Our Work

We’re proud of the many contributions we have made in transportation, land development, and the environment for the Greater Boston Area. Here are a few of our most recent accomplishments:

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

• Convened BERDO Commercial Real Estate Working Group and continued intense focus on building decarbonization and sustainability efforts at the city and state level. Over the past three years, A Better City has been focused on building decarbonization policy at a city and state level. At the end of December 2023, the City of Boston approved the final Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure (BERDO) regulations for existing buildings. In early 2024, A Better City began facilitating the BERDO Commercial Real Estate Working Group that has met three times this year. Regarding new construction, Boston adopted the Municipal Opt-In Specialized Energy Code in January 2024, requiring new buildings to be electric or electric ready, install solar where feasible, or be passive house for residential buildings over 12,000 square feet. Boston is also awaiting Zoning Commission approval for a Zero Net Carbon Zoning policy that would make new buildings (except for hospitals, general manufacturing, and labs) obligated to comply with BERDO as zero net carbon buildings at the time of occupation and would include an embodied carbon reporting requirement. At the state-level, the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) requested input in March 2024 on the impacts of the updated Stretch and Opt-In Energy Codes, so A Better City held a focus group to uplift member experiences, resulting in formal comments being sent to DOER in April. A Better City also serves on the Commercial & Industrial (C&I) Working Group for the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council, along with an HVAC Taskforce. Both have been instrumental in providing recommendations for the C&I sector in the draft 2025-2027 Three Year Energy Efficiency Plan.

• Launched the third cohort of the PowerCorpsBOS building operator equitable workforce development program. In December 2023, the second cohort of PowerCorpsBOS building operator trainees graduated—with all trainees placed in A Better City member or partner buildings transitioning into an extended internship or full-time employment post-graduation. Based on feedback from member building partners and others, the program has moved from a six month to a 10-month training schedule, with four months at the beginning of the program focused on soft skills like communication, customer service, and professionalism. The third cohort kicked off soft skills training in May and will engage in technical training on HVAC, electrical, and building automation from September to early March 2025. A Better City is now working to find placements for 10-15 trainees in A Better City members large buildings. In addition, based on the last two years of program development and implementation, A Better City is in the process of drafting a lessons learned document.

• Launched a heat sensor pilot program across multiple city neighborhoods, in partnership with The Boston Foundation, Boston University School of Public Health, and City of Boston. In June, A Better City launched a heat sensor pilot program in partnership with The Boston Foundation, Boston University School of Public Health, and the City of Boston’s Environment Department. Through this pilot, 15 temperature sensors have been installed across the five heat island hotspot neighborhoods featured in Boston’s 2022 Heat Plan: Chinatown, Dorchester, East Boston, Mattapan, and Roxbury, as well as Allston-Brighton and Jamaica Plain. Building off work done by the City of Boston, C-HEAT, Wicked Hot Boston, and Wicked Hot Mystic, this project aims to understand differences in lived heat experience by neighborhood, and to fill critical data gaps in live temperature monitoring. Currently, the City of Boston bases heat emergency declarations and subsequent heat relief resource allocation according to a National Weather Service (NWS) station temperature sensor at Logan Airport, where the temperature is likely to be 10-15 degrees cooler than heat island hotspot neighborhoods during heat events. Through this pilot, the partnership hopes to understand how to better inform Boston’s heat emergency response, resource allocation, and longer-term heat resilience policymaking, as well as to understand what it might take to establish a permanent sensor network and publicly accessible live data dashboard in subsequent years. A Better City is grateful to our participating member and partner organizations: Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, Greenway Conservancy, Bay Cove Human Services, Boston Medical Center, UMass Boston, Boston Green Academy, Charles River Community Health, Franklin Park Zoo, Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition, Museum of Science, Boston Children’s Hospital, Arnold Arboretum (Harvard University), and the City of Boston Urban Forestry Division.

• Continued to take a leadership role in state-led decarbonization and resiliency efforts. A Better City continued to serve on the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s Global Warming Solutions Act Implementation Advisory Committee, charged with advising the Administration’s implementation of the Global Warming Solutions Act. A Better City co-chairs the IAC Transportation Working Group and participates in the Buildings Working Group, reflecting member perspectives and priorities. Additionally, A Better City sits on the ResilientCoasts Task Force to support the Administration’s efforts to address the impacts of climate change along the coastline of Massachusetts.

