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By Justin Cruz

Talk about housing in Boston often focuses on the issue of affordability, and for good reason. Given the skyrocketing rents across our city, preserving affordable housing must continue to be our top priority in the fight against displacement and gentrification.

But in addition to affordability, we must ensure that the housing we’re providing is safe for the families and children that live in the units. That means safe from crime, health hazards, and fire risks that too often result in tragedy in our neighborhoods.

One of the best policies to ensure the safety of our housing safety, is to go smoke free.

Two years ago, Cruz Management partnered with the Boston Public Health Commission to implement a smoke free housing policy for our more than 4.000 residents in properties we manage across the city. The decision followed a tenant survey that showed widespread, positive support for smoke-free buildings.

Over the past two years, this policy has provided safe and healthy environments for our residents. It has made a big difference especially for the many children who suffer from asthma and other respiratory problems and are highly sensitive to smoke that creeps through neighboring vents.

The policy does not prohibit smokers from living in the building. It protects others from second-hand smoke by creating designated smoking zones outside the building.

It has also protected against fire risks that are ever-present with lit cigarettes in a house or apartment. Furthermore, from a management perspective, smoke-free units are easier to maintain and sustain less damage from year to year.

But healthy and safe housing isn’t just about being smoke free. It’s about residents banding together to form organizations that look out for one another. It’s about checking on an elderly neighbor during a snowstorm to make sure they have adequate food and heat.

Or residents supporting healthy eating from community gardens and greenhouses like those popping up in the Dudley Village Campus.

It’s about holding a 5-K or walkathon to raise money for a good cause when the weather is less frosty.

And it’s about management keeping properties well maintained by professional mechanics, carpenters, plumbers and HVAC workers year-round.

These are the partnerships and bonds that management should build with residents all across our city to keep our housing environments healthy and safe.

Unfortunately, too many landlords and firms do the bare minimum to serve residents and turn a profit. This is especially a problem in neighborhoods of color.

When that happens, it shows, and the health, safety and well-beings of residents suffers.

When it comes to the fight for affordable, healthy and safe housing, everyone should fight for these same principles. And management and tenants must join together in this fight.

— Justin Cruz is Director of Cruz Management Company, a Roxbury-based real estate management firm serving more than 1,600 units in Greater Boston and New Bedford. Learn more at www.CruzCompanies.com 

Roxbury Community Celebrates Cruz Companies 32nd Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony

(From left: Dan Cruz, Jr. Sr. VP, Cruz Companies; Candice Sealy, District Rep. for Congressman Capuano; Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz; Barbara Cruz; John B. Cruz, III, President, Cruz Companies; Tito Jackson, and Roxbury community youth. Photo courtesy of Cruz Companies.)

The Bay State Banner published the picture on page 2 of their Dec. 21, 2017  issue, click here to access the article.

BOSTON – Thursday, December 14, 2017 – Members of the Roxbury community joined together to celebrate Cruz Companies’ 32nd Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Cox Building this week. 

Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, Councilor Tito Jackson and local residents and youth joined Cruz Companies for the annual celebration. Attendees enjoyed warm apple cider to fight the cold weather and sang along to Christmas carols.

“I’ve been a long-time attendee of the Holiday Tree Lighting,” said Liz Miranda, executive director of the Hawthorne Youth and Community Center. “Cruz Companies is a huge supporter of my agency and the neighborhood we serve.”

About Cruz Companies: Cruz Companies is the oldest and largest minority-owned construction and real estate development firm in the region, responsible for landmark projects and developments. Cruz Companies’ mission is giving back to the community through providing employment and career opportunities to area residents, hiring local minority contractors and businesses, and increasing affordable and market-rate housing.

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John B. Cruz III was honored by the Boston branch of the NAACP and awarded the Legacy Business Award of 2017 for his exemplary leadership of Cruz Companies.

“Through the work of his companies, John Cruz is committed to giving back to the community through providing employment and career opportunities to area residents, hiring local minority contractors and businesses, and increasing affordable and market-rate housing,” said the NAACP Boston branch.

This is a great honor for Cruz who, since becoming the president and general manager of Cruz Companies, has recognized the importance of having leadership that reflects its community.

Cruz Companies’ initiatives have helped address the most prevalent issues in our communities with the aim of proposing solutions that strengthen and uplift our neighborhoods.

In a city of immigrants, the Legacy Business Award serves as another push to continue diversifying and expanding our efforts. We thank NAACP for this recognition and commit to advancing all residents of Boston.

