@civicorganizing.boston.gov
The official Bluesky account of the Boston Office of Civic Organizing. We empower Boston residents to connect, collaborate and take action in their neighborhoods through civic programs and resources. boston.gov/departments/civic-organizing
Graphic with text: Annual Census Make sure you get counted
The Annual Census maintains the integrity of the voter roll. For more information, or to fill out the census, go to Boston.gov/census
311 Day Invitation
Have you ever wondered what happens after you report a pothole or a missed trash pickup? Join us on Wednesday, March 11 (3/11) at the Mattapan Branch of the BPL for our inaugural 311 Day celebration. This is your chance to meet the people behind the phones and the apps. #311Day #Boston311
This week, we are highlighting some of our recent Winter Events! Second, we are sharing some photos from our Snowshoeing Safari, see how attendees adventured through the snow, guided by our wonderful Park Rangers!❄️
For more about our Park Rangers and their programs, visit: boston.gov/park-rangers.
Enormous gratitude to our incredible @streets.boston.gov teams who hauled over a thousand truck loads of snow overnight. 💪
Boston School Committee Chair Jeri Robinson reads “See Marcus Grow” to a group of Boston Public Schools students seated on a classroom rug at Winthrop Elementary School.
City of Boston Chief of Policy and Research Officer Kristin McSwain hands a copy of “See Marcus Grow” to a Boston Public Schools student at Winthrop Elementary School.
Boston School Committee Chair Jeri Robinson poses for a group photo with Boston Public Schools students seated on a classroom rug at Winthrop Elementary School.
Boston School Committee Chair Jeri Robinson reads and shows “See Marcus Grow” at Winthrop Elementary School.
As part of Boston Reads, School Committee Chair Jeri Robinson and City of Boston's Kristin McSwain read “See Marcus Grow” to Winthrop Elementary students.
Thanks to the many volunteer readers and Jumpstart for the books!
Learn more:
boston.gov/departments/early-childhood/boston-reads
A Public Works vehicle dumps snow into the bed of a large truck on a recently plowed road.
As of this morning, Boston's @streets.boston.gov teams have hauled 2,594 loads—or 43,666 cubic yards—of snow off of Boston's streets to snow farms.
We're expecting nearly 300 pieces of equipment on the roads tonight to continue the work. ❄️
Age Strong is hosting a series of cost-saving clinics across the city. TODAY & TOMORROW we will be in East Boston at the BCYF Paris Street Community Center, located at 112 PARIS STREET February 9 & 10.
Call 617-635-4366 or visit boston.gov/cost-saving for more info.
A clear space has been shoveled out from deep snow in Boston, and a trash bin and recycling cart are shown in the cleared area to make collection happen safely and efficiently
🗑️♻️ When we experience winter weather, curbside trash and recycling collection can be challenging.
To help, please clear snow around barrels/bins and set them out in an accessible location to keep crews safe and avoid missed pickups. For more winter trash tips: boston.gov/snow-trash
The best way to report snow issues and other problems that need the City's attention to @311.boston.gov is with the BOS:311 app.
Public Works crews have been working 24/7 to clear snow, widen roadways, improve visibility around intersections, and ensure safe access to crosswalks and curb ramps.
While large-scale snow removal occurs overnight for public safety, crews continue to work throughout the day.
A graphic on a white and blue gradient reads "Space Savers: Did you use a traffic cone, beach chair, yoga mat, or some other object to save your parking space on the street? Here's what you need to know: - You have 48 hours to use a space saver after the end of a declared snow emergency. - By 8 p.m. Wednesday, January 28, you need to remove it from the street. - Space savers are never allowed in Bay Village or the South End."
Space savers must be removed by 8 p.m. tonight.
More winter storms are expected, so sign up now for Alert Boston, our official emergency alert system. Emergency information is available in 11 languages and provided automatically by phone, text, and email.
❄️ Sidewalks matter this winter, Boston! ❄️
Here’s what you need to know to keep our sidewalks safe and accessible for everyone.
See an unshoveled sidewalk? Report it to 311. Visit Boston.gov/snow for more information, use the BOS:311 app, or call 3-1-1 / 617-635-4500. Stay safe this winter, Boston!
Boston is under a cold emergency this weekend. #BCYF community centers are open as warming centers during normal operating hours. If you’re out and need a few minutes to warm up, you’re welcome to stop in.
🔗 boston.gov/cold
📞 Call 911 if someone is in danger from the cold.
@civicorganizing.boston.gov's City Hall on the Go truck is on the move this week, bringing City Hall services to all of Boston’s neighborhoods!
