Boston Council Grills BPS on Homelessness Cuts, Audit Calls in FY27 Budget Hearing

BOSTON — April 16, 2026 — Boston City Council presses BPS on cuts to homelessness services and unmet audit demands in FY27 budget hearing. The Committee on Ways and Means, chaired by Councillor Ben Weber, opened a series of budget hearings Thursday on Boston Public Schools' $1.73 billion FY27 spending plan, passed unanimously by the School Committee on March 25. The sharpest debate centered on the Emergency Homelessness Intervention Program: Larry Siemens, CEO of Family Aid Boston, testified that the $4.3 million program — of which BPS contributes $750,000 — serves roughly 1,500 families through 28 social workers and 22 partner organizations, and warned that Boston ranks fifth in childhood poverty among the 25 largest U.S. cities. Ed Ehrlich of Greater Boston Legal Services said the attached Access to Counsel eviction-prevention program, left out of the mayor's proposed budget for a second straight year, has served more than 100 families with close to a 100 percent success rate in preventing homelessness. Chief of Student Supports Corey McCarthy confirmed FY27 restructuring will eliminate the senior director and assistant director for opportunity youth, though the school-based HEARN homeless liaison network will remain. Superintendent Mary Skipper highlighted a record 81.3 percent four-year graduation rate and four consecutive years of declining chronic absenteeism, currently at roughly 25 to 26 percent, and confirmed BPS sought school committee authorization the prior evening to pursue a supplemental city budget request to cover a health insurance and utility shortfall unaddressed in FY26.