Other or unclear
Ideas that are off-topic, unclear, too general to classify, or outside the City's role.
Residents in this catch-all theme mostly make broad or unclear asks for community help, cost relief, or ways to spend the $2 million, plus requests outside the City's role.
Theme grouped and summary written with AI from this theme's resident ideas.
169 ideas across three cycles
| Cycle | Ideas | Share of all ideas | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 71 | 5.8% | 7 of 20 |
| 2025–26 | 52 | 4.3% | 11 of 20 |
| 2026–27 | 46 | 3.5% | 14 of 20 |
Needs that keep coming back
General help for the community
Residents ask for more opportunities, services or resources for their community without naming a specific project, so the ideas cannot be classified further.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Ideas about how the participatory budgeting money is used
Some residents urge more or all of the budget go to participatory budgeting, while others propose giving the $2 million to a single cause or organization.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Direct financial relief for residents
Residents ask for cash support, debt or fee relief, or other help with living costs, often with few details on how the City would deliver it.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Property tax cuts and returning surplus funds
Residents ask the City to lower property taxes or return surplus money to taxpayers instead of spending it.
Raised in 2024–25, 2026–27
Specific private businesses and food options
Residents ask for particular chains, late-night food, or drinking venues, which are private business decisions rather than City projects.
Raised in 2025–26, 2026–27
2024–25
Cycle 1 had the most ideas and the widest spread, including reentry and legal support, stadium and credit union proposals, and several unclear or joke submissions.
2025–26
Cycle 2 included many empty or one-word submissions alongside cash-payment proposals, public funding for election campaigns, and requests for specific shops and restaurants.
2026–27
Cycle 3 saw more requests about stray animals and spay/neuter services, more property tax relief asks, and a cluster of requests for chain restaurants in Dorchester.
New in 2026–27
Animal-related asks, such as spay/neuter services, rescue grants and a dog shelter, and property tax relief requests grew noticeably in 2026-27.
Funding so far
No winning projects relate to this theme, so none of the recurring asks (general community help, cost relief, tax cuts, animal services, how the budget is spent) has been addressed by a resident-voted project.
Projects are linked to themes by matching each project's description to the themes; this is not an official City classification.
No winning project has addressed this theme yet.
Ideas in Other or unclear
169 ideas
2024–25: 71 · 2025–26: 52 · 2026–27: 46
- More free college tuitionResident asks for expanded free college tuition beyond MassReconnect, saying debt discourages people from continuing their education.2024–25City-wide
- End library residency requirement for employeesResident asks the Boston Public Library to drop its residency requirement for employment, saying library wages make living in Boston unaffordable.2024–25City-wide
- Fund Instagram influencer promotion of local businessesResident asks for city funds to pay for promotion on their own Instagram account of local businesses, especially POC and women-owned ones, and free events.2024–25City-wide
- Pigeon nesting and feeding sitesResident proposes pigeon nesting and feeding sites to reduce property damage from nests and droppings and to control the population by collecting eggs.2024–25City-wide
- Transparent parking fines and late-fee relief fundResident asks for transparency on where parking fine money goes and a fund to help seniors, low-income people and single parents pay late fees that often double ticket costs.2024–25City-wide
- Return religious teaching to schoolsResident asks that teaching of the founding principles and values of the American constitution, rooted in God's word, return to schools to improve the community; this is outside the City's role.2024–25City-wideSubmitted in Spanish
- Social media account sharing new technologyResident has no specific idea and only points to an Instagram account that shares new technology and initiatives.2024–25City-wide
- Ban gas-powered leaf blowersResident asks the city to ban gas-powered leaf blowers, calling them a public nuisance.2024–25City-wide
- Mechanical generator producing electricity from materialsResident says they have a mechanical mechanism that can generate electricity from materials like industrial debris, sand, ore or water (written in Portuguese).2024–25City-wideSubmitted in Portuguese
- Mechanical generator producing electricity from materialsResident says they have a mechanical mechanism that can generate electricity from materials like industrial debris, sand, ore or water.2024–25City-wide
- Community house accessible to low-income peopleBuild a community house that is accessible to low-income people; the purpose of the building is not specified.2024–25City-wide
- Free community space in East BostonCreate a free community space serving all of East Boston; the idea gives no further detail on its use.2024–25East Boston
- Free legal clinics for open cases or past incarcerationResident asks for free legal clinics for anyone with an open case or who has been incarcerated.2024–25City-wide
- Public education to reduce incarceration stigmaResident asks for public education about life in incarceration to reduce stigma and discrimination affecting employment, housing and relationships.2024–25City-wide
- More funding for reentry support servicesResident says comprehensive support such as case management, mentoring and reentry programs is lacking and asks for more money invested in them.2024–25City-wide
- Reentry workshops on community, health care and jobsResident asks for workshops teaching people leaving incarceration how to navigate the community and access health care and jobs, to avoid stigma.2024–25City-wide
- Family reunification services after incarcerationResident asks for services that help reunite families, including counseling and mediation.2024–25City-wide
- Help getting ID after release from incarcerationResident asks for a place with guides who help people through the process of getting an ID after returning home from jail or prison.2024–25City-wide
- Ease the benefits cliff for familiesResident asks for a program letting families gradually move off public assistance with a financial cushion, citing a Cambridge example, because the benefits cliff discourages higher pay.2024–25City-wide
- Unclear greeting with no ideaThe submission is just a greeting and a note that the resident is unsure, with no actual proposal.2024–25East Boston