by Eric Zuerndorfer
Chinatown Rejects Going Green
by Eric Zuerndorfer
CHINATOWN – Ying Na Yu decides it has been long enough. It finally is time to replace the light bulb in the kitchen of her apartment—the light bulb that has been out for a week. Yu’s four family members and housemates have been nagging her to let them eat in the light. On Friday afternoon, she walks down Tremont Street to get a light bulb from Warren Elect and Hardware Supply. She strolls up and down the aisles until she finds the right section. Once she finds the correct wattage, she can choose the old-fashioned incandescent bulbs or the energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. Without much thought, Yu reaches for the cheaper incandescent bulb.
“When the money is tight, I’m going to go for the least expensive product, not necessarily the most cost-effective in the long run,” said Yu, a 43-year-old Chinatown resident living at Oak Terrace, an affordable housing apartment complex built by the Asian Community Development Corporation.
Many Chinatown residents and business owners like Yu have been slow to catch on to the environmentally conscious thinking that has become popular. They often cannot afford to “go green” like other communities.
Restaurant owners are reluctant to change their services and equipment, which have been constant and handed down from past generations.
“Why would I buy a more energy efficient stove when it’s just going to cost more?” said Lam Duong, co-owner of the restaurant Xinh Xinh. “I don’t think we’d get more business because we’re saving energy.”
Some say Chinatown does not even have the opportunity to become more environmentally conscious because of the low average income for most residents.
“I’m not sure there are as many opportunities to ‘go green’ as you might expect,” said Christopher Rogacz, English editor for the Sampan. “Because of the economic condition of most people in Chinatown, I would guess that the average resident has a smaller carbon footprint than does someone of median income.”
Some Chinatown organizations are actively trying to help make the community more environmentally aware. ACDC is constructing new environmentally friendly buildings.
The Metropolitan, a high rise on Oak Street consisting of a mix of affordable and market rate units, was built by ACDC and received a silver LEED award. The Leadership and Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System is a national award for the design, construction and operation of high performance green building given out by the U.S. Green Building Council.
“There is currently not a lot of green housing available in Chinatown, so [ACDC is] making an effort to start building them.” said Michael Chen, the comprehensive home ownership program manager at ACDC.
ACDC is also developing Parcel 24 on Hudson Street and has said they are aiming for another LEED award.
With the exception of a few efforts from organizations such as ACDC, Chinatown remains a community putting forth little effort to become more environmentally conscious.
“Because Chinatown has so many old buildings and not a lot of money to retrofit them, it will be a while before it’s ‘green,” Rogacz said.
CHINATOWN – Ying Na Yu decides it has been long enough. It finally is time to replace the light bulb in the kitchen of her apartment—the light bulb that has been out for a week. Yu’s four family members and housemates have been nagging her to let them eat in the light. On Friday afternoon, she walks down Tremont Street to get a light bulb from Warren Elect and Hardware Supply. She strolls up and down the aisles until she finds the right section. Once she finds the correct wattage, she can choose the old-fashioned incandescent bulbs or the energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. Without much thought, Yu reaches for the cheaper incandescent bulb.
“When the money is tight, I’m going to go for the least expensive product, not necessarily the most cost-effective in the long run,” said Yu, a 43-year-old Chinatown resident living at Oak Terrace, an affordable housing apartment complex built by the Asian Community Development Corporation.
Many Chinatown residents and business owners like Yu have been slow to catch on to the environmentally conscious thinking that has become popular. They often cannot afford to “go green” like other communities.
Restaurant owners are reluctant to change their services and equipment, which have been constant and handed down from past generations.
“Why would I buy a more energy efficient stove when it’s just going to cost more?” said Lam Duong, co-owner of the restaurant Xinh Xinh. “I don’t think we’d get more business because we’re saving energy.”
Some say Chinatown does not even have the opportunity to become more environmentally conscious because of the low average income for most residents.
“I’m not sure there are as many opportunities to ‘go green’ as you might expect,” said Christopher Rogacz, English editor for the Sampan. “Because of the economic condition of most people in Chinatown, I would guess that the average resident has a smaller carbon footprint than does someone of median income.”
Some Chinatown organizations are actively trying to help make the community more environmentally aware. ACDC is constructing new environmentally friendly buildings.
