Councilor Lydia Edwards has announced she will be seeking re-election in the fall to the District One seat.
“I’m humbly re-submitting my application for employment as city councilor to the residents of District One,” said Councilor Edwards. “Representing them for the last three years has been the honor of a lifetime. I’m excited for the opportunity to continue serving in this role.”
Councilor Edwards pledged to continue bringing transparency, accountability, and efficiency to local government.
“Now more than ever people need to trust local government,” added Councilor Edwards. “But they can’t trust us if they don’t see us working or they don’t know what services are available. My goal is to make city government transparent and accessible for everyone regardless of what language they speak or how much money they make.”
Councilor Edwards also plans to continue leading on the issue of housing.
“I’m working to help families stay where they are,” said Councilor Edwards. “Housing has to be available for all Bostonians. I’m proud to have written a first-in-the-nation zoning amendment that will bring in more family sized units to new developments and make sure affordable housing is actually affordable for more people.”
Edwards is working to improve local government by reforming the city’s budget process and the Zoning Board of Appeals.
“I filed a proposal that will allow Boston voters to decide how the city’s budget process should play out,” said Councilor Edwards. “Right now it happens behind closed doors. I want to change things so residents can see me and the rest of the council working on the budget. The proposal will also give people more of
a voice over how their tax dollars are spent.
“Residents across the district have reached out to me about development projects in their neighborhood. The process isn’t working for everyone,” added Councilor Edwards. “I filed reforms that now allow residents to track projects near them. Soon they’ll be able to see the actual plans online. We still need to
improve language access, strengthen conflict of interest protections, and make it easier for people to speak during the hearings.”
Edwards said she looks forward to continuing the race and equity conversations she helped start in Charlestown with partnership from Turn It Around.
“The race and equity discussions have been a bridge that’s helped bring the community together,” said Edwards. “I appreciate having a space for healing and honest discussion. I’ve seen the connections that neighbors have been able to make and really value that. I’m excited to continue the conversations going.”
Edwards also highlighted her advocacy on the redevelopment of the Bunker Hill BHA.
“I’ve worked hard to ensure BHA residents have a voice through the process,” added Edwards. “I’m proud of the fact that for the first time ever the youth will have a voice in the process through a seat on the impact advisory group. I’ve worked closely with residents, the Boston Housing Authority and the BPDA
to ensure the site is inclusive. With the first ever youth IAG seat represented by Turn It Around, the project will better reflect the needs of current and future residents.”
Edwards’ re-election campaign will officially launch during a virtual campaign event on February 26. Residents can register for the event by visiting bit.ly/EdwardsKickoff2021.