[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6598329,"mediaKeyId","3042974-20d2c54571dcad4c7120e76a88fda720","parentId",3042974,"title","Somerville ARPA-funded guaranteed basic income pilot served 200 households; city says pilot cannot continue in current form","audioSeconds",938,"startMs",2437000,"endMs",3375000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3042974-20d2c54571dcad4c7120e76a88fda720&start=2437&end=3375","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3042974-20d2c54571dcad4c7120e76a88fda720/thumbnail_2437000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6598329/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Somerville-ARPA-funded-guaranteed-basic-income-pilot-served-200-households-city-says-pilot-cannot-continue-in-current-form","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6598329-022383552d0b9f07a740bdb69f352ef1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165504&Signature=PYJj0BlcimC~Yy5JY3dvRhPmlHOtGfWRaOah6sYdHQPXwp8~iVXdf6kqR2JigrEXdInxJu2OeTd2FmgGypHMd51pZ8dp~stnmw7BhmxMxE7OeQI1OGV638xdoUOQdWrMvPEyZeWmIOfmqSXWXXtnUOA-9rdc8rqpgn7-CQaV-kW3XSkDOUge3OAGIi3g-GVTGlzvYfaL0d9xHZs0JOMgifk5HK2zV-OQAfT6jhGNSLa2DF5XjigDniiXhRi3WyvmnP3I~FKgqfuSHUT8yMx4WyRDUO8X2sTYl6kFgxKxpIYujZc4dgCbeXqFekEMUSp~1TRN0E~z-~0P83F74DAEoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Somerville City, MA","date","2025-04-17T16:51:00Z","article","Somerville officials told the Committee on Equity, Gender, Seniors, Family and Vulnerable Populations on April 16 that a city pilot to provide guaranteed basic income (GBI) using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds has delivered monthly cash payments to 200 households but cannot continue in the same unrestricted form without resolving legal, budgetary and staffing constraints.

Erica, who identified herself as the ARPA director for the city, said the pilot ran from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, and enrolled 200 households. “We are serving 200 households, and they are each receiving $750 a month during this 12 month pilot,” Erica told the committee, adding that the program loads payments onto reloadable debit cards and that the total distribution equals $1,800,000 over the year. The ARPA director said participants were recruited through existing city partner offices to prioritize households facing housing instability.

Jenny Tse, an ARPA program manager, described evaluation work and early findings. Staff have completed a baseline survey and are close to finishing midpoint interviews. Jenny said that at the end of each month more than three‑quarters of participants have less than $50 remaining on the card, which staff interpret as participants using most of the funds for near-term needs. “What we're hearing from our surveys and interviews is that some of the biggest expenditures people are spending on are rent, but also paying off loans and debts, and basic needs like food, transportation and childcare,” the ARPA director said.

Officials discussed the pilot’s strengths — direct cash transfers on debit cards to minimize stigma and the advantages of enrolling participants through existing Office of Housing and Stability (OHS) and partner casework — and the barriers to continuing the program on an ongoing basis. Staff told the committee that ARPA’s grant language allowed direct cash assistance, but the city’s general fund has stricter rules that limit direct cash benefits to individuals without significant legal review. Staff also said administering an ongoing program would require dedicated staffing capacity that ARPA temporarily funded for the pilot.

