Kim Janey

This page was current at the end of the official's last term in office covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Kim Janey

Nonpartisan

Prior offices

Boston City Council District 7

Successor: Tania Anderson

---

Acting Mayor of Boston

Successor: Michelle Wu

Predecessor: Martin Walsh

---

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last election

September 14, 2021

Education

Bachelor's

Smith College

Personal

Profession

Nonprofit executive

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Personal website

Kim Janey was the acting Mayor of Boston in Massachusetts. Janey assumed office on March 22, 2021. Janey left office on November 16, 2021.

Janey ran for re-election for Mayor of Boston in Massachusetts. Janey lost in the primary on September 14, 2021.

Although the office of mayor is nonpartisan, Janey is a member of the Democratic Party.

Biography

Janey received a bachelor's degree from Smith College. She spent five years as a community organizer with Parents United for Child Care before working as a project coordinator, deputy project director, and senior project director with Massachusetts Advocates for Children between 2001 and 2017. In 2020, fellow Boston City Council members elected Janey council president.

Elections

2021

See also: Mayoral election in Boston, Massachusetts (2021)

General election

General election for Mayor of Boston

Michelle Wu defeated Annissa Essaibi George in the general election for Mayor of Boston on November 2, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michelle Wu (Nonpartisan)	64.0	91,794
		Annissa Essaibi George (Nonpartisan)	35.6	51,125
		Other/Write-in votes	0.4	595

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 143,514
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Mayor of Boston

The following candidates ran in the primary for Mayor of Boston on September 14, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michelle Wu (Nonpartisan)	33.4	36,060
✔		Annissa Essaibi George (Nonpartisan)	22.5	24,268
		Andrea Campbell (Nonpartisan)	19.7	21,299
		Kim Janey (Nonpartisan)	19.5	21,047
		John Barros (Nonpartisan)	3.2	3,459
		Robert Cappucci (Nonpartisan)	1.1	1,185
		Jon Santiago (Nonpartisan) (Unofficially withdrew)	0.3	368
	Submit photo	Richard Spagnuolo (Nonpartisan)	0.3	286

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 107,972
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2019

See also: City elections in Boston, Massachusetts (2019)

General election

General election for Boston City Council District 7

Incumbent Kim Janey defeated Roy Owens in the general election for Boston City Council District 7 on November 5, 2019.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kim Janey (Nonpartisan)	74.5	3,856
		Roy Owens (Nonpartisan)	24.5	1,269
		Other/Write-in votes	1.0	53

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,178
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Boston City Council District 7

Incumbent Kim Janey and Roy Owens defeated Valerie Hope Rust in the primary for Boston City Council District 7 on September 24, 2019.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kim Janey (Nonpartisan)	70.0	2,147
✔		Roy Owens (Nonpartisan)	16.8	517
	Submit photo	Valerie Hope Rust (Nonpartisan)	12.4	381
		Other/Write-in votes	0.8	24

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,069
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2017

See also: Municipal elections in Boston, Massachusetts (2017)

The city of Boston, Massachusetts, held elections for mayor and city council on November 7, 2017. A primary election occurred on September 26, 2017. All 13 seats on the city council were up for election. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 23, 2017.

Kim Janey defeated Rufus Faulk in the general election for District 7 on the Boston City Council.

Boston City Council, District 7 General Election, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Kim Janey	55.47%	4,942
Rufus Faulk	43.28%	3,856
Write-in votes	1.26%	112
Total Votes		8,910
Source: City of Boston, "Official Ward 7 Election Results," accessed November 27, 2017

The following candidates ran in the primary election for District 7 on the Boston City Council.

Boston City Council, District 7 Nonpartisan Primary Election, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Kim Janey	25.00%	1,534
Rufus Faulk	11.72%	719
Deeqo Jibril	9.86%	605
Domonique Williams	9.66%	593
Charles Clemons Muhammad	6.89%	423
Roy Owens	6.03%	370
Jose Lopez	5.92%	363
Brian Keith	5.67%	348
Joao DePina	4.87%	299
Hassan Williams	4.64%	285
Carlos Henriquez	4.29%	263
Angelina Camacho	4.03%	247
Steven Wise	1.04%	64
Write-in votes	0.37%	23
Total Votes		6,136
Source: City of Boston, "Official District 7 election results," September 26, 2017

Campaign themes

2021

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Kim Janey did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

The following themes were on Janey's campaign website.

“	PUBLIC EDUCATION I was born into a family of educators and know, first-hand, the importance of a quality education in lifting children out of poverty and preparing them to achieve all they can in life. Like many Boston parents today, my parents fought for me; sending me first to an independent school created by the Jewish and Black communities when their children were not being well served by the Boston Public Schools. And later, enrolling me in the Reading Metco program when the tumultuous years of forced busing proved inadequate in providing the quality education they sought. These solutions were available to my parents but no parent should have to work around the system. Instead, Boston Public Schools can and must provide a quality education for all students, at every age. I spent most of my career, first as an education advocate and then as a City Councilor, fighting to ensure that this promise of public education was kept. As your Mayor, I’ve hit the ground running, tackling issues affecting our children, teachers and schools. As Mayor, I have already: I designed a first-of-its-kind City of Boston Children and Youth Cabinet, serving all youth in the City of Boston aged 0-24. I will personally Chair this Cabinet using my years of experience as an advocate for children and their education. In the FY22 Budget, I allotted $4 million for 5,000 youth summer jobs and 1,000 school year jobs. In the FY22 Budget, I proposed $16.9 million to provide a social worker and family liaison in every school, building on last year’s investment to build a coordinated, multi-tiered system of support for students and families. I ensured access to the COVID-19 vaccine for BPS employees and contractors. On May 17, all students wanting and able to return to in-person learning five days per week returned to school. In the FY22 Budget, I provided funding for an additional 20 daytime custodians to ensure cleanliness and sanitation of school facilities as buildings reopen. I am taking steps to ensure that over the summer, an indoor air quality sensor will be installed in every classroom. PUBLIC HEALTH AND COVID-19 The COVID-19 crisis has revealed and exacerbated long-standing racial inequities in the availability and affordability of healthcare in our community. By focusing on recovery, reopening and renewal, we can build a more equitable, more just and more vibrant Boston. I couldn’t be more proud of our city and our successes in my tenure as mayor, which include: Increasing the number of community-based and mobile vaccine clinics, with the help of our clinical partners. Creating appointment vouchers and a vaccine hotline for individuals struggling with the online vaccine appointment system. Launching the Hope Campaign, a multilingual public awareness campaign to encourage residents to get their COVID-19 vaccine. Launching a $1.5 million Vaccine Equity Grant to support organizations increasing vaccine access and awareness through direct, in-person outreach, public awareness efforts, wrap-around support, and direct clinical support. Doubling our initial investment and adding an additional $1.5 million to the Vaccine Equity Grants for a total of $3 million to organizations increasing vaccine access and awareness to the most vulnerable groups. As of June 28, fully vaccinating 54.1% of eligible Boston residents, administering first doses to 61.3% of eligible Boston residents, and fully vaccinated over 75% of our senior population — which is one of our most vulnerable groups. 54.1% of eligible residents are fully vaccinatedBuilding on the work of the COVID-19 Health Inequities Task Force to address the health inequities exacerbated by the pandemic. Calling for Health and Human Services, Emergency Services, and the Policy departments to develop a pilot that will better serve and respond to emergency response calls involving a mental health crisis. As Mayor, it is my job to protect the lives and livelihoods of Boston residents and businesses. I respect and appreciate the guidance and information from national and state health entities. But I will always be looking at Boston-specific data, studying trends and numbers carefully, and working with my staff to ensure that we are making the right decisions for our city. After we have successfully tackled COVID-19, we must continue to address persistent disparities. In a city known for the excellence of its hospitals and medical professionals, it is unacceptable that the life expectancy in parts of Roxbury can be as low as 59 years (among the lowest in the world) while in Beacon Hill it stands at 92 (among the highest). MassHealth’s Accountable Care Organization program, in which 17 health care organizations partner with 27 community partners who understand specific community-based health challenges and support health-related social needs, is a start. We have to keep working to make Boston a city that works for everyone. As your mayor, I will continue to invest in: Community health centers as they expand their reach through community schools. Mental health services, particularly those that deal with trauma. Drug treatment and recovery support programs. But we must always remember that health cannot be separated from other socio-economic factors. We have to make sure we are addressing the growing income inequality in our city – that families have an opportunity to earn a real living wage, be in safe housing they can afford, and that their children have opportunities to attend great schools. AFFORDABLE HOUSING Boston remains one of the most expensive cities in the United States to live in, and too many of our neighborhoods are segregated by race and income. It is getting harder and harder for working families – especially those who earn too much to qualify for a subsidy, but don’t make enough to pay market rent – to stay in our city. They are being squeezed out. We need to ensure that our housing mix includes additional workforce housing for working families of moderate income and increased homeownership opportunities. As someone who has experienced housing insecurity firsthand, I know how crucial this is. As a child, I lived in a shelter for a week, then bounced around to friends and family. My family was pushed out of their home from a gentrified South End in the 1980s, robbing them of the opportunity to create generational wealth. As a single mom, my first apartment was a Section 8 apartment. Those life experiences have guided my tenure as mayor to date, where I: Announced the Boston Rental Relief Fund, a $50 million relief fund to prevent displacement of Boston residents impacted by the pandemic. Invested $2.4 million into the Boston Home Center’s first-time Homebuyer Program. This commitment tripled the average amount of assistance previously offered by the City to income eligible, first-time homebuyers. Began the first phase of the redevelopment of the BHA Mildred Hailey Apartments to renovate 253 public housing units and create 420 new income-restricted units. The project will also construct a new community center and outdoor plaza. Released funding RFP of $30 million to support the creation of housing for families, seniors, and currently homeless residents. I’m committed to ensuring affordable housing for every Boston resident, that allows them to stay in the city they grew up in, and invites young families to put down roots. This is not just another campaign policy issue for me — it is something that has deeply impacted my life and the lives of my family members for six generations in Boston. Whether it is public housing, Section 8 vouchers, homelessness, or the loss of generational wealth due to gentrification – we have lived the housing challenges that so many residents are struggling with today. That is why I am supportive of efforts to implement community stabilization strategies that will increase cost certainty for our city’s tenants. And I do believe local control is important on all issues, so I support state legislation that would allow cities and towns to decide for themselves how to control rising housing costs. My administration is working with housing advocates to improve the Inclusionary Development Policy, address displacement and capture the silver lining of development. We are looking into lowering the 10-unit threshold to increase the stock of affordable housing and opportunities for family-sized housing. While we can’t have a one-size-fits-all approach in looking at what the right percentage for IDP is, we must ensure the IDP requirement is one of our many tools to address displacement, inequity, and affordability. I will commit to ensuring the affordability levels of IDP units better reflect the area median incomes of our neighborhoods. I also see IDP as a tool to increase homeownership for working families and to close the racial wealth gap. My administration will also work to revise and reform development processes in the City, leaning on and prioritizing the needs of the community, to ensure neighborhood planning proactively leads and informs development, building on affirmatively furthering fair housing assessments, to ensure community planning and needs determine outcomes before developers’ financial interests. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT We stand together, at this moment in Boston’s history, in a position of strength. We are a global hub of innovation for the life science, medical and research sectors. We have wonderful neighborhoods to call home. We have institutions in higher education and health care, in finance and consulting, in the arts and technology, that are setting the standards in their fields. We have a municipal government that has guided us through a global pandemic and sustained a AAA bond rating throughout. And, our most important asset: the people of Boston. We are a diverse, dynamic and resilient community, driving Boston forward. And yet, the pandemic revealed what many of us already knew — that for all our greatness, we are also a city of great inequity. The income inequality gap is widening, with many people of color and immigrants left out of opportunity and pushed out of their communities. We have an enormous wealth gap. The median net worth for Black families is just $8. And $8 is not an accident. It’s the product of discriminatory policies that we have all inherited. We need to call it out. And we need to implement new policies to address it. As we move forward, we must ensure an equitable recovery for every resident of Boston. As we look to our successes, we have to recognize that there is much more work to be done. As Mayor, I have already: Announced a plan for the restoration of critical in person services for constituents at City Hall, BPL, and BCYF. Expanded commercial rent relief and small business support by an additional $16 million. Launched the B-Local app to support local businesses. Provided 152 arts and cultural organizations with grants totaling $487,000 through the Boston