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Land Use and Planning

“Be as inclusive & democratic as possible in terms of the planning & implementation process.” Roxbury resident via text message

Inclusive community-planning processes, predictable and transparent land use regulations that respond to changing needs, and integrated land use and public investment will ensure that Boston’s land is used to the highest benefit of all residents and workers.

PLAN Initiatives

The BPDA, in partnership with the community, is developing comprehensive neighborhood plans that guide inclusive growth and create opportunities to live, work, and connect. The PLAN initiatives—JP/ROX, South Boston Dorchester Avenue, Dudley Square, and Glover’s Corner, Dorchester—mark a new approach to community engagement, in which the BPDA and other City departments engage with the community to create a comprehensive vision and set guidelines for future development. Through these PLAN processes, community engagement has included workshops, tours, and open-house sessions designed to encourage learning from one another and sharing of best practices.

Boston Planning and Development Agency Reforms and Organizational Strategy

In 2016, the Boston Redevelopment Authority became the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA). The BPDA is committed to a land use and planning approach that engages communities, implements new solutions, develops partnerships for greater impact, and tracks the progress of projects and initiatives. The BPDA is putting these priorities into action through the PLAN neighborhood-planning initiatives as well as the initiatives in Imagine Boston 2030.

As a growing city with limited land area, Boston is making strategic decisions about how land can be used to guide growth and meet citywide policy goals.

Close collaboration with communities and new ways of engaging residents—online, on the street, or through other formats—is informing neighborhood plans that reflect local aspirations. The City is committed to codifying these neighborhood plans through local land use regulation and enforcing them through zoning and the development review process to ensure transparency and predictability.

Land-use regulations are evolving to reflect changing socioeconomic, environmental, technological, and real estate market conditions. For example, along the waterfront, Boston is balancing the need to prepare for climate change, preserve water-dependent industrial uses, support job and housing growth, and create quality open spaces.

Comprehensive area planning is integrating coordinated land-use regulations, initiatives, and capital investments to meet policy objectives. For example, the use and disposition of City-owned assets, such as land and buildings, is supporting citywide policy goals, such as encouraging the development of permanently affordable housing or providing funding to support park investments and operations.

This is what inspires us to act.

Growing inclusively in a land-constrained city requires focused government action to guide land use and development. Today a significant share of Boston's land is occupied by uses that are not likely to undergo significant change, while other areas have potential to evolve to accommodate growth and meet citywide goals. Residential uses make up 30 percent of the city's area and a significant share of land is occupied by other stable uses, such as institutions, open space, and infrastructure assets like trains or airports. While these areas can accommodate some growth, Boston's demand for additional places to live and work necessitates the identification of new areas for growth. City-led area plans and zoning can guide the coordinated evolution of uses and investment in critical infrastructure needed to accommodate population and job growth.

While land use can be a powerful tool for achieving City objectives, it needs to be coordinated with other policies and investments. Land use regulations are critical for protecting important uses—from industrial to residential—but zoning alone is not enough to respond to the evolving needs of Boston's population and economy. For example, while broad land use regulations developed in the twentieth century have preserved significant areas of the city for critical economic anchors, such as the port and other industrial uses, reserving land alone has not been a sufficient policy to overcome a nationwide era of industrial decline. To support Boston's industrial economy and achieve other important objectives, such as producing affordable housing and supporting small business growth, land use will need to be coordinated with housing policies and economic development tools.

Boston's approach to planning and land use has evolved over past decades. Since the era of urban renewal in the 1960s, the City's planning approach has evolved to emphasize neighborhood planning, such as the Brighton/ Guest Street Planning Study, the Harrison-Albany Corridor Strategic Plan, or the Fairmount/ Indigo Planning Initiative. The City has also partnered with the State and federal government on transformative infrastructure investments such as the Central Artery/Tunnel Project, Rose Kennedy Greenway, and Deer Island Wastewater Treatment Plant. As Boston moves forward, the City will combine these types of community-focused neighborhood plans and infrastructure investments with Imagine Boston 2030, the overarching citywide plan to guide growth and ensure that its benefits are felt by all Bostonians.

“Produce, preserve, plan! Help make our city more affordable to low and middle income residents by producing more affordable and middle-income housing, preserving our existing housing stock, and planning for more of the housing people want (multi-family units close to transportation and city amenities). This needs to happen in the city AND in the surrounding cities and towns to be effective.” Brighton resident via online survey

South End and Back Bay $\rightarrow$

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“I would love to see greater planning around housing that is affordable for moderate income folks, young families, seniors. The city can help by assessing need, setting goals and providing incentives to developers. Instead of "luxury" condos I'd love to see "condos for regular folks" with moderate incomes - teachers, retirees, public service workers, tradespeople. It will help keep our community diverse and strong.” Dorchester resident via online survey

We will:

Preserve, enhance, and grow through area-level plans

In collaboration with the community, we will develop area plans for neighborhoods or districts where growth or investment is anticipated. A successful area plan will use the lenses of “preserve, enhance, and grow” to develop an area-wide vision including appropriate land uses and densities. Area planning will leverage existing planning tools—including strategic planning areas, such as PLAN: South Boston Dorchester Avenue, and institutional master plans—to ensure that neighborhood objectives are aligned with broader citywide goals.

Integrate planning and zoning with capital investments

Planning will coordinate geographically-specific investments with land use and zoning. For example, new development guided by an area plan will be integrated with priority investment in open space, transit, or flood-protection mechanisms. As appropriate, this coordination will work to ensure that value generated by new development supports critical infrastructure investment in the area.

Leverage publicly-owned land to achieve community objectives

We will explore opportunities to dispose of publicly-owned parcels strategically to support policy objectives, such as creating housing and spaces to work that are affordable or attracting economic development in an area. These types of strategic land use dispositions will be coordinated with larger neighborhood or citywide plans to ensure that decisions about individual parcels support broader policy objectives. As appropriate, we will work closely with state and federal partners to accomplish these efforts.

Deploy land use incentives to support citywide objectives

Guided by citywide and neighborhood plans, we will deploy land use incentives, such as density bonuses or air-rights transfers, to achieve policy objectives. We will identify opportunities to create density bonuses for buildings that include beneficial uses, such as affordable housing or industrial spaces, and leverage the sale of unused air rights to fund new, catalytic infrastructure. We will also institute programs to encourage new real-estate models such as space-sharing and sub-leasing that support a healthy mix of uses, particularly in evolving industrial areas.

Ensure that development contributes to public benefits

A predictable regulatory and review process for new development is critical to the consistent assessment of community benefits—from affordable housing, to open space, to critical infrastructure. A predictable review and public-benefits process also has the potential to make development of large-scale projects more efficient in Boston by reducing permitting time and development costs.

Update zoning to respond to Boston’s changing needs

We will adopt new best practices and explore new zoning typologies to ensure that Boston’s zoning prepares the city for new challenges and changes. This will include developing zoning that is climate-ready, supports mixed-income and mixed-use neighborhoods, and responds to changing transportation patterns and shifting parking demands.

Make the zoning code more consistent and accessible

We will work to make zoning language and use tables consistent between neighborhoods. This will increase transparency and predictability and give residents, communities, and businesses greater agency and insight into the regulations that govern land use. We will revisit zoning on a regular basis to ensure that it responds to evolving community and citywide needs.

