Looking Back on a Year of Growth
This last year at the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) has brought changes, surprises, challenges, and successes at every turn. Whether we were calling on our community members for support or inviting neighbors to come celebrate, you showed up for us countless times in innumerable ways. We can’t thank you enough for making this year one that our community can proudly see come to a close. With so many notable moments, we wanted to look back at 2023, celebrate the progress that has been made in a short twelve months, and look ahead at what’s to come.
The Launch of Two New Assistance Programs
This year, CAAS’ Housing Advocacy Program (HAP) staff took on the challenge of launching two new assistance programs in collaboration with the City of Somerville. In close partnership, the City of Somerville entrusted us to begin administering its MBTA Pass Pilot Program in June of 2023. A new venture for both the City and for CAAS, the HAP team began distributing 500 free year-long passes to low-income residents. As David Gibbs, CAAS Executive Director said, "Reliable and affordable public transportation is a basic necessity in today's economy, and this program will help to ensure that working people have meaningful opportunities for a better future."
The Housing Advocacy Program also launched the Somerville Cares Fund 2.0, a much-needed continuation of the initial Somerville Cares Fund created in April 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund provides up to $2,000 of financial assistance to households for a wide range of needs, including food, clothing, utilities, childcare, and other necessities, as well as health care costs for those still recovering from the economic impact of the pandemic. The City of Somerville is funding the program, with a total of $1 million allocated for this assistance through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
These assistance programs were both met with a high volume of applicants almost immediately, underscoring how important these programs are to the Somerville community. We thank our partners at the City for helping to launch these programs, our staff for their hard work meeting with clients and distributing the passes and awards, and our community partners and neighbors for spreading the word about them!
A Successful Citywide Budget Campaign
This year, Community Organizing & Advocacy program staff worked with the Somerville Renters Committee (SRC) to organize the group’s first large-scale citywide effort with the FY24 Citywide Budget Campaign in June. Calling on the larger community and in collaboration with a number of other advocacy groups, the Citywide Budget Campaign brought neighbors together through rallies, action hours, and public testimony to demonstrate that affordable housing needs to be a priority for the city.
The first part of this effort actually began in February, during the group’s Free Cash Campaign. The City of Somerville had $39 million in 2022 budget surplus reserves – funds known as “free cash.” Leaders on the Somerville Renters Committee called for at least 30% of the money to go toward affordable housing, reflecting the suggested proportion of income that residents put toward their own housing. While the Mayor’s office ultimately did not follow their suggestion, the campaign played a major role in preparing the SRC for the FY24 budget process in June. And after over a year of research, relationship-building, and continuous time and energy, the SRC was able to see a budget that included:
New funding for another planning position to increase zoning tools for affordable housing.
More funds for the Office of Housing Stability’s tenant legal aid services.
An additional $82,715 to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which may be used for rental assistance or more affordable housing.
Approval of the Mayor’s allocation of $3 million of Free Cash for flexible rental assistance, and $300,000 of Free Cash for an emergency housing stabilization fund for those impacted by crises.
The (Overturned!) State Budget Vetoes
Looking back on this year means also looking back on a period that caused no small amount of concern for the future of CAAS programs. In early August, Governor Maura Healey signed the FY24 State Budget, giving many advocates well-earned cause for celebration. The budget included a free community college program, investments in our schools and student transportation systems, and historic commitments to protect our environment. However, with these investments came the veto of $35 million in early educator salary support, $1 million in Head Start grants, and over $7 million in Community Action Agency Operating and Outreach funding, along with a host of other cuts to human and social services. The decision was especially concerning to our Community Organizing and Advocacy program: about $382,000 of the statewide funding that was cut represented half of the 2024 program budget, critical to keeping our staff employed.
The decision was met with surprise, and very quickly, a strong rallying effort from our agency’s leadership, community members, community action agencies across Massachusetts, and the Somerville state legislative delegation. Each of these items was restored to the budget in October, thanks to this advocacy on behalf of our community. We owe our legislators, and our community members who voiced their support for CAAS, immense gratitude. We would like to once again thank Senator Pat Jehlen and Representative Erika Uyterhoeven, who were leaders in earmarking $75,000 for the Community Organizing & Advocacy program funds in the FY24 Budget presented to Governor Healey, as well as Representative Christine Barber and Representative Mike Connolly for their invaluable support.
The Passage of the Somerville Home Rule Petition
And with the end of 2023 came one last occasion to celebrate: The Somerville City Council passed the Rent Stabilization Home Rule Petition (a local bill requiring state legislative approval) in a unanimous vote at the final meeting in December. Like with every success mentioned, it did not come without a considerable amount of effort from our staff and local movement for housing justice. In July 2023, the City’s Anti-Displacement Task Force announced a public comment period, inviting both landlords and tenants to share their thoughts on rent stabilization. That month, CAAS Organizers educated and mobilized over 75 tenants, homeowners, landlords, and allies to testify at two separate listening sessions. Community members testified in person, on Zoom, and in writing to support a strong rent stabilization policy. When a third listening session was announced after the City received pushback from landlords, our neighbors once again came forward to testify, bravely sharing their stories of displacement, housing insecurity, and the need for stronger tenant protections.
What followed was a Home Rule Petition put forward by the Mayor that took months of advocacy, public feedback, and research into account. The Mayor’s proposed legislation would:
Place a yearly cap on rent increases limited to the rate of inflation (the Consumer Price Index) plus 2% totaling no more than 5% in any year. The City is also empowered by the Home Rule Petition to create a mechanism for owners to request additional increases based on extraordinary expenses.
Provide just cause eviction protections to reduce or prevent avoidable or unjustified evictions.
Allow the City to create tenant relocation requirements when housing is converted from residential to nonresidential use or demolished.
Authorize the City to establish a Rent Stabilization Board to oversee the Somerville ordinance.
Create considerations/exemptions for vulnerable senior property owners, three-unit buildings with owner-occupant landlords, in-unit owner-occupant landlords, units with subsidized rent based on a percentage of tenant income, the first fifteen years for newly constructed buildings, and other buildings including hotels and motels, nonprofit hospitals, religious facilities, elderly care facilities, and college dormitories.
The petition is now going to the State Legislature, where it will face considerable scrutiny from legislative leadership, which has historically not favored rent stabilization measures since rent control was originally overturned by a real estate industry-fueled ballot initiative in 1993. However, we know that this petition will finally grant Somerville residents the tenant protections needed to mitigate the worst of our affordable housing and displacement crisis. And no matter what, our Somerville movement is ready to fight in 2024, and in years to come, for its passage on Beacon Hill.
Looking Forward Toward the Future
While 2023 may be behind us, we can now move forward with lessons learned, friendships formed and strengthened, and a renewed energy to continue this work. We don’t know what lies ahead in 2024, but if this year has taught us anything, it’s that we can count on our community to fight alongside us. Thank you to the staff members, tenant leaders and neighbors, representatives, and community partners who made this year one we can all look back on proudly. Let’s continue the fight to end economic injustice in our community together!