The Metropolitan, a high rise on Oak Street consisting of a mix of affordable and market rate units, was built by ACDC and received a silver LEED award. The Leadership and Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System is a national award for the design, construction and operation of high performance green building given out by the U.S. Green Building Council.
“There is currently not a lot of green housing available in Chinatown, so [ACDC is] making an effort to start building them.” said Michael Chen, the comprehensive home ownership program manager at ACDC.
ACDC is also developing Parcel 24 on Hudson Street and has said they are aiming for another LEED award.
With the exception of a few efforts from organizations such as ACDC, Chinatown remains a community putting forth little effort to become more environmentally conscious.
“Because Chinatown has so many old buildings and not a lot of money to retrofit them, it will be a while before it’s ‘green,” Rogacz said.
Speakeasy Makes Sense for Immigrants
by Eric Zuerndorfer
CHINATOWN – When Xiao-Wen Mak came to Chinatown from Shanghai a year and a half ago, he spoke only a few basic words of English and struggled to familiarize himself with the area. He needed to find a house, but he didn’t know where to start. He got help from Speakeasy, a telephone service that provides language interpretation and helpful community information over the phone.
“Speakeasy not only helped me find and buy a house, but they also helped me make good decisions,” said Mak, a 42-year-old Chinese immigrant who came to the United States looking for better job opportunities.
Tad Hirsch, a researcher at the Massachusetts Insitute of Technology, and Jeremy Liu, executive director of the Asian Community Development Corporation, formed speakeasy in 2003.
“We wanted to create a system where it’s not just language interpretation,” Liu said. “[Speakeasy’s] multilingual volunteers answer questions and give advice, too.”
Speakeasy was piloted in Chinatown with the trial ending in 2006. Results showed housing was the main issue for immigrants calling the program.
“[Speakeasy] focuses on housing and finding ways to mitigate the foreclosure crisis,” said Michael Chen, comprehensive home ownership program manager at ACDC.
Speakeasy, sponsored by ACDC, provides opportunity for immigrants who are still learning English. Often their inability to communicate inhibits them from playing a more active role in the community, Liu said.
The volunteers at Speakeasy are multilingual guides fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, Toisanese and other Chinese dialects. They are also required to provide a social and cultural connection.
“It really places a heavy burden on our volunteers,” Chen said. “They have to help the callers react to problems that go beyond everyday problems.”
One concern with Speakeasy is that the volunteers do too much. Immigrants might lose the motivation to learn English because they have the help of Speakeasy.
“We hope that they would assimilate by learning the language on their own,” Chen said. “We’re not trying to discourage them, but rather help them while they are learning English and getting used to the community.”
In August 2004, ACDC received a $25,000 Community Connections Award from AT&T Wireless and NPower for further development of the program.
CHINATOWN – When Xiao-Wen Mak came to Chinatown from Shanghai a year and a half ago, he spoke only a few basic words of English and struggled to familiarize himself with the area. He needed to find a house, but he didn’t know where to start. He got help from Speakeasy, a telephone service that provides language interpretation and helpful community information over the phone.
“Speakeasy not only helped me find and buy a house, but they also helped me make good decisions,” said Mak, a 42-year-old Chinese immigrant who came to the United States looking for better job opportunities.
Tad Hirsch, a researcher at the Massachusetts Insitute of Technology, and Jeremy Liu, executive director of the Asian Community Development Corporation, formed speakeasy in 2003.
“We wanted to create a system where it’s not just language interpretation,” Liu said. “[Speakeasy’s] multilingual volunteers answer questions and give advice, too.”
Speakeasy was piloted in Chinatown with the trial ending in 2006. Results showed housing was the main issue for immigrants calling the program.
“[Speakeasy] focuses on housing and finding ways to mitigate the foreclosure crisis,” said Michael Chen, comprehensive home ownership program manager at ACDC.
Speakeasy, sponsored by ACDC, provides opportunity for immigrants who are still learning English. Often their inability to communicate inhibits them from playing a more active role in the community, Liu said.
The volunteers at Speakeasy are multilingual guides fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, Toisanese and other Chinese dialects. They are also required to provide a social and cultural connection.