Work to make the regulatory review process more efficient and predictable

In conjunction with efforts to update zoning and develop new zoning that reflects area plans, we will work to enforce this zoning predictably and implement planning priorities through Boston’s development-review process. As relevant, we will explore tools that support predictability, such as the use of planned development areas and zoning overlays.

Engage communities

Through tools like the PLAN community planning initiatives, we will engage with a broader, more diverse group of residents, businesses, and other stakeholders. To continue to provide more context and clarity, we will create a redesigned community-meeting format to provide more context and more clarity and an online platform for neighborhood-specific updates and feedback. We will also utilize new, more accessible tools for communication and participation.

Track progress

To build trust, maintain transparency, and advance positive community benefits, we will identify the appropriate measures for tracking and communicating progress, results, and impacts of planning initiatives.

Partner for greater impact

We will collaborate with cities, governments, and institutions around the globe. For example, the BPDA will launch BPDA+ — a program to forge collaborations with nonprofits, businesses, universities, and start-ups—and host innovation fellowships for leading global experts.

“Rezoning the city to allow for more density and more height in appropriate areas. There’s no reason that our city can’t handle more height and density in specific areas (downtown, along transit lines, in areas of the city that haven’t been as developed and present an opportunity to allow for growth). This will allow for more housing in these areas, which can assist in keeping people in the city and allowing them better access to transit.” Dorchester resident via text message

Transportation

"A more reliable and better equipped public transportation system that better serves the most disadvantaged communities." Mission Hill resident via text message

Boston’s transportation network plays a critical role connecting residents to economic opportunity, fostering job growth, moving important goods, and creating vibrant neighborhoods. The ways we get around are changing rapidly, from private cars, to bike share, to ride-hailing apps and autonomous vehicles. These demand new thinking about how we use our streets.

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Go Boston 2030

Go Boston 2030 has established a vision and actions to guide Boston’s transportation future over the next five, ten, and 15 years. The initiative’s Action Plan proposes 58 transformative policies and projects to improve transportation for the city’s residents, businesses, and visitors. The plan considers how transportation investments can support equity, climate responsiveness, and economic growth. The 18-month process to develop the plan was driven by data and steered through an inclusive public engagement process.

As Boston grows, our transportation infrastructure should move Bostonians efficiently and reliably among home, work, and school. The City’s comprehensive transportation plan, Go Boston 2030, heard from more than 12,000 residents about their transportation needs and preferences and used their feedback to inform actions, projects, and investments that will culminate in a more robust transportation network for the future. The following initiatives highlight some of Go Boston 2030’s work to improve the accessibility, safety, and reliability of our transportation network.

About 35,000 vehicles travel Commonwealth Avenue every day, along with 27,000 passengers making use of four Green Line branches, 30,000 pedestrians, and 3,000 cyclists in 2014, according to MassDOT. The State recently approved a $20.4 million reconstruction along Commonwealth Avenue between Brookline and Boston, which will include building cycle tracks and protected intersections. Improvements will also consolidate Green Line stops and give buses and trolleys signal priority. $\leftarrow$

This is what inspires us to act.

Today, 73 percent of transit commuters endure commutes longer than 30 minutes. Many depend on unreliable transportation options. Communities of color in particular face significantly higher commute times and less reliable transit options.¹ See graph on facing page $\rightarrow$ Percentage of Commute Times +60 minutes

Roughly 40 percent of Boston residents drive alone to work. This is unsustainable as we grow, unaffordable for many, and perpetuates high greenhouse-gas emissions.²

Access to transportation alternatives varies by neighborhood. Today, 42 percent of households live within a ten-minute walk of a rail station or key bus route, Hubway station, and carshare. Many more live within a ten-minute walk of one or two of them.³

34 percent of Boston households do not own a car, by choice or necessity.⁴ The Bostonians Imagine Boston spoke with emphasized the importance of diversifying the types of transportation available in neighborhoods to reduce Boston's reliance on cars.

Streets and sidewalks comprise 14 percent of Boston's land area.⁵ They constitute the largest public space controlled by the city. By investing in our streets, we create an opportunity to provide places where communities come together safely, instead of just passing through.

10-minute Walkshed from Key Transit Routes

Some neighborhoods are better served by transit than others.

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Percentage of Commute Times +60 minutes

Some neighborhoods face disproportionately longer commute times, especially commutes longer than 60 minutes.

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Mode Shift: How we get around today and aspire to in 2030

Changes are already occuring in how Bostonians get around. As we plan for 2030, Boston aspires to increase our active low-carbon transportation. Boston is also at the forefront of transportation disruptions, including autonomous vehicles, and is helping to guide these innovations to ensure they serve all Bostonians.

Residents and commuters from outside the city have distinct transportation patterns. For instance, city residents are more likely to walk and nonresidents are more likely to drive. The City has set aspirations for residents and regional commuters.¹

Hubway station in South End $\rightarrow$

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"Transit signal priority for all MBTA key bus routes" Handwritten via poster comment

"Keep working on the bike network gaps" Allston resident via traveling display

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Columbia Road

Columbia Road can become an active, green transportation corridor that connects people to Franklin Park and the waterfront, via the historic Emerald Necklace.

Columbia Road is a vital corridor serving numerous neighborhoods and communities. Originally envisioned as an urban boulevard, today it is approximately 100 feet wide, with four to six lanes of vehicular traffic, a median barrier, and sidewalks on either side. A proposed active green corridor along the route would preserve the function of the road as an important motor vehicle connector while consolidating the median, sidewalks, and wider areas into a green space that stretches from Franklin Park to the waterfront at Moakley Park. The allocation of roadway space will be determined in conjunction with local residents and will include improved pedestrian paths and safe crossings, protected bike paths, and significantly more trees to transform this boulevard into a vibrant green corridor. New green space and connections along Columbia Road will extend Boston’s walking, bicycling, and open-space network and complete Olmsted’s vision of an Emerald Necklace around the center of Boston.

Columbia Road today

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Currently a four-to six-lane road with a median, Columbia Road is wide enough to support a diversity of connections and open space.

"Make it feel like the Arborway" Participant in Columbia Road Open House

"More small spaces for socializing and play" Participant in Columbia Road Open House

“Complete the Emerald Necklace and make Columbia road into a parkway with physically separated bike paths.” Roslindale resident via online mapping comments

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In community conversations from 2015 to Summer 2017, a range of hopes, visions, and concerns have been voiced.

Concerns

• Many people use Columbia Road to get to elsewhere in the city, leading to lots of traffic
• Cyclists have a difficult time riding along the road
• Speeding and general safety is an issue
• Businesses along the corridor find that traffic keeps customers away
• Parking is hard to find and could benefit from better signage

Note: From 2015 and June 2017 community conversation with local organizations and leaders

Visions

• Historic and cultural landmarks should be celebrated and supported, including Upham’s Corner assets such as the Strand Theatre, Dorchester North Burying Ground, and local restaurants
• The Dorchester side would benefit from better access to Franklin Park
• Temporary installations such as a pop-up café, public art, and a variety of programming could bolster the vibrancy of the corridor and strengthen community connections
• Columbia Road could include parklets to create spaces for socializing and relaxing. It could also include water play areas and shade to cool off from the heat.
• Planting more trees and making rain gardens could prevent runoff pollution.
• Columbia road should be safer for everyone - pedestrians, bikes and cars. This could include traffic calming as well as protected bike and pedestrian paths.

A community process will help set priorities for Columbia Road. Early guiding principles from neighbors and residents include street enhancements to make Columbia Road easy to navigate, multimodal, green, and reflective of the culture and creativity of the communities that live along the road.

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"Reprogram traffic signals to prioritize pedestrian crossings over vehicular turns." South End resident via online mapping comments

"If the T is more convenient, more people will take it, traffic and pollution will decline and people won't be as stressed out and angry." Brighton resident via text message

We will:

Aim to have zero fatal crashes on our roads

To get to "Vision Zero," we will implement new street designs that focus on improving safety. We will support pedestrian- and bike-friendly main-street design, with people-focused streets, and also expand and accelerate the Neighborhood Slow Streets program.

Work to create neighborhood mobility hubs

These will provide local connections by clustering bike share and car share with bus stops, wayfinding, and placemaking in order to expedite transfers and improve multimodal transportation.

Build a complete bicycle network for safe, active commuting

We will increase access to jobs and open space by connecting sections of regional bicycle routes and by expanding Hubway.

Advocate for more frequent and reliable service on select additional commuter rail lines

We will work with the state to find opportunities to improve service on select additional lines including the Needham and Franklin lines.

Strengthen connections to job centers

We will work with the state, MBTA, and community organizations to establish more frequent and reliable service on the Fairmount/Indigo Line to connect Bostonians to emerging and established job centers. We will explore developing a spur of the Fairmount Line that extends to the South Boston Waterfront. We will also invest in streetscape, crosswalks, and wayfinding improvements and explore potential bike, train, or bus connections in neighborhoods.

Work with partners on better bus corridors

These corridors will connect people to key job centers and strengthen connections between neighborhoods.

Support the creation of multimodal transit stations

These will facilitate rail and bus connections at new and emerging job centers, including West Station in Allston.

Lead the nation in setting policies to guide autonomous vehicle use

We will establish policies, pilots, and infrastructure to ensure that technological innovations make our streets safer, less congested, and more equitable.

Connected City

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Connected City was a topic that participants consistently rated as "important to the city" and "important for my life" in Summer 2016 workshops. Comments focused on the importance of affordable public transit and safe bike routes.

As an East Boston resident put it, "Boston was not built for cars; any way that we can encourage transit, walking, biking, etc. will make the city safer and more enjoyable as it grows."

Collaborate to increase the use of Boston's waterways

We will work with partners to identify ways to complement local and regional transportation with ferry service that links waterfront neighborhoods and municipalities in conjunction with improvements to first- and last-mile connections between neighborhoods and ferry stops. New proposed routes include ferry service between Fan Pier in South Boston and Lovejoy Wharf at North Station. Other proposed connections include East Boston to Charlestown and South Boston. We will work to enhance connectivity along the waterfront through an improved Harborwalk and green-space system.

Parking Policy

Modernize on-street parking policy in commercial districts to enhance community access, support local businesses, and reduce traffic and double parking. We will update parking pricing and technology in commercial districts, balancing demand with supply to ensure that customers can access businesses and that traffic flow and safety are not compromised by drivers circling for a space or double-parking.

Right-size parking requirements and update on-street residential parking policies to increase housing affordability and promote mode shift. Required off-street parking increases the cost of housing and decreases the number of units that can be built. Requirements will be strategically revised to address current demand, and promote use of transit, walking, biking, and ride-sharing. Management of on-street residential parking will also be updated to ensure that residents have access to convenient spaces and new developments do not cause parking congestion in existing neighborhoods.

Policy Objectives*

Promote Economic Opportunity

Access to jobs, services, businesses, goods, and more is a fundamental function of parking. Spaces in prime retail locations must be available to customers in a user-friendly fashion supported by technology, not enforcement. The parking system should support the vitality of commercial districts, both in terms of business access as well as investment in travel amenities that also promote transit, biking, and walking access. The high cost of building new supply must be realized, spread across more users, and separated from the cost of necessary housing to keep a reasonable amount of driving access affordable to all.

Enhance Community Access

Parking should be designed not for the sake of storing a car but as part of a system through which to gain access to needed destinations. Where destinations are walkable, bikeable, served by transit, etc., parking access should only be for those who need it most—those who cannot use other means or are visiting for only a short time. Where destinations rely on a vehicle, policies should rationally accommodate drivers, with higher regard to those who share rides when capacity is limited.

Reduce Parking Demand

As stewards of our planet, we must recognize the impact that parking supply has on climate change. Providing parking alone takes land and resources. Too much parking makes driving and emitting greenhouse-gas emissions too plentiful, but just limiting parking is not enough. Parking policy needs to direct resources equitably to non polluting modes of travel while supporting incentives that reduce trip-making and ensuring that residents travel to destinations safely and equitably.

*Note: Policy objectives from Future of Parking in Boston Report (A Better City, 2016)

Spotlight

"We need transit oriented districts with less or no parking, in areas with income diversity and value capture financing." Resident via handwritten comments in Draft Plan

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Conceptual graphic about the effects of parking on new developments $\rightarrow$

Source: Seth Goodman, Reinventing Parking

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Source: Nelson/Nygaard, The Future of Parking in Boston

Parking takes up space that can otherwise be used for housing, office space, and other productive uses.

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Housing a Changing City: Boston 2030

To accommodate population growth and increase affordability, Housing a Changing City: Boston 2030 set a goal of creating at least 53,000 new housing units by 2030 to provide housing that is affordable for Bostonians with a range of incomes. As of January, 2017, more than 12,000 units have already been produced and more than 7,000 are under construction. Imagine Boston 2030 is building on Housing a Changing City by identifying areas where continued growth can occur and where additional growth beyond the 53,000-unit target can take place. This growth will create a release valve for existing neighborhoods that are seeing immense pressure on housing prices.

Housing

"Housing is the most important issue for the future of Boston." Resident via draft plan feedback

Boston is a national leader in affordable housing and is proactively encouraging housing growth that reduces pressure on existing neighborhoods and implementing antidisplacement policies to protect existing communities.

Boston is growing rapidly, creating demand for housing and often resulting in price increases that affect Bostonians of all incomes. Addressing rising costs is critical for preserving the diversity and character that makes Boston a place where all residents can thrive. The City is addressing rising housing costs by providing dedicated affordable units and encouraging housing growth overall.

These efforts build on Boston’s long-term commitment to housing affordability. Boston has a larger share of designated affordable housing than any peer city, with deed-restricted affordable housing comprising nearly 20¹ percent of our overall housing stock. We are the first city in the nation to launch an Office of Housing Stability and we have a track record of helping residents avoid foreclosures 87 percent of the time the Boston Home Center gets involved. We are also one of the first cities to implement an Inclusionary Development Policy that preserves access to affordable housing options in all of Boston’s neighborhoods.²

The following initiatives build on this legacy and leverage our recent growth to create more affordable units, increase overall housing supply to meet the needs of Boston’s diverse populations, and proactively deploy a suite of antidisplacement policies to protect and strengthen existing communities in light of rising housing prices.

This is what inspires us to act.

Boston's housing costs have increased significantly in many neighborhoods as Boston's population has grown. Housing cost increases have been particularly significant in low-income neighborhoods with larger renter populations such as Mattapan, East Boston, and Roxbury.¹

See opposite page: Housing price increases 2010-2015 →

Residents told Imagine Boston that they want more deed-restricted affordable housing, mixed-income housing, and senior housing—a broader range of housing for all income levels and stages of life.

Housing cost burden map

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21 percent of Boston households, including both renters and owners, are severely housing-cost burdened. This is defined as those households that spend more than half of their income on housing.²

See map below ↓

The City is taking significant action to increase Boston's housing supply. As of January 2017, Boston has added more than 12,000 new units, with an additional 7,000 under construction. The impact of this new supply in stabilizing prices is clear: In Fenway, where housing supply grew by 6 percent, rents in older units declined by 0.4 percent. And in the South End, which grew by nearly 10 percent, rents in older units only rose 0.3 percent.³

Boston is a national leader in providing designated affordable housing for its residents, but demand for affordable units remains high. Public housing communities are an important part of almost every neighborhood in Boston. Today the Boston Housing Authority maintains more than 25,000 housing units, but Section 8 waitlists for public housing remain as long as 40,000 residents at any given time.⁴

Boston's housing stock is older (more than 50 percent was constructed before 1940) and skews toward mid-size properties. Nearly half of Boston units are in a two- to nine-unit building.⁵ Adding new housing supply helps to stabilize rents in these existing, older units so that neighborhoods remain affordable.

Median housing price in 2010, 2015, and increases 2010-2015 in each neighborhood

Median housing costs increased 36 percent citywide between 2010 and 2015.

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Note: Dorchester home value is based on an average of median home values for several geographies that comprise the neighborhood.

We will:

Work to increase overall housing supply.

Adding supply can help stabilize rents and prices by accommodating demand and relieving pressure on the existing housing market. We will also make housing more affordable through initiatives that make construction cheaper so that cost savings can be passed along to the renter or buyer (e.g., through innovative housing design, collaborating with building trades, and streamlining permitting). We will also create more housing outside of the open market by working with universities and developers to produce more student housing that will alleviate demand pressure in nearby neighborhoods.

Deploy a suite of tools to support the preservation of affordable housing citywide.

These include building on BHA’s recent efforts to preserve affordable units, expanding the Acquisition Opportunity Program that provides loans to responsible investor-owners committed to supplying affordable housing, and investigating tax relief for affordable-housing preservation. We will also facilitate preservation plans for BHA’s units that incorporate mixed-income housing and work with state, federal, and other partners to increase funding for existing affordable-housing policies that are showing strong results.

Pursue policies that encourage the production and maintenance of deed-restricted low-, moderate-, and middle-income housing.

These policies include the Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP) and Linkage Fee, the reuse of surplus City parcels as locations for affordable housing, and the Community Preservation Act.

Aspire to higher levels of affordability in geographies where this is feasible.

We will leverage a series of tools, including density bonuses, and prioritize the disposal of relevant City-owned properties with a preference for affordable and mixed-income housing in areas where feasible.

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Stabilize housing and reduce displacement.

To help Boston residents remain in their homes and communities, we launched the Office of Housing Stability in July 2016, and we will deploy an antidisplacement policy package, including strengthening and expanding eviction and foreclosure prevention, tenant organizing, and homeownership assistance programs. We will also provide greater assistance to community land trusts. In conjunction, we will identify opportunities to address racial disparities in access to housing and homeownership.

Partner with neighboring municipalities to identify and consider regional solutions to housing challenges.

We recognize that housing affordability issues do not end at Boston’s borders and require regional solutions. These include funding solutions to advance affordable housing preservation and development in transit corridors throughout the region. We will support coordination with local housing authorities and advocate for state regulation and incentives that encourage housing production.

"Direct housing density close to public transit and near walkable main streets." Roslindale resident via online mapping comments

"Universities need to invest in much more student housing to help alleviate pressure on neighborhood housing supply in surrounding areas." Roxbury resident via online mapping comments

"Please incentivize developers to create affordable housing for residents in the neighborhood already so [as] to preserve the community. In addition, it would be amazing to see the City offer financial support to already existent residents to buy property so [as] to shift from renters to property owners." Roxbury resident via online mapping comments

Key Terms

Community Preservation Act: Commonwealth of Massachusetts program that helps preserve open space and historic sites and creates affordable housing through the creation of a local Community Preservation Fund; CPA funds are generated through a small surcharge on local property tax bills and matched by a statewide trust fund to maximize community investment.

Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP): IDP-designated areas require developers to include affordable units within their developments (on-site), create affordable housing in an off-site location, or make a cash contribution toward the creation or preservation of affordable housing.

Density Bonus: Zoning tool that allows developers to build denser buildings in exchange for affordable housing or other defined public benefits.

Linkage Fee: Policy that requires new commercial developments in excess of 100,000 square feet to pay into funds to support housing and job training.

Neighborhoods that are Affordable

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In workshops and online in Summer 2016, residents rated ideas to make neighborhoods more affordable, such as density bonuses for affordable housing.

One Charlestown resident hit on a common theme with the suggestion that "developers need to be encouraged to build more middle-income housing."

Boston’s Antidisplacement Approach

We believe that Boston should be an open and accessible city for families and residents at all income levels.

Changing housing needs and rising real-estate costs are affecting residents of each generation—young professionals balancing rent and student loans, families seeking a stable neighborhood for their children to grow up, and small business owners grappling with the implications of rising rents. As we grow, we must grow equitably and ensure that the city’s growth does not come at the expense of our neighbors with limited incomes. Therefore, the City is developing an antidisplacement approach that combines strategies to increase affordable housing opportunities with policies to reduce residential and commercial eviction, support homeownership, address transportation costs, and facilitate economic well-being.

Boston’s efforts to reduce displacement will be undertaken in conjunction with efforts to expand access to opportunity by connecting Bostonians to well-paying jobs and strengthening pathways to quality careers. These economic mobility and education strategies are explored further in the Education and Economy initiative sections.

The following initiatives represent early actions within a larger set of initiatives that the City of Boston and our community partners are developing to address displacement.

Boston created the first Office of Housing Stability in the nation. To help Boston residents find and secure stable housing, Boston provides a range of programs including one-on-one help via Boston’s Housing Crisis Hotline and counseling for individuals facing homelessness due to natural disaster, eviction, and other causes, as well as broader tools such as tenant rights information, answers on any rental housing matter, and affordable housing resources.

