[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_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",6529945,"mediaKeyId","3764703-820d9596bf2ccf8b6682b66dbabd0d4d","parentId",3764703,"title","Somerville says housing-stability programs funded through a mix of trust funds, free cash and ARPA; municipal voucher program reported stable for FY26","audioSeconds",350,"startMs",5640000,"endMs",5290000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3764703-820d9596bf2ccf8b6682b66dbabd0d4d&start=5640&end=5290","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3764703-820d9596bf2ccf8b6682b66dbabd0d4d/thumbnail_5640000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6529945/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Somerville-says-housing-stability-programs-funded-through-a-mix-of-trust-funds-free-cash-and-ARPA-municipal-voucher-program-reported-stable-for-FY26","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6529945-b8275edc59efcbf6995442316b794de3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771185975&Signature=TtMapc5LUKIEPCdFh9Tad8RtKHQQc9AgFgT8uJOOWf2KkVXqzkrhaYH1TXzqVZoWsfEBH~X17ki0g5T-53YJRmo6qyrT7xwgTqrdqtSrWWjJzkL-m00qnwmnxhFyHMaVcGHwDLW6oXHd37QbRogDTIhsf6hHPGdGYzSzsYzlTWJi68WqMcxI9zRsnqJVI2gqEcaRqLOEBJSq0VF3-iI~CmsFL9BOkBc47A77ohDz3jMo4HQASiBLAt3i4nZbLhsu12cwUKJTb7WrIJYYiZ7ZXg~a7Zekg0aQYqMFJOL~kko4SRlRJ9FzgKlRmSt4iKKkR-Sj26NbccVhVhr-9p2UtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Somerville City, MA","date","2025-06-11T09:43:00Z","article","(Note: the meeting transcript provided the discussion; article summarizes the committee exchange.)

Somerville’s housing officials told the Finance Committee on June 10 that the city currently has the resources to maintain several housing-stability programs through FY26, drawing on a mix of Affordable Housing Trust funds, free-cash allocations and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

Office of Housing Stability Director reported the city had roughly $4.3 million in ARPA rental-assistance funding and additional free-cash allocations that, together with trust-fund resources, are available to support municipal rental-assistance, eviction-prevention legal services, and flex funding in the near term. The director said the municipal voucher program is nearly fully leased and staff expect to sustain it through FY27 under current assumptions.

Trust and pipeline: City officials and committee members discussed the housing-linkage and CPA (Community Preservation Act) resources that typically fund housing development and trust activity; staff reminded the committee that linkage payments are collected over a multi‑year schedule tied to project openings and that revenues can lag development slowdowns.

Legal assistance and outreach: Staff said they have absorbed legal‑assistance funding into the FY26 budget at levels similar to the ARPA-supported services that were previously time-limited. The department reported increased outreach and community-based legal supports, and a continued partnership with Suffolk Law’s fair-housing testing when needed.