“It really places a heavy burden on our volunteers,” Chen said. “They have to help the callers react to problems that go beyond everyday problems.”
One concern with Speakeasy is that the volunteers do too much. Immigrants might lose the motivation to learn English because they have the help of Speakeasy.
“We hope that they would assimilate by learning the language on their own,” Chen said. “We’re not trying to discourage them, but rather help them while they are learning English and getting used to the community.”
In August 2004, ACDC received a $25,000 Community Connections Award from AT&T Wireless and NPower for further development of the program.
School Proposal Creates Dissent
by Eric Zuerndorfer
CHINATOWN – Ten years ago, eighth-grader Madeline Valera’s family had no resources to support her interest in the arts. Valera entered the Boston Arts Academy, the only public arts school in Boston, which accepts a high number of students from low-income families. At the academy, she developed into an innovative art student. After graduating, Valera became a successful painter, selling her landscape portraits across the country.
“I can definitely say that I am where I am because of this school,” said Valera, 24-years-old.
Despite the academy’s efforts to help low-income students, some say their latest proposal to expand onto Chinatown’s Parcel 12 located across from the YMCA may actually hurt them.
“Parcel 12 was designated for housing,” said Alex Zhang, the community organizer at Asian Community Development Corporation. “There’s not much available land [in Chinatown] for affordable housing, so we must take care of what we have.”
The academy’s proposal envisions a middle school and a high school co-located at Parcel 12.
“A new school in downtown Boston would definitely be attractive for prospective students,” said Susan Werbe, special assistant to Headmaster Linda Nathan.
Chinatown has its own development agenda to build affordable housing on the Parcel 12 land, because it is one of a few publicly owned land areas left in Chinatown for expansion. Some Chinatown residents are aware of the proposal and are worried the housing plans will be set aside.
“The community trusts the city and believes what they say,” Zhang said. “But they are not afraid to voice their opinions when they feel they are being ignored.”
The Chinatown Coalition has proposed a meeting with the academy to let them explain their proposal. The coalition has invited City Councilors Michael Ross, Sam Yoon, and Chuck Turner to mediate the meeting.
“[The Chinatown Coalition has] invited the BAA many times,” Zhang said. “But the BAA says a meeting would be premature.”
Chinatown residents are upset at hearing reports on the academy proposal from everyone except the BAA.
When asked for details on the Parcel 12 proposal, the BAA declined to release information.
“They are just ideas that we have,” Werbe said. “At this point, nothing is for certain.”
CHINATOWN – Ten years ago, eighth-grader Madeline Valera’s family had no resources to support her interest in the arts. Valera entered the Boston Arts Academy, the only public arts school in Boston, which accepts a high number of students from low-income families. At the academy, she developed into an innovative art student. After graduating, Valera became a successful painter, selling her landscape portraits across the country.
“I can definitely say that I am where I am because of this school,” said Valera, 24-years-old.
Despite the academy’s efforts to help low-income students, some say their latest proposal to expand onto Chinatown’s Parcel 12 located across from the YMCA may actually hurt them.
“Parcel 12 was designated for housing,” said Alex Zhang, the community organizer at Asian Community Development Corporation. “There’s not much available land [in Chinatown] for affordable housing, so we must take care of what we have.”
The academy’s proposal envisions a middle school and a high school co-located at Parcel 12.
“A new school in downtown Boston would definitely be attractive for prospective students,” said Susan Werbe, special assistant to Headmaster Linda Nathan.
Chinatown has its own development agenda to build affordable housing on the Parcel 12 land, because it is one of a few publicly owned land areas left in Chinatown for expansion. Some Chinatown residents are aware of the proposal and are worried the housing plans will be set aside.
“The community trusts the city and believes what they say,” Zhang said. “But they are not afraid to voice their opinions when they feel they are being ignored.”
The Chinatown Coalition has proposed a meeting with the academy to let them explain their proposal. The coalition has invited City Councilors Michael Ross, Sam Yoon, and Chuck Turner to mediate the meeting.
“[The Chinatown Coalition has] invited the BAA many times,” Zhang said. “But the BAA says a meeting would be premature.”
Chinatown residents are upset at hearing reports on the academy proposal from everyone except the BAA.
