MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCES CITY’S STUDENT MOVE-IN PREPARATIONS AND WELCOMES COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS TO BOSTON
City departments share preparations across Boston neighborhoods ahead of student move-in period
BOSTON - Friday, August 29, 2025 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced an update on the City's preparations and existing services as college and university students move in across Boston to ensure they have a smooth transition into their new homes and communities. A cross-departmental effort, Boston is sharing information on how to access City services, including 311, mattress pick up, inspections, BlueBikes, parking restrictions, proper disposal of waste and furniture to prevent rodents, and unique student perks. These City resources will help make Boston an accessible home for all students and new residents.
“The City of Boston is home to world-class colleges, universities, and institutions, made up by students who bring so much life to our City,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I am thankful for the comprehensive collaboration between all of the City workers and departments who came together to ensure access to safe housing and city services for Boston’s students as they enter a new school year. I am proud to make Boston a home for all of our students.”
“The Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services is excited to welcome new residents to Boston and engage with current constituents,” said Community Engagement Cabinet Chief Brianna Millor. “Our neighborhood liaisons will be distributing resident guides packed with information about city resources. We encourage all constituents to reach out to their neighborhood liaisons to help them navigate city services.”
New and current residents are encouraged to connect with Boston 311, the City’s 24-hour Constituent Service Center, to report non-emergency issues and get information. Boston 311 is free and available every day of the year by calling 3-1-1 (or 617-635-4500 from outside the city), visiting boston.gov/311, or downloading the BOS:311 app. The app, available in the IOS App Store and Google Play, allows users to report issues, upload photos, and track cases in real time. During student move-in, it also features a dedicated section to make reporting trash, recycling and street concerns easier.
The City’s Inspectional Services, Transportation, Office of Neighborhood Services, Fire, Police, and Public Works departments are conducting housing inspections upon request, trash inspections, and distributing informational brochures in neighborhoods with large student populations.
The Inspectional Services Department (ISD) will deploy over 50 inspectors throughout the neighborhoods heavily populated with students. Inspectors will conduct walkthroughs of areas heavily populated with students including but not limited to: Allston, Brighton, Back Bay, Fenway, Mission Hill, and Beacon Hill. While canvassing these areas, inspectors will distribute informational flyers, offer on the spot inspections, and answer questions related to city services.
The City encourages students to avoid used furniture and to notify their landlord immediately in the event of a suspected infestation. In addition, information pertaining to rodent control can be found here and questions regarding the housing code can be found here.
“On behalf of the City of Boston, I extend a warm welcome to all students joining our community. As you embark on this exciting chapter, we encourage you to be considerate neighbors by properly disposing of trash and maintaining a clean environment,” said Jessica Thomas, Inspectional Services Department Assistant Commissioner. “The Inspectional Services Department remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring that every neighborhood is safe, sanitary, and code compliant. Together, through shared responsibility and respect for our communities, we can continue to make Boston a vibrant and welcoming city for all.”
The Boston Transportation Department will be implementing on-street parking restrictions on streets in Allston, Fenway, Mission Hill, and Roxbury to help provide parking spaces for vehicles being used by new residents and students moving into those areas. In these areas, ISD is not granting permits for construction from Friday, August 30 through Sunday, September 1 in order to alleviate traffic and parking concerns and promote safety. In addition to the neighborhood-specific restrictions, BTD has issued over 4500 moving truck permits across the City in the month of August with over 2500 issued for August 29 - September 1. The City encourages residents, students, and families to pay attention to posted signs. For more information on street restrictions, visit boston.gov/moving.
“Temporary parking restrictions help keep our streets safe and moving during this busy time,” said Nick Gove, Deputy Chief of Streets for Transportation and BTD Commissioner. “We ask everyone to follow the posted signs and keep fire lanes and hydrants clear. If we work together, we can have a successful, less stressful move-in week.”
The City also encourages residents and visitors to maintain an accessible path of travel on sidewalks and at intersections. Additionally, the City urges residents and visitors not to block accessible parking spaces designated for people with disabilities while moving in or out.
“This is always a busy weekend in Boston,” said Boston Disability Commissioner Kristen McCosh. ”We are eager to welcome new residents moving into the city, and we ask everyone to make sure that sidewalks and curb ramps are not blocked by furniture or other items. It is also important to pay attention to HP-DV parking spaces in the neighborhoods, not just this weekend, but always. These parking spaces are reserved for residents and others with disabilities. Only vehicles with a disability license plate or placard are allowed to park in these spaces.”
