Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Difficult. Who Me?

The Gallery at 249 A presents Difficult Women, a group show of eight women artists considering "What does it mean to be labeled difficult?" 

Visit this intriguing show through March 30, 2018. The opening reception will be held on Thursday, March 1 from 5:30 pm to 8 pm with special events throughout the month.



Through a variety of media, the artists present work about women chafing at traditional roles or re-defining them, often taking risks or facing obstacles in the process. As apt today with women speaking out on social, cultural and political concerns as it was for the suffragists in their fight to gain women the right to vote. 

Exhibiting artists are: Laura Davidson, Joanne Kaliontzis, Lisa Knox, Amy MacDonald, Mary McCarthy, Maria Molteni , Shirley Veenema, Denise Wallace-Spriggs.

For special Difficult Women exhibition events and hours visit the Gallery At 249 A. The gallery is an evolving project of the 249 A Street Cooperative, one of Massachusetts’s first limited-equity live/work cooperative for artists. The gallery is located at 249 A Street in the Fort Point neighborhood of South Boston.  

Sunday, February 25, 2018

2018 Fort Point Channel Watersheet Activation Grants Available

The Fort Point Channel Operations Board, comprising representatives from the Boston Planning & Development Agency (for the City of Boston), Boston Properties (representing the Fort Point Channel Abutters Group), and the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (representing the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs), announced Monday that approximately $40,000 in grant monies for the 2018 Fort Point Channel Watersheet Activation Grant Program for the purposes of advancing the Fort Point Channel Watersheet Activation Plan. The Grant Program provides financial resources for capital improvements and public programming within and along the Fort Point Channel. 

  • Capital Improvements - Projects that include the construction of new water-based infrastructure that further implements the City of Boston’s Fort Point Channel Watersheet Activation Plan.
  • Public Programming - Projects that include the development of new public programming that activate the Fort Point Channel including, but not limited to, public events, new public art installations, and public education installations.
Funding for the Grant Program is from the Chapter 91 Waterways Regulations License #11419 for Russia Wharf. The funds are held in escrow by the FPCOB.

Additional details on the application, qualified projects and eligibility is available hereContracts are expected to be awarded by March 31, 2018. Projects must be completed by June 1, 2019 and reimbursement requested by June 15, 2019.

The deadline for proposals is 12 noon on Friday, March 2, 2018 to Richard McGuinness, Deputy Director for Climate Change & Environmental Planning, BPDA.

Questions or concerns may be directed to Erikk Hokenson, Waterfront Planner, BPDA.


originally published 2.7.18

Friday, February 23, 2018

FPNA Neighborhood Mingle, A Look Ahead, Clean Streets, New Restaurant & Entertainment

Join the Fort Point Neighborhood Association
for
A Fort Point/Seaport Neighborhood Gathering 

Tuesday, February 27
6 pm - 8 pm
Club Lounge at YOTEL Boston
65 Seaport Blvd
featuring

A Look Ahead: A Neighborhood Conversation
Bring your top neighborhood wishes


&

 New Street Cleaning Schedule for A Street
effective Tuesdays starting April 3, 2018


introducing
a Pier 4 restaurant
requesting a liquor license


and 
 
Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar
requesting an entertainment license


followed by
A Neighborhood Mingle at 7:30 pm
Enjoy tasty bites, cash bar and full Club Lounge menu


Special thanks to YOTEL Boston for hosting.


originally published 2.20.17

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Community Preservation Forum Comes To South Boston

Community Preservation Forum South Boston

What: Come learn about the fund created by the Community Preservation Act.  Share your neighborhood’s funding needs and your ideas.
Format: Welcome/Introductory participant questions, Presentation with Q&A, Breakout Groups on Historic Preservation, Parks and Affordable Housing and Next Steps.
Hosts: City Councilor Ed Flynn & South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation

In November of 2016, Boston residents went to the polls and voted to adapt the Community Preservation Act (CPA). The Conservation Preservation Act places a 1% surcharge on residential and commercial property taxes to fund affordable housing, parks and open space improvements (including outdoor recreation facilities) and historic preservation. CPA exempts the first $100,000 in assessed residential value, and low-income home owners and low- and moderate-income seniors. The City projected that CPA would bring in $16 million to $20 million annually to the Community Preservation Fund.

