About Enrique

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A woman with a green head wrap, sunglasses, and a teal cardigan standing next to a man with short dark hair, beard, wearing a light blue dress shirt, striped tie, smiling outdoors in front of trees, parked cars, and a brick building.
A woman in a beige uniform with a badge is administering a vaccine to a man in a blue shirt sitting on a bench, while a nurse wearing purple gloves is holding his arm. In the background, several people are standing near a chain-link fence at an outdoor tennis court.
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Enrique J. Pepén proudly serves as the Boston City Councilor for District 5, representing the neighborhoods of Hyde Park, Mattapan, Readville, and Roslindale. Now serving his second term, Enrique has built a reputation as a hands-on, results-oriented leader who believes local government should solve problems, improve neighborhoods, and make everyday life better for residents.

From his first day in office, Enrique has made safer streets and better transportation one of his top priorities. He has led efforts to improve pedestrian safety, expand traffic calming measures, install speed humps and safer crosswalks, advocate for safer school zones, improve MBTA service, and ensure every transportation project prioritizes the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and drivers alike. Enrique has worked closely with city and state agencies to advance long-overdue infrastructure improvements, including continued advocacy for the reopening of the River Street Bridge and investments that better connect District 5 neighborhoods. His leadership has helped secure meaningful safety improvements throughout Hyde Park, Mattapan, Roslindale, and Readville, making transportation advocacy a defining focus of his work on the Council.

Enrique believes every family deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. As Chair of the Boston City Council’s Housing Committee, he has championed policies that expand affordable housing opportunities, reduce barriers to homeownership, and protect tenants. He successfully led the effort to eliminate forced broker fees for renters, saving Boston residents thousands of dollars in unnecessary moving costs. He has also worked to advance neighborhood planning initiatives that encourage thoughtful growth while preserving the character of Boston’s communities.

A proud son of Dominican immigrants, Enrique has been a leading voice for Boston’s immigrant communities. He played a key role in strengthening the Boston Trust Act, ensuring residents can access city services without fear regardless of their immigration status. Throughout his time on the Council, he has consistently advocated for policies that make Boston more welcoming, equitable, and inclusive.

Enrique is equally known for his commitment to constituent services. Whether helping residents navigate housing challenges, addressing unsafe intersections, resolving neighborhood quality-of-life issues, or advocating for improvements to parks, schools, and public spaces, he believes every resident deserves a responsive City Hall. As Chair of the Community Preservation Committee, he has helped secure millions of dollars in investments for affordable housing, historic preservation, parks, playgrounds, libraries, and community facilities throughout Boston, with significant investments benefiting District 5.

Born and raised in Boston, Enrique grew up in Boston Public Housing, where he learned the value of hard work, opportunity, and community. Those experiences continue to shape his commitment to ensuring every neighborhood receives the attention and investment it deserves. Today, he lives in Roslindale with his wife, Rocio, and their three children.

As he continues serving District 5, Enrique remains focused on delivering results that matter: safer streets, stronger neighborhoods, affordable housing, reliable transportation, thriving parks and public spaces, and a city government that listens, responds, and works for everyone.