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Contact Information

Contact Information
Ellen Shachter
Director, Office of Housing Stability

Monday - Wednesday
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Thursday
8:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Friday
8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Phone

(617) 625-6600  ext 2581

Referral Form

Formulario de Referido

Formulário de Encaminhamento

Fòm Referans
Address

50 Evergreen Ave.
Somerville, MA 02145
United States

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Referrals to OHS

The Office of Housing Stability (OHS) is open Monday-Wednesday, 8:30-4:30; Thursday, 8:30-7:30, and Friday, 8:30-12:30. OHS serves all Somerville residents, landlords, and property owners, regardless of income or language spoken. If you or a client you are working with have a question or need further assistance, please fill out the referral intake form completely.



Need special assistance?

Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy in advance at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov

REQUEST ACCOMMODATIONS


 
About Us


Direct Services:

Currently, the Office of Housing Stability offers the following direct services:

  • Help accessing financial assistance for rent, mortgage arrears, and start-up rental costs.
  • Case management to help stabilize tenancies.
  • Housing search services including applications for affordable housing and Section 8 vouchers.
  • Support accessing emergency shelter.
  • Advocacy and referrals for legal services and tenant organizing.
  • Outreach and education about tenant rights.
  • Advice, information, and workshops for Somerville tenants, landlords, and advocates.
  • Anti-displacement policy advocacy.



Our Mission

To prevent the involuntary displacement of Somerville residents who are in the process of eviction or at other risk of losing their housing; to rehouse those without stable housing or who otherwise need to relocate; and to support the enactment of policies and the creation of programs to combat displacement and enhance tenants’ rights.
 

2024 Citywide Mailer: It takes a Somervillage to tackle the housing crisis! We sent this mailer to Somerville residents in July. Please connect with us! (Links in PDF are live) 

Workshops

OHS workshops are in person unless otherwise noted. The City of Somerville can provide you with an interpreter in your language for free. To request an interpreter, please contact us at somervillema.gov/ContactSomerviva or call 311 (617-666-3311) at least 7 days in advance of this event.


OHS Workshop: Applying for state public housing (CHAMP)
Thursday, May 1, 2025. 
Appointments at 5pm, 6pm, and 7pm.
This workshop is in Portuguese.
City Hall Annex Conference Room
50 Evergreen Ave. Somerville, MA 02145
Register here: bit.ly/CHAMP_maio 

OHS Workshop: Finances, Budgeting & Resources
Thursday, May 22 5-7pm
Mystic Activity Center, 530 Mystic Ave. Somerville, MA 02145
Register here: bit.ly/OHS_Finances_25

 

Sign Up for OHS Alerts and Newsletter

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Meet Our Team 
 

Ellen Shachter
Director
eshachter@somervillema.gov
(781) 307-3307 (work cell)
(617) 625-6600, ext. 2580
Yo hablo español

Fred Berman
Co-Deputy Director
fberman@somervillema.gov
(617) 335-2864 (work cell)
(617) 625-6600, ext. 2590

Susan Chimene
Advocacy Director
schimene@somervillema.gov
(781) 296-4002 (work cell)
(617) 625-6600, ext. 2591

Isabel Aguerrido
Housing Intake Supervisor
iaguerrido@somervillema.gov
(617) 702-6159 (work cell)
(617) 625-6600, ext. 2581
Yo hablo español

Sonia Conde
Senior Case Manager 
sconde@somervillema.gov
(617) 366-7531 (work cell)
Yo hablo español

Vartika Govil
Housing Case Manager/Special Initiatives 
vgovil@somervillema.gov
(781) 808-7239 (work cell)
मैं हिंदी बोलती हूँ। 

Ben Lappen
Housing Case Manager/Special Initiatives 
blappen@somervillema.gov
(617) 366-7341 (work cell)
Yo hablo español

Eben Forbes
Rental Assistance Advocate
eforbes@somervillema.gov
(781) 789-6575 (work cell)
Yo hablo español

Pennie Taylor
Program Development, Policy, and Communications Coordinator
ptaylor@somervillema.gov
(617) 366-7416 (work cell)
Yo hablo español

Yanna Shakes
Housing Intake Specialist
yshakes@somervillema.gov
(781) 823-9495 (work cell)
(617) 625-6600, ext. 2581

