By clicking Agree & Join, you agree to the LinkedIn. In the 1990s, he worked for the agency he now helms then the Boston Redevelopment Authority before heading to Washington, D.C., to work in that citys planning department under Mayor Anthony Williams. His hope is that his dual-title will make for a city where planning and execution, looks like its more seamless, he said. Many say they understand those staffing challenges, but are fed up with a lack of direction particularly when projects representing billions of dollars worth of development are on the line as well as a lack of certainty regarding whether Wu will continue with her plan to abolish the agency. Contact Email Address: Critics have argued completely abolishing the agency would wreak havoc on the citys ongoing development project proposals, among other potential problems. Her masters degree in Community Planning is from the University of Maryland-College Park. 2023 Boston Planning & Development Agency, Article 37 Green Building and Climate Resiliency Guidelines, Article 25A Coastal Flood Resilience Overlay District, COVID-19 related guidance for institutions, BPDA Real Estate Decarbonization Strategy, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Requirements for Public Land Dispositions, Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Article 80, Article 80 Design Review Broadband Ready Buildings Questionnaire, Inclusionary Development Policy: Annual Reports, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Mayor Wu appoints new Boston Civic Design Commission leadership and commissioners, BPDA approves new affordable housing in Mattapan, Allston, Dorchester, and Roxbury, Chief Jemison welcomes new Director of Planning Aimee Chambers, Roxbury Strategic Master Plan Oversight Committee Meeting, Boston Civic Design Commission Monthly Meeting. Track status of Article 80 large projects including stage of review, key deadlines and transportation staff assigned, and assist the team in workflow management. In 2014, a withering audit ordered by Walsh found the agency had no idea how much money it was owed and by whom nor even how much land it owned in the first place. Leading diversity and inclusion management within the BPDA. Experience in Adobe Creative Suite, Powerpoint or similar software to design and assemble presentations, reports and graphical representations. Complicating matters, the rapidly shifting economy and a post-pandemic real estate landscape has raised many questions about the future of urban development in cities such as Boston. Shortly after he took office nine years ago, former mayor Martin J. Walsh launched an overhaul of the agency, with a focus on transparency and neighborhood-focused planning. Active Development Projects Article 80 Records Library Planning Initiatives What's My Zoning? Learn how the BPDA Board guides planning and economic development in Boston. BPDA leadership asked the council committee to approve the act with a vote on Wednesday, but that request drew quick pushback from councilors who wanted more specific information about the proposed changes. Their duties include helping staff diagnose and resolve technical issues over the phone, email, and in-person; installing hardware or software on . By Catherine Carlock Globe Staff . Together, these changes will, for the first time since the 1960s, restore planning as a central function of city government, the mayor said. A changing of the guard of this kind is a natural part of transition to a new administration.. In June, Jemison told members of commercial real estate industry group NAIOP that the agencys reduced levels of staff were hampering its ability to push planning first the way that the mayor has asked., We are struggling with the 43 million square feet under review today, Jemison said. Michael O'Shea is the Chief Information Officer of the Boston Planning & Development Agency where his emphasis is on delivering improved business outcomes from the agency's IT investments. As of now, the BPDAs is largely funded through leases on publicly-owned land, along with grants. Change is difficult and the work we do by nature is entirely about change, Shurtleff wrote in an e-mail to BPDA staff obtained by the Globe. She graduated from Manhattan College with a degree in Sociology and Urban Studies. What is a DIF all about? Boston Planning & Development Agency ** BOSTON RESIDENCY IS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT AND MUST BESee this and similar jobs on LinkedIn. The staffing challenges have greatly slowed the pace of development approvals, which has frustrated many real estate executives in Boston. GUILFORD, CT 06437. A modern redevelopment authority, 50+ years in the making. More than two dozen positions are currently listed on the agencys website. We believe every member on our team enriches our agency and allows us to . What exactly does that mean? And the agency revamped and digitized its internal systems used to track its leases and rent owed by developers. The BPDA is Boston's planning and economic development agency. display: none; Over this next year, well shift planning efforts from the BPDA to a new City Planning and Design Department to expand planning and urban design as a coordinated effort that guides our growth, Wu said. A shift away from a legal definition of blight makes sense