March 2019 - Neighbors - lists.buenavistasocialclub.org

FW: [Porter square] Historical Commission addresses tear downs on Chetwynd and Sterns
by Ruth Ryals 30 Mar '19

30 Mar '19

3 tear downs and building much larger houses in an older (50+ years) 2 block neighborhood nearby. From: Jan Devereux <jan.devereux(a)gmail.com> Date: Saturday, March 30, 2019 at 1:08 PM To: Ruth Ryals <rryals(a)comcast.net> Cc: "portersquare@googlegroups com" <portersquare(a)googlegroups.com> Subject: Re: [Porter square] Historical Commission addresses tear downs on Chetwynd and Sterns The related staff memos and plans are here. https://www.cambridgema.gov/historic/permitsApplications/projectplansandsta… On Sat, Mar 30, 2019 at 12:42 PM Ruth Ryals <rryals(a)comcast.net> wrote: https://www.cambridgema.gov/~/media/Files/historicalcommission/pdf/legal_ch… -- View this message at https://groups.google.com/d/msg/portersquare/topic-id/message-id -- To post to this group, send email to portersquare(a)googlegroups.com Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/portersquare To unsubscribe from this group, send email to portersquare+unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Porter Square Neighbors Association" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to portersquare+unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to portersquare(a)googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/portersquare. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/portersquare/48B3E5A8-67BE-49AA-B67C-1D7B…. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. Thanks, Ruth -- View this message at https://groups.google.com/d/msg/portersquare/topic-id/message-id -- To post to this group, send email to portersquare(a)googlegroups.com Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/portersquare To unsubscribe from this group, send email to portersquare+unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Porter Square Neighbors Association" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to portersquare+unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to portersquare(a)googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/portersquare. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/portersquare/48B3E5A8-67BE-49AA-B67C-1D7B…. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

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FW: Fiji Reef Fish is almost here
by Ruth Ryals 30 Mar '19

30 Mar '19

In case any of you out there dive, or just enjoy looking from the comfort of the living room couch. This is a labor of love by my neighbor. Ruth From: Mark Rosenstein <info(a)fijireeffish.com> Date: Saturday, March 30, 2019 at 12:53 PM To: Ruth Ryals <rryals(a)comcast.net> Subject: Fiji Reef Fish is almost here You asked to be notified when the book Fiji Reef Fish became available. After more than four years of work, I am happy to announce that it is being printed. This guide includes all of the species likely to be encountered by scuba divers and snorkelers exploring Fiji's reefs. It includes 866 species from 92 families, with over 1,200 photos. Each form is shown of fishes where males and females, initial phase and terminal phase look different. Fishes are shown in taxonomic order, the way naturalists and scientists expect them to be listed. When a species is likely to be confused with another, the differences are pointed out. All photos are of unrestrained live wild fish in their natural habitats. Pre-order Fiji Reef Fish through Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Fiji-Reef-Fish-Mark-Rosenstein/dp/1732499217 and it will ship on May 1, 2019. -Mark Rosenstein

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Fwd: ABC Early Ed Open House
by Ruth Ryals 30 Mar '19

30 Mar '19

Begin forwarded message: > From: Agassiz Baldwin Community Children's Programs <seaton(a)agassiz.org> > Date: March 30, 2019 at 7:02:36 AM EDT > To: rryals(a)comcast.net > Subject: ABC Early Ed Open House > Reply-To: seaton(a)agassiz.org > > > > Save the Date! > CONTACT > > Samantha Eaton > Early Education Site Director > seaton(a)agassiz.org > > Andrea Breen > Director of Children's Programs > abreen(a)agassiz.org > > Jessica Leach > Registration Coordinator > registration(a)agassiz.org > CONNECT > > > > Early Ed Open House > > Explore our spaces, meet our teachers, learn about our programs and come join us for some fun! > > > > > This free event is geared toward families with young children interested in or attending Preschool, Kindergarten Afterschool and Kindergarten Outback. > > > Where: 20 Sacramento Street in Cambridge > When: > Saturday, April 27, 10 am-12 pm > (rain or shine with indoor and outdoor activities) > What: > -Art Activities in the Maud Morgan art studio > -Outdoor play in our spacious backyard > -Imagination Playground Big Blue Blocks > -Indoor play in our cozy, home-like classroom space > -"Big Joe" the Story Teller (10:30-11:30) > -Snacks! > > > Let us know you're coming! RSVP on Facebook > > Learn more about our Children's Programs > > > > > Join our facbook group > > Agassiz Baldwin Community, 20 Sacramento Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 > About our service provider > Sent by seaton(a)agassiz.org in collaboration with > > Try it free today

