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Boston consumer affairs division cites recoveries, AG grant and language‑access work but remains small
Summary
Boston's consumer affairs division said it recovered $325,000 for residents in 2024, received a $94,000 grant from the attorney general's office, expanded mediation to Everett and added a third multilingual consumer advocate, but the division remains compact and refers legal matters to the AG where appropriate.
The Boston City Council heard April 29 that the city’s consumer‑affairs unit recovered $325,000 for residents in 2024, operates with small staff and relies on a state grant and partnerships to carry out mediation and consumer education.
Kathleen Joyce, executive director of the mayor’s Office of Consumer Affairs and Licensing, told the committee MOCAL’s consumer affairs division received a $94,000 grant from the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office for local consumer aid and that the office recovered $325,000 for Boston residents in 2024 and nearly $2,000 in fiscal year 2025 to date.
Joyce said the division expanded mediation services to include Everett and that common complaints include online retail disputes, car repairs and sales issues, phone and cable bills, and car rentals. She said the unit pursues education as well as case work: the office completed 11 community outreach events on fraud prevention and scams last year.
Councilors asked about staffing and scope. Council President Louie Jen asked how large the consumer affairs division is; Joyce answered that the consumer affairs team is three people. Joyce described the office as partially funded by the attorney general’s grant and said the AG’s office assigns cases to local consumer affairs offices around the state; where complaints require legal action, she said the office refers matters back to the AG.
Why it matters: small, accessible consumer‑assistance offices can recover money for residents and provide outreach to reduce scams, but a compact team can strain under rising complaint volumes and expanding jurisdictional coverage.
Limits and referrals: Joyce said the consumer program “doesn't give out legal advice” and that if a case qualifies for a formal AG complaint (G.L. c. 93A referral in the Massachusetts framework), staff will recommend escalation to the attorney general's office.
Ending: The council heard requests for continued support and language‑access investment; Joyce noted MOCAL recently added an advocate who speaks several languages and emphasized the value of in‑person and neighborhood outreach to reduce consumer harm.
