Erin Murphy

I grew up in Dorchester, swimming at Tenean Beach, jumping off docks at the South Boston Yacht Club, and visiting the Harbor Islands every summer. I learned how to swim in our harbor and believe every child in Boston should have the same chance. That is why I have championed free swim lessons, supported youth sailing programs like Harry McDonough and Courageous Sailing, and advocated for expanding equitable access to Boston’s coastal treasures.

Today, as a city councillor, I celebrate the completion of the bike path connecting Tenean Beach to Morrissey Boulevard, which links communities across Dorchester to the water in safer, more sustainable ways. I am also proud to see my alma mater, UMass Boston, finally embracing its shoreline by opening its windows to the harbor rather than turning away from it.

Boston is a coastal city, and our future depends on protecting and embracing our waterfront, from the Harbor slands to the Neponset River. My vision includes a resilient, accessible waterfront for all, rooted in climate-smart and community-led design. This means ensuring that residents from all backgrounds, especially those historically marginalized, have meaningful input and leadership roles in waterfront planning and stewardship. Through co-creating projects with neighborhoods, community groups, and local organizations, we can build safe, clean, and welcoming shores—not just for visitors but for the kids who live here. It will cost money, yes, but it will cost far more if we fail to act. Boston must lead with vision, urgency, inclusion, and equity.

Boston’s waterfront is a public health resource and a joy. I know this personally. I grew up swimming at Tenean Beach and spending summers by the ocean. I’ve always believed that being in and around the water supports both physical and mental health, and it should be accessible to everyone in Boston.

That’s why I’ve participated in and organized harbor cleanups, advocated for expanded swim lessons, and fought to reopen pools like the Condon Pool and others that have sat closed for years, even though they’re located next to public housing developments. These closures deny access to families who need them most, not just to cool off in the summer but to learn how to swim and stay safe around water.

I have championed lifeguard training and supported initiatives to hire and train more lifeguards, working to ensure these opportunities reach youth from diverse communities. My own children worked as lifeguards for several summers before college, and programs like these help keep our public beaches safe and welcoming.

Our waterfront offers much more than public health benefits. It supports local jobs, climate resilience, and community identity. That’s why I’ll continue to advocate for policies that expand access, improve safety, and protect the waterfront for future generations while balancing its many roles in the life of our city. This includes partnering with community groups to remove barriers and offer culturally relevant programs that welcome all Boston residents.

Flooding continues to threaten Boston neighborhoods, especially those historically underserved like Dorchester, East Boston, and South Boston. Living in Dorchester and driving down Morrissey Boulevard every day, I’ve seen firsthand how flooding can shut down key streets and cut off access to transit, schools, and services. As a Boston resident and councilor, I'm committed to building a citywide flood defense system that centers equity and protects our most vulnerable communities.

Boston’s Office of Climate Resilience has developed coastal resilience plans for all 47 miles of our shoreline, including East Boston’s vulnerable waterfront, which faces increasing threats from rising sea levels and storm surge. These plans are critical, but they require real funding and urgency to be implemented equitably. That’s why I supported and participated in the March 31, 2025 hearing of the Council’s Committee on Environmental Justice, Resiliency & Parks (Docket #0169), where we pushed for implementation funding and explored the creation of a municipal climate bank so resources are directed where the need is greatest.

Our city’s flood defense strategy must now move from planning to action. That means investing in green infrastructure, restoring wetlands, and adding permeable surfaces alongside hard infrastructure like elevated seawalls, tide gates, and raised roadways. In Dorchester, this includes long-needed upgrades to Morrissey Boulevard, where the 2020 adaptation report proposed raising the road by as much as 16 feet to meet high-tide benchmarks, combined with tide gates and berms to protect surrounding neighborhoods.

Although federal funding remains constrained, Boston will continue to lead by maximizing state and local partnerships, pursuing resilience grants, and advocating for a climate bank that prioritizes frontline communities. I’ll also explore novel financing like resilience bonds and public–private partnerships. Linking this infrastructure work with workforce development is essential. My track record supporting youth lifeguard training programs demonstrates how resilience efforts can simultaneously build economic opportunity in coastal neighborhoods.

I am committed to ensuring that frontline communities are actively engaged in the planning and leadership of climate resilience projects and that local knowledge guides our strategies. By combining technical solutions, direct community engagement, transparent council oversight, and inclusive economic planning, we can create a flood defense system that safeguards Dorchester and all Boston residents while reinforcing our leadership in climate resilience.

Boston’s working port is a vital economic engine for our city and the entire region, supporting over 66,000 jobs and $8.2 billion in activity. As a proud supporter of our longshoremen and maritime workers, I understand the importance of protecting good union jobs while also expanding opportunities for Boston residents across neighborhoods.

Designated Port Areas (DPAs) must continue to serve their core industrial and maritime purpose. But we can be innovative in how we design these spaces to allow for compatible public access and workforce development. I’ve been a consistent advocate for investing in job training programs that prepare Boston residents, especially young people and those in underserved communities, for careers in the maritime, shipping, and logistics industries.

I also believe the port can be a place where industry and culture coexist. I’ve attended events at the Institute of Contemporary Art’s space in East Boston, which is a great example of how we can activate the waterfront with public art and creative programming while still honoring the port’s core economic functions. These types of spaces reflect the vibrancy of our coastal communities and show that we can respect our working waterfront while making it more inclusive, educational, and accessible.

As a City Councilor, I’ll continue to champion investments in infrastructure, training pipelines, and local hiring requirements that ensure the benefits of port activity reach our residents, especially those historically excluded from these good jobs. Collaboration between maritime industry stakeholders and neighborhood groups is key to balancing economic and cultural interests.

Access to Boston’s waterfront should not depend on your zip code. While those living closest to the water report an easier time getting there, we must ensure that all Boston residents—regardless of neighborhood, income, or mobility—can enjoy and benefit from our waterfront spaces.

That starts with a more reliable and equitable public transit system. I’ve long supported improvements to the Fairmount Line, better bus reliability in transit-dependent neighborhoods like Mattapan and Roxbury, and safe, connected infrastructure for walking and biking. Expanding ferry service, particularly in underconnected neighborhoods such as East Boston and Dorchester, could open up new climate-friendly access points to the harbor.

As a former BPS teacher for 24 years, I planned field trips to Boston’s beaches and waterfront so my students, many of whom had never been, could experience our city’s shoreline firsthand. I strongly support increased funding for school-based field trips that connect students to the harbor and to nature right in their own city.

We also need creative transit solutions like free or reduced-fare shuttles to key waterfront destinations during summer months, especially for youth, seniors, and families. I will continue to advocate for ADA-compliant sidewalks, protected bike lanes, and multilingual signage that make the waterfront more accessible and welcoming for all. This work requires ongoing partnerships with community-based organizations representing people with disabilities, immigrant communities, and youth to ensure that solutions truly meet diverse needs. With the right investments and inclusive planning, we can ensure Boston’s waterfront is truly accessible to every resident.