What to watch: Officials cautioned that funding levels beyond FY26 will depend on how market-driven revenues (linkage, developer contributions) evolve and on future free‑cash allocations. The committee was urged to monitor the housing trust’s pipeline and the schedule of developer payments.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Somerville City, MA - Finance - 2025-06-10 - Jun 11, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Somerville housing officials told the Finance Committee on June 10 that they can sustain rental-assistance, legal-assistance and a near‑fully leased municipal voucher program through FY26 using Affordable Housing Trust funds, ARPA allocations and prior free-cash appropriations.","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},6529950,"Planning staff defer Union Square East work to align with MassDOT McGrath Boulevard project; Central Somerville Ave effort drew staff time",481,3061000,3542000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3764703-820d9596bf2ccf8b6682b66dbabd0d4d&start=3061&end=3542","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3764703-820d9596bf2ccf8b6682b66dbabd0d4d/thumbnail_3061000.jpg","/articles/6529950/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Planning-staff-defer-Union-Square-East-work-to-align-with-MassDOT-McGrath-Boulevard-project-Central-Somerville-Ave-effort-drew-staff-time","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6529950-95f0e7928c430cd7201cf49a17b57c2b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771185975&Signature=o6qtMOzBqbvxRZax5kdO29j9v~-ZNhRitWsgzR~mHzbNqdoo~SLMSEpnxYiQPxE9EDFnDQ9oZ9EaZ-gvYNwp6NOxaDdW7hQoBTSTTx1qqAWmZ8rN1VyhB33mH9RFOw7Otz-oxOypTPvjRzNm6Ymc5vdjjk0jTMlMgaYjrojQSGyfcSqm-w7W29eLu9BKQILgI3DekDcxemrSnoWnZu4Y2cxwzstH~AoaUJwCdIM9NndK8HXIJ4WwkxnEd5v5pq7Osw6vVtJ5k1~0XlJT4uriwQYax8LnRueJJSvTjQbVwT2NgchxGSIbD0AniJNPuBAOpdAB67e3TVAyh7~oiEU~LA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Somerville planning staff told the Finance Committee on June 10 that they moved the Union Square East neighborhood-plan work into the next fiscal year to align public engagement with MassDOT’s McGrath Boulevard project, and that the department spent substantial staff time on a Central Somerville Avenue project that limited capacity for other initiatives this year.

Planning director and staff said they expect to issue an RFP and select a consultant for the McGrath/Union Square East area-plan work in the fall, with background research beginning early in the fiscal year. They explained that coordinating planning work with a major state roadway project will let the city engage residents on zoning and development questions at the same time MassDOT is consulting on street design.

Other items: staff reported spending consultant and in-house time on zoning studies in Central Broadway, the Star Market redevelopment (299 Broadway), and marijuana-saturation research. The department said it completed adjacent neighborhood plans (Brickbottom) and advanced Assembly Square neighborhood work to the planning board.

Budget note: Planning staff said they carried forward consultant funds where timing made doing the work earlier imprudent, and proposed a more focused FY26 PTS program that includes a cultural-heritage plan and McGrath-area work.","Planning staff told the Finance Committee they rolled Union Square East planning into FY26 to coincide with MassDOT’s McGrath Boulevard timeline and that significant staff resources were allocated this year to Central Somerville Ave work, delaying some other projects.",{"_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},6529955,"Somerville explains hiring freeze approach; many vacancies prorated to Jan. 1, DPW prioritized for continuity",272,2078000,2350000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3764703-820d9596bf2ccf8b6682b66dbabd0d4d&start=2078&end=2350","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3764703-820d9596bf2ccf8b6682b66dbabd0d4d/thumbnail_2078000.jpg","/articles/6529955/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Somerville-explains-hiring-freeze-approach-many-vacancies-prorated-to-Jan-1-DPW-prioritized-for-continuity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6529955-9140c1f1cb91d5a2d3aca5e71a0b577f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771185975&Signature=ahAo218-bP35TSfrOEruLGYx~PcUfBnTZjtc6pVAzkrxAYKhrLoDf~VOsEirkcO9VVXxx9IJm4ghugwma-S9~fPftxEF8jSM~byf9xKNNwBFgsCXlzRmVINKHp9Xm6qc2oEoFPUfrGF3LuE1DT1f8hF~M9uHcTaUvmrPHLGijBc2x8LuW2~Yw0-FWGUGs0DN1sMs7PvPcmvfILCSinGzhRfWn57-fZm1UQsgb1Z~Pg0hJ-8ZF0DivLJgOgZ9JkhEshb0xxgLKVXQJKZpkXkOEXgEkRS6b4lgwwsZrKnzuMZhbrc1XeXFvjXqQH1bo4ELTLHJx9UReYDTZmFz8~zw4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City human-resources staff told the Finance Committee on June 10 that most positions affected by the mayor’s hiring freeze were shifted to a January 1 start-date as a practical way to hold budgeted positions while preserving hiring continuity. The administration also made tactical exceptions for departments with immediate service needs.

How it was implemented: The city’s hiring/prorating approach moved many budgeted start dates to Jan. 1 to create an across‑the‑board pause while allowing a continuous, staged hiring pipeline. Human-resources staff said they worked with departments that faced disproportionate operational impacts to sequence hires earlier or later depending on current vacancy and service needs.

