NEWMARKET BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT INC

TRANSIT AND TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMIN JULY, 2022 WE SET A VERY AMBITIOUS GOAL OF HAVING OUR BID SHUTTLE SYSTEM UP AND RUNNING BY THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER, AND THE 3 NEW SHUTTLES WENT ON-LINE ON SEPTEMBER 6TH, THE DAY AFTER LABOR DAY. OUR 1ST SHUTTLE, THE SOUTH BAY SHUTTLE, HAD ALREADY BEEN RUNNING SINCE OCTOBER 2020.EACH SHUTTLE HAS ITS OWN DEFINED ROUTE AND THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO THE GREATEST AREA OF NEWMARKET POSSIBLE. THE SHUTTLES ARE BROKEN OUT IN THIS WAY:1. THE SOUTH BAY SHUTTLE MAKES A CONTINUOUS LOOP FROM ANDREW STATION ON THE RED LINE TO STOPS IN SOUTH BAY CENTER AND ON MASS. AVE NEAR COLUMBIA ROAD. THIS SHUTTLE RUNS FROM 10:30AM-1AM, 7 DAYS A WEEK.2. THE ALBANY SHUTTLE RUNS A CONTINUOUS LOOP M-F, FROM 6AM-10AM AND FROM 4PM-10PM BETWEEN THE 610 ALBANY STREET GARAGE AND THE 710 ALBANY STREET GARAGE. THIS SHUTTLE IS PRIMARILY FOR THOSE WORKING OR VISITING THE BMC HOSPITAL, THE BU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, AND OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES. 3. THE ANDREWS SHUTTLE PROVIDES A CONTINUOUS LOOP OF SERVICE FROM ANDREWS STATION ON THE RED LINE THROUGH NEWMARKET AND BACK TO ANDREWS STATION FROM 5AM-MIDNIGHT, M-F. THIS SHUTTLE ALSO PROVIDES SERVICE TO THE FAIRMOUNT COMMUTER LINE.4. THE RUGGLES SHUTTLE PROVIDES A CONTINUOUS LOOP OF SERVICE FROM RUGGLES STATION ON THE ORANGE LINE THROUGH NEWMARKET AND BACK TO RUGGLES STATION FROM 5AM-MIDNIGHT, M-F. THIS SHUTTLE ALSO PROVIDES ACCESS TO THE FAIRMOUNT COMMUTER LINE.

BACK2WORK PROGRAMIN 2018, THE NEWMARKET BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, NOW THE NEWMARKET BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT (BID), PROMOTED A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR THE HOMELESS TO THE CITY, AND WHILE IT WAS WELL RECEIVED AT THE TIME, BOSTON DID NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO ASSIST IN FUNDING IT. IN EARLY 2021, NEWMARKET BEGAN FUNDING THE PROGRAM OURSELVES AND FOR THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, THE NEWMARKET BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT HAS MANAGED THE PROGRAM FOCUSED ON PROVIDING LOW-THRESHOLD SAME-DAY WORK FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING SHELTER INSTABILITY, HOMELESSNESS AND/OR A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. THIS EFFORT ACKNOWLEDGES THE BARRIERS THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS FACE IN BOTH APPLYING FOR JOBS, AS WELL AS MAINTAINING THEIR EMPLOYMENT, AND CREATES A LOWER BARRIER APPROACH TO SUIT THEIR NEEDS.AS A RESULT OF OUR EARLY SUCCESS, THE BOSTON DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH HAS ASSISTED US WITH FUNDING OVER THE PAST 8 MONTHS WHICH HAS LED TO A SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF THE PROGRAM.THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE, THE NEWMARKET BID EMPLOYS HOMELESS AND HOUSING CHALLENGED INDIVIDUALS IN THE MASS AND CASS AREA TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES IN CLEANING AND BEAUTIFYING THE AREA BY PROVIDING DAY JOBS INCLUDING LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION, TRASH REMOVAL, POWER WASHING, GRAFFITI REMOVAL AND SIMILAR.WE WORK IN CLOSE COOPERATION WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, AND RECOVERY, SHELTER & ENGAGEMENT CENTER STAFF TO IDENTIFY/HIRE THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE A LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS IN THIS PROGRAM. WE BELIEVE THAT WE ARE THE FIRST STEP TOWARD CHANGING THEIR LIVES AND THE SOS PROGRAM PROVIDES THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS. PARTICIPANTS OF THIS PROGRAM ARE REIMBURSED THROUGH CASH STIPENDS AND/OR GIFT CARDS, ALL OF WHICH CAN BE USED FOR WORK CLOTHES, APARTMENT NEEDS, MEDICAL NEEDS, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT THE PERSON MAY NEED. OF COURSE, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THESE STIPENDS ONLY GO SO FAR AND WE MANY TIMES END UP PROVIDING "ADVANCES OR "EXTRA MONEY" FOR NECESSITIES INCLUDING BOOTS, SHOES, GOGGLES, CLEAN CLOTHES, SNACKS ETC.PARTICIPANTS WORK EVERY DAY ALONGSIDE PROGRAM STAFF AND PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, WHO ENGAGE THEM IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AND SUPPORT THEIR CONNECTION TO SOCIAL SERVICES, SUCH AS HOUSING SUPPORTS, BENEFITS ACCESS, AND PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS. IT IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT TO THE PROGRAM THAT, WHILE WE DO NOT REQUIRE THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE CLEAN WHEN THEY COME INTO THE PROGRAM, THEY HAVE TO BE WILLING TO WORK TOWARD SOBRIETY/RECOVERY DURING THEIR FIRST SEVERAL WEEKS WORKING WITH US. WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR WORKERS ARE CURRENTLY IN RECOVERY/SOBRIETY AND ALL OF THE OTHERS, WHILE NOT THERE YET, ARE IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE THAN THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY. IN ADDITION, IT IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROGRAM THAT WE FIND MORE STABLE HOUSING FOR OUR WORKERS AND WHILE THE VAST MAJORITY WERE LIVING IN TENTS OR ON THE STREET, THEY ARE NOW LIVING IN LOW THRESHOLD, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OR IN SRO'S OR APARTMENTS.THE END GOAL OF THIS INITIATIVE IS TO PROVIDE OUR WORKERS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HIRED BY LOCAL COMPANIES IN PART-TIME OR FULL-TIME POSITIONS. WE HAVE PLACED MORE THAN 50 INDIVIDUALS INTO JOBS IN THE PAST YEAR AND EXPECT TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER IN 2024.