As Boston continues to rank as one of the most expensive cities to live in the United States, it is critical that we discuss whether the city's residency requirement has impacted our ability to recruit and retain talent to ensure both public safety and the quality of life for our residents.
Since 1976, municipal employees have had to maintain residency within Boston. But officials are concerned that the city's increased cost of living and related staffing challenges could be tied to the residency requirement.
Younger people, who typically earn less, are disproportionately impacted. Flynn referenced a survey from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce that found that 25% of adults aged between 20 to 30 years old are planning to leave Boston in the next five years. The most important factors in their decision to leave are cost of living and housing affordability.
The average salary for a city employee is currently $79,000, according to the hearing order. Flynn cited a recent study from SmartAsset that found a single adult needs to make $124,966 a year in order to live comfortably in Boston.
[
Collection
]
[
|
...
]