The Guide to JP: JP places and politics

Just as Jamaica Plain’s population is composed of a wide range of people and groups, the Boston neighborhood is divided into various sections for different purposes.

Subneighborhoods

Jamaica Plain is divided into 11 major sub-neighborhoods  recognized on the Boston Redevelopment Authority zoning map and largely used by locals. Within each sub-neighborhood there are other, smaller neighborhoods. For example, the Brookside neighborhood is between Green, Boylston, Washington and Amory Streets. Parkside stretches roughly from Washington Street to Franklin Park. Many neighborhoods and neighborhood associations are named for their major streets. For a complete map, see jpgazette.com.

ZIP codes

Most of Jamaica Plain has the ZIP code 02130 and is served by the post office at the corner of Centre and Myrtle Streets. The Egleston Square area of JP has the 02119 ZIP code, and a small part of Woodbourne lies in 02131.

Political divisions

JP is divided into “wards” and “precincts” for the purposes of determining polling places and political districts. There are three political wards in JP: Wards 10, 11 and 19. Very roughly speaking, Ward 10 is in the north, including parts of Hyde Square and the S. Huntington Avenue area. Ward 11 is mostly on the east of the Southwest Corridor—the Washington Street side of JP. Ward 19 is mostly on the west, or Centre Street, side. There are many exceptions to this, with little pieces crossing into other areas.

People who want to know the ward and precinct they live in, their voting place, or who their elected representatives are should call the City of Boston Election Department (617-635-3767) or see cityofboston.gov/myneighborhood.

The District 6 Boston City Council seat, currently held by Matt O’Malley, covers most of JP. District 4 Councilor Andrea Campbell represents parts of Woodbourne and Forest Hills. District 7 Councilor Tito Jackson represents part of Egleston Square.

The 2nd Suffolk District state Senate seat, currently held by Sonia Chang-Diaz, covers most of JP. State Sen. Mike Rush represents part of Woodbourne.

JP is covered by three state House districts: the 6th Suffolk (Rep. Russell Holmes), the 11th Suffolk (Rep. Liz Malia) and the 15th Suffolk (Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez).

The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council is an elected, volunteer body representing the neighborhood on City of Boston issues. Representatives are elected at large and from three districts: northern JP, central JP and a combined Moss Hill/Forest Hills/Pondside district.

Police and court

The Boston Police Department’s District E-13 police station sits at the corner of Washington and Green Streets. It holds monthly community relations meetings, and its community service officers offer a wide array of free crime prevention tips and inspections, as well as help in forming neighborhood crime watches. For more information, call 617-343-5630.

Strange as it sounds, the West Roxbury Courthouse, which covers much of southwest Boston, is in Jamaica Plain on the Arborway in Forest Hills. It’s called West Roxbury Courthouse because its present location was once, as was most of JP, part of West Roxbury.

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *