Boston City Council proposed resolutions to Boston’s housing policies and recognized Latinx Heritage Month during its meeting Wednesday at City Hall Plaza.
Councilor Henry Santana presented a hearing order supporting the creation of more triple-decker housing units, adding that these units and affordable housing are needed “more than ever.” Current zoning codes restrict 58% of housing from being converted to triple deckers, he said.
“Multifamily homes are especially popular among our immigrant communities, our multigenerational families, low-income families and families who need to pool resources to become homeowners,” Santana said.
Councilor Sharon Durkan, a co-sponsor of the resolution, said zoning rules should be updated to make it easier to build more housing and accommodate future residents.
“New housing should come with solid benefits, including open, safe streets and a voice for people who live nearby,” she said. “We don’t have to pick between welcoming new neighbors and honoring what makes our community special. We can do both.”
Another co-sponsor, Councilor Enrique Pepén, shared his experience growing up in a triple-decker and described it as the “perfect way of what a house looks like” in Boston.
“We need to do everything possible to make it easier to continue to build this housing so that we can continue to provide housing for future families that want to call Boston home,” he said.
Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata said developers have been building in a way that is “not intentional with affordability,” leading to displacement and gentrification.
Councilor Santana voiced his support for a statewide rent control ballot measure in the November 2026 election.
According to Santana, more than half of Boston renters pay more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities. Another 27% of “severely burdened” renters spend over half of their income on rent, he said.
“Private equity investors prioritize high returns by increasing rents and charging excessive fees leading to housing unaffordability,” said City Councilor Liz Breadon. “It should be a right and not a commodity to be traded.”
The council also unanimously passed a resolution recognizing Latinx Heritage Month, celebrated annually from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. The resolution was presented by councilor Julia Mejia, who described it as “personal.”
“I came here at the height of the busing era, where we were told to go back to where we came from, where I had to learn how to speak English and was the official translator for my entire community,” she said.
Pepén, who described himself as “a proud Dominican American, a proud Latino and a proud son of immigrants,” emphasized the resolution’s importance this year specifically given the “demonization of our people by the Federal Administration.”
Santana highlighted the resolution as a path to the future for Boston’s Latinx community, which, according to Mejia, consists of over 135,000 residents.
“This month is not only a time to honor the generations that have come before us but to stand up for those who are here now and commit to creating a better world for those who come after us,” Santana said. “As valued members of our Boston community, Latin people enrich the social, cultural and economic fabric of our city.”