By Riley Robinson

“I’ve been here for 32 years,” said Rose Dipiro, 55. “I’ve seen a lot of changes. I’ve seen a lot of things go up, come down.”

Despite brief periods living in Jamaica Plain, Dipiro has always returned to Mission Hill. She’s worked in food service and utilities at Wentworth Institute of Technology, and now helps out at Our Lady of Perpetual Help church. Currently, Dipiro lives in the Mission Park apartments on Huntington Avenue.

“I like Mission Park because it’s quiet. There’s no crime,” she said, before quickly correcting herself. “Well, the only thing I know about so far is that someone got stabbed.”

Dipiro said she has health and mobility problems, and is concerned about the neighborhood’s accessibility after having a few memorable falls on its sidewalks.

She lives in an apartment in a larger subsidized housing complex. According to Dipiro, the area is much better than it once was.

“I grew up in Mission Hill projects,” Dipiro said. “I went to school in the Tobin annex. I grew up in this development. A lot of crime. Now they call it Mission Main [apartments]. The projects are better than they were.”

About this project 

The Scope’s student journalists spoke with community members in Mission Hill. #MissionHill100 is a collection of their stories.