Report identifies Somerville’s fair housing-related goals and further illustrates the city’s critical need for greater housing affordability.

The City of Somerville recently received formal notification from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that the city’s Assessment of Fair Housing Report has been accepted without conditions. The 166-page report, prepared by the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development Housing Division and submitted in October of 2017, identifies fair housing-related goals in six specific focus areas: segregation and integration; disparities in access to opportunities; disproportionate housing needs; publicly supported housing; disability and access issues; and fair housing enforcement, outreach capacity, and resources.

~Photos by Claudia Ferro

5th grade students at East Somerville Community School were recently challenged to engineer solutions to problems the main character faced in the novel A Long Walk to Water.

Commission tasked with issuing various types of licenses, determining licensing fees and hours of operation for licensed establishments, reviewing complaints of licensed establishments, and more 

The City of Somerville’s Licensing Commission is currently seeking a Somerville resident to fill a vacancy on the three-member board. Commissioners serve three-year terms and earn a stipend of $3,600 per year.

~Photos by Bobbie Toner

Summertime in Somerville officially kicked off with the annual Family Fun Day event on Saturday at Trum Field.

By Donald Norton

The members of the Somerville Rotary met this week at its regular weekly to present Past President Mark Alston-Follansbee with the “Service Above Self Certificate & Retirement” award on behalf of the club for his years and dedication to the club. Alston-Follansbee is a Past President and a dedicated member of the club now for 17 years. He is retiring as the Director of the Somerville Homeless Shelter.

Washington Street to be Closed from 9 a.m. to Approximately 4:30 p.m. Beacon Street Will Remain Open

Weather permitting, on Saturday, June 30, between 7:30 a.m.* and approximately 4:30 p.m., Washington St. near the intersection of Beacon St. will be closed to vehicle and bicycle traffic as contractors pave the intersection. Beacon St. will remain open at all times, however traffic on Washington St. will be detoured during work hours as follows:

By Joseph A. Curtatone

(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)

It’s that time of year again…budget season. Each year since I took office back in 2004, I’ve worked alongside City staff to put before the Board of Aldermen a budget proposal that’s level-headed, clear-eyed, and grounded in our core principles and our community’s shared values. However, that’s not as easy as it may sound. We’re a community full of passionate, engaged residents who care about many different issues and want to accomplish a wide variety of goals. We strive to be a city that provides the best possible education and extra-curricular opportunities for our youngest residents. We strive to be a city that’s transit-friendly, on the cutting edge of sustainability initiatives and climate resiliency, dedicated to community wellness and nutritional food access, expanding urban forestry opportunities, providing top-notch customer service through 311, and much more.

The Rotary Club of Somerville inducted Officers and Board members for the 2018–2019 year at the Mt. Vernon Restaurant and Pub on June 7. Congratulations to Kevin Su, President; Cyrus Amin, VP & President-Elect; David Worzala, Treasurer; Gilda Nogueira, Secretary; and Board members John Keegan, Gene Ferraro, Paul Stanton, Nancy Kavanaugh, and Ann Kirby.

L-R: President Paul Upton presents the Legion of Honor citation to Past President Bob Costello.

The Kiwanis Club of Somerville was proud to honor three special members at their Legion of Honor luncheon on Thursday, June 21. The Legion of Honor recognizes individuals who have been Kiwanis members for 25 years and every five years thereafter. These members have each dedicated hundreds of volunteer hours supporting Kiwanis programs and projects that benefit local children, seniors and other organizations that make our community a better place to live.