Committee Report CR-2

The Housing Committee held a public meeting on June 23, 2009 beginning at three o'clock and six minutes in the Sullivan Chamber, 2

floor, Cambridge City Hall.  The purpose of the meeting was to discuss plans for a public forum to provide information and support for homeowners or tenants who may be facing displacement because of economic distress.

Present at the meeting were Vice Mayor Sam Seidel, Chair of the Committee, Mayor E. Denise Simmons, Councillor Larry Ward and City Clerk Margaret Drury.  Also present were Ellen Semonoff, Assistant City Manager for Human Services,  Marianne Colangelo, Department of Human Services Programs (DHSP), Beth Rubenstein, Assistant City Manager for Community Development; Christopher Cotter, Director of Housing, Community Development Department (CDD), Joshua Meehan, Senior Program Manager, Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA),Michael Johnston, CHA, Angelica Benzan, CHA, Peter Daly, Executive Director, Homeowners Rehab, Inc. (HRI) Hilary Smith-Gage, Resident Services, HRI, Paul Lambe, Just-A-Start Mediation for Results program, Elaine DeRosa, Executive Director, CEOC, Michael Haran, Executive Director, CASCAP, Patricia Casola, President, 364 Rindge Avenue, President of the Fresh Pond Tenants Association, James Williamson, 1000 Jackson Place, Cheryl Ann Pizza-Zeoli and Victoria Harris, Aide to Vice Mayor Seidel.

Discussion turned to plans for an event to provide assistance to persons facing displacement.  Problems with low attendance at resource fairs in the area were noted. There was agreement that an event focusing on providing information about available resources to landlords and managers of larger buildings with affordable housing units, tenant association presidents and leaders, clergy, and other persons with whom tenants with economic problems might discuss their concerns would be fruitful.

The group agreed that meetings with tenants, perhaps in common space individual buildings, would also be very useful.  It would be helpful to have translators at the tenant meetings.

There was preliminary discussion of a forum, perhaps with personal invitations issued by the Mayor, similar to the currently popular networking events.  There was also agreement that Ms. Colangelo should continue her work on the preparation.

In response to a question about what services he found most helpful when he was faced with eviction, Mr. Williamson said that legal help to stabilize his immediate situation was his first need, and thereafter he needed information about where he should go to find out about affordable housing opportunities and what help would be available to him in the hurdles and challenges of the application process.

In response to a question from Councillor Ward, Ms. Semonoff described the assistance that would be offered through the new federal stimulus funding and the eligibility requirements.  Funds would be available for shallow subsidies to help the tenant stay in place.  Tenants with incomes of up to 50% of median income would be eligible.