Resident Input Sought in City Council Redistricting

Boston residents are invited to share their opinions on the City Council redistricting process during five community meetings this fall.

The Boston City Council’s Committee on Census & Redistricting held a City Hall meeting in May, but District 2 Councilor and Committee Chairman Bill Linehan said he wants more community input before altering any of the council boundaries.

“It is imperative that these sessions are attended by a diverse group of residents,” said Linehan. “Folks should come to voice their opinion and state criteria they feel is important to drawing a new district map.”

The Boston City Council map was redistricted in 2002 following the 2000 Census. During the redistricting, one ward in the South End moved to District 7 from District 2.

District 2, which still includes a large portion of the South End in addition to Chinatown and South Boston, could lose more territory during the current redistricting process. Of all the districts in the city, District 2 saw the greatest increase in population over the last decade, rising to 75,000 residents (an increase of around 17 percent).

Once complete, the new district map will be in effect for the next 10 years.

Hearings have been scheduled for the following dates and locations:

• Thursday, September 8 from 6-8 p.m. at Suffolk Law School, 120 Tremont St., Boston
• Tuesday, September 20 from 6-8 p.m. at the George Wright Golf Course, 420 West St., Hyde Park 
• Thursday, October 13 from 6-8 p.m. at the Franklin Park Golf Course, 1 Circuit Drive, Boston
• Tuesday, October 18 from 6-8 p.m. at the Reggie Lewis Center, 1350 Tremont St., Roxbury
• TBD- New England Carpenter’s Hall, 750 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester