►
Description
Are developers sufficiently considering the needs of the disabled community? To address this, Mayor Walsh joins the Disability Housing Task Force at City Hall to announce new policies that will increase housing opportunities for people with disabilities throughout Boston.
A
I'd
like
to
welcome
you
to
City
Hall,
my
name
is
Chris
D'amico
and
I'm
a
disability
commissioner,
an
ad,
a
title,
2
coordinator
for
the
city,
we're
here
today
with
a
very
exciting
and
important
announcement
about
increasing
housing
policies
for
people
with
disabilities
in
Boston.
It's
a
first
step,
but
it's
an
important
step.
A
We
recently
completed
a
report
by
the
disability,
disability,
housing
task
force
to
look
at
increasing
opportunities
for
people
with
mobility
and
communication
disabilities
in
the
city.
So
many
departments
worked
on
this
report
for
over
two
years.
We
collaborated
with
the
office
of
Neighborhood
Services.
The
Human
Services
cabinet
is
d.
Do
it
and
many
other
city
agent
city
departments
have
worked
on
this
to
bring
it
to
fruition?
It's
only
been
possible
with
the
support
of
Maine
Nina
mayor
Mayor,
Walsh.
B
A
Buddy
mm
Anita.
Yes,
when
the
mayor
was
elected
almost
four
years
ago,
he
immediately
began
assessing
the
needs
of
Boston,
and
one
thing
was
strikingly
clear:
there
was
a
need
to
improve
equity
and
increase
opportunities
for
residents,
particularly
in
housing.
The
mayor's
always
supported
my
commission
and
prioritize.
The
work
that
I
do
and
the
policies
are
announcing
today
represent
the
mayor's
promise
to
increase
equity
and
opportunity
to
people
with
disabilities
in
Boston.
So
now
I'd
like
to
introduce
the
mayor,
Martin
J
Walsh
thank.
B
You
thank
you.
Commission
I
want
a
lot
I
want
to.
First
of
all,
thank
the
Commissioner.
Kristen
has
done
an
incredible
job
and
has
been
it
makes
it
easy
for
us
to
talk
about
policies
and
making
sure
accessibility
is
a
top
priority
of
us
and
I
want
to
thank
Commissioner.
The
Commissioner
for
our
great
work
I
also
want
to
thank
members
of
the
disability
housing
task
force.
Thank
you
for
for
what
you've
done.
Thank
you
for
being
part
of
this.
B
It's
an
important
day
today
here
in
the
city,
particularly
off
of
a
conversation
we
had
and
she'll
talk
a
little
bit
about
and
I
will
as
well
about
housing
numbers
that
we
have
on
the
city.
I
want
to
thank
the
different
City
departments
and
agencies
that
collaborated
on
this
work.
This
work
is
never
easy,
but
when
you
have
a
collaboration
and
people
willing
to
sit
down
and
talk
and
work,
I
want
to
thank
thanked.
B
Everyone
for
doing
that
and
I
want
to
also
thank
you
all
for
just
for
the
work
that
you're
going
to
keep
doing
in
the
months
to
come,
shows
the
task
force
is
over
and
then
it
was
over,
but
the
works
been
done
there,
but
now
now
it's
the
implementation,
that's
important!
You
know
by
having
a
great
meeting
and
talking
about
all
what
our
goals
are.
If
we
don't
hit
our
goals,
then
we
did
it
really
for
naught
and
I
want
to.
B
Thank
thank
you
for
for
keeping
pressure
on
us
for
this
a
great
it's
a
great
city.
It
certainly
should
be
home
for
everybody
at
a
time
of
high
demands
and
high
cost
making
this
vision,
a
reality
has
been
a
priority
of
my
administration.
We
released
our
housing
plan
in
2014
that
was
to
create
a
new
housing
50
mm
of
new
housing
by
the
year.
2030,
we're
also
dedicated
to
meeting
that
goal.
We
talked
about
how
we
want
to
grow
as
a
city.
The
numbers
released
this
morning
show
very
strong
progress.
B
Nearly
22,000
new
homes
are
either
completed
or
in
construction.
40%
of
those
homes
are
low
or
model
middle-income
homes,
which
is
I,
think,
is
a
very
big
number.