🗓️ Tuesday, 1/13: Fenway-Kenmore, Allston, Brighton
🗓️ Wednesday, 1/14: Mission Hill, South End, Dorchester
See all times and locations at the link below.
The Boston Public Library is happy to announce "Revolutionary Ideas: Boston250", a year-long celebration of the art, activism, and energy that has made Boston a hotbed of revolutionary thought and innovation since 1776!
Learn more: tinyurl.com/BPLRevIdeas
It's #mysteryphoto time! Do you know where and when this photo was taken?
Steve, Jim, Tamara, and Doug: I write with an update on this year’s City of Boston property tax valuations, following last year’s good faith effort to partner in delivering balanced, reasonable residential tax relief so that the businesses you represent would benefit from excellent city services and greater stability for the Boston residents who are your community, workforce, and customer base. As you recall, in early 2024, the City projected significant increases to residential taxes as a result of declining commercial values. We worked proactively to cushion this impact by proposing a revenue-neutral, temporary measure that Boston had successfully implemented in the past with legislative approval and business community support. Working together over weeks of negotiations, your organizations agreed to a three-year compromise, stating that you were “proud that we worked with Mayor Wu to reach a resolution that mitigates short-term property tax increases for residents while avoiding significant new burdens on commercial properties. ” The legislation was passed twice by the Boston City Council and the State House of Representatives, but ultimately did not receive a vote before the State Senate after being procedurally blocked by a single Senator. After that compromise was abandoned by your groups and the State Senate, Boston residents were left facing a significant tax increase, while the commercial share of the tax burden has never been lower. Your organizations suggested that the final property valuations were not as dire as the worst case scenarios presented, although they landed squarely within the range of estimates presented throughout the process. Your coalition had anchored the compromise to a shared goal of protecting residents from double-digit annual tax increases, targeting a threshold of 9% increases. Yet after you withdrew support for our compromise, the average single family homeowner had to bear a 10.4% increase (alt text limit reached)
the average single family homeowner. This is why we proposed a five-year residential tax relief measure (compromising down to a three-year measure), anticipating that this multi-year transition would require multi-year protection for residents. With taxes for the average single family home projected to be up 34% from 2023 to 2026, Boston residents are facing serious financial hardship. Meanwhile, the tax bill for the average Class A office tower is projected to decrease by 4.4%, or $210,000. If the Legislature fails to act on our pending home-rule petition, the share of the City’s tax levy paid by commercial property owners will fall to 53.9%, the lowest level since Proposition 2½ passed 45 years ago. Residents will shoulder an even greater share of the tax levy, matching the predictions we made one year ago. We are all doing our part to ensure fiscal responsibility in uncertain times. In April, our administration put forward a constrained City budget that limited overall budget growth in FY26 to 4.4% (and just 1.7% growth for City departments), with reductions equivalent to 500 positions. As we prepare for another fiscal year with significant economic uncertainty, the City will continue to limit and further reduce expenditures in the upcoming budget cycle. The high cost of housing is the greatest threat to our regional and statewide competitiveness in today’s economy, and years of significant residential property tax increases compound this threat. Our administration has made historic progress on producing affordable housing units and boosting homeownership, reduced commercial vacancies, converted underutilized office space to housing, and invested our budget responsibly in city services and initiatives that have maintained our AAA bond rating and helped Boston consistently rank highly on quality of life indexes. However, allowing continued double-digit residential property tax increases threatens to weaken our economic prospects and our (alt text limit reached)
High housing costs are the greatest threat to our competitiveness and years of residential property tax increases compound this threat. I’m fighting to protect residents and stabilize taxes.
I just wrote to Boston's business community asking for their support of our residential tax relief plan. 🧵
Mayor's Cup Ice Hockey Tournament
🏒 The Mayor's Cup Ice Hockey Tournament is back!
Starting December 5, youth teams from across Boston will hit the ice to compete for the title of “Boston’s Best”. For the full schedule, visit boston.gov/parks-sports
While others use food as a bargaining chip, in Boston we take care of our neighbors.
Thank you to the Greater Boston Food Bank for making sure there’s food on the table this holiday season and for being there to support those in need every day.
Graphic with text: RESOURCES AVAILABLE SNAP BENEFITS ALERT SNAP November SNAP payments may be delayed due to the federal government shutdown. Get updates and resources: boston.gov/snap or call 3-1-1.
⚠️ ALERT: Your November SNAP Payments may be delayed due to the federal government shutdown. Need food? The City of Boston is here to help. Visit boston.gov/SNAP for updates on local resources for you and your family.