Next steps: Committee members agreed to continue the item in committee for a fuller report. Staff said they will complete the evaluation, provide demographic and outcome breakdowns at a future meeting, and work with legal, finance and departments to present options for post‑pilot steps. The committee did not vote to continue payments or appropriate general fund money; staff said the pilot will transition participants out of monthly payments as scheduled while the city considers alternatives.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Somerville City, MA - Equity Committee - 2025-04-16 - Apr 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City ARPA staff reported the guaranteed basic income pilot distributed $750 monthly debit-card payments to 200 households through June 2025, totaling $1.8 million; staff said constraints on general fund use, staffing and legal/budget issues mean the program cannot simply continue unchanged and will return with options.","taxTitle","Somerville City, Middlesex County, Massachusetts","taxId",4564,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6598337,"Somerville officials report shortage of crossing guards, cite short-term deployments and traffic‑calming pipeline",1029,1409000,2438000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3042974-20d2c54571dcad4c7120e76a88fda720&start=1409&end=2438","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3042974-20d2c54571dcad4c7120e76a88fda720/thumbnail_1409000.jpg","/articles/6598337/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Somerville-officials-report-shortage-of-crossing-guards-cite-short-term-deployments-and-trafficcalming-pipeline","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6598337-df313eb9bf2795347714994fac6509c8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165504&Signature=Mq8HeUcr06y0R~07JBZljYQ4pC1~V1YgkE2n7ZYF9I9XkalOFfC2yUI6e7q2-aZF4Y7WbzkUxQYxWY1A5yf3BIeoiodKGnwNgPGlNBKK54fGbL8b8p7Mla47ny6Yw5WZGh4lAuup7jB4flv6Gts0gbXwz4n~zanB7BCbp~ZtpkUtKo3tjyGzCkxc~dMagDzna~GAw~bN8ah1X1cAv5-nOvFrgKdpfgIkMiKQnuQD7bB3yuGbB753mz-OhWXtz-5dh-pEFV~evIrVmvA8f96~0ImSntxulKvuwPe3uGDmiFfxhNeRKin7SbVswMD70cwQwQ-jFJaAJqIj4knQTNISwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Committee Chair Kristen Strezzo opened two related orders on April 16 seeking a city response to recent incidents in which children were struck near schools and an update on crossing-guard staffing. Police and mobility officials told the Committee on Equity, Gender, Seniors, Family and Vulnerable Populations that the city faces a multi-year recruitment problem but is pursuing short-term and longer-term measures.

Sergeant McCary, speaking for the Somerville Police Department, said the city is funded for 57 crossing-guard positions (58 if the supervisor role is counted) and currently has 35 people on the roster, 31 of whom are active. “Currently, we have 35. We're funded for 57 positions. 58 if you include the supervisor position that just recently got put out,” the sergeant told the committee. He said four guards are out for injuries or medical reasons and that Human Resources has recruited 10 viable candidates who are being outfitted and trained and may be on the street in two to four weeks.

Sergeant McCary said that would bring the staffing count to about 45, leaving 12 positions unfilled relative to the funded level. He also said the department has broadened scheduling flexibility — including split shifts and one-day-a-week assignments — to widen the applicant pool. “We've really opened up to a lot of flexibility when it comes to who we're going to accept,” he said.

Director Brad Rossin of Mobility described the city’s parallel efforts on medium- and long-term traffic-calming measures and emphasized that engineering work takes longer than enforcement but can have more durable effects. Rossin noted a downward trend in pedestrian crashes citywide since 2019 and cited a recent increase in traffic calming installations: “Back in 2019, we built fewer than 10 traffic calming features. Last year, we built more than 110,” he said, adding that the department prioritizes projects near schools and other high-risk locations.

Officials also said police have been deploying traffic officers at high-risk spots, including the Highland and Bridal (Vineland) intersection near the high school, and working with school administrators to distribute information to parents and staff about traffic rules. Sergeant McCary urged prompt notification of incidents so police can investigate contributing factors and better track near misses; he said two of the incidents discussed were reported to the committee after the fact.

Outcome and next steps: The committee kept orders 250463 and 250464 in committee for follow-up. Departments will continue recruitment, work with Human Resources on onboarding the 10 candidates, maintain temporary officer deployments at problem locations, pursue grant funds for pedestrian safety projects, and continue the mobility department’s traffic-calming pipeline prioritized around schools.