In
the
second
quarter
of
this
year
alone,
we
issued
permits
almost
1700
units,
the
most
of
any
quarter
on
record
overall
we're
94
percent
of
our
target
rate
for
low
in
low-income
units
and
there's
more
to
come.
B
Our
inclusionary
development
policy
is
turning
this
production
into
millions
of
dollars
for
affordable
housing,
something
that
we
were
able
to
do
working
with
are
the
big
realtors
in
the
city
of
Boston,
the
big
landowners
in
the
city
of
Boston
to
let
them
know
that
we
need
help
here
and
when
we've
been
able
to
do
that,
we
have
the
CPA
the
Community
Preservation
Act.
That
was
passed
and
many
many
of
you
were
advocating
campaigning
for
it.
I
want
to
thank
you
for
that.
B
Now
we're
able
to
pass
that
and
lets
going
to
add
even
more
money
and
to
our
housing,
but
also
to
parks,
so
we
can
make
our
parks
more
accessible
and
to
Historic
Preservation,
where
we
can
make
our
historic
sites
much
more
more
accessible.
So
it's
important
for
us
as
we
as
we
put
that
money
in
that.
We
think
about
that.
B
According
to
the
US
Census
Bureau
about
seventy-five
thousand
people
or
nearly
12%
of
the
boston
population,
have
a
disability
or
what's
one
type
or
another,
not
counting
seniors.
We
have
22
2004,
so
nians
with
multiple
disabilities
9800
with
visual
disabilities.
7400
people
with
hearing
disabilities
accessibility,
the
housing
is
their
fundamental
need,
is
our
fundamental
need.
That
means.
Accessibility
to
housing
is
one
of
my
city's
top
priorities
in
a
housing
plan.
B
We're
committed
to
better
understand
these
needs
and
we're
committed
to
establishing
a
production
goal
and
procedures
to
make
it
easier
for
people
with
disabilities
to
secure
and
stay
in
accessible
housing.
That's
what
the
work
of
this
task
force
is
all
about
started.
It
started
18
months
ago
we
saw
there
was
a
need
for
the
city
to
do
more
much
more.
We
brought
in
the
right
people
together.
Many
of
you
in
this
room
today,
I
know
again,
I
want
to
thank
you
and
today's
announcement.
B
Number
three
increase
support
services
to
ensure
stable
housing
for
people
with
disabilities,
so
not
just
simply
finding
housing
but
making
sure
it's
stable
housing
with
services
that
people
can
have
something.
That's
important
for
us.
The
specific
policies
we
announced
today
will
advance
each
of
these
goals,
they're
going
to
include
doubling
the
number
of
accessible
units
and
new
housing
moments
that
the
city
funds
moving
towards
a
new
requirement
on
private
developers
through
the
Boston
Planning
and
Development
Agency,
and
they
here
with
us
today.
B
The
secretary
of
the
planning
agency
is
here
with
us
today,
create
a
resource
guide
and
online
information
increase
access
to
home
modification
loans.
So
people
understand
what
loans
are
available
for
them
in
their
homes.
Today,
launching
a
new
loan
fund
for
family,
creating
an
accessory
unit
for
a
family
member
with
disabilities
to
help
families
that
have
the
space
in
their
homes
today
that
want
to
create
a
unit
they'll
be
able
to
do
that
and
expanding
our
successful
housing
surge
model
to
focus
or
people
with
disabilities.
B
These
and
other
new
policies
will
be
implemented
in
the
phases
starting
now
in
coordinating
through
the
summer.
I
want
to
commend
the
members
of
the
task
force
for
their
energy,
their
passion,
the
willingness
to
have
frank
conversations
was
about
how
the
city
can
do
better.
These
new
policies
will
go
a
long
way
to
making
Bossa
more
accessible
and
more
equitable.
This
is
not
only
a
vital
aspect
of
our
housing
plan.
C
About
two
years
ago,
we
put
forth
our
housing
plan
for
the
city
of
Boston,
with
some
very
ambitious
goals,
but
very
during
that
process,
and
and
right
when
it
was
going
to
press
Kristen
macaws
was
very
very
clear
that
you
cannot
put
forth
a
housing
plan
for
the
city
of
Boston
and
not
talk
about
housing
for
the
disabled
community.
