HOUSING
Everyone deserves an affordable, stable place to call home. In Boston, a housing affordability crisis -- marked by skyrocketing housing costs, gentrification, and displacement -- threatens that fundamental right for too many residents. We need strong leadership to ensure Boston remains a city where everyone can live and thrive, not just the wealthy few.
Our housing system is broken and requires immediate action.
I am a housing professional, having run the Office of Fair Housing & Civil Rights under Mayor Walsh, serving as Commissioner of Housing at the Boston Inspectional Services Department (ISD), and being engaged in the planning, housing, and development processes at City Hall for over 15 years. I have seen what works and what doesn't, and I am ready to bring this experience to the City Council.
As your City Councilor, I will push for bold, people-first policies that protect our neighborhoods, prevent displacement, and expand access to homeownership. Together, we can build a stronger Boston--one where housing access is not just a promise.
I will advocate for a comprehensive housing and community development agenda. My plan focuses on practical solutions to address community displacement, expand affordable housing, and strengthen our neighborhoods.
As City Councilor, I will:
Address Gentrification citywide, by enforcing existing and creating new housing zoning ordinances and housing & building codes that improve the quality of life of Boston’s most vulnerable low- and moderate-income neighborhoods and its residents. The goal is stopping displacement of these residents, who disproportionately are people of color and members of other protected classes under the fair housing laws.
Utilize zoning for creative approaches to maintain existing and develop new housing for low- and moderate- income groups, and seniors, or to more generally expand the availability of income restricted and naturally occurring workforce and affordable housing.
Combat blight by holding slumlords accountable, as well as address rapidly rising rents across the city, especially in low- and moderate- income parts of the city.
Generate and promote information and opportunities to increase homeownership, especially in communities of color, and among low-income and moderate- groups. Along with traditional homeownership opportunities, there should also be an expansion of alternative forms of resident-owned housing, such as community cooperatives and land trusts.
Strengthen and financially support Neighborhood-based organizations and businesses with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and other appropriate funds to stabilize communities and fight against gentrification.
Prioritize the use of City funds for the preservation of income restricted housing. Focusing public funds to trigger private investments in areas of the City that need the greatest amount of support.
Enhancing the Boston Resident Jobs Ordinance to expand monitoring and reporting efforts to better identify important opportunities for Boston. With over $12 billion of construction on projects, better oversight permits the City to distribute resources to respond to income inequality and homeownership gaps.
Use inclusionary zoning to preserve existing affordable housing and to create “demonstration areas” or interim planning overlay districts in certain neighborhood areas experiencing significant gentrification, creative tools can be used to prevent displacement.
Activate vacant lots to both combat neighborhood blight and create additional housing units in our neighborhoods.
Address Boston Housing Authority waitlists so people in need of housing have predictable outcomes.
Through aggressive policy solutions and working with stakeholders (not alienating them), we can alleviate the housing crisis and ensure that Bostonians can afford to live in this city we all love.