The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) is responsible for recommending allocations of expenditures from the Community Preservation Fund. The Committee is composed of Mayor Walsh’s appointees: Chris Cook (Boston Conservation Commission), William Epperson (Parks and Recreation Commission), Felicia Jacques (Boston Landmarks Commission), Carol Downs (Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) Board), and Kate Bennett (Boston Housing Authority), and four individual City Council appointees : Matthew Kiefer for a term of 1 year, Kannan Thiruvengadam for a term of 2 years, Madeligne Tena for a term of 3 years, and Ying Wang for a term of 3 years. Christine Poff serves as the Community Preservation Director. 

In December 2017, Boston City Council voted to approve Mayor Walsh's appropriations order for just over $285,000 for the administrative and operating expenses of the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) for FY 2018 (July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018). The Council also voted to appropriate $17.9 million from the Community Preservation Fund annual revenues for further appropriation upon the recommendations of the Committee. 

Bring your ideas and neighborhood needs for affordable housing, parks and open space improvements and historic preservation to the Community Preservation Forum on February 22nd.



Related Posts

originally published 2.12.18

Friday, February 16, 2018

Boston City Council Looks At AirBnBs, Flooding, MBTA Assessment Fees Survey & More

City Councilor-At-Large Michelle Wu publishes notes from Boston City Council meetings. The Boston City Council considered the following items and more at their February 14, 2018  meeting:

City Audit Update: Former Councilor Larry DiCara, in his capacity as Chairman of the Audit Committee, sent an update to the Council on meetings held with independent auditors KPMG. The results state that the City is in strong financial condition for the fiscal 2017 year. Boston continues to be heavily dependent on property taxes for its general fund revenues (about 69%), and new revenue from a robust construction market has resulted in growth exceeding the annual increase limitations of Proposition 2½. Should market growth slow in future years, the City could experience reductions in property taxes and find difficulty funding increases in spending for current service levels. The report suggests the City should continue to explore ways to make service delivery more efficient and effective in an effort to maintain costs while meeting the service needs of the City’s constituency. The Committee also believes that the employee recruitment and retention and succession planning must remain an operation focus of the City, with many employees considering retirement or other opportunities. With regards to the the use of student activity accounts at Boston Public Schools, the Committee believes that BPS should develop and enforce standardized District-wide policies and procedures over the establishment, use, record-keeping, and monitoring of these accounts and any other accounts established for funds received by individual schools. The Committee believes that a level of accountability for such funds needs to be firmly imparted on those responsible for their maintenance and use. The complete report is available here.

Short-term Residential Rentals: Councilor Flaherty reported back on yesterday’s 5-hour hearing on short-term rental platforms such as AirBnB. The goal on all sides is to stabilize neighborhoods because unregulated short-term rentals lead to long-term tenants being displaced for corporations to exploit a loophole to operate de facto hotels in our neighborhoods. Chief of Housing Sheila Dillon testified yesterday that the City had identified 2000 high-impact listers, with units listed more than 235 days per year. Even just returning these units to residential housing would significantly increase the vacancy rate to help stabilize or bring down rents. The Association of Downtown Civic Organizations has researched the issue thoroughly, with data showing that our downtown short-term rental offerings are more densely concentrated than in New York City, and developers of new residential buildings are routinely reserving units to lease to companies that operate short-term rentals full-time. This reduces the supply of stable rental units, displaces long-term tenants, and drives up our already-high housing prices. No one is saying that we should ban AirBnB outright, as many homeowners rely on renting out a spare bedroom or their entire unit when on vacation to help pay the mortgage. However, we must act quickly to close corporate loopholes. As a review, the proposed ordinance recognizes three different categories of units:
  • Limited Share Units: a partial residential unit e.g. bedroom or shared space offered for rent while the resident is present (limited to 3 bedrooms or 6 guests, with 1 bedroom occupied by the resident) – no limit on how many days these can be rented out; $25 registration fee
  • Home Share Units: an entire residential unit offered for rent while the primary resident is away (limited to 5 bedrooms or 10 guests) – primary residency is defined as residing there for at least 9-months of the year, effectively putting a 3-month limit on the number of days able to rent; $100 registration fee
  • Investor Units: an entire unit offered by someone who is not primary resident (limited to 5 bedrooms or 10 guests) – limited to 90 days of rental per year; $500 registration fee
Certain types of residential units would NOT be eligible for short-term rentals, including those designated as below-market or income-restricted; those designated as “Problem Properties” by the City; and those with 3+ findings of violations in 6-months of the short-term rental regulations or 3+ violations within 6 months of any city or state law relating to noise, trash, or disorderly conduct. Enforcement would be complaint-based with ISD able to impose fees of $300 per violation per day for offering an ineligible unit, and $100 per violation per day for failure to comply with a notice of violation.
Many residents testified at the hearing that Boston should significantly curtail the “investor unit” category to close a large loophole that companies will use to displace long-term tenants. Even with the 90-day limit, a corporation could buy a building, rent it out 45 weekends of the year (Friday and Saturday nights) and perhaps make enough money to keep it as AirBnB-only. Several residents cautioned against too harsh of a restriction though, citing that AirBnB helped them rent out extra units in their owner-occupied buildings in neighborhoods further from downtown, where otherwise they would have difficulty finding a long-term tenant. ISD Commissioner Buddy Christopher also emphasized that property owners would still be able to seek an occupancy change to Bed and Breakfast or Lodging House through standard processes. The matter remains in the Government Operations Committee for further working sessions. Because this is an ordinance from the Mayor, it is a 60-day order that requires Council action in that timeframe (even if the action is to reject without prejudice for a refiling with a new 60 days). Read the ordinance
here. For a good summary of the issue, read this article.

