I am a landscape architect and urban designer.  In my past life, I used to work at a desk and tend to my ordinary, uneventful and very private personal life.  Before I came to Boston sixteen years ago, I had nothing to do with local politics, didn’t write for  publication, or get involved in community  “activism.”  When I moved to this city, I started looking around at what I might do as a designer, and quite accidentally, I was transformed by information.  I hope that others will be similarly transformed, and motivated to engage in civic activity, by information I have accumulated.

Together with other interested community residents far more experienced in these matters, I have been researching planning, development and taxation issues in Boston all these years, and I’ve tried to share what I’ve learned by publishing columns in newspapers, presenting public testimony, and organizing a network of community organizations (the Alliance of Boston Neighborhoods, www.abnboston.org) to encourage communication across the city about issues that are of common concern.  Now, I am creating my own website, so I can express my personal opinions and share information I find in my research.

In the Library, I will be posting or linking to many of my writings over these years, and the documents that were a source of information for me.  I will include government records, writings by others, and other literature on the issues.

I invite comments, and I especially invite contributions of personal information and documents that will add to the information pool.  I will respect all requests for confidentiality.

I will post action alerts as I learn about important opportunities to participate in governmental decisions, and I will create petitions by which readers can convey their demands to their City and state officials.