LAND USE & DEVELOPMENT

• Launched new efforts to support public art, activation, and tourism on The Greenway. In January, A Better City partnered with the Boston Public Market and The Greenway Conservancy to launch a new campaign supported by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism to bring out-of-state visitors to the area during the shoulder season. The multi-media campaign invites visitors to “let’s go exploring” and includes extensive advertising and promotion across social media, print, and digital advertising, including billboards and banners. Additionally, in February, the Greenway BID approved funding for The ARTBeat of the Greenway, a seasons-long initiative, supported by $350,000 in Greenway BID funding, to enhance and expand public art and public programming throughout the entirety of the Greenway. The series aims to engage downtown office workers and the community at large in making Boston a more vibrant and exciting place to live, work, and visit by centering public art and programming that provides unique experiences for residents and visitors alike.

• Intensified efforts to shape City of Boston planning and development initiatives and State regulatory processes. At the city level, A Better City has continued to engage with City of Boston leadership to discuss short- and long-term downtown revitalization strategies, as well as the future of planning and development across the city. Through comment letters and focus groups, A Better City member perspectives helped to shape the Article 80 Modernization process and the Squares + Streets planning initiative. Additionally, A Better City has shared member concerns and perspectives with City leadership regarding the proposal to file a home rule petition to allow the City to temporarily change Boston’s property tax classification structure. At the state level, A Better City provided feedback on the Waterways Resilience 1.0 3 draft regulations and emphasized the importance of streamlining the waterways and Chapter 91 regulatory environment to advance resilient development.

TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE

• Appointed to Governor Healey’s Transportation Funding Task Force. Governor Healey established the Transportation Funding Task Force to develop recommendations for a long-term, sustainable transportation finance plan. Over the past several years, A Better City has actively called for this kind of assessment to address the current and future needs of the Commonwealth’s transportation system and the increasing challenges related to climate emissions and resiliency. The Governor appointed A Better City President & CEO Kate Dineen to service on this task force, which includes leaders from both the public and private sectors. The Task Force will deliver its recommendations in December 2024.

• Advanced State budget recommendations related to transportation finance plans and support for the MBTA. For the fiscal year 2025 state budget, A Better City advocated for the Commonwealth to create a new borrowing program related to the Fair Share/Millionaires Amendment surtax, increased state funding to support the MBTA’s operating budget, and funding for a new low-income fare program at the MBTA. In the first half of 2024, budget proposals from Governor Healey, the House of Representatives, and state Senate each endorsed these ideas. The proposal to establish a new borrowing plan is especially exciting since this plan will result in an additional $1.1 billion for transportation infrastructure improvements throughout the Commonwealth.

• Executed successful advocacy campaign to help secure $335 million in federal funding for the I-90 Allston Multimodal Project. Working in partnership with public sector, private sector, and community partners, A Better City launched a multi-pronged strategy to advocate for the approval of MassDOT’s application for federal funding through the U.S. DOT Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods grant program. In late January, A Better City released a six-minute video explaining the scope, benefits, and urgency of the I-90 Allston Multimodal Project. This video included testimony from Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Governor Maura Healey, State Representative Mike Moran, Mayor Michelle Wu, Chief of Planning and Director of the Boston Planning and Development Agency Arthur Jemison, and other leaders from the business and transit advocacy community. The video was made possible by generous support from the Barr Foundation and partnership with Denterlein and Good Life Productions. Additionally, A Better City pulled together a business coalition letter to the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation showing support for the I-90 Allston Multimodal Project. This letter included signatures from A Better City, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Kendall Square Association, Longwood Collective, MassBio, Massachusetts Business Roundtable, Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, and Worcester Regional Chamber. Weeks later, the full Congressional delegation expressed their support for the project to U.S. DOT officials.

• Successfully advocated for the establishment of working groups to support timely decision making in the design and environmental review of the I-90 Allston Multimodal project. To complete design decisions in a timely manner that are part of the current Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Review/Draft Environmental Impact Statement for state and federal environmental review, A Better City has long advocated for the establishment of working groups and focused sessions to address outstanding issues. In June, MassDOT announced the establishment of four working groups to support focused discussion on design tasks and 4 decision points in regular frequent meetings through the summer, aiming to complete required tasks that will allow obligation of federal funds for the project by September 2026. A Better City will participate in all four groups: Throat Area/Charles River, Multimodal Local Street Network, Multimodal Local Connections, and Rail and Transit.