"Reducing displacement and encouraging affordable housing must be a priority for everyone in Boston." Chinatown resident via community workshop

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Three-deckers in Dorchester ↑

Creating and preserving affordable housing

We will facilitate the production of new, dedicated affordable units through:

• Our redesigned Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP), which requires private developers to set aside units for moderate-income households
• The provision of density bonuses for developments, which create affordable housing above and beyond the IDP when developers want to build higher
• The Extremely Low Income Set Aside policy, which requires at least 10 percent of units built in City-funded projects to be set aside for formerly homeless households
• The Acquisition Opportunity Program which preserves affordable units by converting market-rate properties into income-restricted properties
• Advocacy for inclusionary zoning that requires a substantial portion of all new residential development to be set aside for moderate- and middle-income households

Linking housing and transportation

We will work to keep transit costs affordable and reduce the commuting-time burden faced by many low-income residents by:

• Working with MassDOT and the MBTA to better serve these communities
• Revising zoning in targeted areas, like Strategic Planning Areas, to encourage Transit Oriented Development, which reduces the need for vehicle ownership and reduces the cost of parking in the cost of new housing development

Preventing eviction

We will support residents at risk of displacement, whether due to fires, collapsed buildings, rising rents, or other factors through:

• Centralized case management and support for legal counseling, court representation, mediation, and rent arrearage payments for tenants facing eviction
• Comprehensive data analytics on evictions to understand trends in Boston and proactively intervene before evictions occur
• The Boston Tenants Organizing Program, which strengthens tenants’ rights in market-rate housing
• A Condo Conversion Ordinance, which protects and assists tenants in the case of a proposed conversion of their apartment to condos
• Assisting small landlords who are already preventing displacement by keeping their rents below market

Supporting homeownership

We will support homeownership by:

• Assisting moderate- and middle-income Bostonians to purchase and maintain their first home through a variety of homebuyer and homeowner programs including prioritizing pathways to homeownership for tenants
• Working to keep Bostonians in their homes by preventing foreclosures through counseling, mediation, and connecting residents to advocacy partners

Supporting small businesses

The City will promote small business growth and stability through a number of initiatives, including using zoning tools to provide affordable commercial space in a variety of neighborhoods.

The approach also calls for addressing the gaps in resources and support for women-, minority-, and immigrant-owned businesses that experience affordability challenges on a more acute basis. Some of those measures include increasing small business capital availability, providing more access to affordable real estate through lease negotiation in targeted areas, and supplying targeted one-to-one technical assistance.

I just want to share my support for increased density in order to make housing more affordable, and for preserving and expanding subsidies and income-controlled housing... More diverse neighborhoods... will also ensure that our schools, businesses, and other institutions are more diverse as well. Back Bay resident via online survey

Open Space

Boston is home to some of the country’s most iconic parkland. Today, nearly every Bostonian lives within a five-minute walk of a park or open space. From tot lots to the fields of Moakley Park in South Boston, to the natural shoreline of the Condor Street Urban Wild in East Boston, these varied resources improve quality of life citywide.

With careful investment from a variety of sources, a distinct and activated network of new and existing open spaces can knit together neighborhoods, strengthen connections to the waterfront, make our city more climate resilient, and promote healthy, active communities. As Boston grows, the following initiatives will enable us to create a parks network for Boston’s fifth century.

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Boston residents shared many open space suggestions in workshops and online in Summer 2016, including ideas for new open space in their neighborhoods, for enhancing existing open space at Franklin Park and elsewhere, and for creating better walking and biking connections to all kinds of open space. One Roxbury resident suggested that the city "focus on greenways connecting neighborhoods and investing in the local parks that people use on a daily basis in their neighborhood."

This is what inspires us to act.

Boston has a storied open-space legacy. The Emerald Necklace began in the late nineteenth century when landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted connected the Boston Common and the Public Garden to Franklin Park. Olmsted’s vision set in motion a network of green spaces that provided recreation, connection, and environmental protection. His work continues to shape the city, but key components of his plan were never completed. Today, the vision of a complete Emerald Necklace and networks of connected open space continue to inspire Boston.

Open-space access is widespread, but quality and diversity of these open spaces vary. Ninety-five percent of residents live within a five-minute walk of a park or open space. But parks vary in quality and diversity of the landscape and activities available to residents. Some residents have to travel a long distance to reach a park for recreational activities such as baseball or swimming.

A Boston resident and pet at the South Boston Farmers Market ↓

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Boston Common ↓

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When asked, "What kinds of open space improvements would make the most impact in your daily life?"

Boston residents replied:

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Source: 7,421 surveys: 7,070 comment cards through street teams, 153 website responses, 198 Imagine Boston Forum responses (respondents asked to rank choices; answers to the left were ranked #1)

"American Legion Hwy./ Parkway corridor...provides the most natural extension of the Emerald Necklace, all the way down to Stony Brook Reservation and the Neponset Greenway" Resident via draft plan feedback

Existing Open Spaces

95 percent of Boston residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or open space.

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Source: City of Boston Open Data, MassGIS

■ Parks, Playgrounds & Athletic Fields ■ Parkways, Reservations & Beaches ■ Urban Wilds & Natural Areas ■ Cemeteries & Burying Grounds ■ Malls, Squares & Plazas

"Fully connect the Emerald Necklace along Columbia Road and build other greenway connections like the South Bay Harbor Trail, Roxbury to Fenway Connector, Arboretum Gateway Path, and Fairmount Greenway." Roxbury resident via community workshop

We will:

A

Connect the final section of the Emerald Necklace to Boston’s waterfront

This new corridor will accommodate transportation and recreation that improves access to some of our largest parks, increases connections in underserved areas of our city, and makes our city more climate resilient by absorbing stormwater and expanding our tree canopy.

B

Undertake a longer-term effort to work with key partners to create a network of green spaces.

The Emerald Necklace will be an anchor to a wider network of open spaces that will connect parks citywide. Streets will be designed as green links, connecting Moakley Park, the Emerald Necklace to Pope John Paul Park, the Neponset, American Legion, the Arboretum, Roslindale Square, and Stony Brook Reservation. We will prioritize improvements that upgrade public health, safety, and accessibility for residents in underserved neighborhoods.

C

Invest in Boston’s largest park, Franklin Park

We will enhance Franklin Park as a keystone park in the geographical heart of the city. Sitting at the nexus of Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, Roslindale, and Jamaica Plain, Franklin Park will grow in its role as a destination for visitors citywide and asset for surrounding communities. As part of the City’s largest parks investment in close to a century, we will boost programming, create more clear entrances, and build on current efforts to activate the park to strengthen connections to local communities. Investment in Franklin Park will be guided by resident priorities and coupled with implementation of the recent master plan for Harambee Park.

D

Create a new generation of parks along Boston’s waterfront

We will partner with the state and local organizations to provide signature connected open spaces that reduce climate risk, enhance culture, and connect existing and new jobs and housing along the waterfront.

E

Invest in new open spaces in areas of new housing and job growth

These spaces will respond to the needs of new residents and workers, be designed to reduce climate risks, and accommodate a variety of uses and programming.

Continue to improve neighborhoods’ access to well-maintained parks

We will continue to improve parks with playgrounds, athletic facilities, and other quality features and programming that meet the needs of Boston’s diverse residents, visitors, workers, and pets. We will also invest in green links between key transit, job hubs, and open space.

F

Invest in diverse public spaces in the commercial core

We will direct open-space improvements to serve a growing residential community, support workers, and attract tourists, including bolstering connections to Boston's historic waterfront.

