Last updated on August 25, 2025
If Ben Weber is re-elected for a second term as the District 6 Boston City Councilor, he’s looking at a commercial property vacancy tax, strengthening the Boston Trust Act which prohibits the use of BPD in federal civil immigration actions, and more.
There will not be a preliminary election for the District 6 race because there are only two candidates: Ben Weber and Steven Berry. Both candidates advance to the Nov. 4 election, with early voting occurring between Oct. 25-31.
Weber has lived in Jamaica Plain for 17 years, and experienced the triumphs and harumphs of the Boston Public School system with his own children. He answered questions from Jamaica Plain News about what he accomplished in his first term and what he wants to accomplish moving forward.
Before being elected city councilor, what was your connection to Jamaica Plain and how you were involved in the community?
Weber: My wife and I moved to JP from Roslindale about 17 years ago to be closer to the day care we were using for our 2-year-old son and to the Orange Line. We immediately felt at home in JP and raised our son (who is now starting his first year of college) and our daughter here. One of the reasons we have a strong bond with the community is that both of our kids have attended BPS schools throughout, and that helped us to build a strong network of families in JP as we navigated the BPS system together. In fact, it was the experience of going through the closure of the Mission Hill School as a community that made me want to get more involved in local issues, which led me to join the JP Neighborhood Council, and then to ultimately run for office. For years, I also tried to put my experience playing soccer at Brandeis University to some good use by coaching for JP Youth Soccer and serving as a board member.
What from your professional career and personal life do you think has made you a good district city councilor?
Weber: I really can’t say whether or not I am good at being a district councilor, but in my first term, I have often felt well-served by my work experience and my personal experiences as a BPS parent to help guide me in this role. As a worker’s rights attorney for nearly 20 years with Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, and at Lichten & Liss-Riodan, P.C. here in Boston, I represented workers ranging from migrant cotton gin workers in the Mississippi Delta, to hospital workers in Iowa, to Boston police officers of color challenging discrimination, and through that work, I learned a lot about the ways in which people without power can be exploited and how to combat this by enforcing people’s rights and through proactive legislation.
That is why I was proud to secure funding two years in a row for the Access to Counsel Pilot Program which is designed to provide attorneys for any families with kids in Boston schools who are facing an eviction and have filed legislation that will prohibit the city from issuing contractors and licenses to employers who violate our wage laws, to require employers of city workers to develop heat illness prevention plans for their workers during heat emergencies, and passed an ordinance codifying the Mayor’s Office of Labor Compliance and Worker Protection.
In addition, my experiences as a BPS parent, including going all the way from K1 to graduation with my son (who attended the Mendell, the Mission Hill School, and Boston Arts Academy) and with my daughter also in BPS since K0, has taught me a lot about the pros and cons of BPS as well as the struggle many families go through with a system that we rely so much on, but that can also fall short of our needs. Whether it was the kindergarten lottery, BPS’s lack of help before closing the Mission Hill School, or the ever-changing exam school admission process, my family has been through all of it, and it has informed how I have looked at BPS from my seat on the city council.
Lastly, I have received some (mostly) positive feedback on my weekly newsletter that goes out to any constituent who signs up. I always liked to write, which is why my first job out of college was as a copywriter at the New York Post, and I think my experiences at the Post and all of the writing I did as an attorney have helped me write a newsletter that (in theory) is able to inform constituents about what I’m working on at City Hall and how I am trying to serve the district.
If re-elected, what legislation would you propose?
Weber: I am always looking for good ideas. Recently, I have started looking at ways we can strengthen the Boston Trust Act which prohibits the use of BPD in federal civil immigration actions in part to prevent a situation like in Washington, D.C. where the police chief was able to issue an order requiring cooperation between ICE and local law enforcement despite their having a similar policy to the Trust Act in place. In addition, I have been looking at ways to prevent long-term vacancies in storefronts in our outlying neighborhoods like Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury. The first step would be to create a publicly accessible database of all of the long-term vacancies, which would allow us to reach out to landlords who leave these spaces open for years. The second step would be a commercial vacancy tax, which would serve as an incentive for landlords to find local businesses to fill their vacant commercial spaces.
Along the same lines, I am not sure if this requires legislation or not, but I would like to see the city start a program where it seeks to prevent displacement and foster the growth of local businesses by either purchasing these empty spaces or entering into long-term leases for the space. In Egleston Square for example, I have been working closely with Egleston Square Main Street who have several long-term vacancies and are also losing small businesses as rents in the area increase. The city can make a difference (and a profit) by turning these spaces into community assets.
Lastly, I am working with tenants rights organizations to advocate for state legislation that will help our residents with the affordable housing crisis here in Boston. These bills include rent stabilization, the real estate transfer home rule petition, and the tenants right to first refusal.
What are the top 3 issues you are hearing about from residents, and how are you addressing those issues?
Weber: It is hard to pick just three, so I will say that the top concerns that I hear about from Jamaica Plain residents are probably the cost of housing, the need to improve pedestrian safety, immigration, and education.