• Influenced mitigation strategies for the second full closure of the Sumner Tunnel. In June, A Better City published a report, The Light at the End of This Tunnel: Lessons Learned from the Sumner Tunnel Closure for the MBTA, Commuters, and Our Region, synthesizing lessons learned from the 2023 Sumner Tunnel Closure and offering recommendations for how to improve mitigation and data collection in 2024. Building on experience in 2023, A Better City staff served on the MassDOT Sumner Tunnel Closure Principals, Transit & Mobility, and Business Working Groups advising on transportation alternatives. These measures are aimed at encouraging regular users of the Sumner Tunnel to take advantage of alternate routes by reducing or eliminating commuter rail and Blue Line fares, reducing parking rates, and supporting use of ferries across Boston Harbor. Work on the tunnel reconstruction completed during other closures has allowed MassDOT to reduce the duration of this summer’s full closure from two months to one month, with the balance of the work to be completed in future weekend closures.

• Supported and improved implementation of the MBTA Track Improvement Program. A Better City has a respected voice on the implementation of the MBTA Track Improvement Program, which is designed to remove all slow zones on the subway system by the end of 2024. Through field work and communications with the MBTA, A Better City has positively influenced diversion planning and alternative service to reduce impacts on riders and the region. The MTBA team reaches out to A Better City on a regular basis for feedback on new initiatives in the work and ideas to improve rider experience.

• Prepared briefings on MBTA safety, service, staffing, and delivered testimony at MBTA and MassDOT Board Meetings. Since January 2024, A Better City released several monthly updates on MBTA Safety, Service, and Staffing and hosted a virtual briefing for members. In addition, A Better City staff frequently delivered testimony to the MBTA and MassDOT boards to emphasize an array of organizational and member priorities, including alternative service delivery during the track improvement program; service delivery improvements on the Commuter Rail and across the system; and continued efforts to fill bus operator, operations control center, and RIDE operator positions.

• Successfully advocated for renewed commitment to advancing Regional Rail. Together with TransitMatters, A Better City has met regularly with the MBTA Region Rail team to advocate for service delivery improvements and implementation of Phase 1 of the MBTA approved Rail Vision document. In these discussions, A Better City and TransitMatters sought to identify ways to support the MBTA Regional Rail team to secure funding in the MBTA five-year Capital Investment Plan (CIP) and urge the MBTA to think outside the box for the next Commuter Rail procurement contract. In March 2024, the MBTA issued three important bid solicitations: 1) Request for Proposal (RFP) Commuter Rail Transaction Advisor, RFP 22-24; 2) Request for Information (RFI) Proposal for Regional Rail Future Innovative Operating Contract, RFI 63-24; 3) Fairmount Line Battery EMU Service Pilot, Due Diligence 28-24 (approved by MBTA Board of Directors in July). All three solicitations signal renewed commitment to regional rail implementation, including service delivery and electrification of the network, to bring faster, more frequent, and reliable service to the region that supports the Commonwealth’s 5 decarbonization goals (emission reduction, VMT via mode shift), economic development, and housing needs.

• Strengthened partnerships with transportation advocacy groups to advance shared objectives. A Better City continued to strengthen partnerships with transportation advocacy groups through direct collaboration on projects and active participation in groups like the Transit Is Essential coalition and the MBTA Policy Development Working Group. These approaches allow A Better City to deepen relationships with a broader range of institutions advancing sustainable, reliable, frequent, safe, and affordable public transit. A huge success story that stems from these combined advocacy efforts is the adoption in March 2024 (full MBTA Board of approval) of the long-awaited Low-Income Reduced Fare program, which unlocks affordable fares for more than 60,000 riders currently unserved by existing MBTA programs. The Low-Income Reduced Fare program covers all modes including Premium RIDE service and received funding from Governor Healey for the second year in a row in the State Budget.

• Grew TMA staffing and enhanced data analysis capabilities. In the spring, A Better City was thrilled to welcome Amir Wilson, previously an intern in the Energy & Environment unit, as TMA Coordinator and Spatial Data Analyst. With Amir’s contributions, the TMD/TDM team has to continue to enhance the ZIP analysis tool in several ways and created a simplified MBTA monthly pass calculator. Additionally, in early May, the team completed phase two of the Commuter Rail project with the BU Spark team, laying a strong foundation for a schedule analysis tool that connects with the MBTA’s online API.

