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Finance committee recommends $220,000 in state grants to expand Somerville senior housing bridge pilot
Summary
The committee recommended approval of two state grants — $20,000 for administration and $200,000 for rental assistance — that city housing staff say helped eight older‑adult households last year and will prioritize Somerville residents referred by local partner agencies.
The Somerville Finance Committee recommended approval of two state grants totaling $220,000 to expand a Short Term Housing Bridge pilot for older adults.
Chair Ben Wheeler read two items together: a $20,000 administrative grant and a $200,000 rental‑assistance grant from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. Director Ellen Schachter of the Office of Housing Stability described the pilot, saying it began in fiscal 2025 to provide temporary rental assistance for seniors who are unable to pay rent while they await placement in permanent affordable housing. "Last year, through funding from the state, we had a $100,000 in funding, and through the program at that time, we were able to assist 8 older adult households," Schachter said.
Schachter said the program receives referrals from five partner agencies, including Somerville protective services, Cambridge elder services, the Somerville council on aging, CAS, the Somerville Homeless Coalition and legal services, and that the program primarily serves Somerville residents. Yasmin Radosse from Intergovernmental Affairs added that both grants are FY26 state local earmarks secured by the city’s state delegation.
Councilors asked about household composition; Schachter said six of eight participants were single adults, one was an adult couple and one was a single adult with a disabled adult child. On permanence, Schachter said the awards are annual earmarks and subject to appropriation but that the city plans to seek affordable‑housing trust fund support if state funding lapses and to use program statistics to make the case for continued or expanded funding.
Members expressed support for the targeted intervention; the items were laid on the table and later included in a combined roll‑call recommendation to approve the laid items.
