Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne delivered a State of the City address on Jan. 6, reflecting on accomplishments and challenges facing the city in the last year.
Ballantyne reviewed Somerville’s work towards mitigating what she called one of the city's greatest challenges: a lack of affordable housing. Somerville’s affordable housing initiatives include a guaranteed basic income pilot program that provides $750 to 200 qualified families monthly.
“We have distributed over $9.5 million in flexible and rental assistance, helping more than 400 households stay housed. Our new Municipal Voucher Program is also breaking new ground. It provides deep rental subsidies and has moved 29 families from uncertainty to safe permanent housing,” she said.
Ballantyne also noted Somerville’s goal of using zoning to create over 12,000 affordable housing units by 2030, as outlined in Somerville’s Strategic Plan.
“As we enter 2025, we are on track not just to meet this goal but surpass it. … Our transformative plans for Brickbottom and Assembly Square neighborhoods could add another 1,200 affordable housing units,” Ballantyne said.
Ballantyne celebrated the city’s work to add new positions to the public schools in the 2025 fiscal year. She also highlighted the work made to expand after-school programs and expand the summer jobs program.
“In our fiscal year 2025 budget, we added over 35 net full-time equivalent positions to Somerville public schools. But investing in youth doesn’t stop at the classroom,” she said. “My administration has invested heavily in expanded after-school programs in new youth opportunities.”
When addressing public safety, Ballantyne mentioned Somerville’s ‘holistic’ approach to addressing the root causes of homelessness in Davis Square and East Somerville over the last year and acknowledged the partnership with the Somerville Homeless Coalition.
“In 2025, we’ll be taking on senior homelessness with our Older Adults Bridge Program thanks to a state earmark from Sen. Pat Jehlen. This pilot program allows the Office of Housing Stability to intervene with financial and Social Services to keep low-income seniors from experiencing homelessness while they are waitlisted for subsidized housing,” she announced.
Ballantyne celebrated the appointment of Shumeane Benford, Somerville’s new chief of police.
“Our shared philosophy is that effective public safety isn’t focused on reacting after the fact — it’s focused on building trust, fostering collaboration and preventing issues before they rise,” she said.
Ballantyne also announced that a new fire station will open this spring in Assembly Square, Somerville’s first new station in over one hundred years. She also shared news about upcoming recommendations from municipal working groups.
“I am proud to share that this month we will release the recommendations from our public safety [department] for All Civilian Oversight and anti-violence working groups,” Ballantyne announced. “These reflect years of thoughtful collaborative work by task force members, a mix of dedicated residents, city employees, elected officials and experts in public safety to drive the work forward. We are hosting a community event in February and we’ll be hiring [someone] for All Project Manager to advance the path laid out in these plans.”
Ballantyne shared the work that the city has done to improve services for immigrants and non-native English speakers.
“Recent U.S. Census Data shows almost 25% of our residents are immigrants, so I have empowered our SomerViva Office of Immigrant Affairs to lead citywide efforts to welcome and support immigrants and non-native English speakers.”
She noted that translation services have doubled community meeting participation in some areas and that in 2025, Somerville will launch a citywide public interpretation line for residents to access support services in their native language.
“When it comes to our immigrant residents we’re ramping up ‘know your rights’ trainings and legal support access including the grim work of helping parents and guardians create plans for the care of their children should they themselves be deported,” she said.
Ballantyne acknowledged the results of the 2024 election at the beginning of her address, later offering a more hopeful message about the work done on a local level.
“I spoke about the threats from a change in Washington D.C. and about the growing narrative that diversity, equity and inclusion are outdated and that government has no role in making our lives better. Our work proves otherwise. When equity for people guides local action, progress for all follows.”
