City of Somerville Releases Anti-Displacement Task Force Committee Reports
The City of Somerville has released its Anti-Displacement Task Forces findings and recommendations.
Direct links to the files:
- Residential Displacement Committee Report
- Small Enterprise Displacement Commitee Report
- Creative Displacement Committee Report
- Findings and Recommendations Presentation Recording
The Anti-Displacement Task Force met on January 30th, 2025, to present the findings and recommendations of the task force ahead of the three committee reports being released.
During the meeting we received questions we were not able to answer during the meeting due to running out of time. The Task Force announced it would post the responses on the project SomerVoice page:
Question 1:
Participant: J. Badot
Question: Is it possible to access a list of recent properties which were sold for non-profit developers and tenant-owned properties?
Response:
Staff was not able to ascertain the scope of the question. In its best effort to answer the question, staff provided data which includes every development which has received Somerville Affordable Housing Trust and CPA funding to date.
Property Address
- 11-11A Austin
- 355 Broadway
- 31-33 Cross
- 27 Everett
- 94-95 Grant
- 210 Highland
- 18-20 Illinois
- 72 Marshall
- 35 Merriam
- 21 Cutter
- 53 High Street
- 293 Alewife/ 52 Sydney
- 35-37 Linden Street (2 FRIT units and 1 100 HOMES unit)
- 184 Broadway
- 163 Glen St. (6 units w/CPA subsidy 2 units at 110% AMI)
- 485 Mystic Valley Parkway
- 7 Summer St.
- 31 Tufts St.
- Clarendon Hill Phase 1-North Street, Somerville MA 02144
- Waterworks 485 Mystic Valley Parkway
- 24 Webster Ave.
- 299 Broadway
- 259 Lowell St.
- 31-33 Cross St.
- 41 Webster Ave.
- 12 Pleasant Ave.
- YMCA Redevelopment
Question 2:
Participant: Christopher Spicer Hankle
Question (Part 1): ...pertaining specifically to the overlap of the recommendations. the recommendations for a commercial tenant right, and the recommendation for a city statement of values for the arts.
Response:
From Michael Rosenberg, Co-Chair of the Creative Displacement Committee:
Hi Christopher,
Thank you for your thoughtful questions and for attending last night's meeting. We truly appreciate having representation from the Human Rights Commission—it brings valuable perspective to our discussions.
There is significant overlap between the creative and small enterprise sectors. Initiatives such as a commercial tenant bill of rights and efforts to secure affordable commercial spaces will benefit both communities.
The Creative Committee did not specify timelines for our goals and recommendations. However, we envision the City's Statement of Values for the Arts as a quick and impactful initiative that can ideally be adopted soon. That said, the implementation plan for these recommendations is still under consideration. Importantly, we aim to incorporate more community voices in shaping this statement. The Creative Displacement Committee has initiated some ideas, but the ultimate goal is for the statement to be drafted by the community, and we would love and appreciate any help in implementing this recommendation.
Participant: Christopher Spicer Hankle
Question (Part 2):
...To Director Ellen, do we have numbers of evicted from 2024 yet?
Response:
Number of Evictions in 2024
An execution is the document that a landlord can obtain which gives them legal authority to have a constable remove a tenant’s belongings. In Somerville there were 57 executions issued in 2024. This does not mean all 57 tenants were evicted. We are often able to stop evictions after an execution issue if we can get rental assistance or put in place other necessary interventions. On the other hand, some tenants move after service of a notice to quit BEFORE there is a court action or before a case is final so those moving “voluntarily” would not be included in this count.
Participant: Christopher Spicer Hankle
Question (Part 3):
Municipal Voucher, 30 household currently, mainly immigrant families, regarding the recommendation that city preserve and can grow to include 5 more families--my question is timeline, within a year? forgive me, seems conservative goal, estimating $250,000 per year, if my notes accurate. To expand the existing, post ARPA, projected for mid-year 2028 $ 1,550,000--
Response:
Cost of MVP expansion
Approximately $1,300,000 annually is needed to support the 29 vouchers we currently have issued. An additional $250,000 per year would be needed to add five vouchers at $50,000/year/household.
