Apartment Construction Strengthens Boston’s Economy

BY JORDAN FRIAS

POSTED ON FEBRUARY 13, 2013

“The Boston metro area is experiencing its strongest job growth in three years.” – We Are Apartments

PR Newswire’s study on apartment construction in Boston.

Yesterday, PR Newswire released a study report on how apartment construction has contributed 3.3 billion to the metro economy in Boston (read study here).  This report shows that it has created jobs for the city, homes for its residents and almost $28 billion in revenue for the entire state. Read how the city and state compares to the nation as a whole in terms of apartment construction and its contribution to the economy.

Check out this interactive website WeAreApartments.org to see the progress in your area. Here is the link to Boston’s report.

We Are Apartment’s interactive map.

Ameresco’s Green Initiative Works in Boston and Beyond

BY JORDAN FRIAS

POSTED ON FEBRUARY 12, 2013

After running a search on videos about Boston housing, I discovered this company Ameresco who was recently in the news. I’ve created a story about what I discovered below using the curation tool Storify.

Mayor Thomas Menino of Boston signs a labor agreement between Ameresco and the Boston Housing Authority.View as slideshow

1. Public Housing Announcement

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   bostoncable

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   Mon, May 23 2011 12:46:31

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2. This video shows how public housing and energy efficiency can go hand-in-hand. Ameresco teams up with the Boston Housing Authority to create greener units at no cost to tax payers using cutting-edge technology!
3. Ameresco – Boston Housing Authority

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   ameresco

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   Fri, Jul 15 2011 07:19:10

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4. How does Ameresco do this you might ask? Read all about its efforts in this publication:
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   Naesco

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6. Here is information on two of the 13 housing developments Ameresco has been working with. Both are in the South End. Lenox and Camden are considered one development.
7. Boston Housing Authority – Torre Unidad

   Torre Unidad is located on West Dedham Street in the historic South End community of Boston. Our complex is very close to a wide variet…

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8. Boston Housing Authority – Lenox

   52 Chauncy Street Boston, MA 02111-2375 … 136 Lenox Street, South End … Lenox/Camden is located in the South End, near many shops a…

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9. Boston Housing Authority – Camden

   52 Chauncy Street Boston, MA 02111-2375 … Street is a small family development located within the Lenox/Camden complex in the South E…

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10. A brief history of Ameresco Inc., based in Framingham, Massachusetts. This article explains how its investment in energy efficiency is perfect for the present.
11. Not flashy, but Ameresco prospers in energy … – The Boston Globe

    Sep 11, 2012 … While flashy alternative energy companies with gee-whiz technologies have foundered in recent years, George P. Sakella…

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12. The company teams up with Ennovate, a company based in Aurora, Colorado, as of Friday, February 8, 2013.
13. 

    techrockies@techrockies

    Ennovate Acquired By Ameresco bit.ly/TTSiXi

    Fri, Feb 08 2013 05:58:45

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    WBJournal@WBJournal

    Ameresco Purchases Colorado Company goo.gl/fb/WDvyK

    Fri, Feb 08 2013 07:48:13

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15. 

    Christopher McIntosh@BosBizPublisher

    Ameresco buys Colorado energy services biz – Boston Business Journal lnkd.in/F7qUzk

    Fri, Feb 08 2013 08:24:31

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16. 

    Renewable Search@RenewableSearch

    Ameresco Inc. Buys Energy Services Company Ennovate Corp.: Ameresco Inc., an energy efficiency … bit.ly/11UJhkt #renewable #grid

    Fri, Feb 08 2013 09:09:26

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17. 

    DenverBusinessJournl@denbizjournal

    Ameresco buys Colorado’s Ennovate to expand in Rocky Mountains dlvr.it/2w4Vbd

    Thu, Feb 07 2013 13:59:01

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Former environment and energy chief describes how Boston challenges gentrification

BY JORDAN FRIAS

POSTED ON JANUARY 29, 2013

In this video produced by the National League of Cities for the Sustainable Cities Institute, former chief  of environment and energy for Boston James W. Hunt III says that “affordable housing” contributes to “a vibrant living city that attracts diversity of economy and diversity of people.”  He also cites an  “inclusionary zoning  provision” in Boston as something that has balanced out the amount of affordable housing and market rate housing in affluent neighborhoods. This video was posted on July 11, 2012 on the Sustainable Cities Institutes’s Vimeo page.

Week in review: Affordable housing stories throughout Boston and surrounding cities

BY JORDAN FRIAS

POSTED ON JANUARY 28, 2013

Neighborhoods in Boston continue to become gentrified as the housing market in the city improves, which improved by 18 percent from 2011 to 2012 to be exact. What does this mean for affordable housing? Is it in decline in areas like the South End? On the contrary. This week alone showed that affordable housing is on the rise in Boston.

The Boston Globe has covered most of this news in the Business section of its newspaper. Here are a few stories worth mentioning:

• Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2012 – A $35 million project in Chinatown expands affordable housing by 32 units for low-income elderly residents despite increase in “luxury high-rises”
• Thursday, Jan. 24, 2012 – Proposal to the Boston Redevelopment Authority for the creation of a $5.7 million renovation is approved. It will create affordable homes for 40 of Boston’s homeless families

Surrounding towns and cities are also seeing a rise in affordable housing units under construction:

• Saturday, Jan. 26, 2012 – AvalonBay Communities Inc. to build a 177-unit apartment in Higham since less than 10 percent of the town’s housing is affordable

Sunday, Jan. 27, 2012 – Despite neighborhood push back, a 300-unit affordable housing project is in the works in Needham