Somerville Cty Corp.

Helping to sustain a diverse, affordable @SomervilleCity through #affordablehousing, #jobs, #wkdev, and #financialstability and more.

[Somerville Cty Corp. @SCC_Somerville]

Mark your calendars and fire up your resumes! May 26th is the First Source Job Fair. Check out all the great local employers who will be there!

[Mike Connolly @MikeConnollyMA]

Housing is completely unaffordable to all but the most well off in the Boston area. The last thing tenants should have to do is pay a broker’s fee on top of first and last months’ rent, a security deposit and other costs. https://t.co/agpy13JEKB

[MHP @mhphousing]

Clarendon Hill is a multiphase redevel that maintains housing w/energy-efficient new affordable units for Somerville. Our community assistance team helps housing authorities evaluate possibilities for redeveloping existing state public housing. More here: https://t.co/dV4DOWvlGS

[Mike Connolly @MikeConnollyMA]

Today, I submitted written testimony to the Joint Committee on Housing in support of Somerville's rent stabilization home rule petition. To have any hope of realizing the environmental justice benefits that the GLX was intended to deliver, Somerville needs rent control now!

[Diane Yentel @dianeyentel]

Homelessness is a lagging indicator - 2021/2022’s skyrocketing rents cause 2023’s homelessness.

[Boston Indicators @BosIndicators]

Even with modest permitting increases over the past 10 years, Massachusetts ranks near the very bottom of states in the number of housing permits issued per capita, as of 2022. Learn more in the 2023 Greater Boston Housing Report Card. https://t.co/SdMMfHXaqd

[Mike Connolly @MikeConnollyMA]

Excited to see Somerville on its way to becoming the third municipality in Massachusetts to pass a home rule this year, joining Boston and Brookline. Gov. Healey has consistently expressed support for local decision-making on this topic. Now, we need the legislature to act!

[Diane Yentel @dianeyentel]

Poverty is a policy choice.
Evictions are a policy choice. Homelessness is a policy choice.

[Mike Connolly @MikeConnollyMA]

RENT CONTROL CAMPAIGN UPDATE: As Chair of the Committee to Explore Tenant Protection Ballot Question, I am delighted to report we have received a $50,000 contribution from @HousingHumanRt to help with startup costs for our rent control initiative! Housing Is A Human Right has been a part of successful ballot campaigns for rent control in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, as well as in Pasadena, California. They're also very involved in plans for a 2024 statewide campaign to expand rent control in California. We are so grateful for their support of our work as we continue to face an unprecedented and worsening housing emergency in Massachusetts.

This project started back on July 31st, when several folks reached out expressing surprise that no one was advancing a ballot question to lift the statewide ban on rent control in 2024. On the evening of August 1st and the morning of August 2nd, I reached out to about 20 community leaders in Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston and found overwhelming support for pursuing this opportunity. We filed our petition with the Attorney General's Office on the afternoon of August 2nd; the text of our petition is available here: https://t.co/gUTXf0N3aN

Right now, we are engaging with a broad set of stakeholders to build consensus for the roll out of a full-fledged signature-gathering campaign this fall. We're also working with experienced campaign professionals to map out a winning campaign plan for the 2024 general election and hoping to bring everyone to the table in support of housing justice in our Commonwealth. More information on our efforts and the initiative process is available here: https://t.co/0aeFfOWAiD

At the same time, we are working with Cambridge attorney Gerry McDonough to respond to no less than five different legal challenges that have been filed against our initiative on behalf of the real estate industry and other conservative political groups. It is not at all surprising that these groups are pulling out all the stops to try to prevent voters from ever having a chance to lift the statewide ban on local rent control next year.

Thank you to the diverse group of community leaders, organizational leaders, and elected officials who came together earlier this month to bring the Tenant Protection Act forward for consideration through the initiative process, including @jarjoh, Michael from @MAHT_hudtenants, @qzondervan, @VoteJivan, @mlkdreaming, Somerville School Committee Member Emily Ackman, Duane C. from the Alliance of Cambridge Tenants, Bill C. from the Union Square Neighborhood Council, et al.

