Somerville 2021 Candidates Forums on Housing
The Somerville Renters Committee in partnership with the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) hosted a series of three, virtual Somerville Mayoral and City Council Candidates Forums on Housing in August 2021. We are pleased to share the recordings from each event, as well as the housing questionnaires submitted by the candidates before the first forum.
Members of CAAS and the Somerville Renters Committee smile on separate Zoom screens.
About the Somerville Renters Committee:
The Somerville Renters Committee was formed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, but we have been experiencing the affordable housing crisis firsthand for much longer. As an organized group of working-class and low-income renters from many different backgrounds, the Somerville Renters Committee is building a movement of families and neighbors to make Somerville a better city for all.
To learn more about the Somerville Renters Committee and attend our monthly multilingual meetings, visit our Community Organizing & Advocacy program page.
Somerville Mayoral Candidates Forum on Housing
Hosted on Zoom on August 8, 2021 with simultaneous interpretation from English to Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole. This Zoom event was open to the public and recorded. All 4 candidates participated in the questionnaire process and attended the forum. The lightning round portion of the forum featuring candidates' Yes or No responses begins at 1:04:07.
Mayoral Candidates Housing Questionnaires
The forum questions were developed by the Somerville Renters Committee, and based on a housing questionnaire submitted by candidates on August 6, 2021. All candidates received the same questionnaire. Please click on each candidates’ name to review their submissions.
Somerville Ward City Council Candidates Forum on Housing
Hosted on Zoom on August 11, 2021 with simultaneous interpretation from English to Spanish. This Zoom event was not open to the public, but live streamed on the CAAS Facebook page and also recorded. 11 of the 13 candidates participated in the questionnaire process, and 10 of the 13 attended the forum. The lightning round portion of the forum featuring candidates’ Yes or No responses begins at 1:43:52.
Ward City Council Candidates Housing Questionnaires
The forum questions were developed by the Somerville Renters Committee, and based on a housing questionnaire submitted by candidates on August 6, 2021. All candidates received the same questionnaire. Please click on each candidates’ name to review their submissions.
For candidates who were not able to attend the lightning round portion of the forum, we have included a PDF with their responses to the Yes or No questions (begins at 1:43:52).
Stephenson Aman, & Lightning Round questions (lost internet connection at the end of the event), Ward 2 candidate
JT Scott, Ward 2 candidate (incumbent)
Ben Ewen-Campen, Ward 3 candidate (incumbent)
Jesse Clingan, Ward 4 candidate (incumbent)
Tessa Bridge, Ward 5 candidate
Todd Easton, Ward 5 candidate
Beatriz C. Gomez Mouakad, Ward 5 candidate
Alex Anderson, Ward 7 candidate
Maria Koutsoubaris & Lightning Round questions (lost internet connection and unable to participate in the event), Ward 7 candidate
Becca Miller, Ward 7 candidate
Judy Pineda Neufeld, Ward 7 candidate
Note from the organizers: Ward 1 incumbent Matt McLaughlin declined to participate due to the birth of his new child. Ward 6 incumbent Lance Davis declined to participate.
Somerville At-Large City Council Candidates Forum on Housing
Hosted on Zoom on August 16, 2021 with simultaneous interpretation from English to Spanish. This Zoom event was not open to the public, but live streamed on the CAAS Facebook page and also recorded. All 8 candidates participated in the questionnaire process, and 7 of the 8 attended the forum. The lightning round portion of the forum featuring candidates' Yes or No responses begins at 2:00:00.
At-Large City Council Candidates Housing Questionnaires
The forum questions were developed by the Somerville Renters Committee, and based on a housing questionnaire submitted by candidates on August 6, 2021. All candidates received the same questionnaire. Please click on each candidates’ name to review their submissions.
Tracey Leah Pratt (was not able to participate in the event due to a medical emergency)