in todays Boston, which is anything but blighted, said District 8 Councilor Kenzie Bok. He received his Masters degree in Environmental Design from MIT in 1984, after receiving a Bachelorof Architecture from the School of Planning and Architecture in India. Your job seeking activity is only visible to you. All three of the executives who resigned Wednesday rose to their positions under Wus predecessor, Martin J. Walsh. The kind of shift that is being contemplated here in the legislation, where we get to move the agency away from those old frameworks . She has also worked at the MA Attorney General's Office. Prior to joining the BPDA, Michael was the Manager of E-Government Operations for the City of Boston. Given the nature of the development business, which requires, you know, two to five years of pipeline and planning to make improvements, it can really sneak up on you the impacts that climate change can have.. Wus office deferred comment to the BPDA. Teresa Polhemus is the Executive Director/Secretary of the BPDA. Providing leadership to promote and achieve Boston's planning and economic development goals. Experience with data and database management. Boston Planning and Development Agency Senior Planning Review Specialist-Zoning/Land - Full-time / Part-time Today Est. Chambers is a 2019 Next City Vanguard (Newark, NJ) and was nominated in CT Magazines 40 Under 40, Class of 2022. Sharing and promoting agency work through the press, marketing, and social media. Now, hell be tasked with spearheading the logistics of transitioning an agency created by state law in 1957 into City Hall, and the myriad personnel and budgetary issues that come along with that change. Shurtleff started as a planner at the then-BRA in 2007, and has served as director of planning since 2019. Establishing a coordinated Citywide vision for Bostons future. Lisa Herrington is the General Counsel of the BPDA, where she is responsible for the BPDA's legal strategy and representing the BPDA in all aspects of its work. The concepts behind Wus call to abolish the BPDA still stand, Jemison said, but the focus is not so much on dismembering the citys controversial real estate machine, but on creating a more transparent, resilient, and predictable system for development. Since the 2018 cycle, Lacey has served as a communications consultant at 617MediaGroup to social justice organizations and labor unions, and worked for Boston tech company Clear Ballot, which creates modern, transparent election technology. Prior to that, he held a variety of public and private-sector positions, all related to city planning and urban development, primarily in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. Development review will continue to be managed by BPDA staff at this point., The new department will be launched in the coming months associated with the FY24 budget process, a city spokesperson said. Boston Planning and Development AgencyBoston Planning and Development Agency Boston, MA Posted: February 16, 2023 $80,526 to $92,604 Yearly Full-Time boston planning & development agency **BOSTON RESIDENCY IS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF START DATE** TITLE: PLANNER II GRADE: 6 STATUS: EXEMPT BPDA and EDIC staff will gradually shift to being city employees. Posted 9:15:17 AM. . Boston Globe tech reporters tell the story of the region's technology and innovation industry, highlighting key players, trends, and why they matter. Since 2016, the BRA has been known as the BPDA. I just dont think were ready for a vote on Wednesday.. Three of the most senior remaining staffers at the Boston Planning and Development Agency are departing by summers end, the latest in a rolling wave of exits that have many in Bostons real estate world worried that the agency that oversees big development in Boston has become woefully understaffed. Track status of Article 80 large projects including stage of review, key deadlines and transportation staff assigned, and assist the team in workflow management. This involves managing properties such as the Charlestown Navy Yard and the Raymond L. Flynn Marine Industrial Park and strategic property dispositions. Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Boston Planning & Development Agency by 2x. The BPDA plans and guides inclusive growth in our citycreating opportunities for everyone to live, work and connect. In partnership with Chief Jemison and the BPDAs Urban Design Department, Fernandez will work to strategically transform existing BPDA urban design processes to promote predictability and quality for both the community members and the development industry. Councilors have spoken with lawmakers in cities including Seattle, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York and found that re-crafting the processes behind real estate development tend to draw fire from all sides, Arroyo said. And it was pretty hard to begin with. The then-Boston Redevelopment Authority was infamously responsible for razing neighborhoods including the West End and Scollay Square in the 1950s and 60s in the name of urban renewal, and later was used as a tool for late Mayor Tom Meninos personal design peccadilloes. Catherine Carlock can be reached at catherine.carlock@globe.com. McGilpin, an alumna of Governor Deval Patricks office, served as Walshs press secretary before