PITTSFIELD — Incumbent City Council At-Large member Alisa Costa says her work isn’t done yet—and she’s asking voters to return her to office so she can finish what she started.
“I ran with a vision of what I wanted to do,” Costa said in a WTBR Morning Drive interview with Bill Sturgeon. “And now I’m starting to see where the levers are—what we can change to make city systems work better for people.”
A policy analyst and project manager with a regional housing nonprofit, Costa brings professional expertise to her work on council, especially around housing development and homelessness—issues she says are deeply intertwined with economic and public health challenges. “Housing really is a linchpin for our region,” Costa said. “Whether you are literally living on the street or a business owner struggling to operate on North Street, it impacts everyone.”
Costa praised the city’s recent progress—citing new businesses, vibrant downtown activity, and 100 housing units made possible by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds—but warned that systemic challenges remain. “We need about 2,000 units of housing in the Berkshires right now to meet current demand,” she said. “This is a once-in-a-generation investment moment, but it’s not enough.”
Costa emphasized the need for state partnerships and zoning reform to accelerate development. “We live in a capitalist world. Developers need to recoup costs, and it costs $450,000 per unit to build,” she explained. “So we need to access state funds and be a community that says ‘yes’ to housing.”
On public safety, Costa voiced support for maintaining civil service protections for police and fire, while also backing expanded co-responder programs to help law enforcement focus on criminal activity. “Police are doing wellness checks, responding to mental health issues. They want to focus on crime,” she said. “There’s a way we can manage that.”
Costa also reflected on the emotional intensity of council debates and her desire for more open dialogue among members. “Sometimes they don’t speak until the vote, and I want to learn from my colleagues,” she said. “Every single councilor has said something insightful that’s changed my mind.”
Costa holds regular community meetings, often bringing city department heads to meet with residents. “It’s making connections so people understand how the city works—and feel more connected to each other,” she said.
In her closing statement, Costa urged voters to stay engaged. “The world feels crazy right now, and the only real control we have is right here in our community,” she said. “I want to make sure everybody in Pittsfield who lives here belongs here. We are connected to each other, and we are better together.”
Editor’s Note: This article is based on the October 28, 2025 broadcast of WTBR’s “Morning Drive” and was written in part using ChatGPT. To view the entire program, visit https://pittsfieldtv.org/program/?id=54224. WTBR’s “Morning Drive” airs weekdays at 7:30 a.m. on 89.7 FM in Pittsfield and 88.1 in Lee; and is simulcast on Access Pittsfield channel 1301. The full interview is available to view through PCTV Select.