Protecting Local Small Businesses: Councilor Janey gave her first speech on the Council floor today, filing a hearing order to discuss barriers to and opportunities for small businesses in the City of Boston. She described two pathways to chipping away at income inequality by building wealth in communities: home ownership and entrepreneurship. As Boston’s housing crisis means that residents are struggling to afford homes, small businesses are also suffering from quickly increasing rents. Small businesses are critical to the economy, culture, and vibrancy of neighborhoods within the City of Boston. There are 40,000 small businesses in the city, which generate about $15 billion in revenue and create 170,000 jobs. She also noted that people of color make up 53% of the city’s population, yet only 32% of businesses are owned by people of color. These businesses often lack access to capital and face significant barriers to obtain funding. The matter was assigned to the Committee on Small Business and Consumer Affairs.

Flooding: I filed a hearing order to discuss flooding in Boston, and the legislative, funding, and governance structures needed for the city and residents to adapt. Boston is extremely vulnerable to flooding, from sea level rise, from our rivers and brooks swelling in storms, and from increased stormwater runoff overwhelming our drainage system. On January 5, 2018, we experienced a record-breaking flood as the high tide reached its highest level since the National Weather Service began keeping records in 1921, causing damage to roads, public transportation, and many buildings. The City’s Climate Ready Boston initiative estimates that sea levels could rise 10 feet by the end of the century and 37 feet by 2200. But the impact is not limited to neighborhoods and homes on the waterfront; flooding also exacerbates unhealthy living conditions in older housing stock and homes where residents can’t afford to renovate. We will need to fund many infrastructure projects to adapt to climate change and flooding, including the potential for a major seawall in Boston Harbor, reconstruction of roadways, and renovation of many homes where residents can’t afford the entire cost of adaptation. The matter was assigned to the Committee on Planning, Development & Transportation for a hearing.

Resiliency Standards for City-owned property: Councilor O’Malley and I filed a hearing order to discuss standards for energy efficiency and resiliency for development or redevelopment of City-owned buildings or structures on City-owned land. The City Council is currently exploring ways to incentivcize net zero carbon standards for new development across the city through discussions about revising state building codes. However, the City could set higher standards for energy efficiency, resiliency, and transportation access for publicly-funded projects and for development or redevelopment of City-owned property without waiting for state or federal standards to change. Last week’s announcement that the Administration released an RFI listing 83 municipal parcels as potential sites for redevelopment to add housing units is an opportunity to build affordable housing to the highest standards of resiliency and efficiency--residents of affordable housing should be in homes that are as resilient, healthy, and efficient as any. Passive house standards would also mean that residents would need to pay little or no costs for electricity and heating, helping with household budgets as well. The matter was assigned to the Committee on Planning, Development & Transportation for a hearing.

