Executive Summary
The Boston City Council Committee on Veterans, Military Families, & Military Affairs convened a hearing on November 21, 2025, to discuss the goals and priorities of the City of Boston Office of Veterans Services and to authorize the acceptance and expenditure of a federal grant for veteran employment services. Key discussions included the critical need for tailored services for diverse veteran populations, particularly women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and veterans of color, as well as addressing challenges in employment, housing, and mental health. The committee also highlighted the importance of community partnerships and the "Bridge the Gap" program in supporting veterans.
Meeting Details
- Governing Body: Boston City Council Committee on Veterans, Military Families, & Military Affairs
- Meeting Type: Committee Hearing
- Meeting Date: November 21, 2025, at 10:00 AM
- Attendees:
- Councilors: Edward Flynn (Chair), Erin Murphy, Enrique Pepén, Ruthzee Louijeune (Council President), Brian Worrell, Benjamin Weber, Julia Mejia
- Administration: Rob Santiago (Commissioner, Veterans Services), Jared Estrada (Deputy Commissioner, Office of Veterans Services), Joseph Lee (Chief of Staff, Worker Empowerment Cabinet)
- Virtual Testimony: Meredith Tewitt (Commander, William E. Carter Post), Heywood Fennell (President, Triad Veterans League)
- Public Testimony: Kevin Parham (Vice President of Career Services, JVS MassHire Downtown Boston), Kyle Foley (Disabled Veterans Outreach Program Coordinator, MassHIRE Downtown Boston), John Provenzano
- Staff: Shane Pack (Central Staff Liaison)
- Absent: Sharon Durkan (Councilor)
Agenda Item: Docket #0253 - Order for a Hearing to Discuss the Goals and Priorities of the City of Boston Office of Veterans Services
- Sponsors: Councilor Edward Flynn, Councilor Erin Murphy
- Referral Date: January 15th
- Key Discussion Points:
- Office of Veterans Services (OVS) Role: OVS works to connect veterans and military families to earned resources and services, collaborating with city, state, and federal partners.
- Diverse Veteran Needs: Recognition of the diverse needs within the veteran community, including:
- Appropriate counseling for returning veterans.
- Gender-specific healthcare for women veterans.
- Respectful healthcare providers for LGBTQ+ veterans.
- Housing services for homeless and at-risk veterans.
- Housing Commitment: The City of Boston has a program to ensure every veteran has access to housing.
- OVS Relocation: OVS is moving from 43 Hawkins to 26 Court Street, directly across from City Hall and the New England Center and Home for Veterans. This strategic move aims to centralize access and modernize services.
- Expanded Outreach: Plans to expand outreach to isolated or unaware veterans and deploy improved intake and follow-up systems.
- "Bridge the Gap" Program:
- This program addresses needs not covered by Chapter 115 benefits.
- It is currently in its third round of applications, with an open season.
- Focus areas include housing, transportation, health and wellness, economic mobility, legal services, and educational/historic programming.
- The program has seen increased funding, starting at $100,000 and growing to $300,000 in the current fiscal year.
- Organizations serving veterans are eligible to apply.
- Partnership with Bright Marine: Bright Marine provided a $100,000 grant to fund grocery and nutrition support for veterans experiencing food insecurity, especially during the holiday season.
- Veterans Equity Review Board: Governor Healey's administration established this board to address state entitlements for veterans discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" or similar policies.
- Military Leave Policy: Mayor Wu signed a policy extending military leave for City of Boston employees serving in the military from 19 to 40 days.
- Mental Health Support:
- Discussion on the staggering number of veteran suicides (averaging 21-24 per day).
- OVS partners with the VA and Vet Centers (e.g., South Boston Vet Center) to provide support services to families and veterans facing mental health challenges.
- The first PTSD Memorial was recently erected in Bourne, MA, highlighting the need for continued services.
- LGBTQ+ and Immigrant Veterans: OVS acknowledges the need to improve resources and outreach for LGBTQ+ and immigrant veterans, working with the VA's LGBTQ+ office and city agencies like MOVA.
- Chapter 115 Mandate:
- The "Aid to Veterans" line item supports the state's Chapter 115 mandate.
- Challenges include dwindling veteran population numbers and the restrictive poverty level (200% of federal poverty level) for eligibility, which often excludes Boston veterans.
- The "Bridge the Gap" program helps address this gap.
- Community Engagement: OVS actively seeks to collaborate with councilors and community events to reach more veterans, especially those who are unhoused, struggling with mental health, or otherwise hard to reach.
- Legal Services: OVS works closely with Harvard Legal Aid and Veteran Legal Services, who participate in veteran events and receive referrals. The possibility of a more formal legal "sit-down" was suggested.
- Trades and Apprenticeships: Commander Tewitt emphasized the need to focus on supporting veterans seeking careers in trades and apprenticeships, not just higher education.
- Indigenous Veterans: The need to include indigenous veterans in discussions and outreach was highlighted.
- Incarcerated Veterans: The importance of working with incarcerated veterans and returning citizens was noted.
Agenda Item: Docket #0722 - Message and Order Authorizing the City of Boston to Accept and Expend the Amount of $12,881 in the Form of a Grant for the Jobs for Veterans State Grant
- Sponsor: Mayor Michelle Wu
- Referral Date: April 2nd, 2025
- Grant Details:
- Amount: $12,881
- Source: Jobs for Veterans State Grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor, passed through the MassHire Department of Career Services.
- Administrator: Office of Workforce Development.
- Purpose: To fund enhanced employment training and services for eligible veterans, prioritizing disabled veterans and those facing significant barriers to employment.
- Goal: Improve job search outcomes and economic self-sufficiency for veterans.
- Key Discussion Points:
- Impact of Grant: The grant supports the occupancy costs for two veteran services members (state employees) at MassHire Career Centers (75 Federal Street in Downtown Boston and 10 Malcolm X Boulevard in Roxbury).
- MassHire Services: These centers provide workforce development services, including upskilling, training, and job placement, with a 100% commitment to the veteran community.
- Veteran Employment Outcomes (Last Fiscal Year):
- 59 veterans served in job search, assessments, and counseling.
- 30 veterans entered employment.
- Average salary rate: $28.49/hour.
- Priority Services: Veterans and their families in specific categories receive priority services for all Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds.
- Addressing Barriers:
- Boston's competitive job market poses challenges for veterans.
- Concerns about the competitiveness of degrees from community colleges in the Boston job market.
- Net out-migration of veterans from Massachusetts (around 100,000 from 2017-2025) due to cost of living and lack of recognition for military training.
- Need for more outreach to communities of color to identify and support veterans.
- Challenges for veterans seeking high-paying, white-collar jobs due to age perception and misperceptions about military service.
- Predatory practices of extension and online schools targeting veterans.
- Non-Bachelor Required Pathways: Mention of programs like biodiversity in Dorchester, which offers training in life sciences without requiring post-secondary education, with a high job placement rate (70% for recent graduates).
- Call for Action: The need for the state to partner with organizations and incentivize veteran hiring at companies offering white-collar jobs and to remove barriers at high-level educational institutions.
Public Testimony
- Kevin Parham (Vice President of Career Services, JVS MassHire Downtown Boston):
- Expressed gratitude for the Council's support for veterans.
- Emphasized MassHire's commitment to the veteran community and its role in providing workforce development services (upskilling, training, job placement).
- Stated that the MassHire Career Center system is "one of the best kept secrets in the state."
- Kyle Foley (Disabled Veterans Outreach Program Coordinator, MassHIRE Downtown Boston):
- Serves as a veteran's career advisor, assisting with education, training, and job searches.
- Highlighted Boston's competitive job market and barriers veterans face in education and employment.
- Stated that degrees from community colleges (e.g., Bunker Hill, Roxbury-McHugh, UMass Boston) are often not competitive in the Boston job market.
- Noted a significant out-migration of veterans from Massachusetts due to cost of living and lack of recognition for military training.
- Emphasized the need for more outreach to veterans of color and female veterans.
- Discussed the disparity in job placement for veterans seeking technical vs. high-level white-collar jobs.
- Critiqued the perception of veterans in the workplace and the predatory nature of extension and online schools.
- Advocated for incentivizing veteran hiring and removing educational barriers at high-level institutions.
- John Provenzano (South Boston Resident):
- Expressed respect and gratitude for veterans and the work of the Council and those testifying.
- Lamented the lack of public attendance at the hearing, emphasizing the need for more support for veterans.
- Shared personal connection to the Vietnam War and the loss of friends, highlighting the ongoing need to support veterans, including those experiencing homelessness.
Votes and Decisions
- Docket #0253 and #0722: Both dockets were adjourned at the conclusion of the hearing. No formal votes were taken during this committee hearing.