The Somerville Housing Department is calling on members of the community to help spread the word about this year’s annual survey of youth who do not have a stable place to live. The Youth Count is an effort to gain a clearer understanding of the housing status and story of youth without a stable place to stay on any given night in Somerville and Arlington. 

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston and Ward 3 Alderman Robert McWatters invite you to an important informational meeting on the upcoming Somerville Avenue Utility and Streetscape Improvements Project. The project will address flooding issues in Union Square and includes significant streetscape improvements including enhanced pedestrian, transit, bicycle, and traffic facilities, as called for the community-driven Union Square Neighborhood Plan. The meeting will be held Thursday, May 18, at 6:30 p.m. at the Argenziano School Cafeteria at 290 Washington St.

The City of Somerville’s Styrofoam Recycling program will return for all Somerville residents on Saturday, May 13, 2017. Residents may visit the Department of Public Works yard, located at 1 Franey Rd., between 9 a.m. and noon to dispose of all types of EPS (Styrofoam) foam packing materials, including foam bracing and packing peanuts. IMPORTANT NOTE: materials must be placed in bags before placing it in the recycling container. A second Styrofoam recycling event is tentatively planned for September 2017, however, please call 311 for additional information in the fall.

To provide background, answer questions, and take public testimony regarding the proposed fiscal year 2018 Somerville Water and Sewer Rate Charges, an Informational Session with Q&A followed by a Public Hearing was held on Monday, May 15th, at 6:30 p.m. in the Somerville High School Cafeteria, 81 Highland Avenue. View the meeting video and presentation slides below:

SOMERVILLE – On Monday, May 22, 2017, a portion of the Somerville Community Path (Davis Square to Cedar St.) will be closed as City contractors add topsoil to the sides of this newly paved section of the path. During this work, this portion of the path will be closed for all users, and both pedestrians and cyclists are advised to use the detour route, Morrison Ave., which provides access to Highland Rd., Willow Ave., and Grove St., during construction. This work is the final step in the repaving process and the path will be fully open for use at the end of the work day on May 22.

SOMERVILLE— The City of Somerville will start a new electricity bulk buying program for households and businesses citywide this July. Called Somerville Community Choice Electricity (Somerville CCE), the goal of the program is to reduce and stabilize the cost of electricity for residents and businesses in Somerville, as well as increase the share of renewable “green” energy in Somerville’s electricity supply. Somerville will be joining more than 60 Massachusetts cities and towns that take advantage of state law that allows them offer this type of “municipal aggregation” program.

SOMERVILLE – Join Mayor Joseph Curtatone, the Somerville Community Preservation Committee (CPC), and the Friends of the Community Path to celebrate the reopening of the Grove-to- Cedar section of the Community Path following repaving work that occurred this month. The project was funded by the residents of Somerville through the Community Preservation Act and was implemented in a partnership between the City of Somerville and the Friends of the Community Path. Light refreshments will be served at the ribbon cutting, following brief remarks, on the Community Path at the Lexington St.

SOMERVILLE – One local nonprofit will soon be on a no-cost path to renewable energy. The Solarize Somerville initiative to help residents install solar panels concluded in December 2016, and as a result of exceeding our goal, the City’s install partner SolarFlair will donate a 5 kW system to a local nonprofit.

Solar installation will allow the selected nonprofit to lower utility bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the organization’s positive impact in the community.

SOMERVILLE – SomerStreets: Carnaval returns for its 8^th year of shaking up East Somerville! SomerStreets will kick off the 2017 season Sunday, June 4, from 2 to 6 p.m. (rain date Sunday, June 11).