taking the lead communications role at the BPDA in 2016. #ada-button-frame { Jemison is a creative public-private development leader with over 28 years of planning and affordable housing expertise, working with community members to create equitable places in Detroit, Washington D.C., and Boston. How much will Mayor Michelle Wus plan to abolish the Boston Planning and Development Agency and create a new city planning department cost? One of the first steps in that proposed change is formally sunsetting urban renewal, a tool most notoriously used in the mid 20th-century by the then-Boston Redevelopment Authority to wipe out and rebuild entire neighborhoods of the city, but which recently has been a key surgical instrument to preserve affordable housing. display: none; Teresa began her career in the New Jersey Governor's office. Familiarity and interest in progressive multi-modal transportation strategies, policies and programs. Mon - Fri 9:00 am - 6:00 pm. A city spokesperson said they dont anticipate any impact on the Article 80 development review and approvals., The only significant change will be that staff working on these projects will be paid by the City, rather than the BPDA, a city spokesperson said. But her current plan, as outlined Wednesday night, stops short of abolishing the agency altogether (which would require approval by the Massachusetts Legislature). If were changing the entire way we do business, I think we should know all the details, said District 3 Councilor Frank Baker. The then-Boston Redevelopment Authority was infamously responsible for razing neighborhoods including the West End and Scollay Square in the 1950s and 60s in the name of urban renewal, and later was used as a tool for late Mayor Tom Meninos. Learn More Compliance In her spare time, Michelle is an instructor with Baystate Skating School where she helps children learn to ice skate. Complex Litigation Attorney-Miami- No Billables! Jemison, who joined the city last spring from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and whose leadership has been well-regarded locally, already had a dual role of Chief of Planning and Director of the BPDA. Instead, the goal is to make it easier for Boston residents to participate in each step of the development process and for developers to have a clear understanding of the citys rules surrounding development.Jemison and his team will also be considering the implications of ending the citys urban renewal powers, powers that led to the razing of the West End and parts of the South End and Roxbury in the 1950s and 60s. The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) is the planning and economic development agency for the City of Boston. But that growth wasnt harnessed for the benefit of all our communities.. Before joining the BPDA, Teresa worked for Fidelity Investments for 10 years in their Strategic Advisers, Inc. division. Lisa has been with the BPDA's Office of General Counsel since 2018, working primarily on its real estate portfolio. #ada-button-frame { Every councilor is very aware of how the substantial majority of Bostons overall revenue comes from property taxes, Arroyo said. Catherine Carlock can be reached at catherine.carlock@globe.com. Other top BPDA officials who have departed since Walsh left office include Golden, the agencys director of development review Jon Greeley, and its general counsel. I also want to recognize that when there is a change in executive leadership of the city there are changes that take place in the leadership of major departments and in the positions that lead them, he wrote. The BPDA plays a far-reaching role in shaping the City. #ada-button-frame { The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) is the planning and economic development agency for the City of Boston. Prior to joining the BPDA, Michael was the Manager of E-Government Operations for the City of Boston. Before joining the agency, Lisa was a lawyer in private practice for more than fifteen years, including practicing in a Boston-based law firm's Finance and Restructuring group and serving as Deputy Counsel at The Community Builders. Boston Planning & Development Agency Alvaro Lima is the Director of Research for the Boston Planning & Development Agency. Michelle has been a public servant since 2011 when she started with the City of Boston's Office of Budget Management. is taking the lead on New England's climate-change-related emergency management, How Gov. Jemison, who, As of now, the BPDAs is largely funded through leases on publicly-owned land, along with grants. Indeed, the committee hearing which lasted nearly 3 hours and brought commentary from 12 of Bostons 13 city councilors follows a mid-February BPDA board meeting where members unanimously voted to table Wus executive order that would start immediately implementing planning and development reforms, saying they did not have a clear enough idea of what the proposed reforms actually were. Lacey also served in the Obama Administration at the Treasury Department, worked on President Obamas re-election campaign in Florida, and served as Deputy Director of Constituency Press for the Presidential Inaugural Committee. Help with logistics of internal/external working groups; scheduling meetings, drafting agendas, taking minutes. Using economic and census data to identify trends and plan for Boston's future. It sounds good, and I know it may sound good to residents, but we want to make sure that its actually going to lead to a material change into how things are being done at the BPDA, and to make sure that residents who often feel like theyre being railroaded by developers feel like they have a fair voice in this process, Louijeune said. The Directors staff works closely with all of the agencys departments and serves as the Directors liaison to other city departments, elected officials, the community, developers, businesses, and all other stakeholders. The focus on building buildings rather than community has held back the talent of [the BPDAs staff] and deepened disparities in our city, Wu said of the current BPDA operations. Prior to the ICIC, Alvaro was the Director of Economic Development at Urban Edge, a Boston-based community development corporation. Developers and community members are certainly familiar with the BPDAs, office vacancy at its highest rate in decades. Another goal of Chambers's planning work is to make the development process more predictable for community members and developers. Chief of Planning Arthur Jemison will lead the group, which will also have cabinet chiefs in capital planning, transportation, climate, housing, and the arts. At Mondays hearing, BPDA leadership including director Arthur Jemison, deputy chief Devin Quirk, and newly appointed general counsel Lisa E. Herrington discussed changing the BPDAs original 1957 state charter from one that allows real estate development in areas which are considered to be decadent, substandard or blighted open space to one that, in Wus words, must reflect the possibilities for our brightest future from affordable housing and racial equity, to climate resilience and healthy, connected communities.. To view the latest agendas please visit the Board Meetings page. In marathon meeting, council members express skepticism for mayor's plan to overhaul the city development agency and slow down a vote planned for this week. The BPDA Climate Change & Environmental Planning staff play a leading role in supporting the City's climate change and sustainable building priorities. Director's Office | Boston Planning & Development Agency Development Housing Research 3D Data & Maps Home Neighborhoods Allston At a Glance Allston Contacts BPDA Owned Land Documents Events News Planning Projects Research Publications Back Bay At a Glance Back Bay Contacts BPDA Owned Land Documents Events News Planning Projects The Directors Office works with all departments within the agency to identify and execute priority initiatives, new policies, as well as to create innovative planning and economic development strategies. They have served in critical positions and have made a major difference for Boston, and we appreciate all of their hard work.. Though Wu has already called on the City Council to begin sunsetting a handful of the 14 urban renewal plan areas in the city, Jemison was hesitant to call for an end to the power. Most recently, Devin served as Director of Real Estate for the BPDA where he restructured the Agency's approach to public real estate with a focus on fiscal responsibility, community development, and a commitment to using public land to advance public good. Completion of a Bachelors Degree in transportation, urban planning, engineering, or other closely related field. Mayor Michelle Wu this week outlined her plans to overhaul the Boston Planning & Development Agency, the quasi-governmental authority that has long wielded immense power over the look and feel of Boston from its offices on the top floor of City Hall. And city government lacks the authority to outright raze the agency. The plan comes as Bostons real estate industry is bracing for a downturn, with office vacancy at its highest rate in decades and looming fears of a drop in property valuations and the real estate taxes that comprise 75 percent of the citys operating budget. Making changes to the BPDA in a way thats sufficiently thought out and planned out is crucial, District 5 Councilor Ricardo Arroyo said, given the citys reliance on property taxes for services and its overall fiscal health. What's an RFP? Now hes eager to lead in a Boston that appears poised for transformation. Sign in to create your job alert for Planning Assistant jobs in Boston, MA. Arthur Jemison with Bart Mitchell, president and CEO of The Community Builders Inc., at the site of new family housing being built in Jackson Square. Prataap Patrose is the Senior Advisor to Chief Jemison. Indeed, the committee hearing which lasted nearly 3 hours and brought commentary from 12 of Bostons 13 city councilors follows a mid-February BPDA board meeting where members unanimously voted to table. News & Updates; Calendar; Austin Street Parking Lots RFP Discussion Meeting Mar 08, 2023 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Rss. This includes service at the Massachusetts Port Authority, Boston Housing Authority, the then-Boston Redevelopment Authority, and in private development work at GLC Development Resources. Devin has also previously served as Director of Operations for Boston's Department of Neighborhood Development (DND), now known as the Mayor's Office of Housing where he oversaw day-to-day management of the 150 person staff