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
- Senior-friendly upgrades to parksResident asks to upgrade parks for older adults with senior exercise equipment, benches, accessible pathways and quiet zones to promote activity and social connection.2025–26City-wideParks, trees & climate
- Mobile dental units for low-income neighborhoodsResident asks for mobile dental units, in partnership with hospitals, health centers and dental schools, providing free or low-cost dental care in low-income neighborhoods.2025–26City-wideHealth care access
- Mobile eye care units for low-income neighborhoodsResident asks for mobile eye care units, run with local hospitals and health centers, offering free or low-cost eye care in low-income neighborhoods.2025–26City-wideHealth care access
- LEGEND Lab healing-centered art programsResident proposes LEGEND Lab, where Boston artists lead healing-focused art programs with mentorship and public showcases to address community trauma and youth disconnection.2025–26City-wideArts & culture
- Mobile health units and pop-up clinicsResident proposes hospitals, health centers and public health agencies regularly deploy mobile units or temporary clinics in trusted neighborhood spaces to reach low-income residents.2025–26City-wideHealth care access
- Free or low-cost health centers in community facilitiesResident asks for accessible free or low-cost health centers within existing community facilities, especially in neighborhoods with health disparities, to reduce cost, language and stigma barriers.2025–26City-wideHealth care access
- Green economy job training for residentsResident proposes training residents in skills for green economy careers, creating pathways to well-paying sustainable jobs while supporting climate goals.2025–26City-wideAdult jobs & small business
- Entrepreneurship hubs for small business ownersResident asks for hubs offering free or low-cost business development, legal and financial counseling to help entrepreneurs, especially people of color, immigrants and women, start and grow businesses.2025–26City-wideAdult jobs & small business
- Better security at schoolsResident asks for stronger security at schools to prevent incidents on school grounds and reduce discrimination.2025–26City-widePublic safety & crime prevention
- Art-based recovery program led by artists in recoveryResident proposes ARTxRecovery, offering art therapy, peer mentorship, job training and public showcases led by artists in recovery to help people facing addiction and reduce stigma.2025–26RoxburyMental health & substance use
- Accessible water fountains for people and petsResident asks for accessible public water fountains for people and pets in parks, plazas and public areas like City Hall Plaza, to ensure free access to drinking water.2025–26City-wideParks, trees & climate
- More shelters for people in need or addictedResident asks for more shelters for people in need or struggling with addiction because too many people are living on the streets.2025–26City-wideHomelessness & shelterSubmitted in Spanish
- More funding for advanced high school classesResident asks for more funding for high school classes such as dual enrollment, chemistry labs and AP courses.2025–26City-wideYouth programs & schools
- Public volleyball courtsResident asks for public volleyball courts, a popular sport among Americans and Hispanic residents, so people from different cultures can connect through play.2025–26South EndRecreation facilities & sports
- Electric vehicles for the Age Strong ShuttleResident asks the city to buy electric vehicles and charging stations for the Age Strong Shuttle to cut emissions and air pollution, possibly prioritizing neighborhoods with more pollution.2025–26City-wideParks, trees & climate
- Improve quality of school lunchesResident asks for better-tasting school lunches, saying attempts to make meals healthy sometimes leave them unappetizing.2025–26City-wideYouth programs & schools
- Benches along sidewalks near senior sites and transitResident asks for comfortable public benches on sidewalks, especially near assisted living, senior centers and transit stops, to help older adults and people with disabilities get around.2025–26City-wideOlder adult support
- Promote trade school and other alternatives to collegeResident asks the city to promote trade schools, community college and entrepreneurship as more affordable alternatives to a costly four-year college degree.2025–26East BostonYouth jobs & fellowships
- More help for people experiencing homelessnessProvide more assistance to people facing homelessness, as the resident feels the neighborhood has become unsafe with many people on the street.2025–26South EndHomelessness & shelter
- Better streets and more traffic lights in busy areasImprove streets and add more traffic lights in busy areas to reduce danger for people passing through.2025–26City-widePedestrian & bike safetySubmitted in Spanish
- Personal spending on family and collegeThe resident describes personal uses of the money, such as buying their mother a house and saving for college, rather than a city proposal.2025–26City-wideOther or unclear
- Repair uneven and damaged sidewalks citywideFund maintenance and repair of uneven, root-damaged and broken brick sidewalks so they are accessible to wheelchairs, strollers and people with limited mobility.2025–26City-wideStreet & sidewalk repair
- Convert paved or abandoned lots to green spaceTurn paved or abandoned lots into green spaces with grass and native plants, which would improve and cool communities of color in summer.2025–26City-wideParks, trees & climate
- CPR/AED classes in schools and AED installationTeach CPR, first aid and AED use in grammar schools, install AEDs with a locator app, and offer ServSafe classes to high school students.2025–26City-wideYouth programs & schools
- City mobile wheelchair repair vanCreate a city-run mobile van to repair wheelchairs, since repairs are slow and costly and a broken chair leaves users isolated.2025–26City-wideHealth care access