Several Jamaica Plain Businesses Facing Displacement

The tenants of seven Latino-owned businesses in Egleston Square are facing displacement due to increasing costs to occupy their spaces, the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation and Egleston Square Main Street announced this week.

The issue dates back several months and stems from City Realty reportedly buying two foreclosed buildings at 3106-3108 and 3152-3160 Washington St. in Jamaica Plain at auction. The company lease negotiations with the business tenants, but at the same time reportedly began an eviction process and also proposed a one-year notice and $2,500 toward moving costs in the event the buildings were to be demolished, according to JPNDC.

The affected businesses, according to JPNDC, are as follows:

• Pin Bochinche
• Anibal Color Studio
• Nelly’s Flower and Fragrance
• Tony’s Travel Corp.
• Yamel Beauty Salon
• Cellular Nutrition/Herbal Life
• Buena Vista

“We’re facing rent and occupancy cost increases totaling 65 percent, which our businesses will not be able to survive,” said Pin Bochinche owner Manuel Mejia in a statement. “our customers are primarily people in this neighborhood, people who have modest incomes. We can’t pass on the increase to them.”

The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council’s Zoning Committee will meet Wednesday night at the Farnsworth House, 90 South St. in Jamaica Plain at 7 p.m. to discuss the issue of City Realty’s redevelopment of a Forest Hills building.

A rally has been set to begin at 6 p.m. at 90 South St. in Jamaica Plain prior to the meeting.

Meanwhile, Boston City Councilor Tito Jackson has called on the Boston City Council to investigate the use of “predatory practices by real estate speculators,” according to the announcement.