Today, over 60 community leaders and elected officials are standing with our Committee to Explore Tenant Protection Ballot Question; thank you especially to @JamieEldridgeMA for the work you are doing to help organize this effort; thanks as well to @RepDanSenaMA @BenForWard3 @MattForWard1 @WillieBurnleyJr @KristenEStrezo @jake4somerville @bgm_ward5 @JesseForWard4 @JudyForWard7 @lancedavis @JaredEHicks @DanForCambridge @MbahCouncilor and to everyone who isn't on twitter or for whom I don't know your handle ;-)

If you would like to be a part of this effort, please add your name to this google form that we are using to organize support and keep supporters informed: https://t.co/mkenchFpyF

[Mike Connolly @MikeConnollyMA]

Massachusetts is facing an ongoing housing emergency, and perhaps the biggest reason people are leaving the state is because of housing costs. We need to curtail any tax cuts for the rich/big corporations and make bigger public investments in housing. https://t.co/Ty25w1Mz8i

[City of Boston @CityOfBoston]

Are you looking for an income-restricted apartment or home? Metrolist is a housing search tool to help you find what you're looking for.

Start your search today at https://t.co/9BTPZ0x68T

[Paul McMorrow @paul_mcmorrow]

This morning we’re in Somerville with @POAHCommunities @katjballantyne @Barber4StateRep @MassHousing @SCC_Somerville @MA_DHCD, celebrating the beginning of the redevelopment of the Clarendon Hill public housing community

[GBH News @GBHNews]

TONIGHT at 7:30PM on @BasicBlackGBH: The #AffordableHousingLottery. Joining host @BonjourParis_: Renee Taylor of @SCC_Somerville; educator Linda Warren-Cato; realtor @Tayla_Andre; and Sabrina Antoine Correia of @Chase.

WATCH on YouTube: https://t.co/aF8XeWAAmk

[City of Somerville @SomervilleCity]

The City has announced its first ever Participatory Budgeting process to allocate $1M in funds for City improvement projects. Community members ages 12+ can now submit ideas for funding online, by phone & in person through Saturday, May 20. Learn more at https://t.co/fRemTv5M9J

[Diane Yentel @dianeyentel]

Homeless shelters are seeing more elderly people in desperate need of housing than in years past. A confluence of factors driving increase, including soaring rents, nationwide shortage of affordable housing & winding down of pandemic-related aid programs. https://t.co/TLCYoRm7Jf

[Diane Yentel @dianeyentel]

New @NLIHC report! A comprehensive overview of nearly 100 housing/homelessness 2023 ballot measures that makes clear - voters choose housing.

READ: https://t.co/8EYJjGP31h

[Joe Kriesberg @JKriesberg]

I'm looking forward to participating in this discussion about the housing crisis in Massachusetts: https://t.co/pBk4Ts1UwG #mapoli @masscdcs @CHAPAdotorg @mhphousing @MA_DHCD @mahahome @MassHousing @CEDACma @SCC_Somerville @SomervilleCity

[MACDC @masscdcs]

Check out the GOALs Report for some for the qualitative stories about the work of CDCs in 2021, featuring @SEACMAWorcester @SCC_Somerville @SouthBostonNDC @UrbanEdgeBoston @WayFindersMA @JustAStartCorp
https://t.co/rvbUPBA8bT
#cdcswork

[Ben Ewen-Campen @BenForWard3]

TOMORROW: Three Somerville families are at urgent risk of displacement as their landlord nearly doubles the rent. Stand with these residents and with @CAASomerville tomorrow to call on Edson Realty to negotiate in a fair lease and keep these families in our community.

[MACDC @masscdcs]

Adoptees of the MACDC Racial Equity Pledge recently participated in a Learning Cohort, working with Promoting Good to set equity goals & measurable equity action plans. @CapeCDP @FenwayCDC @hilltowncdc @NewVueComm @SCC_Somerville @allbrightcdc @IBA_Boston @_TND_inc

[Mayor Katjana Ballantyne @katjballantyne]

Thank you @cru4justice for hosting neighborhood barbecue. So great to see everyone on this summer day! #SomervilleMa