and the implementation of the City's affordable housing strategies. Chief of staff Heather Campisano and director of planning Lauren Shurtleff will leave City Hall at the end of August, while director of communications Bonnie McGilpin will leave at the end of the month. What she instead proposed is creating a separate city planning and design department functions that are currently run out of BPDA and restore planning as a central function of City government. And she would make the agency more directly accountable to the City Council, not just the Mayor, The plan comes as Bostons real estate industry is bracing for a downturn, with, And it was pretty hard to begin with. The council committee will discuss the issue again at a working session Friday. One City Hall Square. Review Article 80 project filings (Project Notification Forms, Draft Project Impact Reports, and similar documents) to identify and summarize transportation issues and possible improvements. Get notified about new Planning Assistant jobs in Boston, MA. Assist in drafting requests for proposals (RFPs) for consultant selection, including communicating with the Legal Department and Procurement to advance selection and preparing board memos for RFP approval and release. It also includes completing neighborhood plans, bringing them to zoning, and building out the zoning team to evaluate and modernize the zoning code. Boston Globe tech reporters tell the story of the region's technology and innovation industry, highlighting key players, trends, and why they matter. Come help shape Bostons future together us! The Wu administration does not expect to launch a new city planning department staffed with current Boston Planning and Development Agency employees until at least next year . The Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff with diverse experiences while continuing to work to build and sustain an equitable and inclusive work environment, where cultural diversity is celebrated and valued. Contact Name: Natalie Deduck. Bostons new chief of planning, Arthur Jemison, is ready to hit the ground running literally. The city failed to plan for community stability, affordability, transit, and sustainability all issues that have shaped Bostons soaring housing costs, climate woes, aging and crumbling infrastructure, and infamous traffic, she said. Visit the Career Advice Hub to see tips on interviewing and resume writing. Having been a proponent of projects as part of my private-sector business I was in before, and having worked at several of the agencies involved in development, the chance to be a part of changing that landscape for the better is really exciting to me.. Stay up to date on all the latest news from Boston.com. While BPDA revenues will be an important part of offsetting the new costs of moving staff to the City of Boston, the creation of a central city planning function on the city side also presents the opportunity to expand the overall budget for planning and development activities over time, a city spokesperson said. Follow Boston.com on Instagram (Opens in a New Tab), Follow Boston.com on Twitter (Opens in a New Tab), Like Boston.com on Facebook (Opens in a New Tab). Posted 12:00:00 AM. Notably though, Wu did not utter the word abolish in her speech on Wednesday night. In a departure e-mail from Campisano, obtained by the Globe, she said her proudest achievement was the transformational work the agency has undergone since Walsh tapped Golden to be director in 2014 that resulted in a more inclusive, transparent and efficient agency., In Shurtleffs tenure, she guided projects including the revitalized Christian Science Plaza and Winthrop Center, and her departure e-mail acknowledged how the planning and development work the BPDA does is at the center of many of the citys biggest challenges: climate change, housing, mobility, and building a more connected and inclusive city.. Boston Planning & Development Agency employees List of Boston Planning & Development Agency employees Search and validate emails & phone numbers from 144 Boston Planning & Development Agency employees Sign Up to Get Free Contacts Sign Up Boston Planning & Development Agency Management Boston Planning & Development Agency Employees 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 Michael Christopher serves as the Director of Development Review at the Boston Planning & Development Agency, where he provides direction for review of development proposals from commercial and non-profit entities seeking to renovate and/or construct commercial, industrial, institutional, residential and mixed-use projects in Boston. Prior to her time at the BPDA, Rebecca was a transportation engineer in Boston working on traffic analysis and roadway design projects for the public and private sectors. Its a new dawn / its a new day, Nina Simones voice crooned over the sound system at Fenways newly-constructed MGM Music Hall Wednesday night at the end of Boston Mayor Michelle Wus first state of the city address. One of the first steps in that proposed change is formally sunsetting urban renewal, a tool most notoriously used in the mid 20th-century by the then-Boston Redevelopment Authority to wipe out and rebuild entire neighborhoods of the city, but which recently has been a key surgical instrument to preserve affordable housing.