Boston construction workforce audit finds residents, women below BRJP equity targets

BOSTON — April 13, 2026 — Boston construction workforce policy falls short on residents and women, city data shows. At a virtual hearing of the City Council Committee on Labor and Economic Development chaired by Councilor Brian Worrell, administration officials reported that Boston residents logged only 19 percent of monitored construction work hours between October 2025 and March 2026, against a policy goal of 51 percent, while women accounted for just 7 percent against a goal of 12 percent. Deputy Chief Jody Sugarman-Brosen and BRJP Senior Manager Christopher Brown presented data from 142 monitored projects totaling roughly 3.84 million hours, noting the people of color metric at 42 percent was the only figure near its 40 percent target. Council President Liz Breadon and Councilor Edward M. Flynn pressed officials on the city's own departments — Parks and Recreation logged 0 percent female participation — with Flynn calling on Boston to "lead the way as an example." Public commenter Weezy Waldenstein of Action for Equity told the council that full resident compliance would return $436 million in wages to Boston neighborhoods.