[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6119603,"mediaKeyId","2711568-1de8911dffd8a569be7d226873b78b32","parentId",2711568,"title","Committee approves Nov. 12 minutes and adjourns","audioSeconds",7593,"startMs",80000,"endMs",7673000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2711568-1de8911dffd8a569be7d226873b78b32&start=80&end=7673","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2711568-1de8911dffd8a569be7d226873b78b32/thumbnail_80000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6119603/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Committee-approves-Nov-12-minutes-and-adjourns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6119603-fb1b23233934f2355f7e040ab8cb8402/orig.mp4?Expires=1771066373&Signature=NcrdDkiIOT4yWByUIF6E-IqjIPPAcdrzLRLAEgHuZyYQ-jxe9Ji78mfQpRluxlSWulzCdB-2MaRA2zdcBdT6EAhFarw90TG2Y9AlMpWAsNwbBc68c7SHa5lQhasb8unF~9Vbzmr6edQNUG04vHB9o5ss5dWYieL4RXwMzyKLJn3B7UZTSQZNsx9NO5AlXH6Tze4S2Yc2eVLcl1KkkD-2~8pja0XjW195Gk7QJ0vUie6q9xTWhA1JFUeaLiUgN6mkKmz~OdK8Xb6zZigyqqXHFYiaBpT0M8Ou7ANW0IPW9CEk9kEOswF34LIK6cUY3nWWJoq1aM-Hn2xR2N68Mu9Zsw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Somerville City, MA","date","2025-03-20T00:00:00Z","article","The Somerville Public Health and Safety Committee approved minutes from its Nov. 12, 2024 meeting by roll-call vote and later voted to adjourn at the end of the session.

On approval of minutes for the Nov. 12, 2024 meeting, Councilor Benita Neufeld voted yes, Councilor Klingen voted yes and Councilor McLaughlin voted yes; the clerk recorded that all members voted to approve. At the close of the meeting the committee voted by roll call to adjourn: Councilor Pineda Neufeld voted yes, Councilor Klingen yes and Councilor McLaughlin yes; the clerk recorded the meeting adjourned.

Ending: The clerk announced the roll call results and the meeting was adjourned.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Somerville City Public Health and Public Safety - 2025-03-19","oneSentenceSummary","The Somerville Public Health and Safety Committee approved minutes from Nov. 12, 2024, by roll call and later voted to adjourn the meeting.","taxTitle","Somerville City, Middlesex County, Massachusetts","taxId",4564,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6119607,"Somerville staff report warming-center use, outreach and pilot public-health vending machines",2761,3144000,5905000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2711568-1de8911dffd8a569be7d226873b78b32&start=3144&end=5905","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2711568-1de8911dffd8a569be7d226873b78b32/thumbnail_3144000.jpg","/articles/6119607/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Somerville-staff-report-warming-center-use-outreach-and-pilot-public-health-vending-machines","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6119607-fa6734732c7668953499d364b051cc0d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771066373&Signature=D~sJ-yWzU3gDrD1DwrheCwdrU1NgXZKeF-E~~bNmuphMDjVzLyICn4iQXb6squaqfeZ52K8031mzibMsNjq5Z7NfzNp5t7O-Ybi7NHLH8XpVxeuwyAd8rV4wVkDq2Oxdp4ZteSmGmXT9Ioi4sXaTBkTrR1Lu1Zo~wASCk6fTQ0JfEzVrnnlw7jXUBgcaQrqrqmMHXui2avuzVEaHioqUKpvy~kZdnEIzvMe-lgRhJoI-uvwqbdLx3cXoNb0TDDwiPUAzMbpAjDyoy~zii8HP2AD2gTQ0pDBkdfV6YCLm4USjG7TLtav0bpaeGJEsR8OdmLZWHrcbF4hGeBkpBXWUKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Somerville Public Health and Safety Committee received an update from the city's Health and Human Services and housing staff on programs for unhoused residents, emergency-winter sheltering and harm-reduction pilots.

Director of Health and Human Services (HHS) Carroll told the committee the emergency warming center operated nightly this winter, averaging 33–37 people per night and sometimes sheltering 2–3 dogs. Weekly coordination calls with the emergency-management office and the vendor (Housing Families) were held to manage operations and client needs. Carroll said the warming center will close in early to mid-April and staff plan to distribute transition resources to guests.

Carroll described a set of harm-reduction and public-health pilot projects: delivery this week of dual needle kiosks (accepting individual syringes and sealed containers) and an RFP-closed procurement to pilot two public-health vending machines this spring and summer. The vending machines — secure, card/code-accessed kiosks that dispense items in discrete packaging — will be stocked after community focus groups identify needs; potential items include Narcan, test strips, menstrual products and seasonal items like sunscreen or cold-weather supplies.

HHS reported that community health workers performed outreach in Davis Square and East Somerville in 2024, enrolling 181 clients and helping many access SNAP and MassHealth through referrals. The city also received approximately $119,000 from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to buy cold-weather sleeping supplies, hotel vouchers if warming capacity is exceeded and Somerville meal vouchers to pilot food access for people using homeless services. The funds are available through June 2026, Carroll said.

