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Councilors press ONS on fire-displacement handoffs; ONS cites interdepartmental working groups
Summary
Councilors questioned how the city coordinates fire-displacement assistance and whether Red Cross and other partners provide adequate support; ONS said liaisons are on call for displacements, the office connects residents to city resources and participates in interdepartmental working groups to improve handoffs.
Boston — Councilors asked city officials on May 27 how the Office of Neighborhood Services and partner agencies coordinate aid for residents displaced by fires and other emergencies, and whether the city is doing enough to connect affected families to housing and financial assistance.
Council President Louie Jin and others asked whether the city provides fire-specific information cards and how partners such as the Red Cross and the Boston Fire Department coordinate with ONS. "What do the cards say?" Jin asked; ONS staff said displacement cards provide contact information for housing stability resources and sometimes Red Cross contact numbers, and that the office will follow up with copies of the card.
ONS Director Lindsay Santana said neighborhood liaisons are "on call 24/7" and help residents on the ground during displacement events, collecting information and connecting people to city resources. Santana described an internal working group of departments that handles displacement follow-up and said ONS plans a July hearing focused on the topic.
Why it matters: Displacement after fires is a recurring crisis for affected households, and councilors said the city should ensure smoother handoffs and enough financial support from partners for families who lose housing or belongings.
Santana said the department has implemented a zone model to rotate liaisons on call to address burnout and improve response coverage. Mellor and Santana said ONS and its partners are pursuing improvements but acknowledged limitations due to broader housing supply and funding constraints.
No new funding was announced at the hearing. ONS committed to follow up with council offices and to provide additional information at a planned July hearing on fire displacement and interagency coordination.
