Josh Kraft, a 57-year-old philanthropist and non-profit leader and the son of the longtime New England Patriots owner, officially launched his campaign for mayor of Boston on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at the Prince Hall Grand Lodge in Dorchester’s Grove Hall.

“Serving Boston has been my passion and a great source of joy and purpose in my life, but I also know there's more for me to give this city, and that's why today - because I love this city and its people,” said Kraft, who stood in front of a phalanx of about 50 supporters as he made his speech. “I'm excited to declare my candidacy to be the next mayor of the city of Boston.”

Though his family name is known well around New England and beyond, Kraft has never before sought public office. He asked Bostonians to focus on the service he has done in his career in the non-profit sector, not his family’s businesses in Foxboro.

“I spent my entire career in the neighborhoods of Boston from Roslindale to East Boston, from Mattapan to Charlestown, and South Boston to Roxbury,” said Kraft who led the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston for more than a decade. “From the moment I started working in Boston, I fell in love with this city, its many unique neighborhoods, and its people.”

Kraft offered a polite, but pointed critique of Mayor Michelle Wu at times during his remarks, in which he pledged to improve housing production, Boston Public Schools, transportation, and city services if elected in November.

Josh Kraft (second from right) posed for photos with supporters inside Prince Hall on Feb. 4, 2025. Cassidy McNeeley photo

“Right now, we face some serious, serious challenges. Challenges that Mayor Wu has not risen to,” Kraft said. “When it comes to the Mayor’s big campaign promises to make the MBTA free for Boston residents, to put in place a rent control program, and to launch a green new deal for Boston schools, she's 0-3.”

The Kraft campaign has made housing production the top issue in his early campaign.

“The number one challenge facing our residents - access to housing that regular people can afford,” said Kraft. “Today, there are projects ready to be built that would result in more than 20,000 units of housing, but they are stuck due to regulations, imposed by the current administration.”

Kraft said he would fast-track new construction by putting one-time incentives aimed at projects priced for middle-class and first-time homeowners. Kraft also said he would deliver a version of rent control by offering tax incentives to landlords who agree to cap rent hikes over 10 years.

“This program will be targeted for properties that serve middle and lower-income residents and would exclude all luxury rentals,” he said. “Renters deserve to be protected from massive year-over-year increases and this plan will do that.”

Kraft came out in support of an elected School Committee, a measure opposed by Mayor Wu, but that has proven popular in non-binding referenda put before city voters.

“It’s time to have elected members along with appointed members on the school committee, and as mayor, I will make that happen,” said Kraft.

Kraft’s position on schools is what drew the support of Robert Novak, the executive director of Boston Islamic Interfaith Society, who was on hand for Kraft’s launch.

He said Kraft’s track record as the head of the Boys and Girls Clubs makes him a great mentor for kids.

“My biggest concern that he is really addressing is the academic disparity,” said Novak, 40. “There are people who are completely illiterate, there are people who are dropping out of school, and it's for very complicated reasons but there are very simple solutions. The most important thing is they have a mentor to rely on.”

Bernadette Adonis, a Haitian-American activist, said her disappointment with school system has made Kraft her preferred alternative to Wu.

“We met with her many times about BPS. We need more teachers, and we need more people at the welcome centers,” Adonis told The Reporter. “There is only one Haitian for the whole population. We asked for more, she never responded.”

Fort Hill resident Ann DeGeorge said she is seeking change because she doesn’t feel heard.

“[Mayor Wu] isn't reachable and that's a problem,” said DeGeorge. “When you don't want to hear about your constituents, or from them, that's a problem.”

Kraft also touched on that critique of Mayor Wu in his remarks.

“We have a leader that just does not listen. Too often Mayor Wu acts as if she alone has all the answers. Instead of listening to community voices, too often they're being tuned out,” he said.

Sandy Zamor Calixte of Mattapan said Kraft is engaged. “He listens, he doesn’t just hear,” the 51-year-old said in an interview with The Reporter. “We need a leader that is actually going to listen to us.”

Zamor Calixte also agrees with Kraft’s plans to pause further bike lanes.

During his speech, Kraft claimed that would “offer a commonsense transportation plan to deal with the congestion clogging our streets” which “starts with an immediate pause for all new bike lane construction.”

Afterward, he told reporters that work at White Stadium needed to be put on pause too.

“When you invest 100 million private dollars into a project that primarily benefits a private entity you need to take a pause and really look at it,” said Kraft. “It's been a majority of the community concerns and I think those need to be heard and understood.”