What is TOPA—and what isn’t it? This video explains tenant opportunity to purchase laws and clears up common myths. bit.ly/3NDrf4O #TOPA #TenantRights #HousingPolicy #Shelterforce

Finishing the year with nearly 1050 people on the OHS mailing list 🌟 Are you one of them? If not- sign up now for our mailing list to get OHS newsletters and important updates! bit.ly/OHS_newsletter

ICYMI: Older adults who have experienced homelessness feel deeply alone, even after returning to housing. Nearly 40% report #loneliness—far higher than those who were able to remain in housing. It's not just a feeling—it can harm people's health. Learn what supports could help: buff.ly/Dr4VxKa

Did you know Somerville now has several public health vending machines with free supplies? If this makes you want to celebrate- there's a ribbon cutting today! www.somervillema.gov/healthkiosk www.somervillema.gov/events/2025/...

SAVE THE DATE 📅 Join us for the City's annual MLK Day event! We're kicking things off at 11am on Saturday, January 17, with friends and neighbors. Stop by to enjoy the music, speeches, keynote talk, community, and more! RSVP: bit.ly/MLK_2026

The Intake Line for the Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative (MACI) is open! MIRA's new program with CPCS and legal aid organizations including GBLS provides full legal representation in Immigration Court for income-eligible immigrants. Learn more: miracoalition.org/massachusett....

Mass. issues housing contest: Design your own ADU and win $20K. via @masslive.bsky.social

Wondering how you can help prevent an overdose? Come and learn skills that could save lives! We and @cityofsomerville.bsky.social Health and Human Services offer free overdose prevention and response trainings. The next session is Jan. 6 from 3 - 4 p.m. www.cambridgepublichealth.org/events/virtu...

Gusts and low temperatures expected- please share the word about the Somerville Overnight Warming Center if you or other adults you know need a warm place from 5pm on tonight or any night through April 12 somervillema.gov/departments/health-and-human-services/emergency-overnight-warming-center

A new @landpolicy.bsky.social report analyzed 500 urban counties where data was the most robust, and found that 8.9% of residential parcels are owned by corporations. It also identifies 25 county hot spots that have the highest rates of corporate ownership. www.lincolninst.edu/publications...

El Programa de Asistencia de Energía para Hogares, o Asistencia Energética (Fuel Assistance), puede ayudarle a pagar sus facturas de calefacción del 1 de nov de 2025 al 30 de abr de 2026. www.masslegalhelp.org/es/beneficio... Artículo de @nclc4consumers.bsky.social y @masslawreform.bsky.social

The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) can help you pay your heating bills this winter. HEAP covers heating bills from Nov 1, 2025 to Apr 30, 2026. Learn more about HEAP at MassLegalHelp: www.masslegalhelp.org/public-benef... Article by @nclc4consumers.bsky.social & @masslawreform.bsky.social

Income Restricted Rental Opportunity available NOW! (1br units available!) Website: www.20stephenson.com For information, language assistance, or accommodations for persons with disabilities, call 617.939.1977 /email [email protected] Apply: forms.office.com/pages/respon...

Somerville Warming Center- now open every night for adults that need a warm place to sleep. Dinner and breakfast served, ADA accessible. December 8, 2025 - April 12, 2026 Time: 5:00 PM - 7:30 AM Location: The Cummings School 42 Prescott St, Somerville, MA 02143

#NLIHC's recently released #TheGapPR is our first analysis of the affordability and availability of rental housing in Puerto Rico. It reveals a shortage of 54,915 affordable and available homes for extremely low-income renters. See #TheGapPR and read the Spanish version: https://ow.ly/v72650XxUN4

Learning opportunity (zone):

City offices will be closed on Thursday, November 24, and Friday, November 25, for Thanksgiving. Trash, recycling, and yard waste collection will be delayed by one day.

The 199 Gardner Street, aka Linden development in West Roxbury, is now accepting rental lottery applications. One- and two-bedroom units are available to households earning at or below 70% of the Area Median Income. Learn more and apply by Dec. 1st here: bit.ly/199GardnerAd or boston.gov/metrolist.

Beginning this upcoming Monday, December 1, City contractors plan to construct a raised crossing to improve safety at the intersection of Somerville Ave & Central Street. Work will require westbound (towards Porter Square) motor vehicle traffic on Somerville Avenue to be detoured at Park Street. 🧵

1/ Housing problems like inadequate heating, water damage, and pest infestations don't only affect your health. These issues also make the housing crisis worse. We're putting housing quality under the lens in our new series, Fit to Live in: Fixing Our Housing Stock. bit.ly/UTLhabitabil... 🧵

Eviction sealing clinic coming up at @bostonbar.bsky.social with De Novo! Dec. 12 at 2pm Register here by 9am Dec. 2 (so- do it now before the holiday takes over!): forms.office.com/r/aWuMc0d18H Somerville neighbor needing eviction sealing help closer to home? bit.ly/OHSreferral

"To live up to that promise, building a wide range of diverse housing options must be a central goal, ensuring that new families can put down roots and that existing residents are not priced out by rising costs." To learn more, check out the Greater Boston Housing Report Card 2025. buff.ly/NF8hGbY

SNAP and food resource information from the City: www.somervillema.gov/snap

Free food markets on Thurs. Nov 6, 2:45-4:30pm at two locations in Somerville: - West Somerville Neighborhood School, 177 Powderhouse Blvd. - East Somerville Community School, 50 Cross St.

Our CHAMP workshop is next week! Want support doing your state public housing application? Please register at bit.ly/CHAMP_Oct2025 today!

