Why Affordable Housing Matters to JP

I'm writing my thesis on a community development project in Jamaica Plain - the redevelopment of the Blessed Sacrament church into affordable housing and community space.

I just want to draw your attention to the work of the Hyde Square Task Force. This is a group of parents, teachers, community members who came together in the basement of the Blessed Sacrament church to decide how to clean up their community.

Their community was riddled with drugs and gang violence. It was called the "cocaine capital of Boston." This was the 1980s.

They aimed their attention on the youth. If they could engage them, give them something meaningful to do. A place to be. A reason to be there.

They found a space, engaged some kids, taught them to organize their communities for change, how to dance, and how to teach dance , they got them involved in cultural activities, they provided homework help, all free. And they are still doing this. And the number of kids they reaching grows every year. This year they're working with about 900 young people.

They have had an impact. And with that clean up, rents and property taxed increased.

And with that increase, many of the Task Force members had to move their families out of town.

"Most of the people who did all this work are being forced out of the neighborhoods," said Chrismaldi Velasquez, 23, a program associate for the Task Force.

That's the reason why this Blessed Sacrament Redevelopment is so crucial, she said: "Affordable housing so important for these developments, so that people who made this community what it is can continue to live here."