Lesbian family relocating to Boston (Cambridge, Newton: environment, relocation, work)

[alicenw]

Hi, we are a lesbian family with young children relocating to Boston in the next 3 months or so. Maybe this question has been asked, but...

We would like to find a community/ town/ neighborhood that is safe/ diverse/ culturally interesting and welcoming with easy access to parks and where the residents feel connected. Yes, a long list. I have read here that Jamaica Plain would be a good option...but I have also heard it is an iffy neighborhood at times. We can spend up to 1 million but would prefer to keep it a little under that. Also, what is it like living near the pond or arboretum?...is there a lot of traffic? ...any other suggestions for towns near Natick or Framingham?...We haven't started to search for schools yet so maybe looking for a school first and the neighborhood second is a better idea? Thank you for any suggestions out there.

[MagicTouch]

I don't know any of the towns that you mentioned personally, but I know that Lexington, Bedford, Concord, Carlise all have good safe neighbor hoods and with good schools with diversity and culturally interesting. All of these are about 20-25 miles out of Boston. There are so many museums and areas of interest that are within 30 min and for winter season sking and sledding (if you like) is close by. With what you are able to spend I would say you could move anywhere in almost in area that you wish.

Best wishes to you and your family on your relocation efforts.

[GreenMachine]

Originally Posted by alicenw

Hi, we are a lesbian family with young children relocating to Boston in the next 3 months or so. Maybe this question has been asked, but...

We would like to find a community/ town/ neighborhood that is safe/ diverse/ culturally interesting and welcoming with easy access to parks and where the residents feel connected. Yes, a long list. I have read here that Jamaica Plain would be a good option...but I have also heard it is an iffy neighborhood at times. We can spend up to 1 million but would prefer to keep it a little under that. Also, what is it like living near the pond or arboretum?...is there a lot of traffic? ...any other suggestions for towns near Natick or Framingham?...We haven't started to search for schools yet so maybe looking for a school first and the neighborhood second is a better idea? Thank you for any suggestions out there.

Jamaica Plains is a great neighborhood.

[HowGoesIt]

Jamaica Plain is a good option where you will get a really nice place for around a million. I would also check out Brookline and Cambridge (harvard sq, davis, sq). Do you want city or suburbs?

[whinton]

JP is great, but public schools there may be questionable if that is a concern. I would also highly recommend Brookline or the very close in towns (semi-urban) of Newton or Arlington...all have good schools, very good sense of community, and lots of same-sex couples with kids (this includes my husband and me, we live in Arlington). Cambridge would provide a more urban and diverse environment, and from what I hear public schools can be good (even though technically the test scores are not as high). Those are the hot spots, but like other posters said, there are many neighborhoods and towns to find what you are looking for here, it depends on commute, schooling for your kids, and if you want urban, etc.

[alicenw]

Hi, thanks for the replies...maybe our minds are not completely made up yet as to urban versus country...we have been very lucky to have been living in Canada with full rights as a married couple and a family, recently, we had to convince the US embassy which one of gave birth to get US citizenship for our son... so our first thought in coming back was that we had to live close to an urban setting to find a safe community...I am so thankful Mass has marriage also...but someone has also mentioned Sherborn as an option...we are going to look into Newton as well...it has been awhile since we last lived in Boston...is JP a little rough?...not just gentrification friction?...could I walk to the pond or the park by myself in the early evening with the kids?...thanks again for the responses and looking forward to using this resource as we get closer to returning...

[litlux]

Another really good area is in and around the Fenway where there is a diverse population with many gay/lesbian families. There is also a good network of support organizations, and I would suggest going to meet with some of the Fenway Community Health folks for help and connections.

I lived in the area for most of the 90's and loved it.

• GLBT Parenting In Greater Boston,
website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/parent...reater-boston/
email: parenting-in-greater-boston@yahoogroups.com


• Valuable Families, PO Box 60634, Florence, MA 01062,valfams@crocker.com

• Lesbian/Gay Family and Parenting Services, Fenway Community Health Center, 7 Haviland St., Boston, MA 02115, 617-927-6243

• Gay Fathers of Greater Boston, PO Box 1373, Boston, MA 02205, 617-742-7897, www.gayfathersboston.org

• COLAGE: Greater Boston Chapter, PO Box 441942, Somerville, MA 02144, 617-267-0900 x 446

Good luck!

[jonjj]

I don't think you would have a problem anywhere in Mass. But remember, homophobia is everywhere.

[goldenmom7500]

Hi,

My very dear friends, a lesbian couple, lived in Somerville - but this was when we were all just a few years of years out of college - so it *may* be a good place for, you know, 26 year olds but not 36 year olds (and/or a couple able to spend a million dollars). But they seemed to find what they were looking for at the time!

[Keaney]

My husband and I live in a large town 20-30 miles outside the city. We have many great same sex friends in our area with children. We live in Methuen and cultural diversity is welcomed here. We have a close community. With the money you are willing to spend, you could live in most towns in Massachusetts without a problem. How much land do you want, public schools vs. private, commute, urban vs. suburban? Many questions need to be answered.