City Council - Ways & Means Committee Hearing on Dockets #0733-0740, FY27 Budget: Mayor's Office of Housing

• Date: April 27, 2026 at 02:00 PM
• Governing Body: Boston City Council Committee on Ways and Means
• Meeting Type: Budget Hearing on Dockets #0733-0740
• Chair: Councilor Benjamin Weber
• Councilors Present: Edward Flynn, Erin Murphy, Liz Breadon, John Fitzgerald, Ruthzee Louijeune, Miniard Culpepper, Gabriela Coletta Zapata, Enrique Pepén, Brian Worrell.
• Panelists:
  • Sheila Dillon, Chief of Housing and Director of the Mayor's Office of Housing (MOH)
  • Rick Wilson, Director of Administration and Finance, MOH
  • Joel Wool, Deputy Administrator, Boston Housing Authority (BHA)

The hearing provided an overview of the FY27 operating budget for the Mayor's Office of Housing, as read into the record: "Docket numbers 0733 to 0740: An overview of the FY27 operating budget for the Mayor's Office of Housing."

• Total Recommended Operating Budget: $49.2 million (a 9.6% or ~$5 million reduction from FY26).
• Major Program Allocations:
  1. City of Boston Voucher Program: $11.85 million.
  2. Homebuyer and Homeowner Assistance: $10 million.
  3. Homeless and Supportive Housing: $9.3 million.
  4. Affordable Housing Development: $7 million.
  5. Housing Stability: $5.5 million.
• External Funding: MOH anticipates managing over $100 million in external funds, including $77 million from HUD (CDBG, HOME, ESG, HOPWA, and Continuum of Care).
• ARPA Funding: MOH has spent $190 million (80%) of its $237 million ARPA allocation for housing and Grow Boston initiatives.

The panel detailed several significant reductions made to balance the city budget:

• City of Boston Voucher Program: Reduced by $2.3 million. Officials stated this would not reduce the number of households served (target ~500) due to the use of prior year funds.
• Affordable Commercial Assistance Fund (ACAF): Eliminated ($1 million reduction). The program provided rent write-downs for local businesses in mixed-use developments.
• Access to Counsel Pilot Program: Eliminated ($450,000 reduction). The program provided legal services to BPS families facing eviction.
• Grow Boston Grants: Reduced by $430,000, leaving $320,000 in city funding for urban agriculture.
• Fair Housing: Reduced by $250,000.
• Additional Reductions: ADU budget ($200,000), lot clearance contracts ($100,000), and the Tenant Stabilization Fund ($50,000).

• FY26 Accomplishments: Permitted 800 income-restricted units and acquired 8 buildings through the Acquisition Opportunity Program (AOP).
• FY27 Goals: Aiming to permit 1,000 new affordable units and complete construction on 280 homeownership units.
• AOP Status: Since 2016, AOP has helped acquire 1,400 units across 147 buildings with over $100 million spent. Currently, $7 million in Linkage funding remains available for the program.
• Preservation: The city is working to preserve 140 units at the Forbes project in Jamaica Plain, which is currently stalled.

• FY26 Accomplishments: Placed 780 individuals into permanent housing and secured $48 million in HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) funding.
• FY27 Goals: House 775 homeless individuals and serve 680 people living with HIV/AIDS.
• Domestic Violence Support: $4 million of CoC funding is dedicated to survivors of domestic violence, serving at least 125 households.
• Legal Action: The city successfully won court injunctions to preserve CoC funding after HUD attempted to limit funds for permanent housing.

• Major Redevelopments: Ongoing projects at Mildred Haley, Charlestown, and Mary Ellen McCormick.
• Infrastructure: Elevator upgrades are underway at Ruth Barkley (target completion January 2027) and St. Botolph.
• Public Plaza: Capital funds will construct a public plaza at 135 Dudley Street to connect affordable housing to the Boston Public Library.

• Danielle Andrews (The Food Project): Opposed cuts to Grow Boston, stating, "This budget does not balance the books and unbalances our neighborhoods."
• Annabelle Rubia (The Trustees): Highlighted that community gardens grow food for over 20,000 people with an annual value of $1.2 million.
• Mark Winterer (Recover Green Roofs): Emphasized the mental health and wellness benefits of urban agriculture.
• Olivia Martin (Resident): Testified regarding an imminent threat of homelessness and issues with Metro Housing voucher relocation policies.
• Lisa Evans (We Grow Microgreens): Noted the decline of small farms and the importance of urban farming in training future farmers.
• Matthew Ellison (Urban Farming Institute): Supported Grow Boston, noting a waitlist for raised garden beds that is double the current capacity.
• Joy Gary (Boston Farms Community Land Trust): Urged reconsideration of cuts, stating, "High revenue and great margins are needed, but having no values will equate to failure."