When asked for details on the Parcel 12 proposal, the BAA declined to release information.
“They are just ideas that we have,” Werbe said. “At this point, nothing is for certain.”
Homeless Census Lacks Full Story
by Eric Zuerndorfer
CHINATOWN – The disjointed line stretches far out the door and winds down the sidewalk. The day is cold and blustery, especially for those without jackets. A man clutches a bag full of empty cans. Nobody seems in a hurry. When the man with the cans reaches the front, a St. Francis House employee hands him his food stamp and he steps in another line and waits again.
“[The homeless] spend most of their days going from food program to program and getting medical help,” said Fred Smith, director of program development research and evaluation at the St. Francis House shelter. “Then they spend their time waiting in line for food stamps and medication.”
The city’s most recent homeless census shows a 4 percent increase in homelessness in the Boston area. But Smith and others working in the shelters say the census may not predict the future of the homeless problem.
“There are reasons to be optimistic,” Smith said of the census’ statistics. “But it’s really too early to tell.”
St. Francis House on 39 Boylston Street, serves about 1,000 meals a day, said Elizabeth Lund, the communications director.
“The census is just a snapshot,” Lund said. “It doesn’t really give you the full picture.”
St. Francis House is expanding its “Housing First” project, which provides housing to chronically homeless men and women. In the past, individuals seeking their own homes would have to go through multiple levels of housing, progressing from the street to a public shelter, to a state-run shelter, a traditional housing program, and finally their own apartment.
“It remains to be seen if they can live independently,” Smith said.
The project has seen mixed results. Some find they get lonely and cannot make it in a home without a shelter’s assistance.
“I was [in the apartment] for two weeks, but I just couldn’t stand it,” said Benny Copper, a 28-year-old man who has been homeless for the past six months and three times in the past four years. “I’ve never really lived on my own and I felt lost.”
Many of the homeless in the “Housing First” project experience the same problems.
“For some, the shelter is uncomfortable and dehumanizing, but we find that most come back here, because they need to replace the social networking,” Smith said. “Everyone should have a home, but it may not be the best for them.”
St. Francis House offers care to the homeless as long as they need it.
“[St. Francis House] started here because that’s where the homeless were most prevalent,” Smith said. “Today, we like to think homeless people are there because St. Francis House is there.”
CHINATOWN – The disjointed line stretches far out the door and winds down the sidewalk. The day is cold and blustery, especially for those without jackets. A man clutches a bag full of empty cans. Nobody seems in a hurry. When the man with the cans reaches the front, a St. Francis House employee hands him his food stamp and he steps in another line and waits again.
“[The homeless] spend most of their days going from food program to program and getting medical help,” said Fred Smith, director of program development research and evaluation at the St. Francis House shelter. “Then they spend their time waiting in line for food stamps and medication.”
The city’s most recent homeless census shows a 4 percent increase in homelessness in the Boston area. But Smith and others working in the shelters say the census may not predict the future of the homeless problem.
“There are reasons to be optimistic,” Smith said of the census’ statistics. “But it’s really too early to tell.”
St. Francis House on 39 Boylston Street, serves about 1,000 meals a day, said Elizabeth Lund, the communications director.
“The census is just a snapshot,” Lund said. “It doesn’t really give you the full picture.”
St. Francis House is expanding its “Housing First” project, which provides housing to chronically homeless men and women. In the past, individuals seeking their own homes would have to go through multiple levels of housing, progressing from the street to a public shelter, to a state-run shelter, a traditional housing program, and finally their own apartment.
“It remains to be seen if they can live independently,” Smith said.
The project has seen mixed results. Some find they get lonely and cannot make it in a home without a shelter’s assistance.
“I was [in the apartment] for two weeks, but I just couldn’t stand it,” said Benny Copper, a 28-year-old man who has been homeless for the past six months and three times in the past four years. “I’ve never really lived on my own and I felt lost.”
Many of the homeless in the “Housing First” project experience the same problems.
“For some, the shelter is uncomfortable and dehumanizing, but we find that most come back here, because they need to replace the social networking,” Smith said. “Everyone should have a home, but it may not be the best for them.”
St. Francis House offers care to the homeless as long as they need it.
