Somerville Residents Demand Developers Commit To Affordable Housing

SOMERVILLE, MA – Somerville residents say they have been organizing to demand developers follow through on their commitments to build affordable housing in Union Square.

Mary-Lauran Hendrix, a resident of Prospect Hill in Somerville, said in an email she has been working with other neighbors to organize a petition urging developers Union Square Station Associates (US2) and Mayor Katjana Ballantyne to commit to building affordable housing in Union Square.

The petition has received over 100 signatures as of May 10, and will be delivered to mayor Ballantyne and US2 President Greg Karczewski on May 16.

Printed copies of the petition will be delivered to the mayor’s office at 9 a.m. and US2’s offices at 10:30 a.m.

The developers US2 committed to build 51 housing units, 39 of which would be affordable to low- and moderate-income residents including families with children, on a parcel of land on Webster Ave called D4.3.

“The housing was supposed to be done before the Green Line opened, to minimize the impact of displacement likely to occur with new transit access to the neighborhood,” Hendrix said in her email.

“Instead, US2 hasn't even broken ground. The developers point fingers at the city, the city says US2 is delaying, and ordinary people in Somerville get squeezed with higher housing costs and displacement,” Hendrix added.

“No more excuses! Build affordable housing in Union Square now,” the petition said.