By Union United

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Somerville may be a sanctuary city where the mayor celebrates the diversity of the local community, but when presented with an opportunity to help preserve that diversity and ensure that developers make good on their commitments to vulnerable residents, Mayor Joseph Curtatone’s appointees just put the celebration on hold to ensure that the developer’s profitability was not threatened.

On April 27, the Somerville Redevelopment Authority (SRA) voted to execute the Master Land Disposition Agreement (MLDA), a document that transfers 12 acres of land in Union Square to master developer US2. The MLDA was introduced to the SRA in February and was negotiated by lawyers for US2 and the City of Somerville. Its approval was delayed by six weeks after 30 residents (including seven aldermen) testified in March and asked the city to negotiate a better deal, but the city did not go back to the negotiating table.

Meanwhile, residents are left wondering if the developer’s commitment to providing much-needed affordable housing and commercial space, as well as a promised Community Benefits Agreement (CBA), was just talk.

Thursday’s meeting was a disappointment to all who have advocated for a transparent process that respects community needs. There was no microphone available at the meeting, so the people who had showed up to listen had to struggle to hear the deliberations of the SRA members.

Despite their supposed “commitment to carrying out the goals set forth by the Union Square community,” US2 and the Chamber of Commerce turned out about 25 people who were not Somerville residents and who appeared to have little knowledge of the development project. Meanwhile, US2 continues to ignore the requests of actual community members to meet and discuss the terms of a CBA. More than 40 members and supporters of the Union United coalition attended the meeting.

“I think that the SRA disregarded the community’s needs,” said Eddy Toussaint, a Union United member and renter in Union Square. “There was a group of us there who were protesting this deal. We believe if we have to pay, we should have a say. That’s how it should be. We hope the city will take this into account for future decisions, otherwise the interests of Somerville residents will not be preserved.”

SRA member Anne Tate questioned the city’s economic development staff about the terms of the MLDA, asking how they plan to ensure that the developer actually follows through on its commitments.

“There is a difference between participation and decision-making,” she said, noting that community members have participated in many hours of meetings but have been systematically excluded from key decisions. Tate said that the mayor’s proposed “community benefits ordinance” continues this pattern and takes away leverage from the community in CBA negotiations. And it’s not clear that US2 is prepared to commit resources to things negotiated in the CBA beyond the $3.6 million over 30 years that the covenant requires, hardly enough to fund much-needed initiatives like job training or a multi-purpose community center.

The Board of Aldermen’s Legislative Matters committee is currently considering the ordinance. Union United members are planning to suggest changes that will make sure the neighborhood council can be an active participant in important decisions and that US2 is committing real resources to a CBA. The coalition is asking members of the board to make sure that the city and developers honor their responsibility to communities impacted by development.