Last Wednesday (April 16), about 75 people gathered inside the Richard J. Murphy School cafeteria, sitting at blue and yellow lunch tables as mayoral candidate Josh Kraft talked about why he is running and took questions from members of the Pope’s Hill Neighborhood Association (PHNA). 

“I made a conscious decision 35 years ago not to go to work in my family business,” said Kraft, whose father, Robert, is the CEO and chairman of the Kraft Group and owner of the New England Patriots. “I made a decision to do community work in and around all the neighborhoods of Boston, and I loved it.”

He added: “Right now, the city I love, the people that I have learned so much from, I’m concerned that [it] is heading in the wrong direction.”

Kraft touched on his ideas abut how to improve housing production, Boston Public School performance, Mass & Cass safety issues, and fiscal discipline in City Hall during his presentation. At times, he was direct in sharing his disappointment with the Wu administration. 

“The current administration is dropping the ball,” he said. “They don’t listen to people, and the staff surrounding the mayor are unqualified and inexperienced to do the jobs that they’ve been placed in. A lot of the challenges facing the city sound difficult, but the fixes are not complicated. It just takes political will and courage to bring people together and to make hard decisions that benefit the citizens of Boston.”

City Councillor-at-large Erin Murphy, who is running for reelection this year, attended the meeting and said that Kraft is saying what needs to be said.

“When you’re running for office and you’re the new candidate running for an open seat,” she said, “what you want to share with constituents and future voters is why you can do the job, why you’re running, why you want the job.

“But when you’re running for a seat that has an incumbent, you have to do that and do it well, but you also have to say why you’re better.”

When Kraft was asked about the re-use of the Carney Hospital site, he answered that his “personal opinion is that the two cornerstones that build a strong community are education and health. Health equity is essential. Access to health is essential for any community to thrive.”

Later in the meeting, District 3 Councillor John FitzGerald agreed, saying that “the most important thing about that land is that we keep it a healthcare use and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Kraft was also asked about the re-use of 900 Morrissey Blvd, a former Comfort Inn hotel in Neponset across from Pope’s Hill Street now owned by The Community Builders in partnership with Pine Street Inn. It will re-open as housing for formerly homeless senior citizens later this year. 

“When it comes to construction development projects, whether it’s this project or any project, I know the community voice and input are essential,” he said. “I think it takes the community with the developer, builder, finance, or whoever it is, coming together and understanding if you move forward as a group to a yes, it’s holding to whatever the group, which includes the community folks, agreed to as a yes. You can also move forward and agree to a no.” 

Others asked questions about safety and staffing concerns at the Murphy School, where the meeting took place.

“No matter what you’re doing in a city or a community, you can’t do it if people don’t feel safe,” said Kraft. “If the teacher doesn’t feel safe, they’re not going to teach to their best ability, and if students don’t feel safe, they’re not going to learn what they deserve to learn.”

Kraft said he would like to see an increase in staff at the Worrell Street facility. Thanks to Councillor FitzGerald, he noted, a public safety officer will be at the school for the remainder of the year. 

On the overall topic of challenging Wu, Kraft said:
“We all know that beating an incumbent is an uphill challenge, but there is no doubt in our mind that with the support of people who believe in the city that we can do that. Make the city the best city in the country for everyone.”

Mayor Wu has been invited to attend next month’s Pope’s Hill civic meeting, according to civic leaders.