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Street Cleaning Starts on Monday, 1 April
by Ruth Ryals 29 Mar '19

29 Mar '19

Street cleaning starts this coming Monday. Pay attention or get towed! DPW has a pretty good webpage with the schedule and links to the district map and so forth so rather than risk giving you bad information (and helping your car get towed), I suggestion you check out this link (https://www.cambridgema.gov/theworks/ourservices/streetcleaning/schedulesan…) and make sure you know how street cleaning impacts your local parking, as well as school drop-offs, shopping trips and so forth. You wouldn’t be the first one to go someplace and wonder at the luck of seeing all sorts of open parking, stop in to visit a teacher and come out to find your car has been towed. Our version of this story was with a borrowed car whose owners were in South Africa which was a problematic complication we could have avoided had be been more aware of street cleaning limitations. You can also sign up for street cleaning email reminders here.

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FW: Housing Committee -- DRAFT zoning text
by Ruth Ryals 27 Mar '19

27 Mar '19

The third Housing Committee meeting addressing the Affordable Housing Overlay will be this Thursday evening. The Agenda and the Draft Zoning is attached. Time to pay attention, if you haven’t been. Housing Committee Committee Meeting 3/28/2019 5:00 PM Sullivan ChamberCambridge City Hall

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FW: [NorthCommons] A non overlay post
by Ruth Ryals 26 Mar '19

26 Mar '19

From: <NorthCommons(a)yahoogroups.com> on behalf of "Marc McGovern marcmcgovern(a)gmail.com [NorthCommons]" <NorthCommons-noreply(a)yahoogroups.com> Reply-To: Marc McGovern <marcmcgovern(a)gmail.com> Date: Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at 6:43 PM To: <cportneighbors(a)yahoogroups.com>, Neighborhood List <franklin-st-neighborhood(a)googlegroups.com>, North Commons Neighbors <NorthCommons(a)yahoogroups.com>, Fresh Pond Residents Alliance <fresh-pond-residents-alliance(a)googlegroups.com> Subject: [NorthCommons] A non overlay post Hello folks, I am looking for someone who can tutor my son (senior at CRLS) in math for 2 hours this weekend. $100 per hour. Email me at marcmcgovern(a)gmail.com if you can help. Thanks. Marc McGovern sorry for typos, using voice to text. __._,_.___ Posted by: Marc McGovern <marcmcgovern(a)gmail.com> Reply via web post •Reply to sender •Reply to group •Start a New Topic •Messages in this topic (1) Have you tried the highest rated email app? With 4.5 stars in iTunes, the Yahoo Mail app is the highest rated email app on the market. What are you waiting for? Now you can access all your inboxes (Gmail, Outlook, AOL and more) in one place. Never delete an email again with 1000GB of free cloud storage. Visit Your Group • Privacy • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use SPONSORED LINKS . __,_._,___

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These statistics are shocking!
by Ruth Ryals 25 Mar '19

25 Mar '19

I saw these shocking statistics on suicide after a man jumped off a hotel in Boston recently. I was reminded of it today as the same thing was (thankfully) prevented in Central Square. It is worth thinking about whom we know in need of help. Ruth ************************************************************************************************************************** Suicide was the second leading cause of death for people in Massachusetts last year between the age of 15 and 32. More than four times as many people die by suicide in the Commonwealth annually than by homicide, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. If you or someone you know are struggling with depression, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. The nonprofit Samaritans organization also offers 24-hour anonymous helplines. Dial 617-247-0220 in Boston or call the toll-free statewide line at 1-877-870-HOPE (4673). https://patch.com/massachusetts/cambridge/central-square-reopens-after-man-… https://patch.com/massachusetts/beaconhill/s/gnrkx/man-dies-after-jumping-o…

