Housing, Community Development and Equity Committee

Committee Room and Remote Participation

Agenda — 9 items

1. 1 (Posted online: 1/23/26 at 3:00 PM)
2. 1 This meeting was held in the Committee Room and via Zoom and was called to order by Chair Strezo at 6:01 pm and adjourned at 7:13 pm on a roll call vote of 3 in favor (Councilors Sait, Link, and Strezo.), 0 opposed, and 0 absent. Councilor Sait joined the meeting at 6:03 pm. Others present: Director of Economic Development – Rachel Nadkarni, Deputy Director of Economic Development – Dana Whiteside, Senior Planner – Women and Minority Business Support – Adriana Fernandes, Director for Health and Human Services – Karin Carrol, Executive Liaison - Public – Jesse Moos, Assistant City Clerk – Legislative Services – Madalyn Letellier.
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_QsKfFGIWQdeXIc7Lpf6BHg Individuals 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 and activities of the City of Somerville or to attend meetings, should contact Adrienne Pomeroy in advance, at 617-625-6600 x2059 or ada@somervillema.gov.
4. 3 Roll Call
5. 1. Approval of the Minutes of the Equity, Gender, Seniors, Families and Vulnerable Populations Committee Meeting of May 27, 2025. 25-1041 Accepted Pass
6. 2. Approval of the Minutes of the Housing and Community Development Committee Meeting of November 18, 2025. 25-1778 Accepted Pass
7. 3. That the Administration collaborate with East Somerville Main Streets and the Ward 1 City Councilor to promote Eat Out in East to support East Somerville immigrant-owned businesses. 26-0058 Recommended to be marked work completed
8. 4. That the Director of Health and Human Services discuss the findings from the recent U.S. Surgeon General Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents and its recommendations to better support parents and caregivers. 26-0083 Kept in committee
9. 5. 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 Kept in committee