Housing

July 22, 2022 0

Leaving, Overcrowding, and Waitlisting: What are the next steps for Chinatown’s Affordable Housing?

While thinking about the settlement of Asian residents in Chinatown, one must consider its role as an ethnic enclave. It means that there is a great percentage of the residents sharing the ethnic and cultural identity, as well as their economic activity. As you walk down the streets of Boston Chinatown, you cannot help to notice the advertisements and brands in Chinese, to smell the sense of ethnic food, to hear people speaking languages such as Mandarin and Cantonese. Yet […]

March 28, 2022 0

The Warmth of Community Strength: How Organizations Are Helping Solve Boston’s Home Heating Oil Crisis

by Christopher John Stephens

The worst kept secret for most homeowners, renters, or landlords today is that energy prices were on their way up well before Russia invaded Ukraine. It’s raised prices on everything from Uber rides to children’s toys. The current (as of March 21, 2022) price of oil at above $110 a barrel is down slightly from this month’s high of $130. Gas to run your automobile is precariously priced from a low of $4 a gallon to a high of $6 […]

February 15, 2022 0

AACA Launches New Low Income Taxpayer Clinic

by Winnie Huang

On Monday, the Asian American Civic Association (AACA) announced the launch of the AACA Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) to support English as a second language speakers and low-income individuals who need assistance resolving tax disputes with the IRS. Headquartered at the AACA office on Tyler Street in Chinatown, the AACA LITC prides itself in being the only LITC in Massachusetts dedicated to supporting the Asian community, with specialized translation services in Chinese, Vietnamese, and more in development. Though funded […]

January 7, 2022 0

Wu’s Affordable Housing Plan

by Admin

“Cost of housing is among the biggest barriers to being able to stay and thrive in our city and is the number one concern I hear from our residents, day in and day out,” said Wu. “With these actions, we’re taking our first major steps towards addressing Boston’s housing crisis.”

January 7, 2022 0

Residential Heating Grant Applications

by guest

With energy prices on the rise this winter, Attorney General Maura Healey has announced a new grant program to help Massachusetts residents pay their monthly heating bills.

August 6, 2021 0

CDC extends eviction moratorium

by Sampan Staff

On the evening of August 3, 2021, due to the rise of Delta-variant COVID-19 infections, the CDC is issuing an extension of the federal eviction moratorium, originally set to end July 31, 2021. This new Order is set to grant protections on a more targeted basis than its predecessors. The August 3rd Order will cover U.S. counties experiencing substantially higher rates of infection. Any counties that were not originally included will be granted coverage if COVID-19 cases spike starting after […]

July 23, 2021 0

Chinatown Braces for the end of the Eviction Moratorium

by Shira Laucharoen

The federal eviction moratorium, established by the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), will expire on July 31, leaving many to grapple with an unstable housing situation. While residents have been facing the risk of displacement prior to the lifting of the moratorium, executive director of the Chinese Progressive Association Karen Chen said that when the end of the month comes around, many will be losing their safety nets. Chinatown residents, many of whom are working class people, will […]

July 23, 2021 0

What is Affordable? The Availability of Housing in Boston

by Jacqueline Church

It’s no secret that Boston is an expensive city in which to live. You may have heard that people should spend no more than 30% of their income on housing though this reference point is widely acknowledged to be decades out of date. The new budgeting guidelines popularized by Sen. Elizabeth Warren in her book All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan include the 50/30/20 rule. 50% of one’s after-tax income on needs (housing, food, car payments, utilities); 30% […]

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