Cultural Council, Introduced the Main Streets Free Public Transit Pilot Program, which provides free Blue Bikes and Charlie Cards to employees of the Main Streets Districts. Established a five-member, full-time Supplier Diversity Team. Hired the City’s first Director of Strategic Procurement. Created the Boston Contracting Opportunity Fund to help increase capacity for City contracts in Minority, Women, and Veteran-Owned Businesses. Made the Malcolm X Park renovation project an Equitable Procurement Pilot Project. Expanded funding for the All-Inclusive Boston Campaign, which stretches across multiple sectors of economic development and neighborhood tourism. Began a cross-departmental Equitable Procurement Swat Team with representatives from the Procurement, Licensing, Economic Development, Equity and Inclusion, Policy, and Senior Staff departments. To keep moving our city forward, and create real equity and fairness, I will continue to: Encourage the establishment of small businesses owned by women and people of color through temporary lease subsidies to lessen the impact of excessive startup costs and by providing *access to the various phases of city purchasing and contracting. Provide vocational training so all individuals have access to the skills and knowledge necessary to find work and support themselves in the City of Boston. Enforce the Boston Residents Jobs Policy and strengthen its requirements and penalties. Increase financial literacy and promote awareness of existing resources to improve economic well-being for all. Boston has always been a city of possibilities. COVID-19 has reminded us that our entire community is connected. When we do what is right for those who are left out, when we create shared goals and shared solutions, everyone is better off. Now is the time to move Boston forward, together. PUBLIC SAFETY Every resident of Boston should feel safe in their home. Every child should feel safe walking to their school. No grandmother should ever be or feel unsafe simply sitting on her porch. Effective community policing is essential to making this a reality, and so are programs that address the root causes of violence.. As mayor, I will always emphasize crime prevention alongside responsible intervention strategies, and I will hold police accountable for improperly exercising their authority. I will push to reform our local criminal justice policies to ensure that poor communities of color do not bear the brunt of harsh penalties for minor offenses. I will also continue to protect civil liberties and privacy, ensuring that our residents are not subject to intrusive camera surveillance. I strongly believe: Our police force must reflect the community and work closely with that community to build trust. That is why I am expanding the cadet program this year, investing in racial equity training and continuing to emphasize diversity in our hiring. Our police force must always be held to the highest standard of accountability and transparency. That is why I have appointed Stephanie Everett to lead the Office of Police Accountability and Transparency and released the files that have been held secret for far too long — when police thought it was better to protect one of their own than children who were sexually abused. Our police force must focus on the work of public safety. They are not trained to be mental health professionals. That is why I am piloting a program to shift mental health calls from the police department to a team specifically trained for that purpose. But we must also invest in comprehensive violence prevention and intervention strategies, particularly those focused on our young people and families affected by trauma. That is why as Mayor of Boston, I have already: Called for Health and Human Services, Emergency Services and Policy departments to develop a pilot that will better serve and respond to emergency response calls involving a mental health crisis. Directed the Department of Neighborhood Development to provide relocation support for victims of violence so that they did not have to stay in the place where the violence occurred. Named Stephanie Everett as Executive Director of the Office of Police Accountability and Transparency and increased its staffing. Signed the Chemical and Kinetic Weapons ordinance regulating the use of crowd control agents and kinetic impact projectiles. Released the Patrick Rose Internal Affairs files, while prioritizing the protection of the victims’ identities. Continued to make decisions that increase accountability and transparency in the Police Department at all levels of leadership. Increased the size of the cadet class, bringing on 20 diverse officers and ensuring safety in our neighborhoods while reducing the need for overtime from our existing officers. Stopped a proposal that would create a vast surveillance network in the City Boston, protecting residents’ privacy, civil liberties and freedom to live their lives. OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES I grew up in Roxbury, a neighborhood rich with immigrants from all over the world — like my nana, who was a first-generation Guyanese American woman. Early on, I recognized the importance of welcoming folks who are just arriving here — whether from another town or another country. And as Mayor, I think it is critical thatyou feel welcomed, seen, and served in Boston, whether your family has been here six generations or six months. I have committed myself to