Addressing Homelessness
To address homelessness, Katjana’s administration
- Created the city’s first overnight warming centers with cots, and access to services for unhoused persons
- Funded a new day-time Engagement Center to expand services for unhoused persons
- The Engagement Center is thriving, and this year, I am happy to announce that next week, we will be opening Somerville’s first City-sponsored seasonal overnight warming center.
- Our new warming center will be open not just for a handful of nights but for the winter. Somerville is a community that understands we need to keep our unsheltered residents warm and connected to resources
- Focus on Support and Treatment: Ballantyne and the city of Somerville are focused on providing immediate support for unhoused people, including access to services and resources.
- Addressing Underlying Issues: She believes in addressing the root causes of homelessness, such as addiction and lack of affordable housing.
- Avoiding Criminalization: Ballantyne is against the criminalization of homelessness, emphasizing treatment and support over punishment.
- Somerville Engagement Center: The city, in partnership with the Somerville Homeless Coalition, opened a new Engagement Center to provide more robust support services for unhoused residents.
- Balancing Public Safety and Compassion: She recognizes the need to balance public safety concerns with compassion for unhoused individuals, particularly those struggling with addiction.
"We're trying to address a humanitarian crisis that's happening now in our city,": said Mayor Ballantyne, a key part of my administration's approach is not allowing the criminalization of homelessness," the mayor said. "The opening of Somerville's new daytime Engagement Center is a game changer; allowing us to provide more robust support services for some of our most vulnerable community members,” said Mayor Katjana Ballantyne.
