Mayor Martin Walsh announced that Christine Araujo is the new chairperson of the Zoning Board of Appeals, which regulates appeals to the use and dimensional boundaries of privately owned buildings and land throughout the city of Boston. Araujo will be the first woman to serve in this role.
“Christine is a forward-thinking leader who will help guide our city’s development to the next level,” said Walsh. “With her experience and education, she is an ideal fit for this role. She shares my strong commitment to both improving the quality of life of Boston residents, and promoting economic development for our neighborhoods. I’m grateful for her service and welcome her to this new role.”
A long-standing resident of Roslindale, Araujo has over 14 years in the design and planning field. She was the deputy director of Neighborhood Planning and Zoning at the Boston Redevelopment Authority. In 2001, she was appointed the executive director of Boston Connects, Inc., where she was responsible for implementing the economic and human development goals of Boston’s federal Empowerment Zone.
In 1998, Araujo was appointed to the BOA and later served as the board secretary. She has an undergraduate degree from Vassar College and a Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from Pratt Institute.
BOA members are appointed by the mayor to serve three-year terms, and are charged with reviewing and making decisions for building or zoning code relief at public hearings. Current members of the BOA include: Bruce Bickerstaff, Peter Chin, Mark Erlich, Mark Fortune, and Anthony Pisani. Upon her appointment, Fortune will assume Araujo’s role as board secretary. Araujo will replace the former Chairman, Robert Shortsleeve, who resigned in November.
