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Josh Kraft mayoral campaign begins with emphasis on housing affordability
“I care that Boston is heading in the wrong direction," Kraft said in a new campaign video uploaded Monday.
The political platform of Josh Kraft, son of billionaire Patriots owner Robert Kraft, is beginning to emerge as the Boston philanthropist and activist gears up for a campaign against first-term Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.
The Kraft campaign’s YouTube channel, titled Josh for Boston, went online Monday with a first look at Kraft’s policies, including an emphasis on “more housing and more opportunity.”
He’s running as a Democrat to unseat popular incumbent Wu — a daunting task in Boston, where an incumbent mayor hasn’t been ousted since 1949.
Kraft, 57, is the president of the New England Patriots Foundation and chair of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, a Roxbury-based civil rights group. Kraft also spent 30 years with Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, including 12 years as president and CEO.
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Kraft is expected to officially announce his bid Tuesday morning at Prince Hall in Dorchester, The Boston Globe reported.
In the unlisted video, Kraft said “I care that Boston is heading in the wrong direction.”
“There’s a saying we had at the Boys and Girls Club: I care,” he said. “I care that our region continues to leave many people behind. I care that middle class families are squeezed by the cost of housing.”
He said his top priority would be to lower housing costs through constructing more housing.
“Boston ranks near the bottom of all cities in America when it comes to housing starts,” Kraft said. “We have to do better. Strong leadership starts with listening.”
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In the video, residents from Roxbury, Hyde Park, and the South End stressed Kraft’s positive impacts on the community and shared stories from his time at the Boys and Girls Club. Bruce Jacobs, a former board member, said Kraft “doubled the number of kids (they) served and changed thousands of lives.”
Kraft also took a silent jab at Wu, saying “and I care that City Hall puts politics and ideology ahead of impact,” while headlines about Wu’s White Stadium renovation plan and her residential property tax plan floated on screen.
Kraft moved to Boston when he bought a $2 million North End condo in 2023, according to the Globe. He previously lived in Chestnut Hill in Newton. If elected, he would be the first Jewish mayor of Boston.
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