As part of its Age-Friendly Boston initiative in cooperation with U.Mass. Boston and AARP of Massachusetts, the Mayor's Commission on Affairs of the Elderly hosted an Age-Friendly Listening Sessions at the Cyclorama on Monday, September 21 to give elder residents a chance to discuss problems and successes in city services for aging Bostonians and to suggest improvements. About 30 seniors filled the seats as representatives of the Commission, Massachusetts AARP and U.Mass. Boston's Gerontology Institute offered remarks and fielded comments. City councilor at large Michelle Wu attended as a spectator.

The presenters offered a questionnaire which they urged attendees to complete before leaving or to mail in so they can compile a list of ideas to implement. Issues raised by attendees included both universal concerns such as snow removal, trash on the streets and garbage disposal, while other topics were more age-specific, such as finding information on Boston's resources and activities for elders and the rising cost of keeping a longtime home with soaring real estate values and property taxes.

AARP Massachusetts director Michael Festa praised elder affairs commissioner Emily Shea and the Walsh administration as "committed to doing this right. We at AARP see this as a disciplined approach, going out into each of the neighborhoods. This is a special place." Hayley Gleason of U. Mass. Boston moderated the public comments, beginning with some statistics on Boston's rapidly increasing senior community, which grew from 5 per cent of the city's population in 2000 to 11 per cent in 2010, with a particularly sharp uptick among Latino seniors. Gleason posed three questions to the audience and offered time for various residents to respond, repeating a summary of each resident's answer so that all could hear. She began by asking what problems attendees see in the South End.

Multiple residents cited snow removal, both by individual homeowners and business owners, as a problem and calling for more responsive snow removal by Boston Public Works Department (BPWD) as well as better enforcement of snow removal by homeowners. One longtime Worcester Square resident also noted the hazard caused by down spouts that spill onto the sidewalk and freeze over in the winter, causing a slipping hazard. Broken sdiewalks, missing bricks and the treacherous nature of icy brick sidewalks in the winter were raised as a problem by a number of residents. Another pedestrian hazard cited was the brief interval of walk signs on many streets, which are inadequate for mobility impaired and older neighbors.

Some commenters were frustrated over trash, which they said they carefully put out following (BPWD) rules, but which gets broken into regularly by those seeking refundable items. The residents pointed out that while they are subject to fines if they do not dispose of waste according to the rules, "scavengers" open and scatter bags with impunity.

Some commenters also lamented the increased crime, drug activity, litter and sadly, the increase in unconscious individuals on stoops and in parks since the closing of the Long Island shelter last fall. Residents including Bud Larievy, a board member of both Washington Gateway Main Street and the Chester Square Area Neighborhood Association, want to see more city services dedicated to keeping the neighborhood safer and cleaner for more permanent residents and for the homeless who are living in the South End.

Larievy pointed out that there are four homeless shelters and four methadone clinics in the South End, a disproportionate concentration compared to other neighborhoods, and that according to the Boston police, many of their clients come from other states. Another resident pointed out that at the bus stop near Boston Medical Center, the seats have been removed from the bus stop to discourage the rampant drug activity there and inconveniencing elderly and disabled riders. "We are all victims," Larievy said.

Some homeowners expressed concern and fear about the difficulty of remaining in their homes as real estate values soar and with them, property tax bills. Two homeowners mentioned a California property-tax structure in which tax bills are based on the purchase price of the home. According to the web site of the legislative analyst's office of the state of California, a property's assessed value is equal to its purchase price with a 2 per cent upward adjustment per year. One woman said that although she has not painted or done significant improvements on her home in 20 years, her assessment is affected by recent home sales and renovations. She lamented the loss of longtime neighbors who moved because they could no longer afford their South End homes. She continued that since moving to the South End over 25 years ago, "we've been contributing to the city coffers all of these years, through property tax and income tax, and suddenly after all these years, we are being pushed out of the neighborhood." She continued, "I feel like seniors are the overlooked diversity. We have our knowledge; those of us who are able to volunteer; we are boards and in various organizations. We have so much to offer our community and our city, yet we are penalized. All these years, we've worked to build up our neighborhood and we have to pay for that. I think it is a very sad and serious problem." The woman said that state representative Aaron Michlewitz had sent her a synopsis of a senior property tax relief bill in discussion on Beacon Hill, but she described it as a "very cynical bill." Under the proposal, seniors would not have to pay property taxes until they die, but upon their death, the estate taxes would come due with interest of 4 per cent per year. "Most of us live to create wealth to pass on to our children, and to have half or more taken away by the government at the end of your life is very sad," the homeowner said. Other commenters echoed her sentiments and concern, while a row-house owner from Worcester Square described her experience in obtaining a property tax abatement. "You can fight City Hall," she said.

Another concern was the scarcity of dedicated senior centers in Boston, particularly in downtown neighborhoods. Larievy suggested offering senior services such as affordable lunches at the city's medical centers, which are located around the city and have shuttles and other transportation. Another resident mentioned the Beacon Hill Village program of services for seniors, which provides members with rides, errands and other forms of help. Another speaker expressed concern at the cost of the Beacon Hill Village program and hoped that the model could be repeated elsewhere in the city more affordably.

Audience members praised the wealth of free entertainment and cultural opportunities in and near the South End, such as the Titus Sparrow summer concert series and other outdoor music series in the parks; New England Conservatory's many free concerts; the monthly author talk series at the South End Branch Library and free enrollment for seniors in arts and other classes at local colleges and universities. The South End Seniors group that meets every Tuesday at Haley House and free exercise classes at the YMCA were also mentioned as senior resources. One commenter praised the Boston elder commission's Seniority magazine, which is distributed for free in hard copy and available on-line. More than one speaker said that not all seniors are computer-literate or tech-savvy, and expressed a need for various modes of communication for seniors including e-mail and phone alerts in addition to web sites and apps.

Shea and Andrea Burns, director of Age-Friendly Boston, closed the session with a reminder to complete and return the survey, whose data, along with resident input from this and the two remaining listening sessions, will inform the Commission's plans for future service to seniors. Once the commission collects and reviews the data and public input, it will call public meetings to publicize its new initiatives.

For more information on Age-Friendly Boston and to access the questionnaire, please visit https://agefriendlyboston.wordpress.com/ or call the Commission on Affairs of the Elderly at 617/635-4366.