MBTA Local Assessment: I called for a hearing on the City of Boston’s annual assessment to the MBTA, which will be $85.8M in Fiscal Year 2018. The revenue from local assessments levied on the 175 cities and towns in the MBTA’s service area make up the third-largest source of revenue for the agency, after state sales tax and fares paid by MBTA riders. Boston’s contribution makes up over half of the local assessment revenue, and it comprises 4% of the MBTA’s total operating budget. This $85.8M represents taxpayer dollars from all of Boston, and yet the MBTA’s fare pricing structure does not treat all Boston residents equitably. Hyde Park, West Roxbury, and Roslindale residents do not have access to subway service, and are categorized in commuter rail fare zones where it is more than twice as expensive to travel within the city. On Friday, several Councilors and BTD representatives met with a group of about 40 residents to begin mobilizing for commuter rail fare equity. Allowing all Boston residents to pay the Zone 1A fares would not only reduce the financial barrier for certain residents to access public transportation, but it would relieve congestion on the Orange Line and in traffic. Yesterday, the MBTA announced it was considering fare hikes for next fiscal year. This hearing order is meant to discuss any opportunities to leverage Boston’s investment in the MBTA to create more equitable access for our residents. The matter was assigned to the Committee on Planning, Development & Transportation for a hearing. If you are interested in commuter rail fare equity, please fill out and share this brief survey: .

Upcoming Hearings/Working Sessions (livestream)
  • Tuesday, Feb. 20th at 1:30PM: Tentative Working Session on Community Choice Energy Implementation (Environment, Sustainability & Parks)
  • Thursday, Feb. 22nd at 12:30PM: Hearing on a Proposed Medical Marijuana Dispensary at 1524 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury (Planning, Development & Transportation)
  • Thursday, Feb. 22nd at 2PM: Working Session on Plastic Bags Reduction Ordinance Implementation (Environment, Sustainability & Parks)
  • Tuesday, Feb. 27th at 1PM: Hearing on BPS Transportation Budget (Education)
For complete notes on Boston City Council meetings, visit MichelleForBoston.com or sign up to receive these notes automatically each week by email. 

Friday, February 09, 2018

Boston City Council Looks At Huntington Theatre, Surveillance, Special Election, Urban Renewal, Child Abuse & More

City Councilor-At-Large Michelle Wu publishes notes from Boston City Council meetings. The Boston City Council considered the following items and more at their February 7, 2018  meeting:

Huntington Theatre: The Mayor filed an order to accept the right to enforce a use restriction to ensure that the Huntington Theatre continues to be used as a theatre or similar cultural use. The developer, QMG Huntington, will impose a use restriction on the building, requiring the owner of the property, and any successor, to use it as theatre and performance center for theatrical, cultural, live performance, educational, and ancillary activities. QMG Huntington will give the Huntington Theatre Company a 100-year lease to use the new lobby and will also gift the Huntington Theatre to the Huntington Theatre Company, a nonprofit theatre company that has occupied the theatre since 1982. The matter was assigned to the Committee on Arts, Culture & Special Events for a hearing.

Special Election: William F. Welch, Clerk of the Senate communicated that a Special Election will be held on Tuesday, May 1, 2018 to fill an existing vacancy in the First Suffolk Senatorial District, caused by the resignation of Senator Linda Dorcena Forry. 

Appointments
• Boston Conservation Commission: Mayor Walsh appointed Alice Richmond as member until November 1, 2019
• Living Wage Advisory Committee: Mayor Walsh appointed Benjamin Stuart as a member until June 11, 2018

Commuter Rail Fare Equity: Friday, February 9th) at 4pm, I will be hosting a meeting in the Piemonte Room on the 5th floor of City Hall to discuss the issue of Commuter Rail fare inequities with colleagues and transportation advocates. Learn more and RSVP on Facebook

Net-Zero Carbon Requirements: Councilor O’Malley refiled a hearing order on considering the benefits of developing net-zero carbon requirements and incentives for future construction. He spoke on the City’s robust construction boom and the significant demand for innovative and modern designs that would be energy independent and not reliant on carbon. He reminded us of the City of Boston’s commitment to making its buildings carbon neutral by 2050, and noted that over half of emissions come from free-standing buildings. We can protect all residents from the impacts of climate change while also saving on costs by improving energy efficiency and increasing jobs. The matter was assigned to the Committee on Environment, Sustainability & Parks for a hearing.

Surveillance Technology: I filed a hearing order in partnership with Councilors Campbell and McCarthy to discuss usage of surveillance technology in the City of Boston. Surveillance technology and electronic data gathering can be useful tools for advancing effective delivery and analysis of constituent services, public safety and security. We can act to provide safeguards to protect privacy rights and civil liberties as we see an increasing number of available surveillance and data-gathering technologies. This matter was assigned to the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice for a hearing.