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Affordable housing on Council's Monday night agenda and a Housing Committee meeting on Thursday
by Ruth Ryals 25 Mar '19

25 Mar '19

From: "Kelley, Craig" <ckelley(a)cambridgema.gov> Date: Sunday, March 24, 2019 at 11:21 PM Subject: Affordable housing on Council's Monday night agenda and a Housing Committee meeting on Thursday Hey Everyone: The Housing Committee is having another meeting on Thursday evening to talk about the proposed Affordable Housing Overlay District. My understanding is that the City will present actual zoning language at that meeting which will get referred to the Council at which point the Ordinance Committee and the Planning Board will start having hearings as they would for any zoning proposal. There are also a couple of Council Orders, one related to the proposed overlay district (calling for a roundtable to talk about it on Tuesday, 9 April) and one asking the Manager to explore a Pilot Displacement Program as Boston apparently has. I’ve attached (copied below) an info paper on that program. If you’d like to come talk about these Council issues at City Council, you can sign up by phone between 9 AM and 3 PM on Monday at 617-349-4280 or on line via this link and in person from 5-6 PM at the Sullivan Chambers at City Hall. Public comment, limited to three minutes per speaker, starts at 5:30(ish) and lasts at least until 6:00, though if there are enough speakers we often go later. At the end of public comment, people who missed the sign-in window are generally asked if they’d like to speak anyway. The entire Council may be emailed at Council(a)Cambridgema.gov. Thanks and have a great day. Craig Thursday, March 28, 20195:00 PMThe Housing Committee will conduct a public hearing to continue discussions on the Affordable Housing Overlay District. (Sullivan Chamber) ORDERED:That a Roundtable/Working Meeting be scheduled for Tuesday, April 9, 2019, at 5:30 p.m. in the Sullivan Chamber of City Hall for the purpose of discussing the Affordable Housing Zoning Overlay proposal; and be it further ORDERED:That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the appropriate City Departments to televise and record the Roundtable/Working Meeting on April 9, 2019. WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge has neighborhoods with people from many backgrounds, and said residents are facing displacement despite the city’s efforts to provide stable, affordable housing; and WHEREAS:The preservation of neighborhood character, defined by our racial and socioeconomic diversity, and prevention of displacement are stated goals of the Envision process; and WHEREAS:Most new housing, both affordable and inclusionary (up to 20% affordable), is being built in the emerging post-industrial districts of Alewife’s Triangle and Quadrangle and North Point, which lack Cambridge’s traditional social infrastructure (institutional meeting places, elementary schools, libraries, etc.); and WHEREAS:The City of Boston created a pilot program in 2016 entitled the “Diversity Preservation Policy” (aka Pilot Displacement Preference) that gives “preference for existing neighborhood residents for up to 50 percent of the units in projects located in non-segregated geographies with high rates of displacement or households at high risk of displacement;” and WHEREAS:Boston will continue the Pilot Preference until the end of 2020, when it will be reevaluated; and WHEREAS: This pilot program will only be for initial rent or sale of inclusionary affordable units not funded by the state or federal government and does not apply to Federally funded HUD programs and addresses housing discrimination by stipulating that the project target area contain no more than 60 percent of any one race, and that if the population percentage is higher “the target area may be expanded to ensure diversity or the percentage of units subject to the preference may be reduced to ensure that access for persons of color is not hampered;” now therefore be it ORDERED:That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the appropriate City staff to examine the need and possibility of implementing the Pilot Displacement Preference program in Cambridge, especially when new housing is constructed in an existing neighborhood where displacement is occurring and present the findings to the City Council. ***************************************************************************** Diversity Preservation Policy (aka Pilot Displacement Preference) The goal of the policy is to stabilize neighborhoods and minimize displacement by providing a preference for existing neighborhood residents for up to 50% of the units in projects located in non-segregated geographies with high rates of displacement or households at high risk of displacement. The pilot preference will only be for initial rent up or sale of units. The Pilot Preference will run until the end of 2020 and an assessment and decision regarding the extension of the policy will be made at that time. We will evaluate the impact of the policy after each completed project. The policy will not be applied to Federally-funded or State-funded projects prior to obtaining HUD and/or DHCD approval to do so. Applicable Neighborhood Geographic Target Area (Project Buffer) Eligible geographic target area for the displacement preference varies depending on number of units in the subject housing development. · <20 units = within 1/4 mile buffer · 20-50 units = within 1/2 mile buffer · 50+ units = within 3/4 mile buffer DND will submit the demographics, including the racial and ethnic composition, tenure characteristics and rent burden data, of each geographic target area to Fair Housing & Equity for review. Eligible Neighborhood Target Areas Racial/Ethnic Diversity The project target area (buffer) may not have a population that is comprised of 60% or more of any single racial or ethnic category. If the proposed target area has a population that is comprised of 60% or more of any single racial or ethnic category, the target area may be expanded to ensure diversity or the percentage of units subject to the preference may be reduced to ensure that access for persons of color is not hampered. High Risk for Displacement Target areas (buffers) with 35% or more of its low-income1 renter households with a moderate or greater rent burden (paying over 35% of their household income for rent). Household Eligibility Criteria for Displacement Preference Household living within the target geographic area and at least one of the following criteria: 1 Low income is defined as having a household income under $50,000 1) Rent-Burdened Households not already living in a subsidized housing unit Rent Burdened: Household income under 30% of AMI paying more than 30% of income for rent or household income over 30% but under 60% of AMI paying more than 50% of income for rent. Includes Section 8 voucher holder in unsubsidized unit paying more than 30% of Income for rent (tenant paying amount of rent over FMR) 2) Elderly homeowners (62+) with household income under 80% of AMI (preference for rental housing only) 3) Renters with a disability and household income under 100% of AMI 4) Renter household with household income under 80% of AMI with school age children in a Boston school

