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Boston City Council at-large race: Marvin Mathelier
"Affordability is a policy choice, and Boston should choose it."
Marvin Mathelier is a candidate for a Boston City Council at-large seat and is a member of the Marine Corps Reserves.
Find out more about Marvin Mathelier on his campaign website and social media.
The following responses have been lightly edited for clarity.
What is the biggest issue facing Boston residents at the moment and what do you believe the City Council should do to address this?
Housing is the central challenge, and the City Council should use every tool available to make Boston one of the most affordable cities in the country. That begins with expanding affordable rentals and first-time homebuyer pathways, funded by those who have not been paying their fair share. I support state measures including a corporate fair-share bill, a luxury transfer fee, and permission for rent stabilization.
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At the municipal level, we should strengthen and stabilize ONE+Boston. The program helps first-time buyers access affordable mortgages, which is especially important as federal mortgage markets face deregulation. Pair this with a Tenant Option to Purchase so residents can buy and remain in their homes, along with co-purchasing pilots and acquisition-opportunity programs that prevent displacement and keep neighborhoods stable.
On housing production, clarity should replace confusion. The Squares and Streets initiative should continue and expand to Neighborhood Design Districts and Boulevard Districts, giving communities and developers a shared, predictable map of what belongs where. Clear standards shorten timelines, reduce costs, and produce the homes Boston actually needs.
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Taken together, these steps can grow Boston back toward 800,000 residents while protecting longtime tenants and opening real ownership pathways for working families. Affordability is a policy choice, and Boston should choose it.
What makes you stand out from the other candidates in this race?
What makes me stand out from the other candidates in this race is that my experience spans the international and the local — and it delivers results. I am a combat veteran, still serving in the United States Marine Corps Reserves, recently promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. My work focuses on humanitarian missions, development, and military diplomacy across the Caribbean, Central, and South America — partnering with U.S. agencies, intergovernmental organizations, and local communities. In the Marine Corps, I led missions that brought medical, dental, and veterinary care to more than 1,000 rural farmers and families in Guatemala and Guyana—care that would have otherwise required hours of travel. After the 2021 earthquake in Haiti, I helped coordinate the delivery of over 125,000 pounds of food and water to affected communities.
At the state level, I served as Deputy Chief Engagement Officer for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Veterans’ Services, where I helped strengthen constituent services and resolve more than 1,500 veteran cases in a single year —ensuring access to education, employment, housing, healthcare, and financial support.
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At the community level, my wife and I own Ula Café, a beloved gathering space in Jamaica Plain that fosters connection and opportunity. And across from TD Garden now stands the Toussaint Louverture Cultural Center — a project I spearheaded by securing a 25-year rent-free lease and $300,000 in city funding. It now serves as a vital hub for cultural exchange and understanding, built by and for Boston’s Haitian community.
That combination of community institution-building, crisis leadership, and day-to-day problem-solving is what sets me apart — and prepares me to deliver for every neighborhood in this city.
Do you think the public has lost faith in the City Council in recent years? If so, what do you think should be done to improve the council’s public image?
No. Most Bostonians have not lost faith. When problems arise, guardrails such as recent State Ethics Commission actions show that accountability still works. The job now is to deepen trust by making City Hall accessible and accountable. Lock in permanent hybrid access to every public meeting so people can participate from work or home. Reform Article 80 so communities shape development rather than chase it. Expand participatory budgeting beyond two million dollars so neighbors set real priorities. Require multilingual outreach and schedule meetings at times working families can attend. Publish clear timelines and performance metrics so everyone can see who is delivering, when progress is made, and how decisions are implemented. Open doors, real voice, visible results. That is the standard and the promise.
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