Mayor Wu Begins Process of Sunsetting Urban Renewal

Mayor Michelle Wu today filed an order with the City Council that would begin the process of sunsetting urban renewal in Boston. Urban renewal is a set of land development tools that dates back to the American Housing Act of 1949, and in Boston is most commonly associated with the demolition of the West End in 1957 and subsequent displacement of thousands of families. The order would immediately sunset five of the 14 active urban renewal plans in Boston. The order would see the other nine plans sunset on December 31, 2022. 

“Today we begin the process of winding down urban renewal’s legacy in Boston as part of a broader effort to build transparency and accountability for our shared growth and prosperity,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This order will give our departments the time to map out a larger plan and come back to present later this year.”

All 14 plans are currently set to expire on April 22, 2022. The short-term extension for nine of the plans will allow for further discussion with the City Council and community stakeholders to accelerate plans to prevent unintended negative consequences and advance positive, community-oriented outcomes. As it currently stands, the BPDA has identified over 1,300 parcels with existing Land Disposition Agreements tied to urban renewal powers, some of which provide protections for affordable housing, open space, and other land use provisions. This additional time will give the City the time to set a plan for potential state legislation to transfer or protect the appropriate provisions.

These nine plans are:

• The Central Business District South Station Urban Renewal Plan
• The Fenway Urban Renewal Plan,
• The Campus High School Urban Renewal Plan,
• The South Cove Urban Renewal Plan,
• The Charlestown Urban Renewal Plan,
• The Downtown Waterfront-Faneuil Hall Urban Renewal Plan,
• The Government Center Urban Renewal Plan,
• The South End Urban Renewal Plan; and
• The Washington Park Urban Renewal Plan

The City is in the process of hiring a new Chief of Planning, who will be critical to setting the direction for urban renewal sunsetting and larger structural reforms to build a more equitable, resilient, transit-oriented, and affordable city. This extension will also provide an opportunity to align the mayor’s goal for a comprehensive vision for planning and development in the city.