“[St. Francis House] started here because that’s where the homeless were most prevalent,” Smith said. “Today, we like to think homeless people are there because St. Francis House is there.”
Fung Wah Bus Problems Increasing
by Eric Zuerndorfer
CHINATOWN – Two years ago, Sean Dobbin was riding on the Fung Wah bus around midnight. About half the people on the bus were sleeping, but he was not. The bus had already made a few unexpected stops when the driver stopped again and walked off the bus on the outskirts of New York City.
“The only thing he told us was he had ‘personal business to take care of.’ He didn’t come back for a half hour,” said Dobbin, a 22-year-old frequent rider on the Fung Wah.
The Fung Wah is one of many bus services that take passengers from Chinatown in Boston to Chinatown in New York for a minimal fare. However, many passengers like Dobbin have found the cheap fares reflect the service.
“Don’t get me wrong, I always got to New York and then back to Boston,” Dobbin said. “But you absolutely get what you pay for.”
The Fung Wah has received poor driving ratings and complaints. A report by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in 2005 found 73 percent of carriers had better driver-safety records.
A few incidents on the Fung Wah have made headlines. In August 2005, passengers evacuated a Fung Wah bus just before it burst into flames. In July 2007, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination ruled against Fung Wah in a lawsuit after they refused to let a blind couple bring their guide dog on the bus.
Fung Wah officials insist they take safety seriously.
“The safety concerns get blown out of proportion,” said Bill Wong, an advisor for Fung Wah. “We have more buses than other companies so accidents are bound to happen.”
Fung Wah continues to draw customers because it offers the lowest fares for a very popular traveling route.
“We will keep growing as long our customers want it,” said Sunny Chen, an advisor for Fung Wah.
Greyhound Lines Inc. plans to start a new low-cost bus line from New York to Boston to compete with Fung Wah. The new bus line, called the Bolt bus, will begin in April and offers tickets starting at $1.
“I’ll ride whatever’s the cheapest,” said Ed Han, a 21-year-old frequent Boston-New York commuter.
CHINATOWN – Two years ago, Sean Dobbin was riding on the Fung Wah bus around midnight. About half the people on the bus were sleeping, but he was not. The bus had already made a few unexpected stops when the driver stopped again and walked off the bus on the outskirts of New York City.
“The only thing he told us was he had ‘personal business to take care of.’ He didn’t come back for a half hour,” said Dobbin, a 22-year-old frequent rider on the Fung Wah.
The Fung Wah is one of many bus services that take passengers from Chinatown in Boston to Chinatown in New York for a minimal fare. However, many passengers like Dobbin have found the cheap fares reflect the service.
“Don’t get me wrong, I always got to New York and then back to Boston,” Dobbin said. “But you absolutely get what you pay for.”
The Fung Wah has received poor driving ratings and complaints. A report by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in 2005 found 73 percent of carriers had better driver-safety records.
A few incidents on the Fung Wah have made headlines. In August 2005, passengers evacuated a Fung Wah bus just before it burst into flames. In July 2007, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination ruled against Fung Wah in a lawsuit after they refused to let a blind couple bring their guide dog on the bus.
Fung Wah officials insist they take safety seriously.
“The safety concerns get blown out of proportion,” said Bill Wong, an advisor for Fung Wah. “We have more buses than other companies so accidents are bound to happen.”
Fung Wah continues to draw customers because it offers the lowest fares for a very popular traveling route.
“We will keep growing as long our customers want it,” said Sunny Chen, an advisor for Fung Wah.
Greyhound Lines Inc. plans to start a new low-cost bus line from New York to Boston to compete with Fung Wah. The new bus line, called the Bolt bus, will begin in April and offers tickets starting at $1.
“I’ll ride whatever’s the cheapest,” said Ed Han, a 21-year-old frequent Boston-New York commuter.
Chinatown Crime Watch Decreases Crime
by Eric Zuerndorfer
CHINATOWN – Gilbert Ho walks up and down Kneeland Street on the lookout for criminal activity. In the distance, Ho’s partners in blue keep a similar watch on other streets. Some of them ride bikes, some walk. Ho sees an older Chinese man drinking a bottle of alcohol in a paper bag. The man sees Ho coming, throws the bottle in the trash, and scurries along.