On the annual point-in-time (PIT) count, preliminary figures show about 12 unsheltered individuals on the January 29 count night and 35 in the emergency warming center; that unsheltered count is lower than last year's reported ~26 unsheltered on the PIT night, though Carroll cautioned that final PIT reporting from partners was still pending and comparisons require an apples-to-apples review.

Carroll also noted other partnerships: a Tufts University community-based research class evaluating the health clinic for people experiencing homelessness, and a newly hired HHS prevention director and other staff increases. The committee asked for additional data (frequency of warming-center full-capacity days, and hotel-voucher usage) and Carroll said staff will return with more precise numbers and an after-action review once the season ends.

Ending: Councilors thanked staff for the update and asked staff to return with final PIT numbers and a post-winter review of the warming center and pilot items.","Health and Human Services and housing staff updated the Public Health and Safety Committee on winter warming-center operations, new outreach hires, point-in-time count results and pilot plans for public-health vending machines and needle kiosks.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6119611,"Somerville committee outlines what 'welcoming community' means, highlights local legal and volunteer resources",4929,250000,5179000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2711568-1de8911dffd8a569be7d226873b78b32&start=250&end=5179","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2711568-1de8911dffd8a569be7d226873b78b32/thumbnail_250000.jpg","/articles/6119611/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Somerville-committee-outlines-what-welcoming-community-means-highlights-local-legal-and-volunteer-resources","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6119611-a3f9b7132eb54cfcf842bdd1ddf91c5c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771066373&Signature=VChYDkKNWFVQo9Hx8xrF7Q4sdmqtdEIscjZ2U~6eySsr6vZRLjw5lB0-YBj1ErQTJ4teJSWWrIoH8JpRAK7RRZaXk6de5qTXi~c2BocrGoiCLitSJYdMzfTllLRv5tuwcEuph-gXHxXJiZQgZVJJQudO6NNTzuC6wtzQNJ7nQqoBLlgjnY60DguUpA~O2xOsc6igR1aMY-vD~TnaSDaxtlSPQAnsoDDFgjcU-7XZysZt0s-8uPs~kR-sNMQFNQmmMUAvkLWepUaIY-XP5vkIwhUEwmtBlTarkhsIN4KGyA2V5tOevp34EnZeUjPOtbYf69aZ2n8NulVlQ9V0YBV~Rw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Somerville Public Health and Safety Committee discussed the city's \"welcoming community\" policy and local supports for immigrants during a lengthy public agenda item, with city staff and neighborhood volunteers describing services, outreach and gaps.

Maria Teresa Nagel, Director of the Somerville Office of Immigrant Affairs, told the committee the city's policy rests on three tenets: treating immigration enforcement as a federal responsibility, ensuring equal access to city services regardless of origin or identity, and maintaining confidentiality \"to the full extent allowable by law.\" She said Somerville police do not assist federal immigration enforcement and that the policy is intended to increase trust so residents report crimes and cooperate with public safety efforts. \"Being undocumented does not give you a get out of jail free card. It is the opposite,\" Nagel said, describing how the city treats criminal matters the same regardless of immigration status.

Volunteers and nonprofit leaders described on-the-ground work. Paula Magnelli, a Ward 1 resident and volunteer with a local Latino family support group, said volunteers provide one-on-one assistance — helping families file complaints, enroll in youth programs and connect with school family liaisons — and that schools often serve as a gateway to city services for immigrant families. \"Schools are a miracle of government,\" Magnelli said, describing outreach and referral work the group provides to parents.

Alex Pirie, coordinator of the Immigrant Service Providers Group and a member of the Immigrant Services Coalition, recounted Somerville's long history of immigration and recommended practical steps such as local protocols for responding if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) appears at a residence or workplace. He described his role as a local connector among nonprofit providers and urged better coordination for volunteers and pro bono legal resources.

City staff described programs already underway: 48 Know Your Rights workshops since December, distribution of more than 4,000 \"red cards\" (information cards in the city's top languages), multilingual family-preparedness clinics, and an annual city contract that funds full-case immigration legal representation for Somerville residents who meet income and risk criteria. Nagel said the city's legal-services contract provides end-to-end representation but is capacity-limited; the vendor handles roughly 27 new full cases per year under current resourcing and many cases last multiple years. She described efforts to expand clinic-style consultations and to recruit accredited representatives and pro bono attorneys to increase capacity.

Committee members and presenters urged ways residents can help: donate to local nonprofits, volunteer (especially bilingual volunteers), shop locally to support small businesses affected by fear in the community, and contact city staff about lending professional skills. Nagel encouraged attorneys interested in immigration work to contact the Office of Immigrant Affairs to explore accredited-representative training and pro bono opportunities.

The committee closed the item after members and presenters emphasized building trust, supporting existing community organizations such as the Welcome Project and Somerville Family & Learning Center (SFLC), and continuing multilingual outreach.

Ending: Committee Chair noted the discussion would be shared publicly and marked the item \"work complete,\" encouraging councilors to spread information to neighborhood networks.","City staff and community volunteers told the Public Health and Safety Committee that Somerville's welcoming-community policy directs city services to avoid immigration enforcement, expand language access and support legal representation and community-based preparedness.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee approves Nov. 12 minutes and adjourns

Somerville staff report warming-center use, outreach and pilot public-health vending machines

Somerville committee outlines what 'welcoming community' means, highlights local legal and volunteer resources