Somerville council asks administration to clarify process for removing abandoned belongings and to report needle data in Davis Square

The Somerville City Council on Oct. 9 voted to send to committee two related orders asking the administration to explain how the city handles abandoned personal items and to supply more-detailed data on needles found in and around Davis Square.

Councilors said the items respond to recurring constituent complaints about belongings left in public spaces, including at 7 Hills Park, and to concerns that the city's current counting method may conflate unused needles with used ones.

Councilor Matt Strezzo, who sponsored the item on abandoned belongings, said residents report piles of discarded items that remain for days and asked the administration to work with community partners, such as the Somerville Homeless Coalition, to explore additional storage options. “Can we work with community partners to create an additional off-site location?” Strezzo asked during the meeting.

Councilor Lance Davis, who co-sponsored the needle-data resolution, said the current reporting method counts boxes of unused needles alongside used needles and that the combined tally may skew the public health data. He asked the administration to begin by producing whatever data are readily available — whether for the last 12 months, the current calendar year, or the past three months — and to bring the item to the Public Health and Public Safety committee.

Councilor Wilson noted the problem is citywide and described seeing a mattress and other debris near McGrath Highway, underscoring that the issue is not limited to a single neighborhood.

The council referred both items to committee with instructions for copies to the relevant departments. The referral does not change any operational practice; it asks staff to provide process details, data and options for possible adjustments.

Clarifying details from the meeting include: councilors asked for an explanation of the existing “abandoned” standard used by city staff; a request that needle data be broken down by specific location and by used versus unused; and a suggestion to start with the most readily available timeframe of data.

The orders were placed on file and referred to the Public Health and Public Safety committee for follow-up.