Boston, August 20, 2025
News Summary
Rachel Miselman is running for an at-large Boston City Council seat, focusing on the Sister Cities Program to generate revenue and support affordable housing. She emphasizes education, public safety, and economic growth, proposing increased city revenue and scrutiny on affordable housing commitments. Miselman, with strong ties to Boston neighborhoods, has over 20 years of experience in education and law. She addresses federal funding concerns and aims for a strategic approach in community development.
Boston — Rachel Miselman is running for an at-large Boston City Council seat with a platform centered on using the city’s Sister Cities Program to boost revenue and support affordable housing, while addressing education, public safety and economic growth.
Top-line: candidacy and central proposals
Miselman’s campaign prioritizes converting underused municipal programs into revenue sources that can be reinvested into housing and community services. A central proposal is to expand use of the Sister Cities Program as a revenue-generating mechanism and partnership vehicle to support housing initiatives and local economic activity. She also proposes targeted city revenue increases and closer monitoring of construction agreements to ensure developers meet affordable housing commitments.
Policy priorities and immediate concerns
Miselman identifies three primary concerns for residents: education, public safety, and economic growth. On education, she emphasizes creating strategic learning opportunities that equip residents for technological change, including workforce readiness tied to advances in artificial intelligence. She proposes seeking additional grants for Boston Public Schools and exploring facility improvements through innovative funding and management strategies.
Public safety approaches include addressing neighborhood-specific issues such as the concentration of treatment centers in certain corridors—commonly referred to in community discussions as Methadone Miles. Miselman advocates for clear, strategic responses to such concentrations instead of simple reallocation of funds without planning.
On housing, she supports measures to increase affordability through city revenue and oversight of housing development agreements. She expresses support for rent stabilization while expressing caution about implementing broad rent control due to concerns about impacts on small landlords and the local real estate market. She acknowledges the role of outside investors in the housing market and emphasizes steering investments so they benefit the community and preserve neighborhood character.
Professional background and local ties
Miselman presents a long-standing connection to Boston neighborhoods. She grew up in West Roxbury and Dorchester, attended Boston Latin School, and currently resides in East Boston. She highlights years of personal involvement across the city, including frequenting businesses and public spaces in Jamaica Plain and valuing its architecture and green spaces.
Professionally, she brings over 20 years of experience in education as a consultant, teacher and curriculum designer, along with a legal background focused on human rights, land and housing issues. She frames her approach to public service around empathy, compassion and intellectual agility, which she argues are important for navigating complex municipal challenges.
Fiscal and federal funding considerations
Miselman raises concern about potential federal funding cuts and their impact on Boston’s budget. She contends the city has existing resources to manage funding fluctuations but calls for improved fiscal strategies to ensure continued delivery of city services. Her fiscal platform emphasizes maximizing existing municipal programs and forging new partnerships to diversify revenue streams.
Community connections and local perspective
Her campaign materials highlight long-term enjoyment of Jamaica Plain’s recreational and community assets, including Jamaica Pond and local businesses. She frames these ties as informing her understanding of neighborhood needs and cultural preservation when evaluating development and investment.
Next steps and campaign context
As an at-large candidate, Miselman seeks broad citywide support for policy initiatives that link economic development, housing affordability and educational opportunity. Her outlined strategies include pursuing grant funding for schools, tightening enforcement of affordable housing clauses in construction agreements, and leveraging international municipal relationships through the Sister Cities Program to promote economic benefits for Boston residents.
Background on the Sister Cities and housing debate
The Sister Cities Program is traditionally used for cultural exchange and municipal partnerships. Miselman’s approach reframes it as a potential economic tool to attract investment and resources for local priorities. The housing debate in Boston continues to center on balancing protections for renters, maintaining a healthy rental market, and ensuring that new development contributes to affordable housing stock.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Rachel Miselman?
Rachel Miselman is a candidate for an at-large seat on the Boston City Council with a background in education and law and long-term ties to multiple Boston neighborhoods.
What does she propose with the Sister Cities Program?
She proposes expanding and better utilizing the Sister Cities Program to create revenue and partnership opportunities that can support housing and community initiatives.
How does she plan to address housing affordability?
Her plan emphasizes increasing municipal revenue, enforcing affordable housing commitments in construction agreements, supporting rent stabilization, and scrutinizing investor purchases to ensure community benefits.
What is her position on rent control?
She supports rent stabilization measures but is cautious about broad rent control due to potential negative effects on small landlords and the housing market.
How will she handle Methadone Miles and treatment center concentrations?
She favors targeted, strategic approaches to address concentrations of treatment services rather than simple reallocation of funds or services without planning.
What are her education priorities?
She aims to secure additional grants for Boston Public Schools, improve school facilities through innovative funding, and create learning pathways to prepare residents for technological changes like AI.
Quick-reference table
| Topic | Key points |
|---|---|
| Candidate | Rachel Miselman — at-large Boston City Council candidate with education and legal background |
| Sister Cities Program | Proposed to be used as a revenue and partnership tool to support housing and economic projects |
| Housing | Increase city revenue, enforce affordable housing agreements, support rent stabilization, cautious on rent control |
| Education | Seek grants, upgrade facilities, provide training for technological shifts including AI |
| Public safety | Targeted strategies for neighborhood issues and treatment center concentrations |
| Fiscal outlook | Concern about federal funding cuts; advocate for better fiscal strategies and diversified revenue |
| Local ties | Grew up in West Roxbury and Dorchester, attended Boston Latin School, lives in East Boston; long-time connection to Jamaica Plain |
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Additional Resources
- Jamaica Plain News: Miselman on Sister Cities Program
- MassLive: Husband of Former City Councilor Seeks Parole
- NBC Boston: Councilor Tania Fernandes-Anderson Resignation
- Wikipedia: Boston City Council
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Boston
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