Where drunks, drug dealers and prostitutes once occupied the streets of Chinatown, the bright blue vests of the Chinatown Crime Watch now shoo them away or call police.
“[The criminals] know what the blue vest means, and, for the most part, they respect it,” said Ho, one of the founders of the Chinatown Crime Watch unit. “They understand that we’re the eyes and ears of police officials.”
Since its inception in May 2005, the Chinatown Crime Watch unit has made its presence felt. Crime decreased nearly 10 percent each year since 2006 for District A1, which includes Chinatown. The Chinatown Crime Watch unit has helped that, said Joseph Porcelli, community service officer of the Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit of the Boston Police Department.
Ho formed the Chinatown Crime Watch with his wife, Debbie, and Michael Wang. Aware of the high crime rates in the neighborhood, they wanted to put a stop to it.
Every day from 4:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., about a dozen volunteers patrol the streets of Chinatown to inform police of suspicious activity. They are unarmed, wearing only blue “Chinatown Crime Watch” vests. They carry walkie-talkies to communicate with the police.
“Our goal is to reduce local crime and increase the residents’ sense of safety,” Wang said.
The Chinatown Crime Watch now has a membership of more than 60 volunteers who take turns watching the streets, no matter the occasion or the weather.
“We’re committed every day, no matter what, to keeping our neighborhood as safe as can be,” Ho said.
The City council has taken notice. Councilor Michael Flaherty led a hearing to recommend the Chinatown Crime Watch force as a model for other neighborhoods. Councilor Sam Yoon also supported the model implemented by Chinatown.
“Other people have the power to clean up their neighborhoods if they just take the initiative,” said Denny Ching, neighborhood coordinator of Chinatown.
Some question whether the Chinatown model would work elsewhere.
“Most neighborhoods are different than Chinatown,” Porcelli said. “You have to tailor the solution to the neighborhood and to its problem.”
CHINATOWN – Gilbert Ho walks up and down Kneeland Street on the lookout for criminal activity. In the distance, Ho’s partners in blue keep a similar watch on other streets. Some of them ride bikes, some walk. Ho sees an older Chinese man drinking a bottle of alcohol in a paper bag. The man sees Ho coming, throws the bottle in the trash, and scurries along.
Where drunks, drug dealers and prostitutes once occupied the streets of Chinatown, the bright blue vests of the Chinatown Crime Watch now shoo them away or call police.
“[The criminals] know what the blue vest means, and, for the most part, they respect it,” said Ho, one of the founders of the Chinatown Crime Watch unit. “They understand that we’re the eyes and ears of police officials.”
Since its inception in May 2005, the Chinatown Crime Watch unit has made its presence felt. Crime decreased nearly 10 percent each year since 2006 for District A1, which includes Chinatown. The Chinatown Crime Watch unit has helped that, said Joseph Porcelli, community service officer of the Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit of the Boston Police Department.
Ho formed the Chinatown Crime Watch with his wife, Debbie, and Michael Wang. Aware of the high crime rates in the neighborhood, they wanted to put a stop to it.
Every day from 4:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., about a dozen volunteers patrol the streets of Chinatown to inform police of suspicious activity. They are unarmed, wearing only blue “Chinatown Crime Watch” vests. They carry walkie-talkies to communicate with the police.
“Our goal is to reduce local crime and increase the residents’ sense of safety,” Wang said.
The Chinatown Crime Watch now has a membership of more than 60 volunteers who take turns watching the streets, no matter the occasion or the weather.
“We’re committed every day, no matter what, to keeping our neighborhood as safe as can be,” Ho said.
The City council has taken notice. Councilor Michael Flaherty led a hearing to recommend the Chinatown Crime Watch force as a model for other neighborhoods. Councilor Sam Yoon also supported the model implemented by Chinatown.
“Other people have the power to clean up their neighborhoods if they just take the initiative,” said Denny Ching, neighborhood coordinator of Chinatown.
Some question whether the Chinatown model would work elsewhere.
“Most neighborhoods are different than Chinatown,” Porcelli said. “You have to tailor the solution to the neighborhood and to its problem.”
