Boston City Council Looks At Housing Protection, Early Voting, Redistricting, Tree Canopy, Extreme Heat & More

City Councilor-At-Large Michelle Wu publishes notes from Boston City Council meetings. Below are some highlights from July 21, 2021 Boston City Council meeting:

VOTES

Restoring Governmentally-Involved Housing Protection Home-Rule Petition: The Council voted unanimously to approve a home-rule petition for a special law, An Act to Restore Boston’s Governmentally-Involved Housing Protection, after Councilor Edwards reported back as Chair of the Committee on Government Operations and recommended the order ought to pass. This home rule petition would preserve or restore at-risk affordable housing, including current or formerly HUD subsidized housing with “expiring use” restrictions, helping Boston maintain its stock of affordable housing and discouraging the condominium conversion of these homes. This proposal was prompted in part by recent developments at the Forbes Building in Jamaica Plain, home to primarily elderly Boston residents, where the new owner has refused to sign contracts with the Boston Housing Authority that would keep tenants in their affordable units. This matter will now go to the Acting Mayor for approval before moving to the Massachusetts State Legislature.

Early Voting Options Home-Rule Petition: The Council voted unanimously to approve a home-rule petition for a special law, An Act Relative to Early Voting Options for City of Boston Municipal Elections, after Councilor Edwards reported back as Chair of the Committee on Government Operations and recommended the order ought to pass. If approved by the Acting Mayor and the Massachusetts State Legislature, this special law would provide permanent early voting and vote-by-mail options in both regularly scheduled and special elections. 

Election Day Voter Registration Home-Rule Petition: The Council voted (11-1, with Councilor Baker opposing) to approve a home-rule petition for a special law, An Act Relative to Election Day Voter Registration for City of Boston Municipal Elections, after Councilor Edwards reported back as Chair of the Committee on Government Operations and recommended the order ought to pass. If approved by the Acting Mayor and the Massachusetts State Legislature, this special law would allow for same-day voter registration and for voting on the day of such registration, whether it is on election day or during an early voting period.

Transparency and Accessibility in State Legislature Resolution: The Council voted to approve a resolution from Councilor Mejia urging action in the Massachusetts State Legislature to uphold the values of transparency and accessibility, including reconsidering recent efforts at the state level to increase transparency by making committee votes public and providing sufficient time to read legislation between the introduction and the passage of a bill.

Equitable Housing Recovery Resolution: The Council voted to approve a resolution from Councilor Mejia in support of state legislation S.891 and H.1434, an Act to Prevent COVID-19 Evictions and Foreclosures and Promote an Equitable Housing Recovery.

NEW FILES

Tree Canopy Ordinance: Councilors Arroyo and Breadon proposed an ordinance establishing protections for the City of Boston tree canopy. In September 2020, the City of Boston released a Tree Canopy Assessment, which found that Boston’s southern and eastern neighborhoods have suffered the highest relative tree canopy losses, and that more tree canopy was lost on residential land than any other land use type. This ordinance would protect trees on city-owned property, private property, or in the public right of way by setting criteria and requiring public notice and approval for the removal of trees, requiring replacement of removed trees, and establishing a street tree stabilization fund. This matter was referred to the Committee on Government Operations.

Redistricting Process: Councilor Arroyo called for a hearing to discuss the redistricting process in the City of Boston. The full 2020 Census results will be released on September 30, 2021, and upon the release of the data, the Boston City Council will be tasked with using Boston’s population data to redraw its districts. This process requires substantial community input and participation and should be open, transparent, and accessible. This matter was referred to the Committee on Census and Redistricting.

Safety Conditions in BPS During Extreme Temperatures: Councilors Arroyo and Flynn called for a hearing to discuss safety conditions in Boston Public Schools (BPS) classrooms during extreme temperatures. A majority of BPS classrooms do not have the infrastructure, such as air conditioners, access to water facilities, and shaded windows, to handle extreme heat. BPS should have official policies in place during extreme temperatures to ensure that not only are students in optimal learning conditions, but also to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and staff. This matter was referred to the Committee on Education. 

Pest Control and Illegal Dumping: Councilors Flynn, Edwards and Breadon called for a hearing to discuss pest control and illegal dumping in the City of Boston. There has been a recent rise in 311 calls about rodent and pest activities, and trash that is not properly disposed can attract rodents and cause other public health issues. This matter was referred to the Committee on City and Neighborhood Services. 

COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE MAYOR AND PUBLIC OFFICERS

Short-Term Residential Rentals Report: We received communication from Tim Davis, Deputy Director of the Policy Development and Research Division of the Department of Neighborhood Development, regarding the submission of the Report on the Ordinance Allowing Short-Term Residential Rentals in the City of Boston. This ordinance, passed by the Boston City Council in 2018, requires regular estimates of the impact of short-term rentals on Boston’s housing stock, evictions, and home and rental prices. The full report may be found here. (Placed on file)

APPOINTMENTS

• Boston Parks Commission: The Council voted unanimously to confirm Reverend Mariama White-Hammond as a member for a term coterminous with the Acting Mayor, filling the term of Christopher Cook, who has stepped down. 

UPCOMING HEARINGS (Streaming Online)

• Our next City Council meeting will be on Wednesday, August 18th at 12PM
• Monday, August 9 at 1PM: Hearing regarding the Creation of a Boston-Cambridge Tourism Marketing District (Committee on Government Operations and Committee on Arts, Culture, and Special Events)
• Tuesday, August 10 at 3PM: Hearing regarding homeownership assistance including for first-generation homeowners (Committee on Housing and Community Development)
• Tuesday, August 17 at 10AM: Hearing on the status of Zoning Board of Appeals Executive Order and Home Rule Petition (Committee on Planning, Development, and Transportation)

For complete notes of Boston City Council meetings, visit MichelleForBoston.com to sign up to receive Council Notes automatically.