Housing, Community Development and Equity Committee

Committee Room and Remote Participation

Agenda — 10 items

1. 1 (Posted online: 4/8/26 at 1:30 PM)
2. 1 This meeting was held in-person and virtually via Zoom and was called to order at 6:03 pm by Chair Strezo and adjourned at 7:27 pm with a roll call vote of 2 in favor (Councilors Sait and Strezo), none opposed, and one absent (Councilor Link). Others present: Ellen Shachter - Office of Housing Stability Director, Yasmine Raddassi - Legislative Liaison, Alanna Gaffny - Deputy Director of Housing, Shannon Lawler Fair Housing and Inclusionary Housing Program Specialist and Delaney Fisher-Cassiol - Clerk of Committees
3. 2 Pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2025, this meeting of a City Council Committee will be conducted via remote participation. We will post an audio recording, audio-video recording, transcript, or other comprehensive record of these proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting on the City of Somerville website and local cable access government channels. Copy & paste the following link into your internet browser to view this meeting live: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KVHosFxdS2K9u2uYNL985Q Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should contact the ADA Coordinator in advance at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or ADA@somervillema.gov.
4. 3 Roll Call
5. 1. Approval of the Minutes of the Housing, Community Development and Equity Committee Meeting of January 28, 2026. 26-0260 Accepted Pass
6. 2. Approval of the Minutes of the Housing, Community Development and Equity Committee Meeting of March 4, 2026. 26-0374 Accepted Pass
7. 3. That the Director of Office of Housing Stability discuss the current status of residents facing displacement and the number of households seeking rental assistance. 26-0050 Kept in committee
8. 4. That the Director of Housing report to this Council how many new housing units have been approved for development, year-by-year, since adoption of SomerVision 2040, and of those numbers, how many are permanently affordable, and how the department defines affordability. 26-0049 Recommended to be marked work completed
9. 5. Fair Housing Commission conveying the FY 2024 Annual Report pursuant to Section 17-7 of the Code of Ordinances. 26-0141 Recommended to be marked work completed
10. 8 Referenced Documents: • HCDE - 2026-04-15 Memo (with 26-0049) • HCDE - 2026-04-15 Memo (with 26-0050) • HCDE - 2024-04-15 Presentation (with 26-0141)