CITY OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
Office of the Mayor
Thomas M. Menino
For Immediate Release For More Information Contact:
March 21, 2007 Press Office, 617 635-4461
Mayor Menino to Host Boston Housing Conference
Leading Experts to Assess Future Challenges, Opportunities
Mayor Thomas M. Menino today announced that the City of Boston will host a housing conference, with experts from across the nation, on April 26 and 27 to assess future housing challenges, explore innovative solutions, and begin mapping out a new plan of action. The conference, entitled “Housing Boston 2012: Strategies for High-Cost Cities,” will include national housing experts such as former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros; U.S. Congressman Barney Frank, chairman of the Financial Services Committee; and Freddie Mac Chairman and CEO Richard Syron. In addition, the conference will draw leading housing experts from other major cities, the region, and the city.
“Everyone knows that we’ve made great strides in addressing Boston’s housing needs, but we still have a lot of work to do – housing is still too expensive for our working families,” said Mayor Menino. “This is an opportunity for us to learn from experts and leaders in the housing field and look for innovative solutions.”
In 2000, Mayor Menino launched the city’s first housing strategy, called “Leading the Way.” Following successful completion of the three-year plan, the city embarked on an even more ambitious “Leading the Way II.” Combined, these housing initiatives have led to the permitting of over 18,000 units of new housing in the City of Boston, the equivalent of adding a new neighborhood the size of Jamaica Plain or West Roxbury. More than 4,800 of these units are affordable. In addition, over 5,000 affordable rental units have been saved from going market-rate, and over 1,600 public housing units have been redeveloped or renovated, including almost 800 long-vacant units.
“Leading the Way has produced results, and as we come to its conclusion, we need to take a hard look forward – how can we adapt our housing strategy to meet the future needs of the city,” said Charlotte Golar Richie, director of the Department of Neighborhood Development and Chief of Housing for the city. “Housing Boston 2012 will bring together our partners and the leading thinkers on the crises facing high-cost cities to begin the discussion about where Boston should go next.”
Housing Boston 2012 will include neighborhood housing tours during the afternoon of April 26, followed by an all-day forum April 27 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in South Boston. For more information, or to register, visit www.cityofboston.gov/housingboston2012.
Sponsors for Housing Boston 2012 include the City of Boston’s Department of Neighborhood Development, Boston Redevelopment Authority, Boston Housing Authority, Bank of America, Keyspan, Local Initiatives Support Corp. (LISC), Massachusetts Housing Investment Corp. (MHIC), NEWIRE, and the Warren Group as media sponsor.
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