City Steals Parcel 24 From Residents
by Eric Zuerndorfer
CHINATOWN – Alex Zhang does not remember the first time his mother took him to the construction site, but he recalls his mother’s bitterness, how the city took her home away.
“They didn’t care if my family had anywhere else to go,” Zhang said. “The land was important to my family and the community, and they just took it.”
The construction of the Central Artery Parcel 24 in Chinatown has caused rifts in the community. Resident cannot agree on how to use the land.
“There is a limited amount of space in Chinatown,” said Jacob Baker, a staff member of the office of Sam Yoon, city councilor at-large. “This means that any available space must be used efficiently.”
Chinatown took the Parcel 24 land away from residents in 1962, but organizations and politicians are working to get it back.
Parcel 24 is located on the east side of residential Chinatown where the Hudson and Albany street area was once a vibrant neighborhood. Construction of the Turnpike Extension has caused many homes and businesses to be destroyed.
“Three hundred residents were forced to move,” said Tim Doherty, real estate project manager at the Asian Community Development Corporation. “The displaced residents were neither properly relocated nor reimbursed for their losses.”
For 40 years, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority owned Parcel 24 for construction of the “Big Dig.” Former residents of the land came together to form the Hudson Street Coalition.
In 2004, the Hudson Street Coalition group held a series of meetings to create their vision for development of Parcel 24, said Janelle Chan, a real estate project manager at ACDC.
The objective of the restoration was to provide mixed-income housing and community space, according to the Boston Redevelopment Authority’s development guidelines for Parcel 24.
ACDC will own a set of apartments on the land and there will be privately owned condominiums for sale. The mixed income apartments will be sold by lottery.
ACDC is working with the Hudson Street Coalition to begin the new construction in the near future.
“It’s our responsibility to bring an important part of Chinatown back to the people,” Chan said.
Zhang says his mother would be happy with the progress.
“It’s hard [for the city] to deal with something that happened 45 years ago that you weren’t involved with at all,” Zhang said. “At least they’re doing what they can to help.”
CHINATOWN – Alex Zhang does not remember the first time his mother took him to the construction site, but he recalls his mother’s bitterness, how the city took her home away.
“They didn’t care if my family had anywhere else to go,” Zhang said. “The land was important to my family and the community, and they just took it.”
The construction of the Central Artery Parcel 24 in Chinatown has caused rifts in the community. Resident cannot agree on how to use the land.
“There is a limited amount of space in Chinatown,” said Jacob Baker, a staff member of the office of Sam Yoon, city councilor at-large. “This means that any available space must be used efficiently.”
Chinatown took the Parcel 24 land away from residents in 1962, but organizations and politicians are working to get it back.
Parcel 24 is located on the east side of residential Chinatown where the Hudson and Albany street area was once a vibrant neighborhood. Construction of the Turnpike Extension has caused many homes and businesses to be destroyed.
“Three hundred residents were forced to move,” said Tim Doherty, real estate project manager at the Asian Community Development Corporation. “The displaced residents were neither properly relocated nor reimbursed for their losses.”
For 40 years, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority owned Parcel 24 for construction of the “Big Dig.” Former residents of the land came together to form the Hudson Street Coalition.
In 2004, the Hudson Street Coalition group held a series of meetings to create their vision for development of Parcel 24, said Janelle Chan, a real estate project manager at ACDC.
The objective of the restoration was to provide mixed-income housing and community space, according to the Boston Redevelopment Authority’s development guidelines for Parcel 24.
ACDC will own a set of apartments on the land and there will be privately owned condominiums for sale. The mixed income apartments will be sold by lottery.
ACDC is working with the Hudson Street Coalition to begin the new construction in the near future.
“It’s our responsibility to bring an important part of Chinatown back to the people,” Chan said.
Zhang says his mother would be happy with the progress.
“It’s hard [for the city] to deal with something that happened 45 years ago that you weren’t involved with at all,” Zhang said. “At least they’re doing what they can to help.”
Controlling the Press: Christopher Rogacz
by Eric Zuerndorfer
CHINATOWN -- In the cramped “Sampan” office, Yang Yang speaks fluent Chinese into a phone and swivels around to look at her co-editor, Christopher Rogacz. “Are you covering the ACDC meeting tomorrow?” she asked.
