Contra is so added. >> Thank you, Madam President. Boston continues to face a housing affordability crisis, but affordability alone is not enough if residents who lawfully qualify for housing are still
denied equal access because of who they are or how they pay their rent. Fair housing is a civil rights issue and every resident should have an equal opportunity to access safe, stable housing regardless of their race or
whether they rely on a housing voucher. Research conducted by the Suffach University Law School Housing Discrimination Testing Program and the Boston Foundation found troubling evidence that discrimination remains widespread in the greater Boston rental
market. The report found evidence of voucher-based discrimination in 86% of tests and race-based discrimination in 71% of tests with renters receiving different treatment throughout the housing search process from initial
inquiries and apartment showings to applications and follow-up communication. This hearing is an opportunity to better understand the extent of housing discrimination in Boston. evaluate whether our current enforcement tools
are sufficient and identify additional steps the city can take to strengthen fair housing education testing enforcement and coordination with state and local partners. If we are serious about expanding access to housing and
combating segregation and combating segregation, then we must also ensure the residents who have housing vouchers or other lawful sources of income are not unlawfully denied the opportunity to live in the neighborhoods
of their choosing. Thank you, Madam President. >> Thank you, Councelor Cop. The chair recognizes councelor Warel. Councelor, you have the floor. Uh thank you madam president and thank you councelor co pepper uh for introducing this hearing order and adding me as an original co-sponsor. Uh we know residents are still facing
housing discrimination in our city and it's our obligation as a city council to make combating that discrimination a priority in our actions, not just in our value statements. That's exactly why I filed a hearing order earlier this year to discuss the city's implementation of
fair housing practices and how the administration is fair and achieving the goals laid out in the original affirmally furthering fair housing assessment. That assessment was put together in 2016 by a dedicated team of housing experts and advocates called the
community advisory committee to outline how the city must affirmally further fair housing opportunities for all our residents. That assessment sheds light on discrimination in our city with steps outlined to rectify the problem. In 2020, Boston became the first major city
in the nation to include fair housing requirements in the zoning code that mandate developers to take significant steps to prevent displacement and ensure equitable housing access. As a council, last year we voted 11 and0 in favor of strengthening and protecting our
affirmally furthering fair housing ideals. So, let's follow through and I'm looking forward to this hearing. Thank you. >> Thank you, councelor Orel. Would anyone like to add their name? Councelor Fitzgerald, councelor Flynn, councelor Luen, councelor Murphy, councelor Pepen,
councelor Santana, councelor Weber, and please add the chair. Thank you. Docket 1339 will be referred to the committee on civil rights, racial equity, and immigrant advancement. Madame clerk, could you please read docket 1340?
>> Docket 1340. Councelor Kalpa offer the following order for a hearing to examine the civil rights implications of rapid transit inequities in the city of Boston. Chair recognizes councelor Culper. Councelor, you have the floor. >> Madam chair, may docket 1341 be read
alongside 1340. Um certainly you can read them together but when it comes to uh adding co-sponsors or whatever we'll we'll figure it out as we go. So certainly madam president >> docket 1341 council kepa offer the following resolution in support of eval
evaluating the orange line extension along blue hill. >> Chair recognizes councelor co pepper. You have the floor. >> Thank you madam president. I would like to add councelor well as a second original co-sponsor >> on docket
>> 1340 >> 1340 okay thank you >> and 1341 >> okay uh councelor war is so added to docket 1340 and 1341
>> thank you madame president access to reliable high-speed highcapacity public transportation is fundamentally a civil rights issue because it determines whether residents have equal access to employment,
education, health care, child care, and economic opportunity. When some neighbors receive sustained investment and rapid transit while others wait decades for promised improvements, we have a responsibility to ask whether
those decisions have produced desperate impacts and whether every community has been afforded equal opportunity. Nearly 40 years ago, when the Orange Line was relocated to the Southwest Corridor, residents lost rapid transit service
along Washington Street with the understanding that comparable rail service would replace it. That promise, Madame President, and my colleagues, has never been fully realized. And today, the corridor remains one of the busiest bus corridors in the Commonwealth while
continuing to lack the permanent rapid transit infrastructure found elsewhere in the city. During that same period, the Commonwealth continued investing in major rail projects elsewhere, including the completion of the Red Line extension
to Alife in 1985, the relocation of the Orange Line and construction of new southwest corridor stations in 1987, the opening of the Silverline waterfront in 2004, the opening of Assembly Station on the Orange Line in 2014, and the
completion of the Green Line extension to Somerville and Medford. effort beginning in 2022. While each of these projects served important transportation needs, they also illustrate that transformational rail investments have continued to move
forward in other parts of greater Boston while communities along Bluehill Avenue have continued waiting for the rapid transit improvements they were promised. This hearing is not about dimission diminishing investments made elsewhere. It is about asking whether the
distribution of rapid transit infrastructure over the past four decades has been equitable. It is about asking whether the distribution of rapid transfer in infrastructure over the past four decades has been equitable.
