Somerville staff outline storage, disposal and outreach plans for Davis Square amid rising public concerns

Somerville City officials told the Public Health and Public Safety Committee on June 9 that they are pursuing short- and long-term solutions to address needles, unattended personal belongings and storage needs in and around Davis Square.

The committee heard that a memo and a spreadsheet summarizing needles and sharps collected by Inspectional Services Department staff were provided to committee members. Nikki Spencer, chief of staff, said the city currently uses a small DPW container to hold items removed on an urgent basis but that "the short answer is yes, and there is a need" for larger, more regular storage options for bulkier belongings.

Spencer said the city is pursuing two tracks: an immediate, larger-capacity storage option that would allow departments to secure survival items when they must be removed, and a longer-term model of regularly accessible lockers or storage run by a city contractor or nonprofit partner. She listed requirements for…