The City has launched the Furniture Pickup Pilot that allows residents to properly discard or donate furniture that is no longer needed. This program reduces the amount of furniture going into landfills, establishes a sustainable city-wide furniture recycling practice, and provides needed furniture to service providers who work to transition unhoused individuals to stable housing.
The City has also partnered with Household Goods, a non-profit organization that provides a full range of donated furniture at no cost to individuals referred by Massachusetts-based social service agencies. Eligible households in Brighton can arrange for a free furniture pickup through this partnership. For more information on this partnership, visit boston.gov/calendar/free-furniture-pick-pilot.
Bluebikes is Boston’s public bike share system. With more than 400 stations and 4000 bikes, it's a fast and convenient way to get around the Greater Boston area. Many of Boston's colleges and universities provide discounts on annual passes for students, faculty, and staff. Students are encouraged to check with their university's transportation office to see if they are eligible. More information is available at boston.gov/bluebikes. Bluebikes also offers students 55% off an annual pass with Boston Bikes Pass. For more information on biking safely in Boston, visit boston.gov/boston-by-bike. For more information about street safety for pedestrians with disabilities, visit boston.gov/boston-brakes.
This year, MBTA is extending Late Night T Service on the subway and select bus routes on Friday and Saturday nights, and, for a limited time, all rides will be free after 9 p.m. on five Fridays and Saturdays this fall.
The Public Works Code Enforcement Division will be issuing citations for the improper storage of household trash. Residents are asked to place their trash and recycling on the curb by 6:00 a.m. on their scheduled collection day, or set it out the night before after 5:00 p.m. The City also continues to take action against rodents and keep Boston neighborhoods clean. In 2024, the City introduced the Boston Rodent Action Plan (BRAP), a coordinated, multi-agency initiative to mitigate the rodent population and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors. Proper waste storage and disposal is essential to limiting access to food, water, and shelter where rodents thrive.
“As thousands of new residents arrive in Boston for the annual move-in period, our goal is to ensure that our streets and sidewalks remain clean, safe, and accessible for everyone,” said Mike Brohel, Superintendent of Basic City Services. “City departments will be deployed throughout the weekend to assist residents, monitor compliance, and ensure any issues are addressed promptly and effectively.”
Due to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) ban, mattresses and box springs are no longer collected curbside as part of routine trash collection. Residents are required to make an appointment for a free curbside pick-up at: Boston.gov/mattress. The residential mattress program does not service buildings with seven units or more. Those residents should consult with their property manager to learn the proper protocol to recycle their mattress. Roughly 75 percent of all mattresses and box springs components can be disassembled and recycled. The recovered materials are used to manufacture a variety of new products including foam padding, fabric, steel springs and wooden frames.
While household furniture can be left curbside on your scheduled pick-up day, we strongly encourage residents to donate the items to a charity or organization that can pass them along to others in need. Items such as televisions, air conditioners and refrigerators require a special pick-up. To schedule an appointment, contact 311. Residents are reminded not to block sidewalks with trash or household furniture set out for pick up. Items should be placed along the curb, leaving room for pedestrians, including people with disabilities or those pushing strollers, to get by. New residents are strongly encouraged to download the City’s free Trash Day app at: boston.gov/trash-day, available on Google Play or the IOS app store. Residents can view their collection schedules, set reminders, and search a directory of hundreds of household items to find out the right way to dispose of them.
As students settle into their new homes, they will have access to several perks. The City of Boston has been working to launch new programs and partnerships that allow students to live, learn, and explore Boston’s extensive art and cultural services.
Students will have access to the following discounted student tickets:
· Cheer on the Boston Red Sox with $9 tickets
· Free admission to the Museum of Fine Arts, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and Institute of Contemporary Art
· Dive into marine life at the New England Aquarium
· Explore history at the JFK Library and Museum, Paul Revere House, or Museum of African American History
· Catch a show at the Boston Ballet, Huntington Theatre, or Boston Symphony Orchestra for as little as $20
Students are encouraged to visit boston.gov/moving for more information regarding parking restrictions and permits, trash removal and restrictions, and rental requirements. For more information on discounts and resources for students in Boston, visit boston.gov/news/discounts-and-resources-students-boston
