Boston Identifies 1,200 City-Owned Parcels for Affordable Housing and Public Use

BOSTON — July 21, 2026 — Boston unveils a citywide audit of more than 1,200 vacant or underutilized city-owned parcels totaling 9.5 million square feet. Mayor Michelle Wu announced the results July 21 at the Bunker Hill Community College parking lot in Charlestown, framing the inventory as a blueprint for directing public land toward affordable housing, open space, and community services. Chief of Housing Sheila Dillon said smaller scattered sites will target homeownership development while large transit-adjacent lots like the Bunker Hill site could accommodate mixed-income housing at scale, and some unusual properties are being eyed for supportive housing serving homeless residents. Chief of Planning Arthur Jemison noted 250 parcels belong to the BPDA alone and said all dispositions will carry diversity, equity, and inclusion requirements for development teams. The audit will be published at boston.gov/housing in five languages alongside a new digital mapping tool for public feedback; community listening sessions begin this summer in Charlestown, tied to the BPDA's ongoing Plan Charlestown process. No construction timelines or development budgets were announced.