The
needs
are
too
great.
C
The
numbers
are
too
great
and
if
we're
going
to
be
a
compassionate,
wonderful
City,
this
really
needed
to
be
in
there,
but
we
said
Kristen
we're
going
to
press
we're
going
to
press.
This
has
been
a
long
time
coming,
but
we
all
committed
to
putting
together
a
really
smart
task.
Force
meet,
come
up
with
very
good
recommendations
and
that's
exactly
what
we
did
so
I,
really
I
love
working
with
my
colleague,
Krista
m'gosh
and
I.
Just
want
to
thank
you
for
your
fear.
You
know
unwavering
very
unwavering
advocacy,
so
the
mayor's
right
we
we
met.
C
C
It
made
I'm
chief
of
Housing
and
I
really
benefited
from
the
conversations
and
keeping
this
in
the
forefront
of
my
mind
that
while
we
solve
housing
for
the
elderly
and
solve
for
the
middle
class
and
solved,
you
know
for
the
homeless,
there's
a
large
population
that
needs
specific
special
housing
and
it
needs
to
be
integrated
and
it
needs
to
be
of
high
quality.
But
we
can
never
lose
sight
of
that.
So
it
was.
It
was
as
beneficial
to
me
as
a
housing,
professional
and
one
of
most
beneficial
things.
C
I've
worked
on
in
the
last
couple
of
years,
but
the
mayor's
right.
We
are
going
to
any
city
funded
project
that
we
fund
through
D
and
D,
or
others
that
has
an
elevated
building,
we're
going
to
increase
we're
going
to
double
the
amount
of
affordable
housing
required,
which
is
terrific
and
the
BPD
a
has
been
doing
a
great
job,
doing
a
better
job
of
as
they
create
these
affordable
units
and
private
developers
they're
going
to
make
more
of
those
accessible,
and
that
is
a
the
mayor's
mentioned.
C
It's
a
great
resource
and
because
of
the
housing
boom,
we're
getting
more
and
more
inclusionary
development
units
we're
going
to
pry
our
ties,
projects
that
come
forward
and
say
we
want
to
develop
a
goodly
number
of
units
for
the
disabled
community,
we're
going
to
prioritize
those
for
funding
and
they
come
into
competitive
applications.
So
we
want
to
see
developers
come
in
and
say
this
is
important
to
us
and
we're
going
to
we're
going
to
increase
the
numbers.
C
So
we're
going
to
be
looking
for
those
projects
and
we're
going
to
continue
the
VPD
a
is
going
to
continue
to
use
the
accessible,
excessive
accessibility
checklist
which
the
disability
Commission
and
the
BPD
a
put
in
place.
And
it's
working
and
it's
not
only
working,
it's
making
developers
more
thoughtful,
but
it's
raising
consciousness
throughout
the
city
and
I
it's
a
simple
tool,
but
one
that
is
really
a
dramatically
change.
How
developers
are
approaching
development
in
the
city,
I'm
glad
to
see
Commissioner
Christopher
I
forgot
you.
C
How
could
I
forget
buddy's
neighbor,
even
a
second
and
we're
going
to
work
together
to
catalog
all
of
the
accessible
units
in
the
city?
We
don't
have
a
good
list.
We
know
that
they're
5%
in
buildings,
but
we
don't
know
exactly
what
units
those
are.
So
we
need
to
know
what
they
are.
So
as
it
come
available,
we
need
to
get
those
units
into
the
chopper
registry,
so
people
that
are
looking
for
accessible
units
can
more
easily
find
them
and
the
list
goes
on
and
on.
C
D
Thank
you,
Sheila
Thank,
You,
mayor
Thank,
You
Kristen
for
this
initiative.
This
effort,
I,
would
emphasize
that
housing
is
probably
the
biggest
concern
people
with
disabilities
face
in
Boston,
especially
with
what
happened
yesterday
in
the
US
Senate.
Let's
give
a
cheer
to
people
who
got
some
common
sense
yesterday
in
the
Senate
and
didn't
move
forward
with
trying
to
decimate
Medicare.
