A handful of Greater Boston communities have become ground zero for the coronavirus pandemic in Massachusetts, thanks in part to the overcrowded conditions forced by too-high rent and too few rental units.
Chelsea has, as of this writing, nearly 79 confirmed COVID-19 cases for every 10,000 residents, possibly the highest such concentration in the state. East Boston has been another noted “hot spot” along with Revere, Lawrence and Lynn.
For comparison, many Greater Boston communities haven’t even cracked the 20 cases per 10,000 residents mark.
Media reports cite several contributing factors. The Trump administration’s cruel policies, which scare many in these heavily immigrant communities into shunning interactions with hospitals and other elements of officialdom. As with the uneven toll the disease appears to be taking across many racial and ethnic boundaries, poverty is also a factor – the less well-off someone is in Massachusetts, the more likely they are to have one or more preexisting conditions like asthma or diabetes that puts them at higher risk of catching a serious case of COVID-19.
Amidst scarcity, price goes up; so high, in fact, that some working people must cram themselves into units just to be able to afford a roof over their heads.
But these communities’ struggles with the virus are also driven by the overcrowded conditions in many apartments. If a person contracts COVID-19 while sharing a three-bedroom apartment with five roommates, they put far more at risk than if they were able to afford their own unit.
These unjust conditions are the natural result of Massachusetts’ tepid efforts to attack its housing crisis. Despite aggressive moves by officials in a small handful of communities, the state is still tens of thousands of units short of what is needed to meet current demand. Amidst scarcity, price goes up; so high, in fact, that some working people must cram themselves into units just to be able to afford a roof over their heads.
Suburban selfishness has regularly hamstrung local officials’ and state legislators’ efforts over the years to allow more housing construction in Massachusetts communities. And now, working people are paying the costs.
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