Message from the commissioner: Taking part in Neighborhood Coffee Hours

Mayor Walsh recently concluded his annual series of Neighborhood Coffee Hours, held every summer throughout the City. These gatherings offer Boston residents a chance to meet the Mayor and many other elected and appointed City officials in an informal setting, right in their own community, to talk about local issues.

These Neighborhood Coffee Hours provide my office with a space to engage Boston residents where they live, so we can meet people who may not usually come into City Hall. While we all rely heavily on social media these days, it’s important to remember that the best form of outreach is actually getting out and meeting people in person!

Over the past two months, my staff has had a chance to meet people from various neighborhoods at these coffee hours. Residents they met requested information on our programs and services, including applications for the Accessible Parking Space program, removal of unused Accessible Parking Spaces, contact info to get a WAV taxi cabs (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle), information on accessible and affordable housing, and other things they were seeking.

One other benefit of the coffee hours is that my staff gets an opportunity to share information about upcoming initiatives and events my department is planning, such as ADA Day, Civic Engagement Day, and the winding down of the Accessibility Priority Survey.

I’ve made it a priority for my staff to attend each of the Mayor’s Neighborhood Coffee Hours to ensure that the concerns of people with disabilities are heard by the City. Traditionally, people with disabilities have not had a voice in government, but Mayor Walsh has demonstrated that this is not the case in his administration. The Mayor’s work focuses on serving all residents, in “One Boston,” which provides equity, opportunity, and accessibility to every resident, regardless of their abilities, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, or economic status.

It’s also great for my staff to visit each neighborhood to see firsthand different projects that are improving accessibility throughout the City. In Dorchester, the Mayor is making a four million dollar investment in the Henderson school to increase accessibility for students with disabilities. In Back Bay, the City is making major improvements to the sidewalks on Boylston Street. In Jamaica Plain, BTD is installing pedestrian ramps from Jackson square to Hyde Square, raising crosswalks, and improving pedestrian safety. There are many other great projects that are important to the disability community happening across the City - so stay tuned for updates on what’s coming to your neighborhood!