Boston Mayor Martin Walsh has proposed increasing the city's local construction hiring goals from 50% to 51% of hours guaranteed to city residents. His proposal would also increase the goals for those hours for minorities to go from 25% to 40% and for women from 10% to 12%. The previous goals were set in a 1979 city ordinance.
“We’re in the third-largest economic boom in the city’s history and it’s important that Boston residents are a part of that movement and that the construction industry reflects the demographics of Boston and its diversity,” said John Barros, the city’s chief of economic development.
The goals have been far from within reach in 2016 with only 29% of hours worked in 2016 going to local residents with only 5.6% of those hours going to women. Minorities have actually accounted for about 31% of hours worked so far in 2016, which is above the city's existing goal.
Mayor Walsh's proposal also calls for having just the Boston Employment Commission handle compliance. Currently it is handled by either the Boston Employment Commission or the Boston Planning and Development Agency.
(more on Boston's Mayor Walsh's proposal to increase local construction hour goals...)