G

Restore Boston Common to its full vibrancy

We will strengthen Boston Common so that it can serve its fourth century of visitors as the shared, iconic public gathering space its founders intended it to be.

Develop family- and kid-friendly environments that promote opportunities to play everywhere.

We will provide easy to access play amenities that will help develop meaningful community gathering spaces and enhance the quality of public life for residents of all ages.

"Lots of tree-lined parks with activities all spring, summer and fall for children, adults, and seniors." East Boston resident via text message

Existing Open Space

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"Invest in open play spaces for kids and families who need it most. This will help strengthen community identity, pride, and resident health, and spur equitable economic development." Comment via email in response to Draft Plan

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Franklin Park Kite Festival

Franklin Park

Franklin Park is the crown jewel of Boston's Emerald Necklace and one of Fredrick Law Olmsted's greatest masterpieces. Investments in Franklin Park can make it a more vital citywide destination and central park for surrounding neighborhoods.

Franklin Park was established in 1885 and was originally envisioned as a "Country Park" for the enjoyment of Boston's rural landscape. Franklin Park's 485 acres are surrounded by diverse neighborhoods in the geographic center of the city—Roxbury, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, and Roslindale. The park's natural resources, historic design, cultural heritage, and recreational opportunities create a vibrant central park. Its landscape reveals Boston's original rolling hills, long views, and green landscapes. The continued enjoyment of the park by future generations of Bostonians and visitors from around the world requires a major restoration effort, informed by a comprehensive plan for Franklin Park.

Franklin Park will be a gathering space where all Bostonians and visitors can enjoy a peaceful, natural landscape and diverse activities and culture. Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in nature within the city, enjoy memorable events and traditions, or spend a day with family. As a citywide destination, Franklin Park will welcome neighbors from the surrounding blocks, residents from neighborhoods across the city, and visitors from further afield.

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Franklin Park is located at Boston’s geographic center and is the city’s largest park. At 485 acres, Franklin Park is about three times larger than the Historic Downtown.

"Franklin Park [is] a place you can still discover “ruins,” historic features, great views, unique landscapes" Participant in Franklin Park Open House

"I envision Franklin Park as a thriving park that is the envy of the city” Participant in Franklin Park Open House

"Celebrate the crossroads of cultures and races that share the park" Participant in Franklin Park Open House

Franklin Park Today

"Revitalize Franklin Park. It is arguably the best park Olmsted ever made...If Boston wants to be the #1 park city and provide resources to communities of color, fixing Franklin Park is a solid investment. The city and state should invest in better transit to the park, not just for the park but for neighboring residents who need mass transit." Dorchester resident via online survey

"I loved finding the Bear Dens for the first time" Participant in Franklin Park Open House

Franklin Park is Boston's largest park and is among the city's most iconic open-space destinations. The jewel of the Emerald Necklace, Franklin Park was designed in the late nineteenth century by Fredrick Law Olmsted, the visionary behind some of the country's most recognized open spaces including New York City's Central Park and Prospect Park. Olmsted's original design for Franklin Park balanced open space with woodlands, creating a place where Bostonians could, in Olmsted's words, "find the city put far away from them."¹

Franklin Park has been a formative place for arts and culture in Boston. In 1966, Elma Lewis—a Boston cultural icon and arts educator—founded Franklin Park's Playhouse in the Park attracting local and national performances to its stage.

Today, Franklin Park offers a variety of experiences, from music and dance performances that emulate Elma Lewis' original vision, to the Zoo, to open fields and to golfing. Over time, the areas of Franklin Park where that feeling of escape from the city can be found have been reduced, with the establishment of uses like White Stadium, Shattuck Hospital, and the presence of cars around the park edge and through its center.

A plan for the enhancement of Franklin Park presents an opportunity to restore this feeling of escape while connecting neighborhoods, promoting healthy and active communities, enhancing local economic mobility, and celebrating nature's beauty and tranquility at the heart of the city.

Franklin Park joins five diverse and distinct neighborhoods, many of which are home to the city's largest communities of color. Within a ten-minute walk of the park, 39 percent of residents are black, 26 percent are Hispanic or Latino, and 16 percent are white.² →

↓ Yoga at Schoolmaster Hill ⬚ figure

↓ Event at The Playstead ⬚ figure

Spotlight

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Key

• 🧺 Picnic area
• ♨️ Barbecue area
• ⛷️ Cross country skiing
• 🎡 Playground
• ↔️ Exercise station
• ⚾ Baseball/Softball
• 🎾 Tennis
• 🏀 Basketball
• 🏃 Track and field events
• ⚽ Football/Soccer
• 🟡 Bus stop
• 🅿️ Parking
• ---Bus Route 16
• ...... Bicycle riding
• ↔️ Park pedestrian access
• 🟩 Passive park use
• 🟩 Active park use
• 🟩 Restricted use

This Is What We Heard:

Opportunities and Challenges

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1,600

comments from

230 participants

An open house held at the Franklin Park Golf Course in February 2017 sparked a conversation with neighbors and community leaders about their priorities for Franklin Park and set the stage for a more robust community engagement and planning process.

Community members highlighted wide-ranging opportunities and challenges at the event and through the online survey.

"The best parts of the park are the ones close to the nearby neighborhoods, and that foster a gathering area." Participant via Franklin Park online survey

"The Park should draw people in and businesses should be thriving from weekend visitors; instead the park always seems physically isolated from many neighborhoods." Participant via Franklin Park online survey

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Community Connections & Neighborhood Economic Development

Community members envisioned a park that responds to the social and cultural identity of the neighborhoods surrounding Franklin Park. Active events and gatherings, based around family and community, and a celebration of the culture and history of Franklin Park were regarded as key to the park's future. Diverse programming, such as movie nights, food trucks, concerts, and public-art installations were identified as strategies for creating an active park while connections to local businesses were seen as important for bringing in economic benefits to community main streets. A revitalized and well-programmed Franklin Park can also be an economic driver that supports small businesses, attracts investment, and contributes to local economic mobility.

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Access, Wayfinding, Connectivity, & Safety

A primary concern of community members was providing more welcoming connections and wayfinding within the park, as well as improved transit and pedestrian connections to adjacent neighborhoods—particularly linkages to local businesses and cultural uses. Community members emphasized the importance of clear signs and markers to help park goers navigate within the park and locate entrances, exits and specific activities. To boost safety, many suggested lighting, direction signs, emergency phones, and other improvements in areas such as the Bear Cages, Wilderness, Franklin Park Zoo, and Shattuck Hospital. Many voiced concern with traffic speed along Circuit Drive and the lack of seperation between cars, bicycles, and pedestrians.

"Make it accessible from Forest Hills Station, improve walking conditions." Participant via Franklin Park online survey

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Landscape Character & Development

Participants celebrated the unique natural character of Franklin Park, particularly the tranquility of the wilderness and the openness of long views and emphasized the need for habitat preservation. Community members suggested improved features such as tot lots and places to sit and relax. Park maintenance and landscape condition, notably in the Wilderness and Scarboro Pond, were frequently mentioned as areas needing improvement.