D
That
would
have
been
the
law
in
this
city.
This
state,
this
country,
but
housing
is
a
real,
serious
issue.
We
hear
it
every
day
right
now
at
our
office,
which
is
right
down
at
Downtown
Crossing,
we
have
20
people
in
our
office
at
a
housing
workshop,
looking
for
those
very
scarce
units
that
are
integrated,
accessible
and
affordable
and
when
we
think
of
a
affordability
and
accessibility
think
broadly,
a
lot
of
the
access
is
simply
vertical
access.
D
Someone
using
wheelchair,
like
our
board
members,
sorry
and
Frank
and
Sergio
there
are
superstar,
advocate
Olivia,
won
or
fully
accessible
unit,
but
many
people
need
to
just
get
in
and
out
of
the
building.
We
have
lots
of
old
housing
stock
in
the
city,
as
we
know
some
of
its
very
attractive
three-story
buildings,
three
Decker's,
whatever
in
Mattapan
Dorchester
Brighton
across
the
city
and
it's
not
accessible.
We
find
folks
who
are
and
end
up
trapped
in
their
apartments.
D
They
stay
all
day
long
or
they
drag
themselves
out
some
literally
on
their
tails,
going
up
and
down
stairs,
and
they
may
not
need
every
accommodation,
and
this
will
start
in
a
very
methodical
way,
to
address
some
of
those
concerns
and
we're
very
pleased
about
that.
We
will
stay
on
top
of
this
with
the
city.
We
think
it's
a
very
invaluable
partnership.
This
has
been
driven
by
residents
of
the
city.
They
come
into
our
office.
D
They
state
the
need
our
members
state
it
we've
had
very
receptive
people
in
the
city
thanks
to
them,
thanks
for
other
advocates,
I
see
Barbara
Chandler
with
metropolitan
Boston,
bhp,
metro,
T,
metropolitan
Boston,
Housing
Partnership,
which
does
a
great
job
for
folks.
We've
worked
with
Chapa
again
a
call
out
Sergio's
from
Dorchester
our
board
chairs
re
from
Boston
Olivia
from
Brighton
Frank
from
South
Boston
I'm
from
Hyde
Park.
This
is
a
citywide
initiative
to
include
everybody
who
city
in
the
city
into
the
housing
world
and
not
have
the
kalksus
live
in.
D
A
Just
want
to
emphasize
to
what
the
mayor
and
Sheila
have
said
that
it
really
is
going
to
be
an
interdepartmental
collaboration.
Moving
forward,
we've
worked
closely
with
all
the
departments
involved
and
I
know,
so.
Other
people
who
are
here
today
is
Commissioner.
Emily
Shea
from
the
elderly,
Commission
and
I
see
Alejandra
thank
en
from
the
mayor's
office
of
immigrant
advancement
again
just
saying
that
moving
forward
we'll
be
working
with
our
Department
of
innovation
and
technology
to
get
a
registry
up
of
the
units,
so
that
we'll
know
where
to
direct
people.
A
The
mayor
established
a
new
office
of
housing
stability
in
the
last
year
or
so,
and
they
are
working
case.
Management
with
people
who
come
to
the
come
to
us
and
say
I
can't
find
a
place
to
live,
I
need
an
accessible
unit
where
do
I
go
so
now
under
this
project,
we'll
have
a
resource
guide
which
we'll
be
distributing
today
and
we'll
also
have
an
office
that
can
help.
So
we
think,
with
all
these
steps
and
like
Hill
just
said,
we
need
to
think
broadly
about
access.
Part
of
our
work
with
the
BPD.
A
A
is
with
the
accessibility
checklist.
Can
have
the
developers
show
us
their
access
to
show
us?
The
vertical
access
show
us
the
entrances,
can-can
people
get
into
every
unit
in
the
building,
even
if
it's
not
a
built
out
unit.
So
these
are
the
things
that
we're
looking
at.
It's
certainly
raising
consciousness
and
it's
translating
into
more
units,
and
even
if
we
get
one
person
one
unit,
that's
a
victory
in
this
housing
market
today.
So
we'll
continue
to
work
on
it.