Public Works exception: Committee members were told that Public Works (DPW) had a high number of current vacancies relative to staff size. The administration worked with DPW leadership to let the most critical positions be hired before Jan. 1 and to move less urgent vacancies later, creating a more continuous hiring flow that preserves essential services.

Department-level examples: Multiple departments said they prorate new positions routinely (often to October 1 for seasonal programs or to reflect typical hiring timelines). OSE noted several positions are prorated to October 1 for FY26, and PPZ said it had adjusted timing around long-range planning projects.

What this means for councilors and departments: Committee members were advised to look at start dates in the budget book to infer which positions are part of the hiring pipeline this year; the administration cautioned that start dates reflect hiring timelines, not guarantees of immediate hires. Human-resources staff said they would continue to coordinate with departments on priority staffing needs and posting timelines.","City human-resources staff told the Finance Committee that most hiring freezes were implemented by prorating start dates to Jan. 1, 2026, but departments with critical frontline needs—particularly Public Works—were given priority hires before that date to avoid service disruptions.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6529960,"Somerville plans school kitchen organic waste program and curbside composting pilot; rodent control cited as constraint",864,836000,1700000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3764703-820d9596bf2ccf8b6682b66dbabd0d4d&start=836&end=1700","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3764703-820d9596bf2ccf8b6682b66dbabd0d4d/thumbnail_836000.jpg","/articles/6529960/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Somerville-plans-school-kitchen-organic-waste-program-and-curbside-composting-pilot-rodent-control-cited-as-constraint","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6529960-e3faffafd6ef5a440667c2c728fc2f8f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771185975&Signature=GZ0F44ZhwzvpeQNNaZ9ujFDNst3hlTGL-FqekXVkcWYgM~46iBJsccGXioVodr-fDDuvz8AIiKnJlsNMSXhL2KpGILv6KGrZuywlI29BlcA24xEifn~ukBDtKh5Pkg15~lxsKcFviExQLWBy3kuoa2iiC1kMFUSrja9BI~-wULFCdf8HpkhvU-OTPWt04F7ymrEGlgKtyruLWxBrmgFfKbZDicDQEke16dB6-q76pI-w1Xj8TjyCWOBA-c6Njddw2FzNVd5PG~B2wYaoxd9rQxx3lwT4v5IBnrDdOF-K7WMHuFxKtd9NmLNozBCA5Yot4GkeVgYmlOUTEVYqhts11w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Somerville Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) briefed the Finance Committee on June 10 on planned expansions of school organic-waste disposal and a curbside composting pilot.

OSE staff described two parallel programs: a back-of-house “kitchen organic waste disposal” expansion for school nutrition operations that will capture kitchen food waste disposed by staff, and a separate curbside composting pilot for about 1,000 residents that will run about 18 months after a ramp-up period. The superintendent of schools has signaled interest in districtwide expansion of the school program, OSE said.

Rodent control and coordination: OSE staff emphasized they will not implement food-waste programs without coordination with the city’s pest-management/rodent-control teams because of nearby dumpsters and existing burrow sites at some schools. The department said that planning, training of janitorial and kitchen staff, and relationship-building with school nutrition teams took extra time and contributed to a delayed start for the district program this year.

Budget and staffing: OSE said it had prorated funding requests for FY26 to match the phased ramp-up and noted that some positions supporting decarbonization and residential programs are prorated to start later in the fiscal year for standard hiring timing. A curbside composting contractor contract is in hand; start dates were not finalized but OSE projected the pilot would start in FY26 once contracting is complete.