It is about asking whether the distribution of rapid transit infrastructure over the past four decades has been equitable. whether historic planning decisions have had a disparit impact on protected communities and what steps are necessary to ensure
that future transportation investments advance equal opportunity rather than reinforce longstanding disparities. Thank you, Madam President. >> Thank you. Chair recognizes Councelor Warel. I'm assuming you want to speak to both these dockets that you're a
co-sponsor. >> Yes. Um thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Council Co Pepper. Um and I just urge everyone um especially my colleagues to look up the MBTA map overlaid on top of the city of Boston. What you see is a gap that covers a
large portion of Roxberry, Dorchester and Madapan. You cannot help but see this gap in transit and connected to the gaps in wages, the gaps in educational outcomes and the gaps in health outcomes. Some folks think doubling down on diesel
buses in an environmental justice neighborhood will solve all this. But our community is asking what so many other Boston communities have. A one seat ride downtown on rail, not a center running bus lane to nowhere. We're being
asked to give up parking in any new housing. We're being asked to give up parking in some of our small business districts. And then we're told that our only option is a bus rather than a train. This gap is a painful reminder of
decades of racial injustice in Boston. We need to think big and grand to solve it and we can't put a ceiling on the price for corrective investments. The lack of capital planning and funding is holding back generation after generation. So I thank council co pepper
again for his partnership on this. It's imperative we provide transit equity and fix this transit gap for the future of black Bostononians. >> Thank you, Councelor Warel. Um I see councelor Pepen and councelor
uh Flynn's light on. Um if if a docket is the hearing order is if you want to speak to docket number 1341. Um, >> yes. >> I'm not asking for a vote on either of
these today. I'm asking for both of them to be referred to the committee on civil rights. >> Okay. Thank you. No vote then. Uh, we'll have no further no further discussion. Thank you, >> Councelor Flynn.
>> But could I could I still speak on 1341 since it originally came in as a as a resolution? Um I think under the circumstances we've all had a challenging afternoon. I will give you two minutes councelor Flynn and I'll also give the same privilege to
councelor Pep then. Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you. Just because it was um on on 1341 as a resolution we we do have the under the law we do have the right to um speak on it um if the if a vote does take place
with with the resolution. But my point my point is I want to say thank you to councelor co pepper councel warrell for bringing this important subject forward. I think as a district counselor councelor co pepper and as a district
counselor council they know their communities best. They listen to their residents on a daily basis. They understand the transportation challenges in their particular neighborhoods. I think when a district city councelor
speaks on a particular issue, I think it has incredible weight because they're the closest people to the public. They're the closest people to their constituents. So, I do support them on this resolution, on this hearing order,
and support what they're what they're asking, and I think what they're asking is um respect um and dignity for their constituents. I also believe this is also a civil rights issue as well. Thank you, Madam Chair.
>> Thank you. Chair recognizes councelor um councelor Pepen. You have the floor. >> Thank you, madam president. I also wanted to rise just to thank councelor co pepper and councel barrell for you know talking about this issue. We all know that the blue app conversation has
not been easy. Um I represent about 1.4 four miles of it from Madapan Square to Morton Street and I've heard everything from people against it, people in support of it, how this going to impact businesses, how it's going to help some people, how it's going to hurt others.
Um, what I wanted to provide as part of the conversation is that what's very funny about all of this is that we used to have beautiful street cars running right down the middle, Blue Hob all the way to Auggles Square from the 1890s to 1955.
And it just shows that decisions that were made over 70 years ago are now negatively impacting us because they decided to get rid of the street cars, add more lanes for cars, and we now see that the neighborhoods that do have
street cars are more like the green line right now. They're people really love that. And what happened is that there was a huge disinvestment into this part of the city. And I just think that, you know, we have to be courageous. When I'm not just speaking here about Blueho, I'm speaking about public transportation in
general. We have to be courageous about the investment of it. We have to continue to advocate for it more. Um I hear residents in High Park asking for Orange Line extension down High Park Avenue. I hear people in Rosland wanting it to extend all the way down to West Roxberry. Um folks in Lynn want the blue line. I there's there's so much
potential that we can do and I just hope that we can use this specific conversation to realize what a benefit it is to advocate for more public transportation um so that our residents are not facing the consequences as was made 70 years ago. So thank you madam president.
>> Thank you councelor Pepen. Would anyone like to add their name to docket 1340? The hearing order for um the hearing order for uh to examine civil rights implications of rapid transit inequities.
Councelor Durken, Councelor Fitzgerald, Councelor Flynn, Councelor Louisen, Councelor Murphy, Councelor Pepen, Councelor Santana, Councelor Weber, and please add the chair. This docket number 1340 will be referred to the committee on civil rights, racial
equity, and immigrant advancement. Would anyone like to add their since docket 1341 is going to go directly to committee, would anyone like to add their name? Councelor Fitzgerald, Councelor Flynn, Councelor Louisen, counselor Murphy,
councelor Pepen, counselor Santana, counselor Weber. Uh and please add the chair. Um since the wording I'm just this wasn't going to be a reject. I think this uh docket will go to planning
transportation and development docket 1341. Thank you >> madam chair. >> Councelor councelor uh co pepper. I respectfully appeal the decision of the
chair to assign docket 1341 to the committee on civil rights, racial equity, and immigrants advancement. Transportation infrastructure is not just about moving people. It is about a vehicle for opportunity. Historically, as this hearing order
notes, inequitable investments have created a train desert in the heart of Boston black and immigrant communities. the continued failure to provide their services of clear civil rights concern that is producing desperate impacts that
limit access to health care, education, and housing. We must examine these design and funding decisions through a civil rights lens to ensure that our public infrastructure reflects the principles of racial equity
and equal opportunity. something that's not happening now and has not happened for 40 years. >> Thank you, councelor uh Col Pepper. Councelor Murphy, you have the floor. >> Thank you, Madam President. I just rise
in support of Council Col Pepper's request to reconsider. He also wanted them read together because I do believe he wants to work on them together with him and council War. But it was something that councelor Warel said and I'm looking forward to either you sharing it with me or I'll find it after
this meeting when you said when you overlay a map of the transit in the neighborhoods and it's really showing the desert you speak of and the neighborhoods that are most negatively affected. So I do think it's important that these two are heard and I think it's more effective for us as a body to
hear these together. So I hope we keep them in the same committee and agree that it should be in the civil rights committee. Thank you. Thank you, councelor Murphy. Um um councelor, let me see. Councelor uh councelor Warel, you have the floor.
>> Thank you, Madam President. And I know uh our intent um was to have the hearing and then afterwards after the hearing uh bring this up um for a a vote after the hearing. Um, and I think that is um why
we as um sponsors on this wanted to keep them together um and not take a vote now but have the hearing first and then move forward with a vote after the hearing. >> Yeah, I thank you councelor Durken. You have the floor. >> Thank you so much. Um there is already
as the chair of planning development and transportation there is already a blue hill a docket um in the planning development and transportation committee uh which could be heard alongside this resolution as well as the uh the other docket. So, um I I do think as it's written, it's written as a
transportation docket and I um I appeal to my colleagues. Um we do have another docket for Bluehav in the committee and have attempted to get that scheduled. So, looking forward to potentially uh working together um on that. Uh again,
it's I have no skin in the game other than the fact that there are other pending dockets and I think it makes sense for all the dockets that are heard to be heard together. Thank you. Thank you. If >> I may, councelor Kpap, >> if you remember the extended conversation that we had over that
previous docket that councelor Durkin is referring to, it was not written in a civil rights perspective with a civil rights uh disparit impact added to it. So I would say
madame president that this docket 1341 was written as council war said to go along with 1340 and to have the vote after we had the hearing on 1340. Thank you. >> I appreciate and I think what's what's
confusing is that the two dockets um were put together and resolution is a slightly different dynamic than a than a hearing order. So, uh, given your, um, given your advocacy, councelor Co.
