By Ana Celerier Salcedo

The City of Somerville Legislative Matters Committee, met with five items on the agenda to discuss the following. The enforcement of annual reporting on the ordinance to safeguard vulnerable road users. As well as the code of ordinances being amended by requiring the mayor to annually submit a report on housing status to the Legislative Matters Committee.

Additionally, the Committee discussed amending Sections 7-41, 7-43, 7-44, and 7-47 of the Code of Ordinances related to Fair Housing and amending the Code of Ordinances to include non-discrimination provisions based on relationship status. The last item for discussion was that the City Council and the City of Somerville formally recognize the Gilman Square Neighborhood Council.

Ward 6 Councilor Lance Davis, the Legislative Matters Committee chair, led most of the meeting’s discussions, such as the discussion on the request to extend the non-discrimination policy to cover discrimination in a housing context to protect how individuals define their families from housing discrimination in Somerville.

Additionally, the enforcement of annual reporting on the ordinance to safeguard vulnerable road users was discussed in the meeting. The update provided was that there has now been an initiative for all city and city-contracted vehicles to have inspections and inspection stickers for vehicles. Thus, if a vehicle fails an inspection, the vendor would, in turn, have to correct the failed criteria and reschedule a reinspection at no cost to them. Those responsible for this initiative reported to the committee that they are currently working on generating the annual report for fiscal year 2023 in the near future.

Regarding the item sent for discussion about the code of ordinances being amended by requiring the mayor to annually submit a report on the status of housing to the Legislative Matters Committee: Representatives commented that the office has a vast majority of the information that had been requested, specifically information about affordable units of housing but are having a more challenging time accessing the information on market rate unrestricted privately developed housing on which data was requested. But they are looking into the possibility of obtaining said information.

The issue was left in committee for further discussion at a later date. Chair Davis suggested that the request for the City Council and the City of Somerville to formally recognize the Gilman Square Neighborhood Council be moved to a public hearing format at the next city council meeting on May 25. The motion was approved with five voting in favor.