A Year in Review: Affordable Housing in 2020
Last January, we created a list of top affordable housing policies to watch in 2020. Little did we know that just a few months later, these policy agendas – and everything else – would be changed by a public health crisis. As we look back on the past year, one thing is clear: the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the widespread disparities in our society, demonstrating the necessity of creating...
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The Impacts of COVID-19 on Housing in Boston
Over the past few months, we’ve seen long-standing socioeconomic and racial inequities exposed at the local, regional and national levels, as the impacts of COVID-19 have disproportionately affected vulnerable individuals and families. During this moment of extreme hardship, change and reflection, it’s crucial that we examine the state of affordable housing and acknowledge the impact that the p...
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Uplifting Our Community Through Resident Services & Affordable Housing
IBA has long been committed to providing affordable housing to our local South End community.
A key part of empowering our community is rooted in ensuring that our residents have continued access to support resources. By combining recreation, culture, health, educational and case management services, we’re able to address all of the needs of our residents.
With a growing team...
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30 Years Of Living In Villa Victoria
Our Resident Services program works to make every resident feel at home in Villa Victoria. From case management to neighborhood events, they build community and empower our residents. We recently spoke with one of our residents to learn more about her experience with IBA.
Maria, a longtime Villa Victoria resident, has been living in our neighborhood since 1991 after moving from Guatemal...
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Enriching & Empowering Lives: The Long-Lasting Impact of Resident Services
A healthy community is defined by the continual improvement of the financial, social and environmental conditions that foster quality of life, promote empowerment and establish stability. At IBA, we oversee the wellbeing of nearly 1,500 residents and seek to optimize opportunity through robust residential services that advance academic and career development, improve health, encourage artistic ...
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Supporting Our Community Through Resident Services
IBA has long been committed to providing affordable housing to our community. A key part of this effort has been our Resident Services Program, which helps our residents access support resources. To learn more about our Resident Services Program, we sat down with Senior Program Director, Rafael Medina.
1. How long have you been with IBA? Can you tell us about your time here?
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Shaping Lives: The Impact of Building Quality & Housing Security on Childhood Development
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, humans spend approximately 87 percent of their time indoors. This striking fact has serious implications, as the quality of the spaces we occupy is directly linked to the quality of the lives we live. The connection between space and human health is particularly critical for young children wh...
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Mayor Walsh’s Recent Housing Announcement: What You Need to Know
Affordable housing development takes time. But, in Massachusetts, time is a luxury. Every day, there are approximately 43 evictions across the state. Residents of the Commonwealth continue to face a harsh housing landscape where rents are the fourth-highest in the nation and there is a deficit of over 162,000 homes needed to accommodate residents on the brink or experiencing poverty (...
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Welcoming the West Newton Rutland Apartments to Villa Victoria
Affordable housing is at the core of IBA’s work. Our commitment to providing not just a home, but a community continues as strong as ever in 2019. As you may know, we recently added new affordable housing units to our existing Villa Victoria community.
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The Consequences of Hitting Pause: How Government Shutdowns Impact Ordinary Residents
U.S. residents are familiar with Congress and the President using government shutdowns as a way to push a legislative agenda. However, the most recent government freeze lasted for the longest time in U.S. history at 35 days, placing unnecessary financial stress on low- and moderate-income families and individuals without a nest egg, as well as the organizations and programs that support them....
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Homelessness Increases in Massachusetts: The Reasons Why & What Must Be Done
During the winter, it’s easy to be consumed by thoughts of slippery roads, bitter winds and unpredictable snow storms. But it’s just as easy to forget that such cold weather also threatens the lives of thousands who don’t have a safe shelter. This past year, homele...
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Unlocking the Affordable Housing Gridlock: Three Approaches to Fostering Accessible Community Development
Over the past year, significant strides have been made to expand affordable housing opportunities throughout Greater Boston and Massachusetts. For instance, Boston City Mayor Martin J. Walsh recently increased Imagine Boston 2030’s housing goal to 69,000 new units, 15,820 of which will be income-...
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Looking Forward to IBA's Future
As IBA celebrates the end of its 50th year, we are already looking to the future. We have already begun building our next half century, and we are excited to see how our community grows. From affordable housing and arts programs to support for our residents, our future is bright!
By the end of this year, we will acquire, rehab, and renovate 146 units of affordable housing to add to IBA’...
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A Look Back at 2017: IBA's Impact Last Year
For the past 50 years, IBA has been committed to providing affordable housing and opportunities for social and economic empowerment in our community. From arts events to credit counseling, we serve our community members of all ages with the programs we offer every day. Here’s just a quick look at some of the efforts we’ve made over the past year:
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“Housing a Changing City”: Boston’s Affordable Housing Goals Climb with Updated 2030 Vision
Boston’s population continues to grow – and at a faster rate than originally anticipated. According to researchers, Boston is expected to reach 759,727 residents by 2030. That’s 50,000 more people than predicted just four years ago. On September 26, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced that the City has adjusted its “Housing a Changing City: Boston 2030” goals to accommodate this new estimate, wh...
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