Boston Council Holds Hearing on Roxbury Development Moratorium, No Vote Taken

BOSTON — April 18, 2023 — Boston councilors and Roxbury residents clash over proposed moratorium on District 7 public land development. At an April 18 hearing of the Committee on Planning, Development, and Transportation, Councilor Tania Fernandez-Anderson pressed city officials to pause all development on city-owned land in Roxbury's District 7 before any request-for-proposals process, arguing that existing community engagement falls short of genuine resident control. BPDA Director Arthur Jemison and Mayor's Office of Housing Chief Sheila Dillon testified against a formal moratorium, with Dillon disclosing that her office alone holds 248 parcels in D7 — 55 under agreement, 113 still being evaluated, and 34 deemed unsuitable — while Jemison said 40 percent of the 678 housing units built on Roxbury public land over the past five years are for-sale, 75 percent of them income-restricted. Community witnesses including Garrison Trotter Neighborhood Association President Louis Alisa and resident Diane Wilkerson called the moratorium "our last shot" to redirect wealth creation toward longtime Black and brown residents, with public commenter Derek Evans warning that the award-winning Wakulla Street Community Garden had appeared on the city's list of parcels available for disposal. No vote was taken; Jemison committed to a meeting with Fernandez-Anderson, Dillon, and the District 7 Advisory Council within 30 days to discuss restructuring oversight of remaining Roxbury parcels.