"Restore playstead to its original intended 30 acres, Olmsted said it was good for urban dwellers and mental health." Participant in Franklin Park Open House

"It actually feels like there aren't a lot of places that invite people to come and sit or relax. I feel like I'm supposed to keep moving all the time." Participant via Franklin Park online survey

"Overall the park needs maintenance. There are a lot of invasive species and dead trees. Getting it in shape and plan for the future of the plantings is key!" Participant via Franklin Park online survey

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Park Amenities & Structure

The park's historic structures, overlooks, and puddingstone elements are highly valued, with a strong desire to improve Scarboro Hill, Playstead Overlook Ruins, and the Bear Dens, as well as basic amenities such as restrooms, water fountains, and picnic areas.

"Keep the bear cages! Protect those!! They have been disappearing little by little and they are SUCH a cool, historical part of the park that I enjoy running by each day." Participant via Franklin Park online survey

"I like the ruins at the top of Schoolmaster Hill. My son thinks it's a castle." Participant in Franklin Park Open House

"Traffic calming on circuit drive, and dedicated cycle tracks. Also better directional signage outside." Participant via Franklin Park online survey

"It would be great to be able to spend a day tooling around the park on separated bike paths." Participant via Franklin Park online survey

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Recreation & Sports

Community members called for improvements to existing ball fields, ball courts, playgrounds, and marked running, hiking, and biking trails. There was also interest in new facilities for recreation, equipment rental opportunities, and a strong emphasis placed on winter recreation activities, such as ice skating, sledding, and cross-country skiing.

"I can go for a long walk or ski and feel immersed in nature." Participant via Franklin Park online survey

"It can give the feeling of hiking but within city limits—which is amazing." Participant via Franklin Park online survey

This is what we aspire to achieve.

Invest in World Class Programming

Invest in signature arts and cultural activities, events, and traditions to enhance and activate one of Boston's most iconic parks.

Showcase Beauty and Tranquility

Visitors will be able to find beauty and tranquility through diverse landscapes in Franklin Park.

Improve Access to the Park

Entry points will be clear and transportation connections will be strengthened to improve access to Franklin Park from surrounding neighborhoods and the region.

Prioritize Safety

Visitors will enjoy convenient and safe access to the park; intrusions by traffic and parked cars will be minimized.

Provide Best-in-Class Operations and Management

Management and maintenance of Franklin Park will be appropriate for a landscape of its historic significance, scale, and complexity.

"Kiosks around the park telling people where they are and the history of that area would be great. It would be so cool if they also included cross-training." Participant in Franklin Park Open House

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Respect the Historic and Ecological Environment

Active uses that respect the capacity of the park and its natural resources will be encouraged. The demands of park users and the diversity of park uses will be managed in a way that is compatible with the landscape's history and ecology.

Improve Signs in the Park

Visitors will be comfortable and confident moving throughout the park. People will be encouraged to use all areas of the park and will be provided with sufficient information to find the park's features, destinations, and entrances and exits.

Foster Healthy Communities

The park will fulfill its historic role of supporting public health and as a “respite” from urban life through a range of actions from improving air quality to promoting fitness.

Create An Inclusive Gathering Place

Franklin Park will continue to be a magnet for diverse groups, a meeting ground for neighbors and a unifying destination for area residents and visitors.

"Water fountains for drinking and water-oriented play areas for kids and families to cool off " Participant in Franklin Park Open House

Precedents

A vision for the 485-acre Franklin Park can draw on best practices from large park transformations nationally

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Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY

Prospect Park is an iconic 500+ acre open space in the heart of Brooklyn designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux as a refuge from the industrial city of the nineteenth century. Prospect Park’s Long Meadow, a mile-long stretch of grass, is one of the longest span of unbroken meadow in any U.S. urban park and the park’s famed Ravine, 150 acres of woodlands and scenic waterways, is Brooklyn’s only forest. The park serves as a destination for picnicking and barbecues and a place for active and organized recreation with fields and courts for nearly every sport. Water features keep visitors cool on hot summer days and natural playspaces encourage children to engage with nature. Prospect Park is also home to regional farmers and food markets and live outdoor entertainment, attracting visitors from all over the city.

Since its conception, projects adding to Prospect Park’s original design have reflected architectural and recreational trends of the era. The City Beautiful movement of the early 1900s formalized the Park’s major entrances with marble columns and statues and an era of reinvestment and activation following the Great Depression introduced the park’s zoo, new playgrounds near adjacent residential areas, and the Bandshell. Following a decline in visitorship in the mid-twentieth century, significant recent investment, including in woodland restoration efforts, new amenities, and improved access to adjacent neighborhoods, has built a groundswell of support. Lakeside, a new year-round outdoor recreation center, responds to the historic design of Olmsted and Vaux, and provides skating rinks and indoor and outdoor gathering places for the area’s diverse community.

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Hermann Park, Houston, TX

Established in 1914, the 450-acre Hermann Park in Houston is similar to Franklin Park in its history and role as an evolving open space and pastoral escape from the city bustle. The park’s main attractions are the Houston Zoo, an 18-hole public golf course, and the Miller Outdoor Theater. Key investments, kicked off by a 1995 Master Plan, focused on restoring the park’s historical elements and creating new gathering spaces though the establishment of a central reflecting pool to serve as the "Heart of the Park". These improvements were followed by strengthened pedestrian and bicycle connections, including a new pedestrian bridge across Brays Bayou, forming links to nearby neighborhoods and to a 35-mile trail system. Today, the City of Houston has partnered with the non-profit citizens' organization, Hermann Park Conservancy, to develop a master plan that looks forward to the next 20 years and proposes reducing the impact of parking and adding a world-class play landscape to further the park’s mission as “a park for all Houstonians.”

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Piedmont Park, Atlanta, GA

Known as Atlanta’s “Common Ground”, Piedmont Park is a 200-acre park established in the late 1800s and located approximately two miles northeast of Downtown Atlanta. Although not an original Fredrick Law Olmsted design, Piedmont Park was reimagined in the 1900s by the sons of Olmsted, whose plan—albeit never fully realized—introduced features such as Park Drive Bridge that provided greater access to neighborhoods east of the park.

Today, the park’s prominent features include its Active Oval—consisting of a running track, sports fields and courts—Mayor’s Grove Playground and Noguchi Playscape, and aquatic center. In the last decade, a public private partnership between the City of Atlanta and Piedmont Park Conservancy has led the implementation of a master plan and effort to expand the Park, unlocking over 50 acres of new open space. Recent investments have renovated the visitor center, planted new trees and restored wildlife, enhanced pedestrian access to underground springs, and developed green road medians.

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Cass Family Day, Roxbury, August 20, 2016

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Framework for Safe Neighborhoods and Innovative Partnerships

Boston’s framework to boost public safety and reduce violence recognizes that violence is a complex social problem that requires a multifaceted response. The plan outlines a continuum of care to address the fundamental causes of violence—not just the symptoms. A multidisciplinary approach to violence prevention emphasizes opportunities and pathways away from violence via intervention, enforcement and reentry.

Health & Safety

The conditions in which Bostonians live, work, play, commute, and go to school have an enormous impact on our health, long before we ever see a doctor.

