Boston City Council Passes Animal, Transit, and Renewable Energy Measures at February Session

Uncategorized 2026-07-22 clip6066 · Meeting of July 22, 2026

Boston City Council passes animal welfare grants, renewable energy resolution, and sweeping hearing orders at February 26 session. Council President Kim Janey presided as the council unanimously approved four grants under suspension of the rules, including a $50,000 donation mechanism for the city animal shelter championed by Councillor Matt O'Malley and a $5,000 Lyft-code donation from criminal justice nonprofit Cut 50 for the Office of Returning Citizens. The council referred a $24,309,000 Community Preservation Act package — covering nine affordable housing projects totaling more than $15 million, 16 historic preservation projects at $3.44 million, and 15 open space projects — to committee after Councillor Michael Flaherty noted the CPA has now funded $67.4 million in projects citywide.

Councillors Michelle Wu and O'Malley won unanimous adoption of a resolution supporting House Bill 2836, the state's 100% Renewable Energy Act. New Councillor Julia Mejia introduced hearing orders on income-adjusted parking tickets and late-night MBTA service, the latter prompting Councillor Zac Bock to recall that in January 2016 the MBTA held three public hearings in a 24-hour window — "so rushed and frankly so not consultative" — before cancelling late-night service with virtually no third-shift workers able to attend.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,522 words

Source: the Uncategorized 2026-07-22 clip6066 meeting of July 22, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.