Economic Development

Economic Indicators.

Research in this area focuses on the economic performance of Latinos in Massachusetts and the growing differentiation according to geography, immigrant status, and nationality.

Recent Work:

Alvaro Lima and Eduardo Siquiera. Brazilians in the U.S. and Massachusetts: Demographic and Economic Profile (2008)
Ramon Borges-Mendez, Nicole Lavan and Charles Jones, Latinos in Massachusetts: Selected Economic Indicators (2006)

Author: Ramón Borges-Méndez, Nicole Lavan, Charles Jones, Alvaro Lima, C. Eduardo Siqueira

Housing and Home Ownership

With high rents in Massachusetts urban areas and low homeownership opportunities, shelter is an important focus for research. Research Associate Michael Stone uses his own measure of “shelter poverty” to assess housing affordability among Latino, Black and Asian renters in Massachusetts. Research Associate Jim Campen tracks mortgage lending practices directed at Latinos and Blacks.

Recent Work:

Jim Campen, Changing Patterns XIV: Mortgage Lending to Traditionally Underserved Borrowers & Neighborhoods in Boston, Greater Boston and Massachusetts, 2006 Massachusetts Community Banking Council, 2008

Jim Campen, Expanding Homeownership Opportunity II: The SoftSecond Loan Program, 1991-2006. A Report to the Massachusetts Community and Banking Council, 2007

Michael Stone, Housing Affordability for Households of Color in Massachusetts (2006) (exec summary) (full report)

Author: James Campen, Michael Stone,

Small Business Development

Immigrant entrepreneurs and the small businesses they have developed in Massachusetts and in Boston have been the focus of recent work in this area.



Current Work:  
Brazilian Small Businesses in Allston, Ma.  Contact:  EduardoSiquiera

Recent Work: 
Ramón Borges-Méndez et al., Latino Business Owners in East Boston (2006)

Author: Ramón Borges-Méndez, C. Eduardo Siqueira,

Workforce and Industries

The characteristics of the workforce that makes up Massachusetts service and knowledge economy is the focus.

Recent Work:

Immigrant Workers

Immigrant Workers in the Massachusetts Health Care Industry published by The Immigrant Learning Center in Malden, MA. The project is a collaboration among researchers at the Gaston Institute, the Center for Social Policy and School of Nursing at UMass Boston, the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy at Tufts University and the University of California Berkeleys Department of City and Regional Planning. [pdf]

Author: Ramón Borges-Méndez, James Jennings,