Boston has a long history of integrating public-health considerations into City policies and understands the role that the built environment and community infrastructure play in determining individual health outcomes. Our compact size and forward-looking policies make us well positioned to create a built environment and implement policies that reduce health disparities between races and neighborhoods. The following initiatives strive to address persistent health inequities and set higher goals for improving health outcomes for all residents and neighborhoods.

This is what inspires us to act.

Premature mortality rates vary significantly by neighborhood. They are higher for Dorchester (249 per 100,000 residents under 65), Roxbury (281), and South Boston (251), and lower for Back Bay (145), Roslindale (174), and West Roxbury (136) compared to the Boston average (202).¹ South Boston has significantly more substance abuse deaths compared to the city average, and Roxbury has a homicide rate more than double the city average.²

Some residents do not consume healthy food. Approximately 17 percent of Boston public high-school students report consuming less than one serving of fruits and vegetables per day.³

Urban surroundings are closely connected to health. Bostonians are eager to live in safe, walkable neighborhoods. Today, many areas that are less walkable have higher rates of obesity. Residents also discussed the importance of air quality in neighborhoods and access to healthy food. They are interested in strategies to improve air quality, such as encouraging mode shift toward walking and biking, planting trees, and improving green spaces. See graph on facing page $\rightarrow$ Boston Neighborhoods, Obesity Rate vs. Walk Score

Many caregivers worry about safety. 26 percent of Boston children ages 0-17 live in households where their parent or caregiver felt the child was unsafe in his or her neighborhood.⁴

Low-income residents have higher incidence of diseases. In 2015, Bostonians with incomes below $25,000 had higher rates of diabetes (13 vs. 5 percent), hypertension (30 vs. 5. percent), obesity (28 vs. 20 percent), persistent anxiety (28 vs. 17 percent), and persistent sadness (20 vs. 5 percent) than those with incomes above $50,000.⁵

Boston’s collaborative efforts to prevent violence are working. Boston is reducing crime without locking people up. Violent and property crimes in Boston have decreased 38 percent over the last 10 years. Over the same period, arrests have fallen by half.⁶ Today, Boston is one of the safest cities in the United States, and has been identified as a national model in Community Policing.

"Our neighborhood needs more than bodegas, check cashing, and fast food. Rebuild, rezone, and revitalize to support healthy places to shop, eat, and work." Roxbury resident via online mapping comments

26%

of Boston children live in households where their parent or caregiver felt the child was unsafe in his or her neighborhood.

Source: Boston Public Health Commission

Boston Neighborhoods, Obesity Rate vs. Walk Score

Boston neighborhoods that are more walkable tend to have lower obesity rates.

"Bringing jobs closer to where people live will promote a healthier lifestyle with more people biking or walking to work." Mattapan resident via online mapping comments

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Source: “Go Boston 2030,” Boston Transportation Department

Multiple factors influence obesity rate including access to healthy foods and health care. This graphic shows the relationship between obesity and Walk Score.

Walk Score® is an online tool that measures walkability on a scale of 0-100 based on walking routes to nearby amenities, such as schools, parks, and retail.

We will:

Prevent violence, human trafficking, and trauma

We will work together to achieve sustained reductions in youth violence, victimization, trauma and exposure to violence as well as human trafficking. We will proactively prevent these by boosting employability, strengthening community connections, and supporting stronger families and community networks. We will increase our capacity and the capacity of partners to identify, intervene, and serve at-risk individuals earlier, including via program such as YouthConnect and Operation Homefront.

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Residents emphasized the multifaceted ways to improve health during workshops in summer 2016.

A Roxbury resident commented on the need for "healthy, safe ways to walk and bike without worrying about harm from cars or gun violence," while a Mattapan resident suggested that "urban neighborhoods are in desperate need of more healthy food options and restaurants."

Create a more integrated system of care, focused on population health

We will continue to improve access, quality, and responsiveness of prehospital EMS care, as well as primary and specialty care. We will work to ensure that emerging healthcare delivery entities created under the Affordable Care Act, including Accountable Care Organizations, more closely align health-care delivery with community health needs.

Work to understand the root causes of persistent disparities in health outcomes

These include birth outcomes, chronic health conditions, and other key outcomes. We will use this knowledge to address the physical and social determinants of health that are built into our urban fabric. We will proactively address racial equity, social cohesion, and economic mobility to improve health and wellness.

Prepare communities for the public health challenges associated with climate change

We will enhance community education and create a more climate-ready built environment by addressing risks associated with floods such as sewage and contaminants, and by providing community "cooling centers" on our increasing numbers of hot days.

Work to improve access to mental health and substance abuse health services

We will integrate preventative mental health care into adult care, primary pediatric care, and school-based health centers in collaboration with state and federal partners, as well as the region's provider community. We will strive to provide assistance to residents in recovery, including by providing a 24/7 311 line for recovery support.

Make neighborhoods healthier places to live

We will encourage mixed-use, compact communities where it is easy to bike and walk, improve access to healthy and affordable food, expedite response times for emergency services, and improve indoor and outdoor air quality. We will also utilize health centers and other community resources as community meeting places to further engage residents and strengthen community cohesion.

"Increasing access to education to substance abuse is key to healthier communities" Allston resident via handwritten comment

"Easier and more reliable transport to community health centers and mental health services" Allston resident via poster comment

"By investing in proactive good health, more organic gardens [and] grocery stores... citizens will live longer, spend less on healthcare or disease maintenance and be more productive" Resident via draft plan feedback

Support Boston's homeless population

We will provide a central system for coordinating access to supportive housing units, improve the Front Door Triage Program, expand housing placement efforts for all individuals experiencing homelessness through initiatives such as Housing First, improve the shelter system, and advocate for a statewide response to homelessness to allow for coordinated discharge from institutions where individuals are at risk of homelessness.

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Roosevelt School, Hyde Park. The BOKS program focuses on the link between exercise and academic performance and brings exercise programming into schools.

Strengthen our local public health and healthcare systems to rapidly respond to emerging infectious diseases

We will catalyze innovations in disease surveillance, enhance electronic data systems to track and tackle diseases spatially, develop emergency response protocols, and coordinate with partners to control the spread of disease.

Sustain and cultivate trust between immigrant communities and police

We will build a culture of trust between communities and police, regardless of immigration status, so that residents feel safe enough to come forward, report crimes, and help with investigations without fear of arrest, detainment, or deportation.

Ensure City employees are healthy

We will ensure that the health and safety of City employees are protected including reducing cancer risks from chronic exposure for our Fire Department and enabling all employees to get cancer screenings.

Prioritize community partnerships

We will place the community at the center of our public safety mission and strengthen relationships with the community and partners. We will support and coordinate with non governmental organizations as well as religious and community organizations that strengthen community fabrics and break the cycle of violence.

Effectively respond to violence to decrease future risk

Trauma Response Teams will provide immediate crisis response and ongoing care as well as prompt engagement and intervention after events such as homicides. We will provide training and career pathways for high-risk and previously incarcerated individuals through initiatives such as Operation Exit, Youth Options Unlimited, and a newly-created Mayor's Office of Returning Citizens. We will also spearhead policy to drive change such as stemming the flow of illegal guns by strengthening licence to carry laws and working with the community and local leaders to boost compliance, and responsible purchasing.