At a Feb. 20 meeting of the Somerville City Council Committee on Open Space, Environment and Energy, city sustainability staff described planned outreach tied to the Mass Save 2025–2027 program and the city’s efforts to help residents undertake energy efficiency and decarbonization measures.

Garrett, Director of the Office of Sustainability and Environment, told the committee that the 2025–2027 Mass Save plan is headed for final authorization by the Department of Public Utilities and that the program will broaden incentives, including support for heat‑pump installations in addition to insulation and air‑sealing. Garrett said the city has hired an energy adviser, Shannon Taylor, whose role is to help residents and small building owners navigate audits, contractors and financing.

“Heat pumps” are a new, emphasized incentive in the forthcoming plan, Garrett said, and the city has been admitted into Mass Save’s Community First Partnership program. That partnership will help fund the energy‑adviser position through 2027, provide outreach funding and increase coordination so the city can obtain more data about which households complete measures.

Garrett outlined the city’s outreach strategy: targeted letter campaigns to households believed to be heated with oil, outreach to small rental properties (two‑ and three‑unit buildings), presence at community events such as vaccine clinics, and posters with QR codes linking directly to the city’s Somerville Energy Efficiency Now web pages and the energy adviser’s contact information. The city also created a pamphlet about Mass Save incentives and planned to distribute it at public counters and through contractors and contractors’ visits.

Committee members raised questions about data access and contractor coordination. Garrett said data sharing with utilities is complex and subject to privacy constraints, but the City expects better access through the Community First Partnership. Councilor Wilson expressed support and urged broad outreach to renters and homeowners. Councilor Burnley suggested ensuring contractors and tradespeople have materials about Mass Save incentives so they can inform homeowners during work; Garrett said a pamphlet and counter materials are being prepared.

No formal vote was taken. Councilor Wilson characterized the staff update as “work completed” for the committee’s purposes and the item was disposed of during the meeting; staff will continue outreach and coordination with Mass Save and utility partners. Garrett said the city will try to publish the energy adviser’s contact information and outreach materials widely and to return with data if and when the city receives more detailed utility information through the partnership.

Next steps: the city will continue outreach, maintain the energy adviser position through the Community First Partnership funding period (through 2027), distribute pamphlets and posters, and pursue data‑sharing arrangements with Mass Save and the utilities.