Boston Working to Keep Construction Hiring Local and Diverse

The city of Boston is working to ensure that a diverse collection of residents are benefitting from the fruits of the city's current building boom.

1 minute read

April 13, 2016, 12:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"After years of disappointing results from an ordinance intended to increase the hiring of Boston residents, women, and minorities to construction jobs, the city of Boston is eyeing changes to make it more effective," according to an article by Matt Rocheleau.

The work of requiring a local and diverse cross section of employment opportunities for the construction trades falls to a 37-year-old ordinance called the Boston Residents Jobs Policy. The ordinance, "requires construction companies to demonstrate good faith efforts to guarantee that 50 percent of all hours worked go to Boston residents, 25 percent go to minorities, and 10 percent go to women," according to Rocheleau. The ordinance, however, is having trouble meeting the demands of the current building boom. Progress has stalled in hiring of minorities, and hiring of women and local residents has never hit targets.

Led by Karilyn Crockett, the city's director of economic policy and research, the city is looking for ways to improve the ordinance in a review process that began in 2015. Changes in communications policy have already been implemented, and open data improvements are also planned in an effort to improve results.

Tuesday, April 12, 2016 in The Boston Globe

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Boston Red Line train with skyline in background.

Massachusetts Budget Helps Close MBTA Budget Gap

The budget signed by Gov. Maura Healey includes $470 million in MBTA funding for the next fiscal year.

45 minutes ago - Smart Cities Dive

View down center of street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee Launches Vision Zero Plan

Seven years after the city signed its Complete Streets Policy, the city is doubling down on its efforts to eliminate traffic deaths.

1 hour ago - Urban Milwaukee

Street with parking protected bike lane and parked cars in downtown Portland, Oregon.

Portland Raises Parking Fees to Pay for Street Maintenance

The city is struggling to bridge a massive budget gap at the Bureau of Transportation, which largely depleted its reserves during the Civd-19 pandemic.

July 8 - Willamette Week

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA