You can help. On February 13, more than 50 people, including 16 children, were displaced by an apartment block fire on Highland Avenue. Fortunately, everyone got out safely, but significant challenges remain for our neighbors and students who cannot return to their homes. More than 13 City departments and a half-dozen partner agencies mobilized to set up temporary shelter, food, and other supports, but your help is needed for what comes next.   
  

The City of Somerville’s annual Parks Tree Health Program is set to begin this month to promote healthy tree growth and help preserve Somerville’s urban forest. Now in its fourth year, the Parks Tree Health Program is designed to go beyond routine maintenance. Led by the Public Space and Urban Forestry Division, the program involves a comprehensive health assessment of parks trees by a certified arborist, proactive maintenance work, and development of long-term maintenance recommendations.

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne today invites the community to join two public listening sessions for the Somerville Police Chief recruitment led by GovHR, the national executive staffing firm the City has selected to conduct the search.

The listening sessions are an early opportunity for community members to voice their goals, concerns, and expectations of both the search process and prospective candidates. Community feedback will serve as an invaluable tool as GovHR begins their extensive recruitment process.

All Somerville residents should be on the lookout for the 2023 annual City of Somerville census in their mailbox. Upon receipt, please complete the brief form and return it to the City via mail, email, fax, or in person. High census participation provides an accurate population count, which helps the City plan municipal services and adapt as the population changes. The Elections Department also uses the census to help keep voting rolls up to date.

The City of Somerville Housing Division is holding a public hearing to obtain public input on its draft Allocation Plan for more than $1.6 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The City has been awarded funds through HUD’s HOME Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan Program (HOME-ARP). The HOME-ARP program provides funding to reduce homelessness and increase housing stability across the country.

The City of Somerville’s Inclusionary Housing Program and Winter Hill Bank are pleased to invite the Somerville community to join a First-Time Home Buyer Seminar on Wednesday, February 22, from 6-7:30 p.m. 

During the seminar, mortgage experts from Winter Hill Bank will share advice to help potential home buyers prepare for the twists and turns of any house-hunting journey, from reviewing the current market to the closing. Additionally, Inclusionary Housing City staffers will provide information about Somerville’s Inclusionary Housing Homeownership Program.