RANDOLPH, MA — Cruz Companies today released a list of positive media headlines supporting its Devine School redevelopment plan and other Cruz projects in the region. Cruz also released updated blueprints illustrating traffic mitigation, housing, and public health components of the project. 

BOSTON – On Thursday, August 24, Cruz Management hosted its ‘Back to School Family Fun Day’ to offer families from the Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury area a full day of entertainment, delicious food, and free backpack giveaways for more than 100 eager students starting Grades 1 to 8.

Cruz Companies President & CEO John B. Cruz III, Cruz Management Director Justin Cruz, and local families gathered in Dorchester to celebrate the start of the new academic year. The ‘Back to School Family Fun Day’ was created under the Cruz C.A.R.E.S (Community Arts, Recreational and Educational Services) non-profit initiative, with the intention of supporting the youth’s academic development.

Cruz C.A.R.E.S focuses its efforts to help advance Boston’s urban community by providing economic opportunities for all residents. Cruz Companies’ efforts have increased access to affordable housing, provided more jobs to community residents by ensuring employment of minority businesses as subcontractors, and increased the creation of more sustainable communities. Besides the ‘Back to School Family Fun Day’, Cruz C.A.R.E.S has also successfully provided various summer camps, after-school programs, and college scholarships.

About Cruz Companies: Cruz Companies is the oldest and largest minority-owned construction and real estate development firm in the region, responsible for landmark projects and developments. Cruz Companies’ mission is giving back to the community through providing employment and career opportunities to area residents, hiring local minority contractors and businesses, and increasing affordable and market-rate housing.

For more information, visit www.CruzCompanies.com.

(Boston, MA – 8/16/17) Daniel Cruz Jr., HUD Secretary Jay Ash, Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry, Barbara Cruz, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh and Cruz Construction Company President John Cruz III participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Wayne at Columbia in Mattapan, Wednesday, August 16, 2017. Staff photo by Angela Rowlings.

The following appeared in the Boston Herald. Click here to access the original source.

Chris Villani, Thursday, August 17, 2017

NEW BEGINNINGS: State officials joined executives from the Cruz Companies to christen the renovation of the Wayne at Columbia housing development yesterday. From left are Daniel Cruz Jr., HUD Secretary Jay Ash, state Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry, Barbara Cruz, Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Cruz Companies President John Cruz III.

Mayor Martin J. Walsh helped cut the ribbon on the newly renovated Wayne at Columbia housing development yesterday, preserving 83 units of affordable housing at the Mattapan site.

Walsh praised Cruz Companies, the region’s oldest and largest minority-owned construction and real estate development firm, for its work on the project. Of the 238 workers who contributed to the development, 80 percent were persons of color and 65 percent were Boston residents, Walsh said, adding that 72 percent of the contractors were people of color.

“This project really represents what we are about as a city in being a fully inclusive project,” Walsh said. “And the cherry on top of this project is there are units of housing being preserved and that’s the beauty of all this.”

Cruz Companies President and CEO John B. Cruz III called it a “tremendous day” and stressed the important role immigrant workers played in finishing the $33 million rehabilitation.

“Most of the subcontractors, the masons, the lumber, the drywall, were immigrants,” Cruz said. “Whether they came from the Haitian community, Jamaican, any Caribbean island, or Ireland. That’s what makes Boston great, our immigrant population working together.”

Dozens of people joined the gathering at the Blue Hill Avenue site, including police officials, state Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry and City Councilor and mayoral candidate Tito Jackson. State Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash called projects like Wayne at Columbia “imperative to continued economic development in the commonwealth.”

(Front row, from left: Cruz Development Sr. VP Dan Cruz, Jr.; HED Secretary Jay Ash; Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry; Barbara Cruz; Mayor Martin J. Walsh; ​
Cruz Companies President & CEO John B. Cruz, III; RBC Capital Markets Regional Director Tom Maxwell. Photo courtesy of Cruz Companies.)

BOSTON – Wednesday August 16, 2017 – Cruz Companies today cut the ribbon on the newly-renovated Wayne at Columbia housing development, preserving 83 units of affordable housing for the Mattapan, Dorchester and Roxbury communities.

“The re-development of Wayne will help preserve affordable housing for the next generation of Boston’s inner-city residents,” said Cruz Companies President and CEO John B. Cruz, III. “Cruz is proud to join Mayor Walsh and Secretary Ash to celebrate this milestone, which also provided major employment to area residents and minority contractors.”

Cruz was joined by Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash, State Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry and City Councilor-at-Large Ayanna Pressley at the ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house, celebrating the $33 million rehabilitation.