Housing: I was able to secure funding in last year’s budget through the amendment process with the support of my colleagues to fund an Access to Counsel pilot that provides families with school-aged children an attorney in eviction proceedings. This year we got even more money for that priority which was named as a stabilizing tool in the city’s Anti-Displacement Action Plan. This, of course, is only helping families who are already facing displacement. On the preventative side, I have fought to increase funding for the city housing voucher program (secured an additional $2.6 million in budget amendments with my colleagues), supported affordable housing developments in the district, and supported zoning reforms like Neighborhood Housing that would help add much-needed housing stock.
Street Safety: I have stood with constituents on Hyde Park Avenue following the death of Glenn Inghram (who was struck by a bus in the crosswalk in front of the Forest Hills T station) to advocate for effective changes to improve pedestrian safety on that stretch of road. Like many residents who have weighed in, I have expressed my support for an alternative that was proposed by the Boston Transportation Department that would have created an additional crosswalk and bike lanes, and I have filed a hearing order to discuss next steps to improve safety on Hyde Park Ave. My office has worked to get speed humps onto streets that need them (as well as advocating for removal of speed humps in some areas where they don’t make sense) and have worked with the Mayor’s office to have lit crosswalks installed at busy intersections like the one at Paul Gore Street and Centre. I am also very supportive of the Egleston Square street redesign project which will prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety and allow for safe bike travel to and from White Stadium.
Since being on the Council I have attended numerous hearings in regards to transportation issues and have filed hearing orders related to things such as the Mayor’s 30-day review and looked to be informed about next steps on how residents can effectively advocate for more speed humps and bike lanes, in addition to supporting all transportation-related funding that has been before the Council for approval. I am also a huge fan of (and a participant in) “bike buses” for kids biking to school and plan to identify ways that the city can support these school-based safe transportation initiatives.
Immigration: I am incredibly concerned about the impacts of the current federal administration’s policies on our immigrant communities here in Boston and in District 6. From the legislative side, I co-sponsored the resolution reaffirming the Boston Trust Act which bars the Boston Police Department from collaborating with ICE in civil immigration actions and sponsored a resolution supporting a variety of state bills including the State Communities Act, the Dignity Not Deportation Act, and the Immigrant Legal Defense Act. In the community, I have advocated for increased city funding for immigration-related legal services and have worked closely with organizations like Massachusetts Immigration and Refugee Advocacy Coalition and JP LUCE to give Know Your Rights trainings, including with local business owners and public housing administrators to ensure we have the tools to protect the rights of our neighbors.
Education: As a proud BPS parent, I understand the struggle many families face with a system that can seem opaque and that makes decisions that can appear to not be in our kids best interests. I have sought to have a clear line of communication with Superintendent Mary Skipper so I can advocate for my constituents and can adequately explain the reasoning behind BPS decisions. I have met with school site councils and school leaders to determine what schools in District 6 need, and what to advocate for in the budget. I have also “gone to school” on the immersion model being implemented in BPS to determine what impact it will have on our kids, including English Language Learners and kids needing special services.
How are you addressing Boston’s growing housing affordability crisis?
Weber: It’s not original, but I think any solution needs to include both creating more housing as well as making existing housing more affordable for people already living here. In addition to the Access to Counsel pilot I helped start for Boston families in eviction proceedings, I have spoken in support of State Rep. Samantha Montaño’s proposed bill (H2328) that would enable cities and towns to limit rent hikes to the rate of inflation and with a cap of 5% and bans no-fault evictions. I have also supported zoning reform that would make Accessory Dwelling Units as of right through a Neighborhood Housing Zoning initiative and am supportive of ongoing efforts to modernize the Article 80 process, which can often delay or stifle development given that the vast majority of proposals require a variance to be built in Boston. I am also pleased to work alongside the Mayor and my colleagues to provide funding for previously approved projects by supporting things like the Housing Accelerator Fund which will get many affordable housing projects off the ground and I am also proud to work with the Mass Alliance of HUD Tenants who I joined in advocating for nearly $2.6 million in additional funding for the City of Boston Voucher Program through the budget amendment process which provides Section 8 housing to families regardless of immigration status.
Do you support rent stabilization or rent control measures? Why or why not?
Weber: I support the rent control bill at the state house sponsored by state Senator Patricia Jehlen and Reps. Montaño and David Rogers because I believe that rents are too high and that we should be working to make things more affordable for our residents and that this is a tool that can help do that.
What is your opinion on the growing % of investors purchasing single / double / triple-family homes?
Weber: I am concerned when people outside of Boston are taking available units off the market unless they are doing so to create more affordable housing. That’s why I am in favor of more funding for the City’s Acquisition Opportunity Program which provides financial support to Community Land Groups. I’m also in support of various bills at the statehouse, including the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, filed by Senator Jehlen and Reps. Jay Livingstone and Rob Consalvo, which would allow cities and towns the ability to enact an ordinance to give tenants in multi-family buildings a right of first refusal to purchase their building when it goes on the market.
What role should the City Council play in improving Boston Public Schools?
