Homer St - Potential Open Space/Urban Agriculture

MOH is gathering community input on the possible use of this site as an urban farm.

GrowBoston/MOH staff will present at the Harbor View Neighborhood Association's June 5th meeting to provide an update on this project. Community feedback will be solicited about whether MOH should pursue an RFP for use of this parcel as publicly accessible open space or open space for private individual use. If you are unable to attend the meeting, please share your thoughts with the Project Manager!

At the January 8, 2024 Harbor View Neighborhood Association Meeting, GrowBoston/MOH staff presented draft "Site and Design Objectives" for a potential RFP for a publicly-accessible open space use of this site. DRAFT Site and Design Objectives Residents and community members have expressed their preference for certain design features, and we encourage proposals that take into consideration these design guidelines. The site is to be preserved as open space. Proposals should allow for community engagement with nature, which may include: landscaping improvements, passive recreational use, and/or urban agriculture. Proposals should include fencing around the parcel that supports the privacy of adjacent property residents and is decorative in nature. Proposals should include an operational plan that encourages travel to the site via foot, bicycle, and/or public transit. The site is not to be used for vehicle parking. Community members shared the following feedback about these objectives. Use of the site for "urban agriculture" is vague. They would like to see proposal specifics.The operations plan should include specific and limited hours of operation to ensure the residential neighborhood is not disturbed.Community members expressed support for passive open space uses (i.e. seating areas), especially for families in the neighborhood.A community member expressed concern about the long term care and maintenance of the site by an organization not based in the neighborhood.A community member would like to see growing space in the neighborhood. Please submit any additional public comments on the future use of this site to Theresa Strachila, Program Manager, at theresa.strachila@boston.gov  by 5:00pm on Friday, January 26th. See below for the full presentation from this meeting.