What to watch: Committee members asked whether curbside and school programs would start concurrently and whether lessons from prior school pilots would be applied; officials said staff will share learnings across both programs. OSE also said it had sought grant funding and federal/state technical assistance that has augmented its relatively small O&M budget for these initiatives.","The City’s Office of Sustainability and Environment told the Finance Committee it plans to expand a kitchen-based organic-waste disposal program for Somerville Public Schools and to run an 18‑month curbside composting pilot serving about 1,000 households in FY26; staff said rodent control and interdepartmental coordination shaped the rollout.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6529964,"Somerville finance staff say commercial 'new growth' projection cut sharply, tightening FY26 budget",635,135000,770000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3764703-820d9596bf2ccf8b6682b66dbabd0d4d&start=135&end=770","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3764703-820d9596bf2ccf8b6682b66dbabd0d4d/thumbnail_135000.jpg","/articles/6529964/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Somerville-finance-staff-say-commercial-new-growth-projection-cut-sharply-tightening-FY26-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6529964-6f7ba36495e97946d85cc5acc153ec27/orig.mp4?Expires=1771185975&Signature=i9RYyswwvZ11z0F8s7mnfsIwAiwF85aaqso1d1VvKhtRhY-flTN-bkzs~Rwm65p7jiqwcs5Twx1FV1eEMCDv7EqWhscf8LSerFSoZPGjiSlRr5UXSnagbSsQQiWIpBOB6ZNF4TRILLO8J~VkvMW8bW4eidqE3smsH~XEy~0m1Bq-x3mFA3MPfJCI5at~XmlIfkbu1K9Rv8l2YWQD4y~eb-o5WWVOHDW5KPMjgYJH7CJXC6L1GRTBMA43QW9iUn5-wk-rhMNlBLz8bwwgbWwcM4c9tVUlk5GZJ~QrevB1NoqoMhiVpvzUjnSo3wqTqXmAH01TWjA0FxssEdGCXew0KA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Somerville finance officials told the City Council Finance Committee on June 10 that the assessor’s projection for taxable commercial “new growth” has fallen sharply, reducing the property-tax revenue base for the fiscal 2026 budget. Director of Finance Ed Bean and Chief Assessor Frank Golden said the city’s new-growth forecast has dropped from recent-year levels and from figures used earlier in the budget process.

At the meeting, Bean said the city recorded $14.1 million in new growth in fiscal 2025 but that the assessor’s preliminary projection for the next certification cycle is about $8 million. Chief Assessor Frank Golden described a market pullback in life-science office buildings, saying cap rates and vacancies are rising and rents are falling in some local buildings.

Why it matters: Somerville’s property-tax levy is constrained by Proposition 2½ plus any certified new growth. A weaker new-growth certification reduces the headroom available for property-tax–funded spending and leaves departments and the mayor’s office with a tighter budget to balance.

What officials said: Bean told the committee the administration had previously planned the FY26 budget on a higher new-growth assumption and has “been fairly conservative in our projections,” but the shift in the life-sciences leasing market means staff must scrutinize O&M and non-discretionary accounts across departments. Golden told councilors his office is still collecting data through the Department of Revenue’s deadlines and said the present market signs make him “check things many, many times over” before submission and certification.

Next steps and timing: Golden said the assessor’s office expects to present valuation material to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue in July and to receive certification in August. Bean and committee members said the budget as presented is framed around the lower projection and that department cut motions will be entertained on the council’s established cut night schedule.

Context and caveats: Officials stressed the numbers are preliminary; certification by the Department of Revenue will set the final figure. Bean and Golden described the projection as an estimate based on current leasing and valuation trends and said the city will continue collecting market data until submission.","City finance officials told the Somerville Finance Committee on June 10 that the assessor now projects far less commercial new growth for FY26 than previously expected, shrinking property-tax revenue available to the FY26 budget and forcing departments to tighten spending.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Somerville says housing-stability programs funded through a mix of trust funds, free cash and ARPA; municipal voucher program reported stable for FY26

Planning staff defer Union Square East work to align with MassDOT McGrath Boulevard project; Central Somerville Ave effort drew staff time

Somerville explains hiring freeze approach; many vacancies prorated to Jan. 1, DPW prioritized for continuity

Somerville plans school kitchen organic waste program and curbside composting pilot; rodent control cited as constraint

Somerville finance staff say commercial 'new growth' projection cut sharply, tightening FY26 budget