Boston's first NeighborHUB launches, a City Hall to Go initiative that will provide city services to residents in the neighbhood

Mayor Martin J. Walsh today joined members of the community to launch the City of Boston's first NeighborHUB at the Boston Centers for Youth and Families (BCYF) Tobin Community Center in Mission Hill. The NeighborHUB program is designed to meet the needs of residents and offer services to them in their neighborhoods, and will build on the success of the City Hall to Go Truck, creating physical, permanent sites for City Hall to Go in BCYF community centers. This program is an opportunity for residents to interact with City Hall outside of City Hall Plaza, and will extend local government centers throughout the City.

"Easy, convenient access to City Hall services is a cornerstone of connecting with residents, and I'm pleased that through the City Hall to Go program we have been able to reach more residents than ever before and provide them with access to city services at different locations across the city," said Mayor Walsh. "We are excited to launch NeighborHUBs to build on the success of the program and offer even more access to the city's great resources and services to people in their own neighborhoods."

NeighborHUBs will serve as a "one-stop shop" for residents to take care of their City-related business and learn about new programs and services offered in their neighborhoods. NeighborHUBs are being launched in partnership with BCYF, which will provide the space needed through BCYF community centers, and the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services, whose individual neighborhood liaisons will offer office hours where members of the community are welcome to stop in to find out more information about city services.

"City Hall to Go is always looking for creative ways to engage with more residents and deliver the best customer service to them," said Ben Vainer, Director of City Hall to Go. "NeighborHUBs is taking the array of services and resources available through City Hall to Go and bringing them directly to residents in their own neighborhood, with a permanent location in their local community center. We're excited to kick-off our first NeighborHUB at the BCYF Tobin Community Center and encourage everyone to use this great resource available to them."

The NeighborHUB at the Tobin Community Center will be open three days a week, on Mondays from 2:00 - 8:00 p.m., Thursdays from 7:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Today's announcement is the first phase of a pilot program that by the end of the year will bring three NeighborHUBs to different neighborhoods across the city. The two other locations will be identified through community engagement, as well as an effort to geographically reach residents in different parts of the city, and will be announced in the coming months.

The services provided expand upon those offered by the City Hall to Go truck, and include services such as:

• Applying for a resident parking permit
• Receiving recycling and trash stickers
• Downloading City apps
• Learning about BPS school registration
• Getting a dog license
• Attending office hours to speak with a liaison from the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services
• Getting connected with additional city resources

Since the City Hall to Go initiative was first launched in 2012, it has expanded its services and operations to build on its engagement with City residents. Most recently, City Hall to Go launched Kitchen Table Talks, an initiative designed to engage residents in discussions about City-related topics around a "kitchen table" setting, based off the premise that the best conversations happen around a kitchen table.

In February, Mayor Walsh also announced Boston 1ON1, a program that allows new Boston residents or a resident moving to a new neighborhood the opportunity to meet one on one in with a staff member of the Mayor's City Hall to Go team, to get setup in their new neighborhood. Appointments can be made here. 

About City Hall to Go 
For many residents, traveling downtown to City Hall can be a long way to go. Boston is, after all, a city that stretches across nearly 50 square miles. Many people need a personal interaction to get direct services, ask a question or get information, so Boston takes City Hall to them. Some services City Hall to Go offers include, applying for resident parking stickers, paying/appealing parking tickets, paying taxes, and more. You can find the complete list of services as well as the schedule of where City Hall to Go will be, at http://www.cityofboston.gov/cityhalltogo/.