Jill Currier
Client Services Manager
jcurrier@somervillema.gov
(781) 823-9269 (work cell)

Kelli Rodrigues
Housing Case Manager/Special Initiatives 
krodrigues@somervillema.gov
857-270-4479 (work cell)
Yo hablo español

Michael Cambron 
Housing Case Manager/Special Initiatives
mcambron@somervillema.gov 
(857) 270-3956 (work cell)

Bia Moreira
Deputy Director
bmoreira@somervillema.gov
857-270-3929 (work cell)
Eu falo português

 

Our Impact: One Client's Story

A Place to Call Home

 


Two years ago, Surinder, a recent widow and single mother, received notice that her landlord was raising the rent on the apartment she shared with her daughter and her mother. Surinder had lived in this home for 15 years, ever since she moved from India to Somerville to live with her husband. Between Surinder’s widow benefits and earnings from her job at Dunkin Donuts, this multigenerational family could no longer afford to live in their own home. 

With the threat of eviction looming, Surinder reached out to the Office of Housing Stability. OHS director Ellen Shachter advocated with Surinder’s landlord and convinced him to let Surinder’s family extend their stay at their original rent while OHS assisted them in a search for affordable housing. Waitlists for affordable housing are long, so Surinder’s family eventually moved into a temporary home with a roommate. The rent was still too high long term, and they missed their privacy, but it bought them time to keep searching for affordable housing.

OHS helped Surinder navigate her application to the 100 Homes Program, a partnership between the City of Somerville and Somerville Community Corporation that creates and preserves affordable housing. Ellen ensured that Surinder’s family was placed on the priority waitlist because they had been displaced through no fault of their own. 

Six months later, Surinder’s family moved into their new home. Although lower than market price, the rent still exceeded 50% of Surinder’s income. In order to make this apartment truly affordable, OHS helped Surinder apply for a section 8 voucher, which guaranteed that the family’s rent would not exceed 30% of their income. 

Today, Surinder’s family lives together in a two-bedroom apartment in East Somerville, close to the Somerville Public Library, Foss Park, and many local businesses and restaurants. They are grateful to be part of this close-knit community. Surinder greets her neighbors by name, and her daughter has friends in the neighborhood. Surinder works locally at a Dunkin Donuts while her daughter attends the nearby middle school. The whole family has appreciated spending time together during the COVID-19 pandemic, enjoying the privacy of their own home and outdoor space at the nearby park. Surinder can relax knowing that she has an affordable and stable apartment that her daughter and her mother love. She is the happiest she has felt in a long time, since for the first time in almost two years, Surinder’s family has a permanent place to call home.

 

Tenant Information

Are you at risk of eviction?

  • Call the Office of Housing Stability (OHS) for information, referrals and advocacy, 617-625-6600, Ext. 2581. No income limits. All languages accommodated.
  • Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services, 617-603-1700,
  • De Novo, 617-661-1010
  • Call CAAS for the homelessness prevention program, 617-623-7370 or atienken@caasomerville.org

Are you homeless and need help finding shelter or transitional or permanent supportive housing?

Are you homeless and need help finding shelter or transitional or permanent supportive housing?

If you are not a City of Somerville resident and would like to find local housing resources, use the EOHLC resource finder tool. 

Looking for ways to support people during the EA shelter crisis? Resources from the MIRA Coalition here: bit.ly/MAShelterCrisisResources  

Homeless Individuals:
If you are experiencing Literal Homelessness (living in a place not meant for human habitation (e.g. street, car, camp), or in a shelter) please stop by the Somerville Homeless Coalition Engagement Center, open 9AM-5PM (closed 1-2 for lunch) Monday-Friday at 1 Davis Square, Somerville; call 617-623-6111 or visit https://somervillehomelesscoalition.org/engagement-center/

Homeless Families:
If you are homeless or about to be homeless and you are pregnant or live with a child age twenty-one or younger you may be eligible for shelter through the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) Emergency Assistance Family Shelter Program (EA shelter)- click the link to learn more and apply. 

Please be aware that wait times to be placed in EA shelter have significantly increased: in most cases you can expect to wait months, not days.  
Learn more about Family Shelter Program Changes and how the waitlist works here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/whats-next-after-becoming-ea-eligible-the-contact-list-and-more 

EA shelter guidelines are changing often, and eligibility can be complicated. If you need assistance, please contact our office.