Weber: I believe that improving our schools and working to ensure every student in Boston has access to a world-class education is the most important issue we can work on. While the Council is more limited in regards to what we can influence at the school level, I have sought to be involved whenever we discuss the BPS budget, decisions regarding our BPS facilities, and around policy decisions that will have an impact on our kids. As I think I already mentioned, I have made sure to meet with everyone from the Superintendent to parents to discuss how to handle issues in our schools and I look forward to continuing to learn about how to make a positive difference. For example, I recently held a hearing on the impacts of social media on BPS students and the feasibility of a district-wide ban on phones during the school day, as is sought in a pending statehouse bill. I have also joined my colleagues Councilor Enrique Pepen and [City Council] President Ruthzee Louijeune in filing a hearing order to discuss proposed changes to the exams school admission policy to ensure that we clearly understand the equity implications any changes will have. I’ve also used my time while on the Council to speak at School Committee hearings regarding school closure plans, advocated for more reading specialists in the budget (which have increased), and for supports for Multilingual Learners in the budget.
I also strongly believe that we can also help students outside of school. We learned that approximately 5,000 BPS students experience homelessness each year. This is the reason the Access to Counsel Pilot program is focused on providing legal representation for BPS families faced with evictions. By helping prevent kids from going through the trauma of an eviction and being without shelter, we can help these kids focus on their education and improve their school performance by keeping them in their homes.
What specific concerns do you have about how changes in federal funding could impact Boston, and how would you address them?
Weber: I am deeply concerned about the administration’s attempt to unlawfully claw back funding approved by Congress and to cut future funding for programs we rely on like SNAP and Section 8 housing vouchers. Either I or one of my colleagues asked in nearly every budget hearing about what we were doing as a city to prepare for loss in funding. While I think Trump’s policies would negatively impact nearly every program that we value in this city, from affordable housing to veterans’ benefits to tree planting, the two biggest areas of concern for me are affordable housing and education. We rely on federal funding for affordable housing and I strongly oppose efforts by the Trump administration to strip federal funding from public schools and attempts to defund our public school system by shifting to a voucher system.
Moreover, I am concerned about attempts to condition funding on the acceptance of the Trump administration’s draconian immigration and diversity policies. For example an annual public safety grant that we apply for through DHS is now requiring that spending be dedicated to collaboration with ICE through so-called 287(g) agreements. While these types of conditions have routinely been rejected by the courts as overstepping the federal government’s authority when it comes to local police departments, I still think we need to make it clear that we will not honor these conditions.
What are your thoughts on the renovations of White Stadium?
Weber: I support the Mayor’s proposal to renovate White Stadium in partnership with the women’s soccer team because it represents a huge investment in an area typically ignored by City Hall and because it will primarily benefit our BPS students. As the Superior Court found in its decision dismissing the lawsuit seeking to stop the project, this is a BPS facility that will continue to be a facility first-and-foremost for BPS students and the public. The payments made by the women’s soccer team will allow us to renovate the stadium and the rent the team will pay will provide for maintenance of a stadium that has sat neglected and under-used for decades. There are all kinds of conspiracy theories about who will have control of the stadium and who will be profiting from it, but the language of the contract and stadium-use agreement clearly states that 1) BPS will control the stadium; and 2) that the soccer team will use the stadium for games (and maybe a walk-thru), but will not regularly practice there. I think we will need to continue to work to make sure that the transportation plan for the stadium is good for the community and that the women’s team lives up to its obligations, but I hope the Mayor is able to get the ball over the line on this one.
What are your thoughts on the proliferation of speed humps in Jamaica Plain?
Weber: I have to be honest, I never in my life expected to be in a position where I spend so much time talking about speed humps. Despite all of the controversy, my office does continue to hear from far more constituents who are asking (begging) for speed humps on their street. When I first took office in January 2024, the Streets Cabinet did not ask for our input, but placed speed humps where their data suggested they were needed. This resulted in many more speed humps going in than in previous administrations, which I considered to be a good thing. When speed humps proliferated on Allandale Street, and then on places like Malcolm Road, it seemed like the data was pointing us the wrong direction. Since then, our office has been engaged on speed hump decisions and we have been working with constituents, such as on Louders Lane, to make sure the speed humps are going in where they are actually needed.
What are your thoughts on the increase in bike lanes and bus lanes in Boston and Jamaica Plain?
Weber: I regularly hear from constituents who are grateful for the new bike lanes in many parts of the city, but especially in Jamaica Plain. I have had the good fortune of living and working in a bunch of different cities (Boston, New York City, Nashville, Iowa City), and I think Boston stands out as having the most difficult streets to navigate, even though it has the best people to navigate them with (yes, I am pandering). You can add a bike or a bus lane in Nashville or even NYC without making too much of an impact because the streets are wider, whereas, in Boston and especially in Jamaica Plain, the impact is going to be felt more clearly. I still think we need to make the effort to have a city where people can move more freely on buses and on bikes, and the way to do that is to build dedicated lanes. I hope we can continue to improve the way we design and roll out bike and bus lanes, but also believe we should also look to expand other public transportation, which is why I spoke before the MBTA board in support of conducting a feasibility study to extend the Green Line from Heath Street to Canary Square.
