could come up with more, but the important thing is that we put the metrics out there to shoot for. When we decide on a set of metrics, what mix of for-profit and not-for-profit will do to address the these metrics and what role does government play, if any?
I look forward to the panel discussion and hope many of you can attend. Thanks!
Regards,
-Rodney
Quality education is a vital link to development
http://www.baystatebanner.com/Letters-to-the-Editor56-2010-07-01
The Brandeis study on the wealth gap between whites and blacks is important data that requires critical attention and action.
Lost opportunities for small and minority businesses to develop wealth isn’t the only outcome we experience when we outsource development projects to non-profit development companies. If the abysmal drop in the number of small and minority developers in this city wasn’t telling enough, development, particularly for housing, should serve a broad spectrum of incomes to catalyze growth and a path out of poverty. That development shouldn’t assume or set expectations that neighborhoods of color will always be on the bottom economic rung!
Any planning process that ignores the state of the surrounding educational system, with no vision to move forward, is doomed. Let’s face it: the quality of the school system, or lack of it, motivates people. That motivation drives folks, black and white, out of the city of Boston to places where schools are better. This migration in search of better schools is class based.
Those who can afford to move do so, while those who cannot stay put. Planning and development based on static conditions is rarely positive or sustainable. And why is education never seen as part of or an impact to driving the needed economic mobility that is sustainable and fundamental to successful development plans?
Small and minority businesses are more apt to recognize and make use of the local work force. This bodes well for neighborhoods of color. These organizations are also adept at identifying educational and training deficiencies and helping to correct them.
Rather than setting expectations with a development policy that many in neighborhoods of color will remain poor, we should be building the human capital and capability to ensure the economic sustainability and viability of these neighborhoods! This is best done by small and minority businesses taking the lead role in development.
Rodney
Singleton
Jackson
Square CAC Chairman
Roxbury
Voters should reflect on true meaning of community development
http://www.baystatebanner.com/Letters-to-the-Editor56-2009-09-24
It’s telling that Boston’s mayoral candidates would hold meetings and forums in places like Freedom House and the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Roxbury, as detailed in the Banner’s article, “Mayoral hopefuls sling barbs at RCC forums” (Sept. 10, 2009). These places are important because they demonstrate and symbolize the work ethic, commitment and determination for progressive change critical to people of color in our city.
The drive and dedication to community represented by the late Reggie Lewis of the Celtics and by Otto and Muriel Snowden of Freedom House are displays of character that bode well for candidates. Given the poor turnout in our last municipal election, candidates vying for votes see a pivotal voting bloc, and well they should.
But we swing voters need to take care and take stock when politicians come knocking!
We ought to be asking why people of color in Boston are still trying to attain parity in education, employment and housing some 60 years after the founding of Freedom House. If history provides any insight, our future looks bleak.
The Snowdens understood that grassroots efforts for fair housing complemented by a focus on education not only addressed the lack of economic and cultural vitality in a community, but also served as a catalyst for advocating agendas for progressive public policy. In essence, Freedom House was the birth of the modern-day community development corporation (CDC), before the turbulent civil unrest of the late ’60s.
While calls to end the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the contract favoritism it breeds between developers and viable CDCs seem fair, it’s also fair to ask if we now favor a viable CDC over nascent minority or small businesses in contracting, particularly when the nonprofit status of a CDC affords bidding leverage over smaller companies and a when a poorer effort at fulfilling the Boston Jobs Policy further weakens our communities of color.
When a CDC sheds its mission of educational services in lieu of producing more housing because such efforts are deeply subsidized and less risky to the bottom line, it hurts, because housing by itself is not an economic plan. If a CDC were required to provide local jobs for each housing unit built, economics would improve.
Given chronic educational shortfalls, constant adjustments with housing and employment are required to make up the deficit, which will only lift more out of poverty. The Snowdens understood this, too, while many of our CDCs of today have forgotten.
This election really is about us. So when are we going to take a chance on ourselves? When do we stop outsourcing development of our dreams and talents to folks who don’t have any skin in the game? We can deliver viable, sustainable communities for all, but not until we break the current status quo and get back to a planning process blueprinted by institutions like Freedom House.
Rodney Singleton
Roxbury
http://www.baystatebanner.com/Letters-to-the-Editor56-2010-04-22
Jamaica Plain development
The recent Bay State Banner stories on development projects in and around Jackson Square offer encouragement that progress is being made, after many years of hard work, false starts, missteps, delays and a housing foreclosure mess that nearly brought us to the brink of another financial crash.
