WORCESTER—Robert Bilotta is making his second run for the District 2 city council seat, challenging five-term incumbent Candy Mero-Carlson with a campaign rooted in housing affordability and pedestrian safety. He said he entered the race because many residents feel the city’s rapid growth is outpacing their ability to keep up.
“I decided to run for District 2 City Council this year because Worcester needs elected officials who are accountable to residents, not special interests,” Bilotta told the Worcester Guardian.
A lifelong Worcester resident who uses a wheelchair, Bilotta traces his civic involvement to losing his ability to walk while in college. He said that experience led him to disability and housing advocacy, work he has continued through roles on the Worcester Access Advisory Commission and the Worcester Human Rights Commission. As chair of the Worcester Together Affordable Housing Coalition, he said he helped create an accessible housing provision within the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund that has supported development of more than 70 accessible affordable apartments.
Bilotta maintains those years attending council meetings and working directly with residents shaped his view that policy must be driven by the people most affected.
“I listened as hundreds of Worcester families, seniors, children, people with disabilities, social workers, community organizers and housing policy experts shared stories about how difficult it is to afford to live in Worcester,” he said, recalling council debate over the city’s inclusionary zoning ordinance. He has pledged to refuse contributions from developers, saying he wants to remain accountable only to voters.
For the period Jan. 1, 2024 through Oct. 28, 2025, Bilotta reported 585 contributions totaling $37,395.86, with significant support from donors working in healthcare and education, according to the state’s Office of Campaign and Political Finance records.
Housing remains the center of his platform. Bilotta said he would push to lower property taxes for senior homeowners, expand first-time homebuyer programs, and support state legislation that would allow cities to stabilize rents. He also wants stronger rental inspection requirements and enforcement aimed at what he describes as negligent landlords.
Public safety and road safety are closely tied to those priorities, he said. As a member of the Human Rights Commission, Bilotta said he works regularly with city officials and police to support community-based programs and civil rights efforts. He points to data in the city’s Vision Zero Safety Action Plan showing frequent pedestrian and bicycle crashes in Worcester and says the district has seen too many serious injuries and fatalities.
“As a wheelchair user, I also know first-hand how inaccessible and unsafe navigating some of Worcester’s streets can be,” he said. Improving sidewalks, lighting and crosswalks, he said, would help make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Bilotta said Worcester’s biggest challenge is ensuring people are not priced out of the city. His suggested approach includes targeted rezoning along growth corridors laid out in the Worcester Now Next plan to allow more housing density where it fits.
“I envision a Worcester where seniors, people with disabilities, and working-class families of all incomes and backgrounds can afford to live and feel safe in their neighborhoods and on our roads,” he said.
His name will join Mero-Carlson’s on the ballot Nov. 4 as District 2 voters decide whether to return the incumbent to a sixth term or elect an advocate who argues the council needs a shift in priorities.
This article is part of the Worcester Guardian’s 2025 election coverage. As part of our ongoing series, we are publishing individual candidate profiles and stories related to key issues facing the city ahead of the Nov. 4 municipal election. We have reached out to every candidate running for Worcester City Council and School Committee. If you are a certified candidate and would like to ensure you are included, please contact us at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org.
