Somerville Rallies for Affordable Housing!

Early Thursday evening, approximately 80 Somerville community members and affordable housing supporters gathered with sleeping bags, pillows and signs at the front steps of City Hall to protest the recent denial by the Zoning Board of Appeals of an affordable housing proposal that would have provided stable housing to six homeless families in Somerville. “In my back yard!” was just one of the chants that echoed against the brick building as Alderman filed past the crowd en route to their bimonthly Board of Alderman meeting.

The energy was palpable as multiple community members voiced their frustration and anger at the recent decision to deny these families a home. One woman, a homeless resident at a local shelter, stood before the crowd and spoke to the hardship of caring for her son, who has multiple disabilities, without a stable place to live. Another formerly homeless resident stood with her daughter and described the positive impact that having a home has had on herself, her four children and her young granddaughter.

With final cheers of support and a clear message that everyone in Somerville deserves a place to sleep, the group made their way up the steps of City Hall and into the Board of Alderman Chamber. There they expressed their disapproval of the decision and presented a resolution demanding City leaders to work with the community in creating implementable strategies for achieving the City’s own goal to provide permanent housing for homeless families and to promote affordable housing throughout the city. Despite pushback from several Aldermen, the board unanimously voted to approve the resolution and committed themselves to move forward with the community in taking action so that all people can afford to live in the city. Somerville residents are mobilizing to make sure that this promise is kept!

Photo by Stacey Pires.

Amanda Gaudet is a social work student at Boston University and an intern at the Somerville Community Corporation.