#ebt #snap #snapbenefits #Boston
Happy Halloween, Boston! 🦞
It’s been a joy to watch our neighborhoods transform over the past two weeks through Boston’s Spooky Streets block party program, organized by @civicorganizing.boston.gov
Thank you to all our neighbors for bringing the spirit of the fall season to your blocks! 👻🎃
Graphic with text: CITY HALL ON THE GO TRUCK SCHEDULE WEEK OF OCTOBER 6–12 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7 MISSION HILL 10:00–11:30 A.M. BCYF Tobin 481 Tremont Street TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7 JAMAICA PLAIN 12:30–2:00 P.M. BCYF Curtis Hall 20 South Street WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8 BRIGHTON 10:00–11:30 A.M. Veronica B Senior Center 20 Chestnut Hill Avenue WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8 ROXBURY 1:00–2:30 P.M. ABCD Event 565 Warren Street THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9 DORCHESTER 5:00–6:30 P.M. Uphams Corner Branch of the BPL 500 Columbia Road DON’T MISS A STOP! View the complete schedule at boston.gov/city-hall-to-go
Graphic with text: CITY HALL ON THE GO TRUCK SCHEDULE WEEK OF OCTOBER 13–19 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14 SOUTH BOSTON 10:00–11:30 A.M. BCYF Curley 1663 Columbia Road TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14 CHARLESTOWN 12:30–2:00 P.M. Charlestown Winthrop Square 55 Winthrop Street WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15 EAST BOSTON 10:00–11:30 A.M. BCYF Paris Street 113 Paris Street WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15 SOUTH END 12:00–2:00 P.M. Titus Park 75 W Rutland Square THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16 MID-DORCHESTER 5:00–6:30 P.M. BCYF Marshall 35 Westville Street DON’T MISS A STOP! View the complete schedule at boston.gov/city-hall-to-go
Graphic with text: CITY HALL ON THE GO TRUCK SCHEDULE WEEK OF OCTOBER 20–26 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21 MATTAPAN 10:30–11:30 A.M. Mattapan Branch of the BPL 1350 Blue Hill Avenue TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21 ROSLINDALE 12:30–2:00 P.M. Roslindale Branch of the BPL 4246 Washington Street WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22 ALLSTON 10:00–11:30 A.M. Allston YMCA 615 Washington Street WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22 SOUTH BOSTON 12:30–2:00 P.M. CVS Pharmacy 423 West Broadway THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23 ROXBURY 5:00–6:30 P.M. Roxbury YMCA 285 M.L.K. Jr Boulevard DON’T MISS A STOP! View the complete schedule at boston.gov/city-hall-to-go
Graphic with text: CITY HALL ON THE GO TRUCK SCHEDULE WEEK OF OCTOBER 27–NOVEMBER 2 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28 HYDE PARK 10:00–11:30 A.M. Subway 1281 Hyde Park Avenue TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28 WEST ROXBURY 12:30–2:00 P.M. West Roxbury YMCA 1972 Centre Street WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29 SOUTH END 10:00–11:30 A.M. BCYF Blackstone 50 West Brookline Street WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29 MATTAPAN 12:30–2:00 P.M. The Riverway 90 River Street THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30 DORCHESTER 5:00–6:30 P.M. The Daily 110 Savin Hill Avenue DON’T MISS A STOP! View the complete schedule at boston.gov/city-hall-to-go
We’re bringing City Hall to you! Find the City Hall on the Go Truck at locations across Boston this October. 🚙💨
Check the full schedule at boston.gov/city-hall-to-go
👻 No tears at the party! Apply for the Spooky Streets Grant by Monday, September 22! Don’t be the “saddest little baby in the room by missing the deadline. 🎃
Graphic with text BLOCK PARTY WEEKEND CALENDAR Join this week’s block parties in Boston! AUGUST 23 – BRIGHTON | 12–5 P.M. Bigelow Street From Bigelow St. to Brooks St. AUGUST 23 – JAMAICA PLAIN | 11–3 P.M. Tower Street From Hyde Park Ave. to the end of the block. AUGUST 23 – ROSLINDALE | 4:30–8 P.M. Grew Avenue From Planet St. to Mansur St. AUGUST 24 – MISSION HILL | 1–6 P.M. Fenwood Road From Albans Rd. to Vining St. Logos: City of Boston and Civic Organizing.
This weekend’s block parties are bringing music, food, and neighbors together across the city! Catch us in Brighton, JP, Roslindale, and Mission Hill. ✨ Which one will we see you at? 👀 #BlockParties #Boston
We’re making permitting in Boston simpler and smarter for all our residents and businesses. Follow along at boston.gov/permit-transformation.
🌙 Tonight! #BostonAfterDark is back with FREE food, giveaways, live DJs + more.