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, along with Somerville’s Department of Public Works and Parks & Recreation Department, invite all for a hauntingly good time at the fourth annual “Truck O’ Treat” on Thursday, October 23, from 5 to 7 p.m. outside City Hall (93 Highland Avenue).

City offices will be closed on Monday, October 13, for Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Trash, recycling, and yard waste collection will be delayed by one day. No street sweeping on Monday.

State public housing = affordable rent based on your income. All Somerville residents welcome Sign up & we’ll confirm eligibility bit.ly/CHAMP_Oct2025 Workshop is in English. Somerville can provide you an interpreter for free. Request at [email protected] or call 311 (617-666-3311)

Please join us and share the word about our next OHS CHAMP Application Workshop! October 23, 2025 City Hall Annex Conference Room 50 Evergreen Ave., Somerville MA 02143 Cost: Free To register: scan the QR code, visit bit.ly/CHAMP_Oct2025 or call 617-625-6600 x2581 & request the CHAMP workshop

Real estate investors bought one-third of all single-family residential homes sold in the second quarter of 2025.

Investors now make up the highest share of homebuyers in 5 years. www.cnbc.com/2025/10/07/h...

Communities often oppose new housing, citing concerns of school overcrowding. But research shows most districts are losing students—and with them, critical funding. It’s time to debunk this myth. Full story: bit.ly/3JORe7G #FactCheck #AffordableHousing #EnrollmentCliff #UnderTheLens

Community members are invited to a neighborhood meeting on October 6th to discuss public safety and homelessness in the broader Seven Hills/Davis Square area. 🧵

OHS developed the Somerville Older Adult Housing Bridge Pilot Program with our partners. We're SO excited that this older adult housing stability program could go statewide. You're invited to a legislative briefing @ the State House Wed. Oct 8, 10am to learn more! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Please join us and share the word about our next OHS CHAMP Application Workshop! October 23, 2025 City Hall Annex Conference Room 50 Evergreen Ave., Somerville MA 02143 Cost: Free To register: scan the QR code, visit bit.ly/CHAMP_Oct2025 or call 617-625-6600 x2581 & request the CHAMP workshop

We're glad you're our neighbor! As we celebrate Welcoming Week, OHS joins City of Somerville staff to share a warm message of belonging to all our residents. Thank you for your partnership, Somerville Office of Immigrant Affairs (SOIA)! #WelcomingWeek #Somerville #BelongingBeginsWithUs

When looking for a place to live, it's important to understand how landlords do tenant screening and what rights you have. Find out what laws landlords must follow to accept or reject you as a tenant. In English www.masslegalhelp.org/housing-apar... En español www.masslegalhelp.org/es/vivienda-...

Helpful analysis from @nlihc.org Original report on state-funded rental assistance: www.cbpp.org/sites/defaul... Our MA programs incl. RAFT & MRVP are critical- & need codification! See & support these bills: malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1... malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1...

All ward meetings are in-person and will begin at 6:30 p.m. An all-ward, fully virtual meeting will take place on Thursday, October 16. First up is Ward 3 on Wednesday, September 17, in the Somerville High cafeteria (81 Highland Ave). A meet-and-greet with refreshments will begin at 6 p.m.

City buildings will be closed Monday, September 1 in observance of Labor Day. There will be no street sweeping on Monday 9/1 and all trash, recycling, and yard waste collection services will be delayed by one day. Visit www.somervillema.gov/trash-and-recycling for all pickup information

Are you looking for an apartment? Here are some things to know and do before you agree to rent an apartment: www.masslegalhelp.org/housing-apar... (English) www.masslegalhelp.org/es/vivienda-... (español) Our content is written and reviewed by legal aid programs, lawyers, and community partners.

What should you do when your HUD housing provider asks about your immigration status? Our Know Your Rights resource in English & Spanish can help HUD families with mixed immigration status figure out how to handle some of your housing provider’s requests. Read more here: nhlp.org/kyrdata

Tenants - learn how to protect your security deposit in Massachusetts. Find out what laws landlords must follow. Get your deposit back when you move. In English: www.masslegalhelp.org/housing-apar... En español: www.masslegalhelp.org/es/vivienda-...

The City Hall Annex (50 Evergreen Ave.) building will be closed on Thursday, Aug. 28 due to the City Water Department shutting down water to this neighborhood area. OHS offices will not be physically available, but we'll be working remotely! Thanks for your understanding.

Free Narcan distribution and overdose prevention trainings will be held throughout the month. Visit bit.ly/4mJcOsw for registration and more info.

This September, purple flags will return to the lawn of Somerville City Hall to honor those lost to opioid-related overdose in 2024 and in past years. The display is part of the City’s recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day and Recovery Month.🧵

The 2025-26 RSJ Youth League application is now open! This great paid opportunity is designed to help foster civic engagement and learning opportunities for Somerville youth through a justice lens. The application is open through September 22nd: bit.ly/YouthLeague_25

¡Atención! Familias que reciben TAFDC: El Departamento de Asistencia Transicional hará pagos de $500 por cada menor de la familia que reciba TAFDC. Este año hará pagos el 29 de agosto. Aprenda más: www.masslegalhelp.org/es/beneficio...

Attention, families getting TAFDC! The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) pays a $500 clothing allowance for each child in the family who gets TAFDC. This year’s payment will go out on Aug 29th. Learn more: www.masslegalhelp.org/public-benef...

Accessibility is more than a ramp to the front door. We spoke with four disability activists about what they needed to make their homes accessible, and how difficult it can be to find accessible housing. Listen to their stories: