Dorchester may already have some of the most affordable housing in the city. Despite this, there are still large variations in the quality and price of the housing available in the neighborhood. Over the past decade, various projects have helped to improve this, such as The Carruth, a Transit-Oriented Development at Ashmont Station, or the A B & W Building in Codman Square. Yet, if Dorchester is to continue to attract new residents to the neighborhood, while supporting those who have long lived here, there needs to be more quality and affordable housing available.
Housing can be improved through a mix of private and public investment. Private developers should increase the number of quality rental apartments and renovate preexisting condominiums and single family homes to attract new residents to the area (especially in areas with access to bus, subway, or commuter rail). The city should renovate current Boston Housing Authority complexes in Dorchester (similar to the renovations of developments in South Boston or Roslindale). This would truly help elevate the neighborhood and make our already strong community stronger.
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(Top photo courtesy of
St. Mark's Area Main Street and bottom photo courtesy of
Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation.)
