At a Glance

The neighborhood of Mattapan is a southern neighborhood of Boston. It was originally named by the Neponsett Native American tribe in the 1600s. The name Mattapan means "a good place to be" or "a good place to sit". Annexed by the City in 1870, Mattapan began developing with increasing momentum as streetcars and railroads improved access to Downtown in the early twentieth century. Today, Mattapan is a residential area with growing commercial centers.

Mattapan is home to a diverse population—primarily made up of Haitians, other Caribbean immigrants, and African Americans. The housing mix includes small apartment buildings, single-family homes, public housing, and Boston's traditional "triple-deckers". Mattapan residents enjoy a significant amount of green space, including Harambee Park, the Franklin Park Zoo, the Boston Nature Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, and the historic Forest Hills Cemetery.

Blue Hill Avenue and Mattapan Square are the neighborhood’s main commercial districts, home to banks, law offices, restaurants, retail shops, health centers, and places of worship. Mattapan Square Main Streets supports local business owners.

INVESTING IN: Mattapan

This storymap provides the residents of Mattapan with a “progress report” on major public investments the City of Boston is making in their neighborhood. It’s organized around six major categories of investment, including Housing, Mobility, Parks & Greenspace, Jobs & Businesses, Arts & Culture, and Public Facilities. The City is guided in its work by the priorities articulated by Mattapan residents as part of PLAN: Mattapan.

Community Engagement Managers

The Community Engagement Managers (CEM) of the Planning Department are responsible for assisting staff members with the coordination of all outreach in regard to planning initiatives and proposed development in Boston's neighborhoods. CEMs work to ensure each Planning Department external process actively reflects the community's goals, in addition to being the point of contact for constituent questions. Have questions about a certain project in your neighborhood? Feel free to reach out them:

For information about planning context, zoning, or Planning Department processes, please contact [email protected].