Vocational education: I called for a hearing with Councilors Essaibi-George and Janey to discuss how vocational educational opportunities in Boston can be improved and expanded. Boston currently has only one vocational technical high school, Madison Park High School, and the city is home to a thriving job market with many positions that do not require a post-secondary degree. In today’s world of astronomical college tuitions and student loan debt, plus a quickly changing job market with automation and globalization, vocational education is more relevant than ever and also more flexible than ever, training students not just in alternatives to traditional colleges, but also with technical skills that are a foundation for a post-secondary degree in a technical field. The types of pathways we see include traditional vocational pathways such as construction, carpentry, and culinary arts, as well as information management, health sciences, and advanced manufacturing. In addition to spending time discussing Madison Park, my goal is to visit other successful vocational schools across the Commonwealth to learn about best practices, funding levels, and key industry pathways. The matter was assigned to the Education Committee for a hearing.

Boston Logan Airport Workers’ Strike: The Council voted to adopt Councilor Edwards’ resolution to support the Boston Logan Airport Workers’ Strike. About 500 Logan Airport workers employed by JetBlue’s subcontractors FSS and ReadyJet have announced their intention to strike due to illegal surveillance, threats and intimidation of workers who are organizing for workplace changes. Several colleagues reinforced that the workers deserve the right to organize for improvements and rights on the job, free from surveillance, and threats or acts of intimidation. 

Urban Renewal Updates: I filed an order for the Council’s Committee on Planning, Development and Transportation to hold biannual urban renewal progress update hearings with the Boston Planning and Development Agency, following up on commitments from the last urban renewal approval in 2016. Look out for the next update to be scheduled sometime in early March.

Mandated Reporting of Child Abuse: The Council voted to adopt my resolution with Councilor Pressley in support of federal legislation on expanding mandated reporting requirements for sexual and physical abuse. As we all saw in the media reports about Larry Nassar and USA Gymnastics, coaches and officials in amateur athletic organizations are not mandated reporters, even though they work with minors on a regular basis. The bill, sponsored by Senator Dianne Feinstein, would expand mandated reporting requirements as well as requiring training, oversight practices, policies and procedures to prevent abuse of amateur athletes and extends the statute of limitations for civil suits filed by minor victims of sexual abuse. 

Upcoming Hearings (Watch Live): 
• Tuesday, February 13th at 10am: Hearing on Short Term Rentals in the City of Boston (Government Operations)

For complete notes on Boston City Council meetings, visit MichelleForBoston.com or sign up to receive these notes automatically each week by email. 

Got To Laugh

If the winter blues have you down, then the Fort Point Theatre Channel's MCFARLAND is guaranteed to laugh those blues away. A reading of the new comedy by Joshua Faigen and directed by Hailey Klein will be presented this Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 7:30 pm in Art Under The Stairs at Midway Artist Studios, 15 Channel Center Street. The event is free and light refreshments will be served. You won't want to miss MCFARLAND.

Tuesday, February 06, 2018

Fort Point Landmarks February 2018 Meeting

updated 2/6/18: presentations added and revised agenda

The FORT POINT CHANNEL LANDMARK DISTRICT COMMISSION will hold a public hearing on:

Thursday, February 8, 2018
6:00 PM
Boston City Hall - Piemonte Room (5th Floor)
After 5:30 pm, enter and exit City Hall at the Dock Square entrance on Congress Street 
(across from Faneuil Hall).

Subject of the hearing will be applications for Certificates of Design Approval on the agenda below, review of architectural violations and such business as may come before the commission, in accordance with Ch. 772 of the Acts of 1975, as amended.from Faneuil Hall).

Design Review

14.945 FPC 338 Congress Street: Continued review of Application 14.945 FPC related to installation of art wall. Cancelled by applicant, will submit at later date.

18.839 FPC 22 Boston Wharf Road: Extend installation of temporary banner currently installed over the top three parking garage levels to June 30, 2018.

18.808 FPC 25 Thomson Place: Install an aluminum wall sign at entrance.

18.835 FPC 249 A Street - Streetlight: Replace existing light pole with new light pole that includes telecommunications antenna on top and associated equipment in its base.

18.813 FPC 313 Congress Street: Remove two existing first story windows at side elevation and install entry doors and steel canopy; extend sidewalk; and add planter.

18.841 FPC 253 Summer Street: Construct outdoor patio and pergola adjacent to southwest face of building.

 Administrative Review/Approval
18.392 FPC 300 Summer Street: At north (alley) elevation install four ground floor window grates matching window grates at adjacent windows.