What you need to apply: 

  • Proof of identity (examples: state issued driver’s license, birth certificate, or passport)
  • Proof of family relationship. to be able to confirm that you & your children are all part of one family (examples: birth certificate, custody paperwork). 

You will then have up to 30 days to provide other documents to show you are eligible for EA emergency family shelter. This includes:

  • MA Residency Documents to prove that you are a resident and plan on staying here (examples: MassHealth registration, voter or school registration, any Mass. ID)
  • Documents for Cause of Homelessness. EA shelter can only help families who are homeless for certain reasons. They can also help some families who do not have a safe place to stay (examples: eviction paperwork, documentation showing an inability to stay in your current home due to health, safety, or other reasons).
  • Financial Information - Assets & Income. EA shelter is only for families who are below income and asset limits. (examples: pay stubs, bank statements) For more information visit https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-emergency-assistance-ea-family-shelter#income-requirements . (examples: pay stubs, bank statements)
  • Citizenship or Immigration Documents.  At least one family member must have an eligible immigration status. (examples: U.S. issued passport, green card, documentation that the United States is aware of the person’s presence and is not trying to make the person leave the country right away)
     

Information for Tenants

Tenants’ rights and responsibilities
For a summary of your tenancy rights in an eviction, read the HSNA. 


Housing Stability Notification Act (HSNA)
The City of Somerville Housing Stability Notification Act requires landlords to provide a notice of rights and resources to new tenants at the start of a tenancy, as well as a separate notice of rights and resources to tenants at the end of a tenancy. Please note that these are two separate notices containing different information.
 

REQUIRED NOTICE - New Tenancy

REQUIRED NOTICE - End of Tenancy

 

City of Somerville The Tenant's Helper: A Handbook for Renters: TenantHandbook 2018.pdf

City of Boston Eviction Guide

Attorney General’s Guide to Landlord and Tenant Rights


Tenancy 

Security Deposits and last month’s rent

Legal handbook that goes through Security Deposits and Last Month's Rent, including what repairs can be covered by your security deposit. 

Massachusetts General Laws about landlord's use of security deposit for repairs: Mass. Gen. Laws Chapter 186 § Section 15B

Template you can use to ask for a Security Deposit

Tenant screening – rights when you are applying for housing

Mass Legal Help Online page

Mass Legal Help “Pull Out Guide”

Chapter Two, Tenant Screening of “Legal Tactics: Tenants’ Right in Massachusetts”

Before you Move Out 

Moving Out: Checklist, Giving Notice and Protecting Yourself

Your Responsibilities When You leave, Giving Proper Notice, Subleasing and What to Do Before Moving out

Eviction Information

Eviction Timeline

Defending yourself Against an Eviction case: Answer Guide

Massachusetts Defense for Eviction (MADE): Self-Guided Eviction Help | Greater Boston Legal Services (gbls.org) 

Guide on How to file a Motion to Dismiss including a template

Preparing for Trial, guide to Discovery

Housing court forms in other languages

Fair Housing:
Fair housing laws protect all of us from discrimination based on: race, color, national origin, religion, gender identity, military status, age (except minors), sexual orientation, family status (e.g. have children), source of income (e.g. Section 8), disability, marital status, and ancestry.

If you believe you are being or have been discriminated against, you may file a Fair Housing Complaint with the City of Somerville’s Fair Housing Commission. To make a complaint, click here.

For more information on your rights and responsibilities, and tenant resources, visit the Housing Commission website here or call the Commission at 617-625-6600, x2584.

Mass Fair Housing: Get Help.
MassLegalHelp information on discrimination here. 
Reporting your own case can make change happen! See this case: Rental Applicants Using Housing Vouchers Settle Groundbreaking Discrimination Class Action Against SafeRent Solutions. 
 


Rental Assistance

Do you owe rent? Please reach out to our office for a referral. We may be able to assist an application to a local or state program.

  • RAFT: The Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program provides short-term emergency funding to help you with eviction, foreclosure, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies.
  • Somerville Homeless Coalition (SHC) Rapid Response Program has Rental Support and Services including Rental Start Up Costs, Short-term Rental Subsidies, and Eviction Prevention. Visit here.
  • The Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) Housing Advocacy Program can help if you owe rent and are at risk of eviction. Learn more here. 

