Green Voter Guide Massachusetts
1. Affordable housing staff. For years, Medford City Hall had only one staff member overseeing the City's affordable housing efforts; by comparison, Somerville has about 30. I commit to supporting a growing City Hall staff of affordable housing professionals, with the goal of creating an Office of Housing Stability in Medford. And, I will consult directly with the Office of Planning, Development, and Sustainability to ensure that they have all the resources they need to work most effectively on addressing o
2. Nonprofit support. Medford has for far too long left various actors involved in housing justice unengaged with our community. I will forge new partnerships with such entities, such as community development corporations and various nonprofits, and invite them to play a role, alongside the City, in the housing solutions that the community needs.
3. Revenue towards the Affordable Housing Trust (AHT). Affordable housing is difficult to pay for. The AHT is a fund that can be used to support affordable housing projects. Medford only implemented one in 2023. The next step is to build up revenue streams to put money into the AHT. Once state law allows the City Council to do so, implementing a real-estate transfer fee that does not affect single homeowners would be another critical funding source, and I will work assertively to ensure its passage.
Green Voter Guide Massachusetts