Jascha Franklin-Hodge appointed Chief of Streets

Mayor Michelle Wu today announced Jascha Franklin-Hodge will serve as the City of Boston’s Chief of Streets. In this role, Franklin-Hodge will support the Boston Transportation Department, Public Works Department, and the Boston Water and Sewer Commission to deliver exceptional city services, and build a more efficient, safe, and environmentally-conscious transportation system throughout Boston.

“Safe, healthy, vibrant neighborhoods depend on connecting our communities to Boston’s opportunities and possibilities,” said Mayor Wu. “I’ve had the chance to work alongside Jascha in City Hall and in the community. I’m thrilled he’ll be returning to City Hall with his expansive vision, organizational expertise, and commitment to delivering change.”

The Chief of Streets oversees the City's Public Works and Transportation Departments, which plan, design, maintain and manage Boston's streets. The Chief will also serve as a liaison to the Boston Water & Sewer Commission, and will work closely with departments focused on housing, planning, and economic development. Franklin-Hodge will work to implement Mayor Wu’s transportation goals, including free-fares on MBTA bus routes, safer street design in every neighborhood, and a connected network of low-stress bicycle routes. He will officially join the Mayor’s cabinet in January.

“Under Mayor Wu’s leadership, we have the opportunity to reshape our transportation system to make getting around Boston more convenient, address historic and ongoing inequities, and improve safety, especially for our most vulnerable road users,” said Franklin-Hodge. “I’m honored and excited to rejoin the City as Mayor Wu’s Chief of Streets, and to serve alongside the talented teams at the Boston Transportation Department and Public Works as we do this important and urgent work.”

Franklin-Hodge is the Executive Director of the Open Mobility Foundation (OMF). Led by local governments, including Boston, this foundation helps cities collaborate with the private sector to develop open source tools and data standards that support adoption and regulation of emerging mobility technology, and work together towards a safe, equitable, and sustainable transportation system.

He previously served as the City of Boston’s Chief Information Officer from 2014 to 2018, and led the City’s Department of Innovation and Technology. He managed a team responsible for the City’s efforts to build exceptional, user-centered digital services, harness data to improve transportation and quality of life, deliver secure, reliable technology for every city department, and improve access to the Internet and technical skills training for city residents. 

Franklin-Hodge is an active board member of the LivableStreets Alliance, an advocacy organization dedicated to improving Boston’s transportation system, unlocking access and opportunity for the region’s residents, and creating streets that are vibrant, safe, people-centered public spaces. 

He has been a Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, focused on mobility, technology, and public policy, and a consultant to the private sector on new mobility and smart cities.

Previously, Franklin-Hodge co-founded Blue State Digital (BSD) where he oversaw the development and operation of the BSD Tools, a fundraising, email, and constituent relationship platform that raised over $1B and powered the digital presence of President Barack Obama’s 2008 and 2012 campaigns. 

Franklin-Hodge studied computer science at MIT. He lives with his husband and two young kids in Jamaica Plain, and mostly travels by bike and public transit.