Jobs and Housing
Increase the livability, affordability and safety of Greater Boston neighborhoods
Background
Jobs and housing are at the center of our efforts to create thriving neighborhoods. We firmly believe that strong neighborhoods make a strong region. We work with our public, philanthropic and community partners to ensure that residents have access to jobs and stable housing in transit-rich, safe and walkable communities. Our efforts are aimed at empowering residents of low-income Boston neighborhoods to achieve economic self-sufficiency. To accomplish this, we invest in strategies that foster business and job growth, promote community economic development and increase access to jobs. We see housing as a key stabilizing force for families and communities, and a core component of our region’s competitiveness. Our housing efforts focus on affordable housing for vulnerable populations and complement our jobs strategy by promoting housing near transit to enhance access to jobs and services.
Approach
The Foundation makes targeted investments to strengthen urban and low-income commercial districts, and advance small business and entrepreneurial innovation and growth. These efforts, supplemented by investments in workforce partnerships with deep employer engagement, aim to increase job opportunities for residents in low-income Boston neighborhoods.
We take a multi-tiered approach to promote housing solutions. At the state level, we advocate for policy change and support the capacity of the affordable housing sector to provide housing solutions for vulnerable populations. At the community level, we focus on housing that is closely connected to other areas of families’ lives and invest in transit-oriented development opportunities such as the Fairmount/Indigo Corridor. At the household level, we invest in affordable housing for low-income families, the elderly and the disabled.
Desired Outcomes
The Foundation seeks to support the retention, creation and growth of 50 small businesses along the Fairmount Corridor with corresponding increases in revenues and employment by 20% by 2015, and to gain employment for 500 low-income residents in key and expanding regional clusters.
We also seek to contribute toward the production of 7,500 housing units, which represents over 15% of the 46,124 unit projected housing shortage in Greater Boston. Our particular emphasis is on affordable and transit oriented development units with additional work promoting the turn-around of foreclosed properties.