“Preserving and improving communities has major benefits across our city, and I’m proud we were able to renovate these 83 homes,” said Mayor Walsh. “I thank all partners involved in this project as we work to ensure all Boston families have access to housing that is affordable and accessible.”

Cruz Companies recently completed the renovations, installing new roofs, kitchens, baths, energy efficient windows and doors, plumbing, flooring, masonry, paint and security systems. The project employed 258 workers logging 71,000 hours with more than 80 percent workers of color and 65 percent Boston residents.

“Preserving and maintaining affordable housing is a priority for the Baker-Polito administration and it is imperative to continued economic development in the Commonwealth,” said Secretary Ash. “This is a great example of the tremendous impact public-private partnerships can have in our communities.”

The renovation was completed with the support of the Mayor’s Department of Neighborhood Development ($900,000) and the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development ($2,500,000). MassDevelopment provided $20,055,000 in tax exempt bonds, which were purchased by Eastern Bank (60%) and Cambridge Trust Company (40%) to provide construction and permanent financing for this transaction.

“This project exemplifies our ‘Join Us For Good’ mission,” said Eastern Bank Chairman and CEO Bob Rivers. “Eastern Bank is honored to support a local, minority-owned business like Cruz Companies in preserving housing for residents of Mattapan, Dorchester and Roxbury.”

About Cruz Companies: Cruz Companies is the oldest and largest minority-owned construction and real estate development firm in the region, responsible for landmark projects and developments. Cruz Companies’ mission is giving back to the community through providing employment and career opportunities to area residents, hiring local minority contractors and businesses, and increasing affordable and market-rate housing.

For more information, visit www.CruzCompanies.com.

From left: Cruz Companies President & CEO John B Cruz, III, World War II Veteran Manuel “Figi” Figueiredo, Cruz Development Sr. VP Dan Cruz and Cruz Management Director Justin Cruz.

NEW BEDFORD – Tuesday July 11, 2017 – Cruz Companies today was joined by Congressman William Keating, local officials and residents for the ribbon-cutting of the newly-renovated Verdean Gardens housing development in New Bedford, a long staple of the Cape Verdean community.

“We are pleased to bring Verdean Gardens back to life through this significant renovation,” said Cruz Companies President & CEO John B. Cruz, III. “This site has a long history with the Cape Verdean community and we are proud of the jobs, economic development and housing we have been able to support.”

Verdean Gardens was first built in 1987, quickly becoming a home for residents of Cape Verdean descent. In 2016, Cruz Companies launched the $7 million renovation of the 110-unit complex in partnership with Rockland Trust, MassDevelopment, the Department of Housing and Community Development and the City of New Bedford. The new renovations will allow the housing to last for another 25 years.

“With this Cruz development, the majority of the businesses and workers came from right here in New Bedford,” said Congressman Keating. “It’s a terrific place for people to live and have a community together in Verdean Gardens.”

At the event, Congressman Keating and Mr. Cruz presented tokens of appreciation to resident Manuel “Figi” Figueiredo, 96, a World War II Army veteran, who served from 1942-1945, including a tour of duty in Europe with the 38th Battalion out of Camp Edwards. Mr. Figueiredo is a long-time, beloved resident of Verdean Gardens and the renovations will allow him to stay in the home he loves close to his family in New Bedford.

The renovations include new paint, flooring, windows, roofs, kitchens, bathrooms, heating systems and other site upgrades. Cruz Companies ensured at least 50 percent of spending on the project occurred with local businesses and 60 percent of workers hired were people of color.

State Reps. Antonio Cabral and Christopher Markey; New Bedford City Councilor Dana Rebeiro; and New Bedford Director of Planning, Housing and Community Development Patrick Sullivan were also in attendance.

The project was made possible with $7.2 million in MassDevelopment Bonds and $350,000 in federal HOME funds administered by the City of New Bedford.

About Cruz Companies: Cruz Companies is the oldest and largest minority-owned construction and real estate development firm in the region, responsible for landmark projects and developments. Cruz Companies’ mission is giving back to the community through increasing affordable housing opportunities, providing good jobs to area residents, and hiring other minority businesses.

For more information, visit www.CruzCompanies.com.

NEW BEDFORD — Up the front steps of Verdean Gardens, beyond yet another set of stairs and through the first door on the right lives 97-year-old Manuel “Figi” Figueiredo.

As a boy, some 92 years ago, Figueiredo followed the same path not to home but to school.

“This here was my fourth grade,” he said, while standing in his newly renovated two-bedroom apartment.

