Explore resident ideas
Every idea residents submitted to Ideas in Action in 2024–25, 2025–26 and 2026–27. Search the words residents used, or narrow by cycle, theme, neighborhood, language or how the idea was submitted.
Themes grouped with AI from resident idea text. English titles and summaries written with AI.
3,748 ideas
- Clean energy career awareness for high schoolersResident wants clean energy and related career opportunities promoted to opportunity youth in high schools, so state resources reach people burdened by climate change.2024–25City-wideYouth jobs & fellowships
- Mental health support resources for youth programsResident asks for grants and training so youth programs can offer mental health support, including one-on-one work, as an alternative to police-based responses.2024–25City-wideMental health & substance use
- Housing support for unhoused youth and young adultsResident asks for housing resources, such as extendable one-year vouchers, for unhoused or unstably housed youth, guided by youth with that experience, to prevent exploitation and criminalization.2024–25City-wideHomelessness & shelter
- Re-entry career training using vacant BHA sitesResident suggests a career development program that reaches people in prison before release, possibly using boarded BHA sites for construction training, so they are released to job training and housing.2024–25City-wideAdult jobs & small business
- Interactive map of Boston green spacesResident proposes an interactive 'Boston Green Atlas' mapping shaded green spaces and nearby transit by neighborhood, to help residents, especially in heat-island areas, find cooler places.2024–25City-wideParks, trees & climate
- Year-round youth jobs with mental health supportsResident wants youth jobs that last year-round, with added mental health supports in jobs and youth programs, and urges spending the full $5 million on participatory budgeting.2024–25City-wideYouth jobs & fellowships
- Clean Chinatown streets, elder care and rent controlResident asks to clean polluted Chinatown streets, expand elder assistance, support local businesses against outside development, and add rent control to protect the neighborhood's ethnic enclave.2024–25ChinatownClean streets & restrooms
- Better school buildings, gyms, food and staff resourcesResident asks for improved school buildings, gyms, food and staff resources to expand opportunities for Black and brown students compared with predominantly white students.2024–25RoxburyYouth programs & schools
- Non-police community mental health crisis responseResident asks for community-based mental health crisis response without police or weapons, since disabled people and people of color are disproportionately harmed by militarized responses.2024–25City-wideMental health & substance use
- Separated bike lanes around Jamaica PondResident asks for separated bike lanes on Prince St and Francis Parkman Dr so people can bike around the JP Pond.2024–25Jamaica PlainPedestrian & bike safety
- Pilot year-round youth jobs paying $18-24/hourResident proposes a pilot year-round jobs program for youth 14-24 paying $18-24 an hour, noting the City has $5 million but only $2 million is being used.2024–25City-wideYouth jobs & fellowships
- Grow free food in underused city spacesResident proposes using underused indoor and outdoor city spaces to grow culturally appropriate food given free to the community, easing food insecurity and improving indoor air.2024–25City-wideFood access
- Allow swimming in Jamaica PondResident asks to open the Pond to swimming, noting other water activities are allowed and that people without money for boat rentals are excluded from enjoying the water.2024–25Jamaica PlainRecreation facilities & sports
- Step-up housing program for homeless youthResident proposes step-up housing for youth with five-year plans and skill-building before aging out, to break the cycle of chronic homelessness, which disproportionately affects BIPOC youth.2024–25City-wideHomelessness & shelter
- Upgrade Paul's Park with trees, benches and lightingResident asks to upgrade Paul's Park/Washburn Green in Dorchester with pear trees, benches and lighting so it becomes a safer, usable gathering space.2024–25DorchesterParks, trees & climate
- Convert underused park into a fenced dog parkResident asks to convert part or all of Sharon's park into a monitored, cleaned, fenced dog park because the space is underused and gets trashed.2024–25DorchesterParks, trees & climate
- Year-round youth jobs with continued adult hiringResident asks that youth jobs last a full year, use the full $5 million rather than $2 million, and let community organizations keep youth on as adults at reasonable pay.2024–25City-wideYouth jobs & fellowships
- Flexible youth jobs that fit school schedulesResident asks for flexible yet active youth jobs or opportunities so young people can work and contribute while managing school and other responsibilities.2024–25City-wideYouth jobs & fellowships
- Year-round work opportunities for every Boston teenResident wants every Boston teen to have year-round work to learn job skills and help household finances.2024–25City-wideYouth jobs & fellowships
- Redesign damaged median at Algonquin and Bradley StreetsResident asks to redesign and rebuild a dangerous, poorly maintained median between Algonquin and Bradley Streets in Dorchester that trucks repeatedly damage.2024–25DorchesterPedestrian & bike safety
- Housing support and programs for youthResident asks for housing support and programs for youth.2024–25City-wideHomelessness & shelter
- Pilot year-round youth jobs paying $20-25/hourResident asks for grants to pilot a year-round youth jobs program paying at least $20-25 an hour, since current city jobs last eight months and pay too little.2024–25City-wideYouth jobs & fellowships
- Community-based mental health crisis responseResident asks for a community-based mental health crisis response so Black and Brown individuals get help from people who understand their experiences.2024–25City-wideMental health & substance use
- Community education on non-police mental health crisis responseResident asks for public education about non-police mental health crisis response models, noting communities of color face greater harm when 911 is called and Boston lacks an alternative.2024–25City-wideMental health & substance use
- Citywide neighborhood scavenger hunt eventResident proposes a citywide scavenger hunt across neighborhoods to reduce isolation, get people outside, build community and support local eateries through gift certificate prizes.2024–25City-wideLibraries, digital & civic life