Review and Ratification of December 14, 2017 Public Hearing Minutes

Vote to recommend that the Boston Landmarks Commission amend Section 8.0 Recommendations of the Fort Point Channel Landmark District Study Report, specifically regarding commissioner nominations.

Staff Updates

Projected Adjournment - 8:00 pm


FORT POINT CHANNEL LANDMARK DISTRICT COMMISSION
David Berarducci, Susan Goganian, John Karofl Lynn Smiledge, Vacancy
Altemates: Thomas Rodde, Vacancy


originally published 1.29.18

Friday, February 02, 2018

GE Innovation Point Construction February 2018 Update

GE Innovation Point Construction Update – February 2018

·         The installation of drilled mini-piles to support the new elevator and stair cores inside the existing buildings are complete in the west building and will complete by February 9 in east building.
·         Selective demolition of the timber structure and floors in the center of the existing buildings are underway to make way for the new concrete elevator and stair cores.  The center of the west building has been opened up.

·         Concrete formwork, reinforcing and placement is beginning in the west building and will begin in the east building during February.
·         A crane will be on site periodically to support the structural modifications to the building.
·         Cutting and capping of existing utilities as well as installation of new utilities in Necco Ct. has begun.  Utility installation on Necco Ct. Extension, between Necco St. and A St., and on Necco St. will be conducted over the next two to three months.  GE is working closely with the owners of Necco Ct., Necco Ct. Extension and Necco St. to maintain access to loading docks and the buildings during installation.

·         Building electrical, mechanical and plumbing coordination is underway.

Visit GE Reports for the latest information or contact GE at innovation.point@ge.com with any questions or to sign up to receive construction updates directly to your inbox. 

Boston City Council Looks At Voting Rights, Collective Bargaining, Homelessness, Composting & More

City Councilor-At-Large Michelle Wu publishes notes from Boston City Council meetings. The Boston City Council considered the following items and more at their January 31, 2018 meeting:

Collective Bargaining: Mayor Walsh filed orders to fund the recently settled collective bargaining agreements between the Boston School Committee and the Boston School Police Patrolmen’s Association. This would include base wage increases of 2% in October of each fiscal year. The contract is from September 1, 2016 to August 31, 2020. The matter was assigned to the Ways & Means Committee for a hearing.

Grant: Mayor Walsh filed an authorization order for Council approval for the Police Department to receive $30,000 from the Department of Justice for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program to fund surveillance vehicles for the Boston Police Department Fugitive Unit. The matter was assigned to the Committee on Public Safety & Criminal Justice for a hearing.

Appointments
• Boston Conservation Commission: Mayor Walsh appointed Michael Parker as member until November 2019
• Boston Retirement Board: The Board selected Thomas V.J. Jackson as a member until January 2019
Assessing Department: Commissioner Ronald W. Rakow appointed William Dudula as an Assistant Assessor

Curbside Composting Program: Councilor O’Malley and Pressley refiled a hearing order on the feasibility of implementing a curbside composting program in Boston. They both spoke on how such a program would save the City money by reducing waste sent to landfills, while also producing finished compost that could be used for landscaping in Boston’s parks and gardens or could be sold.  The matter was assigned to the Committee on Environment, Sustainability & Parks for a hearing.

Annual Homeless Census: Councilor Essaibi-George called for a hearing on this year’s homeless census, the point of time count that occurs each year surveying individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Boston shelters and on the streets. This data is used to identify policy priorities and measures to end homelessness. Having a hearing would give the Council an opportunity as in previous years to focus on how homelessness impacts individuals, children, young adults and families, as well as resources currently in place to support team. The matter was assigned to the Committee on Homelessness, Mental Health & Recovery.

Voting Rights for Immigrants with Legal Status: Councilor Campbell called for a hearing to explore the possibility of allowing Legal Permanent Residents, visa holders, Temporary Protected Status recipients, and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients to vote in municipal elections and to examine other inclusive practices. Currently, non-U.S. Citizens are prohibited from voting by state law and thus limited in playing an active role in civic life. Several Councilors supported the need for the Council to have this discussion, given that federal laws and politics are preventing many of these people from becoming American citizens. Others expressed that voting should remain a right for United States citizens only. The matter was assigned to the Government Operations Committee for a hearing

For complete notes on Boston City Council meetings, visit MichelleForBoston.com or sign up to receive these notes automatically each week by email.