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Jimmy Tingle at First Church Cambridge, March 31st
by Ruth Ryals 23 Mar '19

23 Mar '19

>> >> Begin forwarded message: >> >>> Date: March 22, 2019 at 7:54:23 PM EDT >>> Subject: Jimmy Tingle at First Church Cambridge, March 31st >>> >>> Jimmy Tingle >>> HUMOR FOR HUMANITY >>> First Church Cambridge, 11 Garden Street >>> 3PM Sunday, March 31st >>> Benefit Performance for Solutions at Work - >>> Cambridge non-profit offering material assistance >>> and training programs for low income and homeless >>> individuals re-entering the work force >>> $45 per person at the door >>> or thru EVENTBRITE >>> For more info, call Alice Kidder at 617-276-6227 >>> >>> >

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Cambridge Historical Society meeting
by Ruth Ryals 22 Mar '19

22 Mar '19

The Cambridge Historical Society (in partnership with CCTV) will be hosting its first History Café of the year on April 10. Could you please share the event information with your networks? Thank you very much! Event Title: History Café 1: Digital Engagement Location: Cambridge Community Television, 438 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 Date and Time: April 10, 6:30-8:00 Event Description: This year we at Cambridge Historical Society ask, “How does Cambridge engage?” On April 10, City Councilors Alanna Mallon and Sumbul Siddiqui discuss “How does Cambridge engage in the digital realm?” Chatting about local politics and their weekly podcast, “Women Are Here,” the two city councilors will reflect on the ways local government has engaged with residents historically, and how using the Internet and social media can serve as tools to stay connected. Smarika Suwal, a Cambridge Rindge and Latin School alumnus and now a History and Classics double-major at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, will moderate the conversation. Light refreshments will be served. This event is co-sponsored with CCTV. Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite.

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