We can all breathe a sigh of relief for only a moment though. The challenges ahead are formidable. Of the challenges we face, none is more daunting than that of economic development. It’s a steep ascent! But one we must face honestly, if we are to have any chance of addressing it.
At our last Jackson Square CAC, one of our guest panelists, speaking on job placement for local residents, informed us that work is “tribal.” If you’re not a member of the tribe, chances are you won’t get the job. Wow, we got more than we bargained for. We got brutal honesty!
So, if we’re not a member of a particular work group, union or other organization, our chances for work aren’t very good. Too often the working tribe doesn’t represent the indigenous tribe, particularly when nearly 90 percent of the indigenous tribe are people of color. Who said affirmative action wasn’t needed?
We also learned that hiring, contracting or partnering with Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) is the best way to ensure communities of color maintain a working constituency that is representative.
Add shortfalls in local worker utilization on other projects, with the concept that, in a down economy, developers have pulled back plans for affordable homeownership and retail space at Jackson Commons — both of which provide an additional catalyst for economic mobility — and one is left asking: Where’s the economic development?
The sigh of relief at Jackson Square must be followed up with continued effort that ensures we have: retail spaces that are balanced and provide affordable business spaces for JP and Roxbury residents; affordable homeownership options that allow Roxbury residents the opportunity to grow wealth like their JP neighbors’; and, finally, acknowledge many in the work world are still disenfranchised.
While developers are getting better at addressing this, much work remains to attain parity in neighborhoods of color where development is concerned.
Rodney
Singleton
Jackson
Square CAC Chairman
Roxbury
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Rodney Singleton
Let me first say that guest panelist Ed Norton, the actor, and grandson of Jim Rouse is a very sharp and interesting guy. He has also taken on the mantle of purposeful development that was his grandfather’s trademark and is passionate about it. The same can be said for co-panelist Jonathan Rose.
Passion for purposeful development took time to appreciate in both panelists because lots of discussion around fundraising strategies took center stage. Let face it, you got to have money to execute your plans. The fundraising piece was very insightful because it highlighted individual donor efficiencies, similar to those used on the Obama campaign, that provide a valuable model for future fundraising. Perhaps these strategies could help with projects like Ferdinand’s and Bartlett Place.
Both panelists recognize the need for more affordable housing and the shortcomings of market forces to address these needs.
Given the event venue was the Harvard Graduate School of Design and the theme entering the lobby was clear:
…It was interesting to hear the perspective of the panel.
Negotiate growth, smart growth, pick your poison. It’s not just about affordable housing, while that’s important! The point was best made by Jonathan Rose. Our population is growing and growing fast. How do we deal with/negotiate that rise in population? In Rose’s view, what we require is dense urban centers that offer first and foremost a vibrant economy that provides economic sustainability. But that economic engine must be complemented with art, culture, businesses, institutions of education and infrastructure; otherwise we end up looking like urban areas in China that only facilitate the fulfillment of work (not very exciting, doesn’t feed our innovative spirit and quite frankly is boring! Not exactly our definition of a great city!).
In fact, the best summary of the event was captured by the last question answered by the panel. The question was: Given the collective talents gathered (architects, planners, lawyers, educators, developers and concerned community activists), how does one find the voice (particularly the young fresh out of grad school voice) to convince policy makers that an agenda is required to responsibly guide growth and development of our urban areas?
Answer: There are lots of environmental examples that make the point very nicely. The damage we do to our environment is relevant and impacts our economic capacity. How is this sustainable? The next generation of developers/designers/urban planners must innovate, very much like Jim Rouse did with Low-Income TAX credits, which encouraged private investment in affordable housing. What’s the innovation of the next generation, where educational institutions, art, culture, business and infrastructure drive the economic viability for a diverse population in our cities? This is the value proposition challenge for the next generation.
As a community we should be asking the same sustainability questions:
- Jonathan Rose mentioned that a pillar to the start of a good community was a great school system. Do we have that?
- We have art and culture, but do we encourage and support it enough to contribute to our economic bottom line?
- Are educational institutions contributing to the bottom line?
- How healthy are our business districts and do we support local small and minority businesses?
- Is our infrastructure complementary to our growth (particularly transportation)?
Things to consider when we have a conversation about development in our neighborhood….
Thanks!
Regards,
-Rodney
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