this work throughout my entire professional career. As an education advocate, long before I ever ran for office, I worked with Spanish-speaking mothers in East Boston who had immigrated from Central and South America to successfully obtain a dual language school for their children in their community. I then led similar efforts in the Haitian community — which is the second largest language group in Boston Public Schools — to fight for their children’s ability to learn. First on the City Council and now as Mayor, I have worked to ensure that our immigrant communities are fully served in the City’s recovery, reopening and renewal. That includes: Launching the Hope Campaign, a multilingual public awareness campaign, encouraging residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine — meeting people where they are and where they feel safe. This strategy is working, decreasing infections in almost every neighborhood. Announcing $3 million in Vaccine Equity Grants that increased access and outreach to the immigrant population; Raising funds — both municipal and private — for the Greater Boston Immigrant Defense Fund, which will ensure full funding through the end of the year and begin planning for Phase 2. Expanding Language Access resources for residents to access city services. Launching the third round of the Digital Equity Fund to help residents with digital skills and technology access, prioritizing communities most impacted by the pandemic, including ESOL and ELL students. Supporting our English language learners with dual language programs as we get kids back to school safely and return to in-person learning. Standing in support of legislation that would allow undocumented immigrants to legally and safely obtain their Massachusetts driver’s license or a municipal ID. Expanding capacity for the Immigrants Lead Boston program. Increasing support for immigrant fellowships during the summer Youth Engagement and Employment program. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CLIMATE ACTION This is personal to me. I grew up — and my grandkids are growing up — in communities that been the industrial and environmental dumping grounds of our city. When we’re talking about climate justice, this is what we need to talk about: racial justice. And for too long, we have seen the ways in which poor people and communities of color get the short end of the stick. It’s no wonder we see higher rates of asthma and other health issues in those communities. We need to accelerate our efforts around environmental justice, expand our green jobs pipeline and achieve our shared goal of carbon neutrality. As mayor, I am actively fighting the environmental racism that leads to food deserts, heat islands, air pollution and their life-threatening health impacts. I am supporting the burgeoning clean energy economy that bolsters our public transportation system and protects communities of color from pollution. I am also increasing access to green space and community gardens. As mayor: I was proud to appoint Reverend Mariama White-Hammond as Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space for the City of Boston; I stood with the residents of East Boston to oppose the planned Eversource substation,standing up for environmental justice. I am protecting residents from extreme urban heat by addressing the need for more urban canopy while improving existing and developing new cooling spaces. I am connecting the young people of Boston to green jobs, environmental education and climate justice opportunities with a $4 million allocation for the Green Jobs program. TRANSIT EQUITY This is an issue near and dear to my heart. I do not own a car. In my case, I have relied on buses — 14, 19, 23 and 28 — because the Orange Line train was stolen from my community. As a single mother, I took those buses, struggling getting the stroller up and down the stairs, day after day. This is a racial justice issue, a climate justice issue and an economic justice issue. I stand with environmental and transportation equity advocates to make our public transit system better for all workers and families. While we need to keep the pressure on our State partners to fund and manage a public transit system that works for its riders, as Mayor I’m not standing pat. That is why as I have: Announced a pilot program to support employees of Boston’s five Main Street Districts (Nubian Square, Three Squares JP, Mission Hill, East Boston, and Fields Corner) by offering nearly 1,000 workers in these districts free Charlie Cards, pre-loaded, and two free months of Blue Bikes passes. Called on the MBTA to restore service to pre-pandemic levels. Called on the MBTA to set a transparent schedule and communicate about the return to service. Dedicated over $1 billion to improving streets and sidewalks all across the City.	”
—Kim Janey's 2021 campaign website

2019

Kim Janey did not complete Ballotpedia's 2019 Candidate Connection survey.

See also

2021 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

Documenting America's Path to Recovery The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel Union Station

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

Mayor of Boston

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Personal

Website

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Martin Walsh	Mayor of Boston 2021-2021	Succeeded by Michelle Wu
Preceded by -	Boston City Council District 7 2018-2022	Succeeded by Tania Anderson