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Neighborhood Based Affordability Standards

At a glance

  • What: Docket No. 1960, an ordinance filed by Councilor Mejia and Worrell (with Culpepper added as third original sponsor) to base affordability standards on neighborhood area median income rather than the regional figure, wherever the city has authority to set them.
  • Where it stands: introduced October 21, 2026 and referred to the Government Operations Committee.
  • Related: Displacement Impact Mitigation Trust Fund (Docket No. 1959), filed as a companion.

The proposal

  • Mejia said the federally set regional area median income often defines housing as affordable that is out of reach for households in Mattapan, Roxbury and Dorchester, and incomes differ widely between neighborhoods.
  • The ordinance would not change state or federal law but would hold city programs and policies to a neighborhood-based standard.
  • Worrell said residents always ask "affordable to whom?"; Culpepper said housing designated affordable is often unaffordable to people who live in those neighborhoods.

Official minutes record

From the official minutes of the October 21, 2026 City Council meeting, which are the authority on motions and votes; the captions are less exact on tallies.

  • Docket No. 1960, "Ordinance Establishing Neighborhood-Based Affordability Standards," offered by Mejia and Worrell with ten other councilors. On their motion, Rule 12 was invoked to add Culpepper as an original co-sponsor. Referred to the Committee on Government Operations; no vote.

Sources

Discussion time

About 6 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).

Meeting Minutes
2026-10-21 - City Council 6

Log

  • 2026-10-21 - City Council - Introduced with remarks from Mejia, Worrell and Culpepper; referred to Government Operations. Official minutes: Rule 12 used to add Culpepper as an original co-sponsor; referred to Government Operations.