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January 28, 2026

Somerville Housing, Community Development and Equity Committee Meeting

TL;DR: East Somerville immigrant businesses face crisis worse than COVID

Items Recommended for Full Council

Eat Out in East / East Somerville Business Support – Recommended to Mark Work Completed

The committee voted to recommend marking this item as work completed, acknowledging the city's ongoing Loyal to Local campaign supporting immigrant-owned businesses across Somerville.

Lindsay Allen, Executive Director of East Somerville Main Streets, presented alarming data: five immigrant-owned businesses have closed since July 2025—compared to just three closures during the first three years of COVID. A December financial health survey found 60% of district businesses reported declining revenue over the past year, with some reporting COVID-level sales but without the federal, state, and city relief funding that helped during the pandemic. The neighborhood's largest anchor restaurant closed two weeks ago.

The Economic Development team (Director Rachel Nadkarni, Deputy Director Dana Whiteside, and Senior Planner Adriana Fernandes) outlined the city's response:

  • The "Loyal to Local" campaign launched around Thanksgiving, using yard signs, sandwich boards, buses, and blue light stations

  • Mayor Wilson has promoted East Somerville through social media and neighborhood walks

  • The communications team shifted interactive campaigns from Instagram to Reddit due to technical issues

  • A casino mitigation grant was redirected to fund bus ads with welcoming messaging

The team acknowledged limitations: city communications cannot single out specific districts, and they decided against an "immigrant-owned business" campaign due to concerns about making owners targets given increased ICE presence. Critically, no grants for direct business support currently exist—unlike during COVID. The main funding source (Community Development Block Grants) is currently allocated to Main Streets programs, and any reallocation would require decisions from a separate committee.

Items Kept in Committee

Surgeon General Advisory on Parental Mental Health – Kept in Committee

Chair Strezo presented findings from the 2024 U.S. Surgeon General advisory "Parents Under Pressure," noting that 48% of parents report their daily stress is "completely overwhelming" compared to 26% of non-parents. She emphasized this affects not just families in poverty but typical Somerville residents struggling with childcare, after-school programs, and basic costs.

Director Karin Carroll provided an overview of HHS programs supporting parents:

  • Summer Baby: Universal home visiting program for new parents, using state birth records for outreach

  • HOPE Framework: A strength-based approach to youth development, with citywide training planned for spring

  • Public health vending machines: Free diapers, wipes, period products, and emergency contraception at two locations

  • Benefits enrollment: Staff now conduct MassHealth and SNAP enrollment at farmers markets and community locations

  • Early childhood support: A $1 million+ Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative grant replaced ARPA funding for tuition assistance

  • Mental health access: Marijuana tax funds added a half-time school counselor position; the William James Interface referral service helps families find providers

Councilor Link asked about contingency plans if federal funding for programs like Head Start or SAMHSA disappears. Director Carroll acknowledged these programs are too large for HHS to absorb locally but said staff actively pursue alternative grants.

Chair Strezo raised concerns about racial bias, noting that some residents of color have told her they feel unsafe talking to social workers due to fears about child removal.

Housing Units and Affordability Data – Kept in Committee

This item requests data on housing units approved since SomerVision 2040's adoption, including affordability breakdowns. The administration was not prepared to respond and will present at a future meeting.

What's Next

  • The East Somerville business support discussion may continue informally; the Loyal to Local campaign runs through February

  • The parental mental health item remains in committee for ongoing dialogue; HHS staff may return to discuss specific programs like the HOPE framework

  • Housing data presentation expected at a future committee meeting

  • February calendar of local business district events will be distributed at City Hall