• Expanded programming and engaged with startup mobility companies for support services. Engagement with the GoMassCommute.com platform continued to grow, with more than a thousand trips logged each month so far in 2024. Bike clinic demand also continued to grow, and the TMA/TDM team added a new subcontractor to help meet the demand. The TMA/TDM team also developed a funding proposal for MassDOT’s new TMA-specific grant program to potentially fund a guided commute ride series. Additionally, the TMA/TDM team engaged multiple startup mobility companies delivering innovative commute support services and invited members to offer candid feedback about their needs and challenges. These include: on-demand roadside service for bike commuters through NEMO; streamlined transit benefit integration through Jawnt; and comprehensive micromobility services through New Pedal.

• Advanced expansion of the Allston Brighton consolidated shuttle program. Our consolidated shuttle starts year three of operations on July 1 and ridership continues to incrementally grow. In early June, we administered a rider survey to understand what is working and how we might improve. In conjunction with the City of Boston, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, and Via, we submitted an application to the federal Congestion Relief Grant Program which aims to support modeshift strategies. If awarded, we will use the funds to grow our existing shuttle service with additional vehicles, a second route, and expanded service hours. Awards will be announced in the fall.

• Successfully advocated for a statewide e-bike program. After deep engagement with the Healey-Driscoll Administration and outside stakeholder groups, the team celebrated the announcement of a statewide e-bike rebate program in April. An open RFP process is ongoing with an expected program launch later this year. This will expand access to low-carbon mobility options across the Commonwealth and the income-eligible voucher program is funded to $4.5M in the first round.

MEMBERSHIP & COMMUNICATIONS

• Executed an ambitious schedule of programming and publications to engage and educate our members and other stakeholders. During the first half of 2024, A Better City held two Board Meetings, three Executive Committee Meetings, and 20 member briefings and conversations. Additionally, A Better City published 22 blog posts, 26 email blasts, and two reports. Through this programming, A Better City connected members with an array of key decision makers, including: Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt, MBTA General Manager Phil Eng, MassCEC CEO Emily Reichert, BPDA Chief Arthur Jemison, and BPDA Director of Planning Aimee Chambers. Other highlights included an Emerging Leaders Spring Social at Sasaki with a brief address from Corean Reynolds Director of Nightlife Economy for the City of Boston.

• Continued successful member retention and new member recruitment efforts. A Better City continues to have strong member retention, as well as focus on strategic new member recruitment to broaden our representation across important sectors of Boston’s economy. In the first six months of 2024, A Better City has welcomed Alstom, Argus, Athenahealth, Franklin Templeton, NBBJ, and Zoo New England as new members.

• Kicked off preparation for the 2024 Norman B. Leventhal Excellence in City Building Awards. Named in memory of A Better City’s founding Chair, the Norman B. Leventhal Excellence in City Building Awards recognize the leaders and innovators who have made significant contributions to our built environment. On December 9, 2024, at the Boston Harbor Hotel, A Better City will again honor a notable slate of civic leaders and visionaries that are continuing to build a better city for all. Please reach out to Leann Kosior, Membership & Business Development Manager with any questions. 

ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE

• Launched strategic plan update. A Better City launched an update to the organization’s strategic plan with the help of consultants from Empower Success Corps and a member Strategic Planning Advisory Committee. The plan aims sharpen our value proposition and strengthen our impact, ensuring that A Better City remains nimble and well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of our members and our region.

• Expanded grant development efforts. In the first half of 2024, A Better City continued grant development efforts to diversify funding sources and identify strategic new opportunities to leverage the organization’s expertise. A Better City is grateful for the support of the Babson Foundation, The Boston Foundation, Barr Foundation, Green Ribbon Commission, and Linde Family Foundation.

2024 Norman B. Leventhal Excellence in City Building Awards: Named in memory of A Better City’s founding director, the Norman B. Leventhal Excellence in City Building Awards recognize the leaders and innovators who have made significant contributions to our built environment. On December 9, 2024, at the Boston Harbor Hotel, A Better City will honor a particularly impressive slate of civic leaders and visionaries that are continuing to build a better city for all. Learn more about sponsorship opportunities here.

• Distinguished Leadership: James Keefe, Principal, Trinity Financial and Patrick Lee, Principal, Trinity Financial 
• Environment: Dr. Atyia Martin, CEO and Founder, All Aces
• Land Use: John Sullivan, Chief Engineer, Boston Water and Sewer Commission
• Transportation: Gautam Sundaram, Practice Leader, Principal, ASLA, Perkins&Will, and Kishore Varanasi, Senior Principal and Director of Urban Design, CBT Architects