     
Somerville Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot Program

From March-June 2024, OHS joined the Somerville Family Learning Collaborative (SFLC)’s Office of Basic Needs and Housing Support to enroll 200 Somerville households in the Somerville Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot Program. 130 OHS clients who experienced housing instability in the past year were determined eligible and invited to enroll in the program. Participants will receive $750 per month for one year. This program is funded by the City of Somerville, using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and private charitable donations. We are working with the Collins Center and the Center for Social Policy at the University of Massachusetts Boston on evaluation of the program and look forward to sharing what we learn.

Basic Income programs have existed in the United States in various forms since the 1960s. They are gaining support and popularity in recent years, as studies show that these programs can change people's lives for the better. They were created to improve the financial health of people struggling to make ends meet, by giving monthly payments.

Participants can use the payments in whatever way they need to improve their lives and financial stability.

Somerville Municipal Voucher Program

The Municipal Voucher Program (MVP) is a new and innovative program using City funds to provide deeply affordable housing for some of Somerville’s most vulnerable residents. The MVP prioritizes vouchers for families that are ineligible for federal affordable housing resources, have children in the Somerville schools, and are facing significant housing instability. This enabled the City to target this resource to those in the community that were otherwise most likely to be displaced from Somerville.

The MVP program is now up and running with over twenty families already benefiting from the program and more to come. We expect to be able to house twenty-nine families with existing funding.

Some of the vouchers are project-based, so voucher holders could move into new apartments served by the program. Other vouchers were lease-in-place, so selected voucher holders can stay in their current apartments. Still others have been issued mobile vouchers so they can find housing of their choice on the open market.

OHS client and son are happy in their new MVP apartment, March 2024.

OHS client and son are happy in their new MVP apartment, March 2024.

Property Owner Resources
 

Legal notices

Housing Stability Notification Act (HSNA)
The HSNA requires landlords to provide a notice of rights and resources to new tenants at the start of a tenancy, as well as a separate notice of rights and resources to tenants at the end of a tenancy. Please note that these are two separate notices containing different information. 
 

REQUIRED NOTICE - New Tenancy

REQUIRED NOTICE - End of Tenancy

 

Responsibilities: Anti-discrimination/Fair Housing laws

  • Know the Anti-Discrimination Laws on Housing Vouchers- guide for Property Owners and Landlords from the Fair Housing Alliance of Massachusetts here.
  • City of Somerville Fair Housing Commission
  • Need legal help? Volunteer Lawyers Project represents low-income landlords of 2-3 family homes statewide: https://vlpnet.org/get-help/
     

Health and sanitary issues 

 

Lead paint remediation


Resources and Funds to assist you and your tenants

Please note many programs have income limits.  

 

Leasing to voucher holders

  • SomerVIP program offers incentives for renting to Section 8 voucher holders.
    • For more information visit here (from Somerville Homeless Coalition)
    • To fill out a SomerVIP pre-application, click here
  • Incentives: HomeBASE


Other information

 


Housing Search

Searching for Market Rate Housing 
New OHS Housing Search guide includes: 

  • How to prepare and what documentation you need for housing search.
  • Basic steps on how to rent a unit or a room.
  • Tools to use for market rate housing search.
  • Resources for moving costs.

You can review the Housing Search guide in the following languages:

 

Housing search resources 


City of Somerville Inclusionary Housing Programs

  • Get alerts about opportunities- sign up to receive notifications of affordable rental and homeownership units here.
  • The City of Somerville’s Inclusionary Housing Programs include units at various income minimums and maximums. If you apply with a voucher, the minimum income rules do not apply.
  • Each development has different income criteria for available units. Learn about Somerville’s Inclusionary Housing Program here.
    Inclusionary rental units have shallow subsidies, meaning the rents are below market but do not fluctuate when income increases or decreases.
  • For homeownership you will need to get a mortgage pre-approval and attend a first-time homebuyers education program.
     

Public affordable housing
Are you eligible for public or subsidized housing? The Mass Law Reform Institute (MLRI) shares that being eligible means that: 

  • your yearly income is below a certain limit, and
  • you meet the definition of family, and
  • for some programs, at least one member of your family is either a U.S. citizen or an eligible immigrant. 

If you are not sure what the income eligibility is for any given program, be sure to review the application or contact the housing provider for more information. For affordable housing programs that use HOME income limits, please view the income guidelines here. For the Somerville Housing Authority income guidelines for state and federal public housing and the Section 8 program, please see the next section for guideline links.

Where can I apply for affordable housing in Somerville?

Somerville Housing Authority provides subsidized housing for eligible low and moderate-income families and elderly. There are different immigration eligibility criteria for state and federal housing programs:

  • Certain federal housing programs require certain types of recognized immigration status. To determine if you are income eligible for the federal public housing program, view the guidelines here.
  • Eligibility for state public housing does not include any immigration restrictions; households may apply regardless of immigration status. To see if you are income eligible for state public housing, view the guidelines here.
  • All applications can be found at https://sha-web.org/applications.aspx
  • For more information about Somerville Housing Authority, please visit the website here or contact SHA at:
    30 Memorial Road
    Somerville, MA 02145
    Phone: (617) 625-1152
     

Federal Public Housing

  • To apply for Federal Family Public Housing (Mystic View) and/or Federal Elderly/Disabled Public Housing (Brady Towers, Ciampa Manor, Highland Garden, Properzi Manor, Weston Manor) complete the Family Federal Public Housing Application found here: https://sha-web.org/applications.aspx

State Public Housing

  • To apply for State Family Public Housing (Mystic River) and/or State Elderly/Disabled Public Housing (Corbett Apartments) complete the following application or apply online at CHAMP (Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Public-Housing).
  • You can select all housing authorities you are interested in applying to, but we recommend that you only apply to towns and cities you are willing to live in. 

Project-Based Vouchers

SHA manages properties that have vouchers tied to their address. The properties below all use the same application: https://www.sha-web.org/documents/applications/universalPBVApplicationEnglish.pdf 

The state public housing application is now called the Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Public-Housing (CHAMP). You can now apply for state public housing through the CHAMP website. You can select all housing authorities you are interested in applying to but it is recommended that you only apply to towns and cities you are willing to live in. To apply for state public housing, you can visit the CHAMP website to apply online or download a hard copy of the application here.
 

Housing for the Elderly (62+ Year Old) & Non-elderly Disabled (One Bedroom)

Capen Court: Elderly (62+) and Non-Elderly Disabled. 1 Capen Court is located in West Somerville. This development offers parking, laundry facilities, and community room. Supportive and assisted living services are available at the adjacent Visiting Nurse Facility at 405 Alewife Brook Parkway.

Waterworks Apartments: Elderly (62+) and Non-Elderly Disabled. Waterworks is located at 485 Mystic Valley Parkway. Waterworks is adjacent to SHA’s Capen Court and the Visiting Nurse Facility. This development is located close to MBTA transportation and shopping.

Waterworks II Apartments: Elderly (62+) and Non-Elderly Disabled. Waterworks II is located at 485 Mystic Valley Parkway. Waterworks II is adjacent to Waterworks Apartments, SHA’s Capen Court and the Visiting Nurse Facility. This development is located close to MBTA transportation and shopping.

Housing With Supportive Services for Disabled (All Units for Single Person Needing Support)

Walnut Street: Housing with Supportive Services for the Disabled. Supportive service program provides medical, therapeutic, and behavioral services to adults with Intellectual Disabilities. Focuses include self-care, sensory/motor development, socialization, daily living skills, communication, community living, and social skills for individuals to maximize their functional independence.

CASCAP: Housing with Supportive Services for the Disabled. 57 Merriam Street. Services provided by CASCAP.

VINFEN: Housing with Supportive Services for the Disabled. 769 Broadway, Somerville, Services provided by Vinfen.

YMCA: Housing with Supportive Services for the Disabled. 101 Highland Avenue, Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Residents are provided their own room and share a kitchen and bathroom. Services provided by YMCA.

Sewall Street: Housing with Supportive Services for the Disabled. Sewall Place is a 13-unit, single-room occupancy development at 10 Sewall Street in the Winter Hill neighborhood. Formerly the Boys and Girls Club, the building houses formerly homeless individuals. Managed by Wingate.

Family (Two & Three Bedroom)

Linden Street: Family Housing (2 and 3-Bedroom units) Located off Somerville Avenue in Union Square, the development has seven buildings, on-site parking, a large, centralized play area, and green space. Service provided by Somerville Community Corporation. Managed by Wingate.

Next Step: Housing with Supportive Services for the Disabled. (2-bedroom units) 301 Medford Street.

Section 8 
The Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) is the federal government's major program for assisting low-income families, elderly and the disabled to afford decent, safe and sanitary housing in the private housing market. 

  • Apply for the Massachusetts Section 8 Centralized Waiting List here. 


Somerville Housing Authority offers emergency status for eligible households applying for public housing who are homeless or at risk of homelessness due to certain reasons. The eligibility criteria for emergency status slightly differ between state and federal public housing, please see below.

The conditions for emergency status are:

State Public Housing Emergency Priority Federal Public Housing Emergency Preference
A – Displaced by Natural Forces, such as a fire, earthquake, or flood 1A – Displaced from federally subsidized units by Hurricane Katrina
1B – Displaced by Fire or Natural Forces, such as a fire, earthquake, or flood
B – Displaced by Public Action, such as the building of a low rent public housing project, urban renewal project, or public sum clearance 2 – Displaced by Public Action/SHA Action
3 – Displaced due to Code Enforcement
C – Displaced by Landlord Action, such as no-fault eviction 4A – Displaced due to No Fault Eviction **
D – Displaced by Acute Medical Emergency 4C – Displaced due to Medical Emergency
E – Displaced by Abusive Situation 4B – Displaced due to Domestic Violence

** For federal public housing, no-fault evictions can include some evictions for nonpayment of rent where there was a loss of income, marital separation, or other no-fault reason the tenant was unable to pay their rent. See the Somerville Housing Authority Admissions and Continued Occupancy Plan for the exact definition of no-fault eviction.

In order to apply with an emergency, fill out the Priority Packet here AND the Federal Public Housing application found here. Submit both to SHA. You will be asked to provide documentation to prove your emergency.  

Somerville Housing Authority (SHA)
30 Memorial Road
Somerville, MA 02145
Phone: (617) 625-1152

SHA website: https://sha-web.org/

Households can apply for State Public Housing with Emergency Priority through the online Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Public-Housing, found here.

 

Privately owned non-profit or for-profit multi-family housing:
There are privately owned non-profit and for-profit multi-family housing developments throughout the City of Somerville:

Clarendon Hill Towers 
Phone: 617- 625-7150
Management company: FHRC Management Corp
Mailing address: 1372 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02144
Details: “deep” subsidies; one, two, and three bedrooms
Application: Download here: Clarendon Hill Towers Application copy.pdf
Accepting applications for waitlist (8/23/24).

Cobble Hill Apartments
Phone: 617-625-8920
Management company: CMJ Management Company
Mailing address: 84 Washington Street, Somerville, MA 02143
Details: “deep” subsidies; one and two bedrooms
Application: Apply via website or find a fillable pdf here: Cobble Hill Apartments 2022 Application copy.pdf 
Note: The application form is updated every year; make sure you are using a current application.  
Tip: Visit the website for alerts about waitlist closures. Applicants must income qualify. 
Accepting waitlist applications for 1- and 2-bedroom apartments for applicants 62 years or older. Waitlist for 2-bedroom apartments for family applicants is presently closed (8/23/24).

Burton F. Faulkner Tower
Phone: 617-628-2119
Mailing address: 25 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143
Details: “deep” subsidies; elderly or disabled; one and two bedrooms
Application: Download here: Burton F. Faulkner Tower Application.pdf
Accepting applications to wait list. Wait times (as of 8/23/24): Senior 2-3 years; disabled 5-7 years.

Kent Street Apartments 
Phone: 617-628-0499
Management company: The Community Builders, Inc.
Mailing address: 32 Kent Street, Somerville, MA 02145
Details: “shallow” subsidies (flat rent); studio, one, two, and three bedrooms
Application: Apply via website or download application here
Please complete and return to be added to the list (can be emailed to kentstreet@tcbinc.org). Please note that while the waitlist is open, they do not currently have any homes available (8/23/24).

Mt. Pleasant Apartments 
Phone: 617-623-5810
Management company: Peabody Properties
Mailing address: 70 Perkins Street, Somerville, MA 02145
Details: elderly or disabled; one and two bedrooms
Application: Apply via website or download application here.
Currently accepting applications (8/23/24).

Mt. Vernon I, II, III 
Phone: 781-391-0700
Management company: High Street Property Management Corp.
Mailing address: 92 High Street, Suite 22 Medford, MA 02155
Details: “deep” subsidies; one bedroom
Application not available (8/23/24).

219-225 Pearl Street 
Phone: 781-395-1600
Management company: The 219 Pearl St. Realty Trust
Mailing address: 219 Pearl Street, Somerville, MA 02145
Details: “deep” subsidies and market rate; two and three bedrooms
Not currently accepting applications (8/23/24).

Pearl Street Park 
Phone: 617-625-8780
Management company: E.P. Management Corporation
Mailing address: 240 Pearl Street, Somerville, MA 02145
Details: “deep” subsidies; elderly or disabled; one bedroom
Application: Download here: Pearl Street Park Application copy.pdf 
Submit applications to Michele@epmanagement.com. *Please submit one-sided forms only. *
Currently accepting applications (8/23/24).

Somerville Community Corporation (SCC) Portfolio 
Phone: 617-591-0577
Management company: Wingate Companies
Mailing address: 7 Memorial Road, Somerville, MA 02145
To apply to the 100 Homes waitlist, fill out an application here: https://www.somervillecdc.org/100-homes-application/ 

Apply via SHA

  • Linden Street Apartment – 42 affordable units; one, two and three bedrooms
  • Sewall Place – 13 affordable units; single room occupancy (SRO); 13 for formerly homeless
  • Walnut Street Apartments – 12 affordable units; one and two bedrooms

Contact Wingate regarding applying:

  • 33 Bow Street—16 affordable and two market rate units; two, three, and four bedrooms
  • 75 Cross Street—eight affordable units; for formerly homeless households; one and two bedrooms
  • 109 Gilman Street – six affordable units; three bedrooms; two units for formerly homeless
  • Saint Polycarp Village – 24 affordable units; one, two and three bedrooms; four units for Department of Mental Health (DMH) clients; two units for chronically homeless
  • Saint Polycarp Village 2 — 29 affordable units; one, two, and three bedrooms
  • Saint Polycarp Village 3 – 31 affordable units; one, two, and three bedrooms
  • Union Square Apartments 181 Washington Street – 35 affordable units; one, two, and three bedrooms


OHS Policy Advocacy

Help lead Anti-Displacement Task Force rent stabilization home rule petition and new initiatives.
Passed Housing Stability Notification Act.
Passed strengthened Condo Conversion Ordinance.
Founded statewide “LOHA” Coalition to pass Real Estate Transfer Fee.
Serving on steering committees for statewide Access to Counsel, Eviction Record Sealing, and TOPA legislative coalitions.
Serving on steering committee for Senior Bridge Program (convened by Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless).
Serving on statewide steering committee to pass the Affordable Homes Act.
Somerville Housing Authority Residential Advisory Board policy advocacy.
 

Anti-Displacement In the News

The following articles and reports contain interesting information about housing, homelessness, gentrification and anti-displacement strategies. Posting of these articles and reports is NOT an indication that the City of Somerville or the Somerville Office of Housing Stability (OHS) endorse any particular strategy discussed. Articles appear here for informational and educational purposes.

Right to counsel in eviction cases

Tenants' Rights 

Rent Levels and Rent Controls

Production of Affordable Housing

Homelessness / Homeless Prevention

Fair Housing

Landlord Perspectives

Transfer Fee Act

Homes Act Legislation (Sealing of Eviction Records)

Housing issues related to Zoning

National Housing Data

LGBTQ+ Housing Issues

Condo Conversion Ordinance

Contact Information
Ellen Shachter
Director, Office of Housing Stability

Monday - Wednesday
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Thursday
8:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Friday
8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Phone

(617) 625-6600  ext 2581

Referral Form

Formulario de Referido

Formulário de Encaminhamento

Fòm Referans
Address

50 Evergreen Ave.
Somerville, MA 02145
United States

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