Quantitative details given at the meeting: 57 funded crossing-guard positions (58 including supervisor), 35 total on the roster, 31 active, 4 out for injury/medical reasons, and 10 candidates in process expected to raise staffing to roughly 45 in 2–4 weeks.","Somerville police and mobility officials told the council committee the city is funded for 57 crossing-guard positions but currently has 35 on the roster (31 active); human resources has 10 candidates in process and the city will continue short-term deployments of officers while recruitment proceeds.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6598342,"Somerville councilors and parents press parks department for middle-school girls intramural hockey; item kept in committee",1237,151000,1388000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3042974-20d2c54571dcad4c7120e76a88fda720&start=151&end=1388","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3042974-20d2c54571dcad4c7120e76a88fda720/thumbnail_151000.jpg","/articles/6598342/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Somerville-councilors-and-parents-press-parks-department-for-middle-school-girls-intramural-hockey-item-kept-in-committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6598342-e6bc78d7a7fe72ef69a1ec25737fd569/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165504&Signature=Jk70NxLlBePKTw9sPqXtGJpKtc3dgfq06EqoaP2rjimLH2HGs-9Dh2C-Ujsfpfs7qPMwDCvPhfEadz0ZLLLwsEpeATiiUhHGl8Z6GEpUd-iaA23Rope~gJ~zqOMPq~4BmY2R06lWThLJhB7QbSB-xIs~w7s9rL42aiW73qmsFf-3dHkMzNUCAr-MvUUMW-6n~2QuOaaOlbOnXa~aZOCIIS1mZaYe9Wt8hOa1GEVhPoD0m5i2SIq8BlcolZEIyKZnfv1pmmL~r64p5TfD8TrqBa1i9EZcKJGqr4OG6RSeZ42ZeXk88XReLrbrCsBIzQnZvex2D1IGXl6D6vxum6amCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Councilor Kristen Strezzo, chair of the Committee on Equity, Gender, Seniors, Family and Vulnerable Populations, heard advocates on April 16 pressing the city to create a Somerville-only intramural middle-school girls hockey program for the 2025–26 school year. After presentations and discussion the committee decided to keep the item in committee for further work.

Advocates said an all-girls middle-school intramural program would address gender, economic and cultural barriers that limit girls' participation in hockey and give students time to develop skating and stick-handling skills required for high school play. “We’re here to advocate for an ongoing intramural middle school girls hockey program to be established in the 25–26 school year as a crucial stepping stone,” said Annette McKean, who identified herself as representing a parent group dedicated to growing girls hockey in Somerville.

Why it matters: Advocates told the committee that girls face stereotypes that hockey is a male sport; rules for coed play often default to checking, which many girls want to avoid; and equipment and club tuition are expensive. McKean said a recent interest survey of middle-school-age girls drew almost 50 responses, with about 60% saying they would participate and roughly 18 saying “maybe.” She added that town-run programs can cost more than $1,700 and that club tuition can be substantially higher.

Councilor Stephen Davis said he supports the idea and described his experience coaching girls' hockey in neighboring cities. “If the mayor is on board with this, it'll happen,” Davis told the committee, urging city leadership to commit to program support. Director Yerkes of Parks and Recreation confirmed the department’s interest in inclusionary programming and described existing girls-only learn-to-skate pilots and other youth offerings intended to feed future teams. Director Singh from the mayor’s office said the mayor and department remain committed to continuing conversations with families and advocates.

Advocates described community resources and offers of help. McKean said Somerville Youth Hockey Association has a supply of used equipment the group has agreed to lend to middle-school participants and that coaches from neighboring communities offered coaching help and donated equipment that could not be used by their programs.

Discussion versus decision: The committee did not adopt a program or approve funding at the meeting. Members and staff described short‑term and longer‑term steps — continuing outreach, coordinating with Somerville Youth Hockey Association for equipment, aligning with existing Parks and Recreation learn-to-skate activities, and further conversations with the mayor’s office and recreation staff. Chair Strezzo said the item will remain in committee for follow-up.

What’s next: Committee members asked staff and advocates to return with more details on costs, program structure, and how the pilot would be staffed and sustained; the committee scheduled further discussion at a future meeting.","Parents and councilors urged Somerville Parks and Recreation to establish a free intramural middle-school girls hockey program for 2025–26, citing gender, economic and access barriers; the committee kept the proposal in committee for further work.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Somerville ARPA-funded guaranteed basic income pilot served 200 households; city says pilot cannot continue in current form

Somerville officials report shortage of crossing guards, cite short-term deployments and traffic‑calming pipeline

Somerville councilors and parents press parks department for middle-school girls intramural hockey; item kept in committee