Verdean Gardens, built in 1905, started as the Thomas Donaghy School, where Figueiredo attended through sixth grade.

“It’s changed,” Figueiredo said. “Time has changed.”

On Tuesday, the Cruz Companies celebrated the $7 million renovation of the 110-unit housing development with a ribbon cutting. During the ceremony, Cruz honored Figueiredo, a World War II veteran, and community activist and Vietnam veteran Buddy Andrade with a commemorative desk clock highlighting their services to the community.

“For a change, I’m short of words,” Andrade said, sparking laughter from the dozens in attendance.

President and CEO of Cruz Companies John B. Cruz III, with his son, Justin, sitting behind him, spoke of how his father first orchestrated the construction of Verdean Gardens in 1987. The building fell out of the family’s hands to foreclosure, but they were able to retain the property in 2011.

“Even though he may not be around, if I don’t do the right thing or a good job,” Cruz said. “I’m afraid he’ll come back and haunt me. I always try to please my father.”

The renovation included updating the kitchens, heating, windows, bathrooms and roof.

The funding for the project returned to New Bedford with Cruz Companies using city businesses during the renovation. The company also said 60 percent of the workers hired were people of color.

“This is more than a building this is an example. It wasn’t lost on me when (Cruz) said that (Cruz Companies) a black-owned company. My path has been made much easier because of the work you’ve put in,” Ward 4 Councilor Dana Rebeiro said. “We need to pass that torch. The American dream has been elusive to our community but it’s your work, your example, your pride and your struggle that makes it easier for us to be included.”

The sentiment hit home for the representatives in attendance, which included William Keating as well as state representatives Tony Cabral and Chris Markey.

“The government can’t do everything but what we’re seeing now at the federal level is an inability to understand that putting in a little federal funds brings more revenue in for the country and has a great effect at the same time,” Keating said. “This is a message as I go back to D.C., I’m going to take forward. There’s faces, there’s individuals, there’s lives that are growing.”

Keating also presented Figueiredo with a certificate of appreciation.

After the ceremony the certificate sat on a shelf within Figueiredo’s current home and former classroom.

He reminisced about his days walking a block or so to the school, passing horse and wagons and food peddlers selling a dozen bananas for 10 cents.

He smiled at the thought of recess when he and his friends sprinted around the school.

“Those were the days,” he said.

They’ll be many more inside those walls because of the recent renovation.

Follow Michael Bonner on Twitter @MikeBBonnerSCT.

From left: Lawyers’ Committee for Economic Justice Board Member David Bowman presents ‘Keeper of the Flame Award’ to John B. Cruz, III. Photo courtesy of Cruz Companies

BOSTON – Thursday, June 22, 2017 – Cruz Companies President John B Cruz, III received the ‘Keeper of the Flame Award’ from the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice during its 49th anniversary celebration at the Boston College Club.

“Like the Lawyers’ Committee, Cruz has worked to expand opportunities for minority communities for generations,” said John B. Cruz, III. “I thank the Lawyers’ Committee for this honor and join them in carrying forth the flame of the late civil rights icon Rosa Parks.”

More than 200 attended the event, including local elected officials and leaders from the minority legal community. More than 25 Cruz Companies staff and family members were in attendance.

Cruz Companies employs approximately 80 people, of which 90 percent are people of color. Cruz Companies’ MBE contractor participation rate is 82 percent, serving as an industry leader in diversity and inclusion.

The Lawyers’ Committee was formed 49 years ago to marshal the resources of the legal community to address racial and national origin discrimination. The ‘Keeper of the Flame Award’ commemorates the legacy of civil rights activist Rosa Parks by recognizing today’s social justice leaders. Previous honorees include former judges, professors, CEOs and non-profit leaders.

The event, held on June 15, also honored James D. Gallagher, executive vice president and general counsel of John Hancock / Manulife Financial.

About John B. Cruz, III:
John B. Cruz III began his involvement and interest in the construction industry as a youth working summers and weekends in the construction business for his father John “Bertie” Cruz, the owner of a carpentry-subcontracting firm he founded in 1947. After graduating from Wentworth Institute, John started his career in the company as superintendent and estimator. As the company grew and became primarily a general contracting firm, John became president and general manager. Under his leadership the company grew, diversified and expanded into real estate development and property management.

About Cruz Companies:
Cruz Companies is now the oldest and largest minority-owned construction and real estate development firm in the region, responsible for landmark projects and developments. Cruz Companies’ mission is giving back to the community through increasing affordable housing opportunities, providing good jobs to area residents, and hiring other minority businesses.

For more information, visit www.CruzCompanies.com.