Dear Friends,
I hope you all are enjoying the start of summer. I am excited to see you in person soon!
As your City Councilor, I’m focusing on the lessons we learned during the pandemic. I am proud of our neighbors’ robust response to the pandemic and I have been fighting hard alongside you. Throughout the pandemic, I have fought: (1) to continue the Somerville Eviction Moratorium; (2) to expand staff in the Office of Housing Stability so that more neighbors can access affordability services; and (3) for the construction of more 3 and 4 bedroom affordable housing units so that more families like my own can find a home and stay in the community.
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Somerville Fire Department Memorial.
Fighting for Affordable Housing
The Eviction moratorium spotlighted housing insecurity and the demand for affordable housing. I am committed to doing all that I can as a City Councilor to stomp out poverty in our community. As we move into the post-pandemic recovery phase, the following action steps toward affordability are on the front of my agenda:
- Guide the Somerville Community Land Trust into reality with a collaboration between the city and the Land Trust.
- Read about the new program and how you too can support it here.Explore rent stabilization and eviction sealing policies to prevent evictions and ensure that past evictions do not prevent residents from finding new housing.
- Expand funding for the Office of Housing Stability and continue to support the SomerVIP program, which incentivizes landlords to rent to residents with Section 8 housing vouchers.
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Meeting Racism Head-On
I am also fighting to ensure that racism has no place in our community. I have zero tolerance for any and all acts of racism, and I want to make it extremely clear to my constituents, colleagues, and neighbors that your dignity and safety matter to me. Standing in Solidarity with the RSJLast week, I issued a statement standing in solidarity with the Somerville Director of Racial and Social Justice (RSJ), Denise Molina Capers, to demonstrate my commitment to amplifying the work of the RSJ office in our community. Please read my statement here:
https://www.thesomervilletimes.com/archives/108982
The ORS Endorsement Process
On Sunday, I chose to withdraw from the Our Revolution Somerville endorsement process to stand with Somerville candidates of color in opposition to the group’s recent actions. Please read my statement here:
https://www.thesomervilletimes.com/archives/109111
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at office hours this month.
Thank you all for the work you do in our community. I am working hard alongside you, and I want to hear from you. Enjoy the summer! I hope to see you soon.
My Best, Councilor Kristen Strezo City Councilor at-Large she/her(s) strezoatlarge@gmail.com 617-209-9915  |
Somerville City Councilor-at-Large 