Southwest Boston Community Development Corporation

Southwest Boston Community Development Corporation is a grassroots, community-driven nonprofit organization. We works to sustain a thriving, economically diverse community in Hyde Park and Roslindale through a focus on affordable housing options, access to good transit, preservation of green spaces, and the development and empowerment of local leaders whose voices may not otherwise be heard.

We are the only community development corporation serving these neighborhoods of Boston. 

Current core programs include:

Affordable Housing: We are developing a new, energy efficient apartment building, steps from the Fairmount train station. The new building will include 27 affordable apartments for families, parking, and an outdoor courtyard and playground. We have also endorsed the campaign to pass the Community Preservation Act (CPA) in Boston in 2016, and will be more active in educating voters about CPA as the campaign gears up. Our work to organize and build support for affordable housing policies and developments will ramp up starting in 2016 as we expand staffing.

Environmental Stewardship: Our Green Team provides summer jobs for local teens, teaches them how to care for wild green spaces in their city, and helps restore the Hyde Park urban wilds so that everyone can enjoy them. Throughout the year, we work with local residents to continue advancing the preservation and improvement of local green spaces. We are currently working with residents on an effort to create a natural path that would connect Fairmount Station to the Riverwood shopping center, running along the Neponset River.

Fairmount Indigo Line Transit Equity: As a member of the Fairmount CDC Collaborative and the Fairmount Indigo Network, we are working with groups along the whole Fairmount commuter line to improve service. This line runs through some of Boston's poorest neighborhoods which are not otherwise served by the T's subway lines. We have already won lower fares on the line (it’s $2.10 for most stations!), but now we are working for equal fares at all stations, to improve signage, make it easier to buy a train ticket and increase the frequency of the trains. 

Community leadership is at the core of our work. Local volunteers serve on the Board of Directors and on committees. Volunteers can also help out in the office.