Planning Academy participants at their graduation celebration on June 17, 2026.

The City of Boston this week celebrated the graduation of the first ever cohort of the City's Planning Academy. City staff developed and led the Planning Academy to equip residents from different backgrounds and neighborhoods with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to meaningfully have a voice in city planning processes. This cohort included 25 Bostonians of all different backgrounds and ages, selected to participate out of almost 400 applicants.

"City development is more effective and reflective of our community's needs when we incorporate actionable feedback from those who live in and build up our communities," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "Congratulations to all the graduates. I'm excited to see this program empower more residents to become active voices in our City's decisions and help build a Boston that's home for everyone."

"I believe this exchange of perspectives has been invaluable for the health of our planning and development review public processes," said Chief of Planning Kairos Shen. "Hearing all of these wonderful ideas from our first cohort of students on how we can improve our city, based on the education provided by Planning Department staff, will undoubtedly support positive growth and engagement in our planning processes in the future."

Over the course of eight weeks this spring, residents from all over Boston convened weekly at Roxbury Community College to learn: what is planning, how the past shapes Boston today, and how through design we can shape our city. Participants then built on this knowledge with a deep dive into learning about zoning and the development review process. Through a mix of case studies, activities, and guest speakers, participants gained an understanding of the challenges, constraints, and opportunities we encounter as a Planning Department. During this time, participants were asked to develop a capstone project with the prompt of 'how to make Boston ten percent better.' Project topics ranged from an idea for an infill MBTA station in the Neponset area of Dorchester, to how best to fill a vacant store in Roslindale.

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"I feel incredibly lucky to have participated in the Boston Planning Academy because this program is yet another, very clear example of the City of Boston continually reinvesting in its residents," said 32-year-old North End resident Andrew Kil. "While I have a lot more to learn about city planning, I feel more confident in participating in neighborhood meetings and organizing residents to work towards a common goal."

"The Planning Academy has given me the opportunity to learn about not only how Boston has been planned in the past but also the opportunity to learn about the current planning and development components and challenges," said 75-year-old East Boston resident Jo Ann Fitzgerald. "This experience has expanded my view of Boston to include a vision of what is possible for Boston in the future if we can encourage the participation of residents."

The Planning Academy is part of Mayor Wu's strategy to change the culture of planning and development in Boston, and encourage residents to participate in planning the future of their neighborhoods comprehensively, rather than only getting involved through one-off development projects. The Planning Academy was a recommendation from the Boston Design Vision, which was adopted by the BPDA Board in 2024. It also directly responds to feedback from residents during the Article 80 Modernization engagement process in which they asked for more touchpoints to learn about planning and development, and the civic processes which guide them.

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Building off of the success of this first Planning Academy, the City of Boston's Planning Department will be launching another Planning Academy this fall! Applications will open beginning in July. More information will be sent out as soon as possible.

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About the Planning Department

The City of Boston's Planning Department shapes growth that serves Boston's residents and centers their needs. Our mission is to address our City's greatest challenges: resilience, affordability, and equity, and to take real estate actions and prioritize planning, development, and urban design solutions that further these priorities. We seek to build trust with communities through transparent processes that embrace predictable growth and shape a more inclusive city for all. Learn more at bostonplans.org, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @BostonPlans.

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