📍 BCYF Blackstone (#SouthEnd) – 4:00–7:00 PM
📍 BCYF Vine Street (#Roxbury) – 4:30–7:00 PM
Don’t miss out — bring your friends and close out summer right! 🎶🍔🎉
➡️ boston.gov/after-dark
Blue wave background with opening hours of the outdoor pool and Curley beach imposed on it.
Summer's last splash is coming - our outdoor pools are closing for the season after next week. They'll be open Tuesday, August 26, through Labor Day. Labor Day hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The BCYF Curley beach will be staffed through Sunday, August 31. Catch the last days of summer with us!
OFFICIAL NOTICE U.S. MARINE CORPS WEEK BOSTON AUGUST 20-24, 2025 As part of this week's events commemorating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps, military vehicles, including Humvees, light armored vehicles, and helicopters, will be present in the City of Boston. The noise caused by helicopters and other military vehicles can be extremely loud. PLEASE BE AWARE Wednesday, August 20 Helicopters will land in the Boston Common in the early evening. Thursday, August 21 There will be a military flyover around 10:45 a.m. Sunday, August 24 Helicopters will take off from the Boston Common in the early evening.
COMUNICADO OFICIAL SEMANA DEL CUERPO DE MARINES DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS EN BOSTON DEL 20 AL 24 DE AGOSTO DE 2025 Como parte de los eventos de esta semana que conmemoran el 250° aniversario del Cuerpo de Marines de EE. UU., estarán presentes vehículos militares, incluyendo Humvees, vehículos blindados ligeros y helicópteros, en la ciudad de Boston. El ruido causado por helicópteros y otros vehículos militares puede ser extremadamente alto. PRECAUCIÓN Miércoles, 20 de agosto Los helicópteros van a aterrizar en el Boston Common a temprana hora de la tarde. Jueves, 21 de agosto Habrá un sobrevuelo militar alrededor de las 10:45 a.m Domingo, 24 de agosto Los helicópteros despegarán del Boston Common a temprana hora de la tarde. CITY of BOSTON
AVI OFISYÈL SEMÈN KÒ MARIN ETAZINI NAN BOSTON 20-24 OUT 2025 Nan kad evènman semèn sa a pou komemore 250yèm anivèsè Kò Marin Etazini, machin militè yo, tankou Humvee, machin blende leje ak elikopte, ap prezan nan vil Boston. Bri elikopte ak lòt machin milite yo ka trè fò. TANPRI FE ATANSYON Mèkredi 20 Out Elikoptè yo pral ateri nan Boston Common nan kòmansman sware a. Jedi 21 Out Pral gen yon sivòl ayeryen militè anviwon 10:45 a.m. Dimanch 24 Out Elikoptè yo pral dekole soti nan Boston Common nan komansman sware a. CITY of BOSTON
Please be aware that as part of this week’s events commemorating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps, military vehicles, including humvees, light armored vehicles, and helicopters will be present in the City of Boston.
Find more info at www.marines.mil/Marines250/.
Graphic titled "Block Party Weekend Calendar." Subheading: "Join this week's block parties in Boston!" * August 15 — West Roxbury, 5–7 P.M., Moville Street (From Spring St. to the end of the block). * August 16 — South End, 1–5 P.M., People Baptist Place (From Tremont St. to Lenox St.). * August 16 — Roxbury, 3–7 P.M., Clarence Street (From Dudley St. to George St.). Logos of the City of Boston and Civic Organizing at the bottom.
Graphic titled "Block Party Weekend Calendar." Subheading: "Join this week's block parties in Boston!" * August 16 — East Boston, 4–8 P.M., Haynes Street (From Orleans St. to Marginal St.). * August 16 — Roxbury, 12–4 P.M., Waldren Road (From Westminster Ave. to Walnut Park). * August 16 — Dorchester, 3–5 P.M., Whittemore Terrace (From Hancock St. to the end of the block). Logos of the City of Boston and Civic Organizing at the bottom.
1. Graphic titled "Block Party Weekend Calendar." Subheading: "Join this week's block parties in Boston!" * August 16 — Dorchester, 12–8 P.M., Hewins Street (From Erie St. to Columbia Rd.). * August 16 — Dorchester, 12–4 P.M., Hutchings Street (From Humboldt Ave. to Elm Hill Ave.). * August 17 — West Roxbury, 10–8 P.M., Theodore Parker Road (From Weld St. to Schirmer Rd.). Logos of the City of Boston and Civic Organizing at the bottom.
You’ve got plenty of chances to celebrate your neighborhood this week! 🎉 Block parties are the perfect way to connect with the people who make your street feel like home. 💜 Say hello to a new neighbor, catch up with an old friend, and enjoy a great day right on your block.
