BOSTON – To ensure that veterans and military families are not being unfairly held to different standards of community process, Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn and Boston City Councilors At-Large Erin Murphy and Henry Santana filed a hearing order to discuss the dedication of hero squares and blue squares that honor veterans and military families being placed solely under the purview of Boston Veterans Services moving forward.

Recently, a military family in South Boston sought to establish a Blue Square to honor the memory, service, and sacrifice of a Navy Corpsman who saved many lives in the Iraq War. For many years, a foundation established in his name has worked tirelessly to both raise awareness on the hidden wounds of war and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as well as raising tens of thousands of dollars to provide scholarships to our local youth.

In August, the Office of Veterans Services offered its full support to conduct a ceremony with military honors for this Blue Square ceremony. However, the family was notified that this request was to be administered by the Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS). The family was subsequently asked by ONS to collect 200 signatures, conduct a thorough community process and abutters meeting, and receive support from their local neighborhood civic association.

At the same time, in recent months, ONS has also informed District City Councilors that they established a new policy in which ONS will now decide which development proposals will need to conduct neighborhood abutters meetings, and which will not be required to do so prior to a hearing at the Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA). Moreover, a military family is being asked to obtain 200 signatures while residents may begin a petition with the Boston Landmarks Commission with only ten signatures.

The City of Boston has always held shared values of honoring our veterans and military families. In light of the Boston City Council having voted to cut $900,000 from Boston Veterans Services in 2023, and the City of Boston administration having proposed a 14.6% reduction ($724,000) to Boston Veterans Services in the FY27 Operating Budget, and now ONS asking for more community process for military families than ZBA cases – Councilor Flynn believes that we can no longer in good conscience say these remain shared values.

“As a retired veteran who served nearly 25 years in the U.S. Navy, it is shameful to me that a City department considers itself too busy to conduct community meetings on development, but is also somehow able to hold dedications for veterans and military families to a more extensive public process. Culture starts at the top, and the message has been sent over and over from City officials that veterans and military families are held to a different standard,” said Councilor Flynn. “The City Boston was built on the backs of veterans, military families, our dedicated first responders, and working families.”

“These squares preserve the names and stories of people Boston must never forget. Families deserve a clear point of contact and a City that takes responsibility for both the dedication and the ongoing care of these tributes,” said Boston City Councilor At-Large Erin Murphy

For more information, please contact Councilor Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 or [email protected].

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