Featured Government Kids & Families

Coronavirus Pandemic Draws Sharp Attention to Boston’s Childcare Crisis

City Councilors Liz Breadon (District 9), Michelle Wu (At-Large), and Andrea Campbell (District 4) are urging the City to consider ways to support the childcare industry during and after COVID-19 to ensure affordable access to care remains available when workers begin to reenter the workforce as the state reopens. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to Read More…

Featured Government

City Councilors Propose Unarmed Community Response System for Non-Violent Emergencies

City Councilors Lydia Edwards (District 1), Michelle Wu (At-Large), and Julia Mejia (At-Large) proposed a system that would direct non-violent emergency 911 calls away from law enforcement and toward a public safety response team. This proposal comes in the midst of racial injustice protests that continue across the Commonwealth following the death of George Floyd Read More…

Featured Government

City Council Responds to Growing Demands for Police Reform

As protests continue in an effort to address racial injustice and police brutality across the country, the Boston City Council has turned their attention toward police reform. The City Council is in the process of finalizing their FY21 budget and recently held a public hearing around their police budget. Advocates have urged the Boston City Read More…

Government

Boston Moves to Ban Facial Recognition Technology

Boston City Council hosted a hearing this week to discuss a proposed ordinance that would ban the use of facial recognition technology. Councilors Michelle Wu (At-Large) and Ricardo Arroyo (District 5) introduced their proposal for banning facial recognition technology over concerns about its inherent racial biases and the dangers of allowing unregulated use of such Read More…

Featured Government Schools

City Council Discusses Banning Facial Recognition; Regulating Surveillance Information Sharing

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to accelerate the advancement of surveillance technology for public safety purposes to monitor the spread of the virus. The Boston City Council recently discussed proactive measures to regulate the use of some surveillance technology while eliminating inaccurate facial recognition. Councilors Michelle Wu (At-Large) and Ricardo Arroyo (District 5) proposed the banning Read More…

Featured Government Health & Environment Transportation

Reduced Traffic During Pandemic Prompts Discussion on Creating Safer Streets in Boston

While Boston’s streets have significantly emptied during the current public health crisis, City Councilors Michelle Wu (At-Large) and Liz Breadon (District 9) discussed options for using the reduction in traffic to reallocate street space to create a safer environment for pedestrians and cyclists. Many cities across the country have started expanding crowded sidewalks and increased Read More…

Featured Government Real Estate

City Council Explores Rent Relief Options for Tenants in City-Owned & BPDA-Owned Properties

As the coronavirus continues to impact the daily lives of Boston residents, thousands are left experiencing a complete loss or severe reduction of income. The City Council tackled this financial uncertainty during their weekly meeting by hosting a conversation about how the City can offer relief to those suffering during this unprecedented public health crisis. Read More…

Featured Government

City Council Talks Housing Security, Relief for Restaurants, Equitable COVID-19 Recovery, and Support for Veterans, Healthcare Workers

The Boston City Council had a full agenda for their second-ever virtual council meeting. Much of the conversation focused on the impacts of COVID-19 on Boston residents and workers, as well as on housing and businesses. The Council spoke about resolutions that can be enacted now, and how the city can prepare for future recovery. Read More…

Featured Government Health & Environment

In the Face of Racism and Misinformation, City Council Confronts Coronavirus Pandemic

Councilor Ed Flynn (District 2) brought forth a resolution at this week’s city council meeting for Boston to support its Chinese and Asian communities during the COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, outbreak. As the coronavirus continues to impact cities across the United States, the economic impact has effected Boston’s Chinatown the hardest. Councilor Flynn encouraged Read More…

Featured Government Transportation

City Council Proposes Pre-Tax Transportation Benefit to Address Rising Traffic

Councilors Lydia Edwards (District 1) and Michelle Wu (At-Large) requested a hearing regarding the adoption of transportation benefit ordinances in an attempt to promote public transportation usage in the City of Boston. “Transportation benefit ordinances are not new,” said Councilor Edwards. “There are many cities that already have them such as Seattle, Los Angeles, San Read More…

Featured Government

City Council Discusses Ways to Promote Accurate Count for 2020 Census

Boston City Councilors Ed Flynn (District 2) and Michelle Wu (at-large) requested a hearing regarding ways to promote achieving an accurate count for Boston’s 2020 Census. “The census not only dictates how many elected congressional members we have,”said Councilor Flynn, “but, even more importantly than that, it determines the federal resources that come into a Read More…