Pepper, I will send, uh, both dockets to CI, um, um, the committee on civil rights, racial equity, and immigrant advancement. >> Thank you, madam. >> Thank you. Um, I also appreciate councelor Durkin's um
intention to hold a a hearing on this uh issue in the planning development and um >> we're working >> you're working on it. Very good. Thank you. I hope that can be addressed fairly soon. Um
so both these dockets uh 1340 uh will go to the committee on civil rights, racial equity and immigrant advancement and docket 1341 will also go to the committee on civil rights, racial
equity and immigrant advancement. Thank you. Madame clerk, could you please read docket 1342? >> Docket 1342. Councilors Pepe and Ourel offer the following resolution calling calling on Boston public schools to fully partner with the Massachusetts
state roots to school program. Chair recognizes councelor Pepin. Councelor Pepin, you have the floor. >> Thank you, Madam President. May I add counselor Fitzgerald as our second co-sponsor? >> Councelor Fitzgerald is so added. >> Thank you. Um, as many of you know, the
transportation safety around schools in our neighborhood has been my number one priority since getting into the city council. Um, this specific topic was part of my maiden speech, my very first speech on the city council. I've been strongly advocating for this forever. I
have a lot of elementary, middle schools in my district where parents continuously feel unsafe about just drivers speeding down the neighborhood streets, their kids crossing the crosswalks um safely. We honor our crossing guards, making sure that they are getting the resources that they
deserve. Councelor Flynn and I were able to attend a lunchon with them with the crossing guards um not too long ago and thank them personally for what they've done. This program through the state is a is a free program, federally funded program
focused on protecting children on their way to and from the classrooms. Joining the program costs nothing to our school district. Yet today, fewer than 60 out of the 103 eligible BPS schools are enrolled. The reason for this is that
the school leaders have to reach out individually to the state program in order to actually sign up and receive the resources, the resources, the trainings, and all the available tools that the state provides in order to teach their kids about this transportation safety. Every family in
our in every neighborhood across Boston deserves to know that their children have a safe way to get to school. So, full enrollment into the safe route to school program supports that goal. And I've already had conversations with our with our superintendent. Um she's very open to this. This is one of those
conversations where um it would benefit every single BPS student to get these resources. So it's time that every single school that is eligible for this is receiving this this resources and that's why I'm calling to support this and get this resolution passed today. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Chair recognizes councelor Patel. Councelor, you have the floor. Thank you, Madam President, and thank you again, Council Pen, for having me as a co-sponsor on this bill. Uh it's important to me not only as a parent who walks my kids to school every morning. Uh but also, I believe that uh the bus
budget that we have uh is exorbitantly high. Uh and in order to save money, I think we can cut from the bus budget going back to local schools. If we go back to local schools, then we have to make sure that there is a safe route for people to walk to those schools. So, I think getting out and putting this infrastructure in place ahead of time
for all schools will help us be better prepared for that. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, councelor Pepen, you have a second thought on that one? >> No, I just I meant to I want to add suspend the rules and act councelor Warell as a third original co-sponsor. >> Seeing and hearing, no objection.
Councelor Warell is added as a third. >> Thank you. >> Councelor Warell, would you like to speak to this and then we'll go to councelor Flynn. >> Uh, thank you, Madam President. Thank you to councelor Pepin and also councelor Fitzgerald uh for including me on this resolution. Uh we've done a lot
of work with Matt Masd uh to address unsafe bus routes in my district and they are a phenomenal program. Over the past year, the program served um over 600,000 students in 1,300 schools across cities in the Commonwealth. And in their most recent
report, they cited numerous positive outcomes on students in their communities, not just in reduced congestion and traffic fatalities, but also improved academic performance, classroom attendance, physical activity, and strengthen interpersonal skills
among students. At the city level, the Boston SRTS project has focused on pedestrian and bike safety um education as well. The city program is mostly focused on elementary schools, but we know the state-run program offers support for all our schools. My office
has worked with them around some of the schools in my district, including the King Tech Boston, and the Conservatory Lab Charter School. I want to give a big shout out to Tina for really working with our school leaders and off offering realistic and responsive support around the school community's needs rather than
a technocratic approach to pedestrian and cyclist safety. I know many of our schools are partnered with the Boston Safe Routes to School chapter, but there are too many that are not. This means many of our schools are not getting access to free resources and services that could have substantial traffic
traffic safety and health benefits for our students and communities. In order to create a safe transportation system citywide, I'm urging full partnership with the Mass Dots safe routes to school to allow every BPS student to benefit from safer and greater access to
transportation to school. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um chair recognizes councelor Flynn. Councelor, you have the floor. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um thank you to the sponsors for bringing this forward. It was it was wonderful to join councelor Pepin a couple weeks ago as he
mentioned in Roxbury where there was a lunch to recognize the crossing gods throughout the city of Boston. I think the crossing gods play a critical role in our city. Um I think they're really unsung heroes as as far as I'm concerned
and really do an exceptional job. they they don't receive the recognition or the pay or the or the support that I believe they they they earned. Um but I would I would like for us to uh moving forward to do as much as we can for the
crossing guards because of the critical role they play in public safety, literally putting their body in front of a a car to ensure the safety of of a student. We've we've heard about that. We know that's that's the case. The
other point I wanted to make, Madam Chair, is I do believe traffic enforcement is a critical aspect that needs to take place by the Boston police, especially um especially cars that are speeding,
reckless driving in and around schools. We know that the speed limit is 25 m an hour at schools is 20 m an hour. I I do think that is excessive 20 m an hour at a school. I think it should be reduced
to 15 m an hour. Um and making sure that we do more traffic enforcement. I've asked uh requested from the police commissioner that we do more traffic enforcement in and around schools for cars that are speeding. And I know councelor Pepin worked on this when we
see the um school bus that