SOC/AMST 225: Life in the Big City: Boston Sources

Official website of the city of Boston

The BRA's mission: In partnership with communities, the BRA plans Boston’s future while respecting its past. By guiding physical, social, and economic change in Boston’s neighborhoods, the BRA seeks to shape a more prosperous, resilient and vibrant city for all.

The Boston Area Research Initiative (BARI) seeks to spur original urban research on the cutting edge of social science and public policy. In conducting and interpreting this research, BARI seeks to forge mutually beneficial relationships among the region’s scholars, policymakers, practitioners and civic leaders.

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is the regional planning agency serving the people who live and work in the 101 cities and towns of Metropolitan Boston. Our mission is to promote smart growth and regional collaboration. Our regional plan, MetroFuture, guides our work as we engage the public in responsible stewardship of our region’s future.

The BHA provides affordable housing to more than 58,000 residents in and around the City of Boston. Residents are assisted through a combination of public housing and federal and state voucher subsidy programs that provide a wide variety of housing opportunities. As the largest public housing authority in New England, the BHA houses close to 9 percent of the city's residents.

The Bostonian Society is dedicated to studying, and preserving Boston’s uniquely important history, embodied in materials, records, and structures such as the Old State House, and in sharing an understanding of the revolutionary ideas born here.

Information on the cities and towns in Massachusetts, from the state government website.

The Massachusetts Historical Society has information, artifacts, and collections of art and documents on the history of the state. They also have a research library and electronic resources.