Rogacz shrugs: “I will, but I’d rather write about a worker’s strike than a stupid council meeting.”
Every two weeks Rogacz and Yang compile Sampan, a Chinatown newspaper that reaches 10,000 residents. Instead of striving for objectivity, Rogacz says he selects stories that capture his interest.
For the past six months, Rogacz, a 22-year-old Cornell graduate, has served as English editor and reporter for Sampan. Rogacz develops his story ideas in the off week. Monday and Tuesday of the following week he writes and follows up on his reporting. Wednesday and Thursday are production days, and on Friday they publish.
“He’s really become more comfortable with the entire process,” said Pei-ning Lo, the advertising manager at Sampan. “When he first started, he did not know what he was doing.”
At Cornell, Rogacz graduated with a degree in political philosophy, but never took journalism class. He says he found ways to apply philosophy towards his job.
“I’m perfectly willing to admit that the stories that I choose to cover, what I choose to put on the front page… they are editorial choices, which are not objective and blind choices,” Rogacz said. “They’re biased choices.”
Sampan does not include editorial pages because that would show more subjectivity.
“[Sampan] avoids putting the story side by side with opinion pieces, so we just leave [editorials] out,” Yang said. “It would be the same writer for the news and opinions on that news, and that causes problems.”
But Rogacz said sometimes he expresses his views in the stories he publishes consciously.
“Whether or not editorials are published, the stories would not change, just the perception from the readers,” Rogacz said.
*CORRECTION* "The crucial point of what I was trying to get across is that there is no such thing as objectivity in journalism, that it is the constituent lie that makes journalism possible, but a lie nevertheless. Your [quote] implies that there does exist something called objective reporting which I have chosen to ignore, when my entire premise is that this never existed in the first place: there is nothing to be ignored because it does not exist. I think this is an absolutely crucial distinction... When you quote me as saying my that my choices for content are biased choices, that is correct, but the critical next part of that is that my choices, and really, ANY editor's choices could not help but be any other way." - Christopher Rogacz
CHINATOWN -- In the cramped “Sampan” office, Yang Yang speaks fluent Chinese into a phone and swivels around to look at her co-editor, Christopher Rogacz. “Are you covering the ACDC meeting tomorrow?” she asked.
Rogacz shrugs: “I will, but I’d rather write about a worker’s strike than a stupid council meeting.”
Every two weeks Rogacz and Yang compile Sampan, a Chinatown newspaper that reaches 10,000 residents. Instead of striving for objectivity, Rogacz says he selects stories that capture his interest.
For the past six months, Rogacz, a 22-year-old Cornell graduate, has served as English editor and reporter for Sampan. Rogacz develops his story ideas in the off week. Monday and Tuesday of the following week he writes and follows up on his reporting. Wednesday and Thursday are production days, and on Friday they publish.
“He’s really become more comfortable with the entire process,” said Pei-ning Lo, the advertising manager at Sampan. “When he first started, he did not know what he was doing.”
At Cornell, Rogacz graduated with a degree in political philosophy, but never took journalism class. He says he found ways to apply philosophy towards his job.
“I’m perfectly willing to admit that the stories that I choose to cover, what I choose to put on the front page… they are editorial choices, which are not objective and blind choices,” Rogacz said. “They’re biased choices.”
Sampan does not include editorial pages because that would show more subjectivity.
“[Sampan] avoids putting the story side by side with opinion pieces, so we just leave [editorials] out,” Yang said. “It would be the same writer for the news and opinions on that news, and that causes problems.”
But Rogacz said sometimes he expresses his views in the stories he publishes consciously.
“Whether or not editorials are published, the stories would not change, just the perception from the readers,” Rogacz said.
*CORRECTION* "The crucial point of what I was trying to get across is that there is no such thing as objectivity in journalism, that it is the constituent lie that makes journalism possible, but a lie nevertheless. Your [quote] implies that there does exist something called objective reporting which I have chosen to ignore, when my entire premise is that this never existed in the first place: there is nothing to be ignored because it does not exist. I think this is an absolutely crucial distinction... When you quote me as saying my that my choices for content are biased choices, that is correct, but the critical next part of that is that my choices, and really, ANY editor's choices could not help but be any other way." - Christopher Rogacz
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