OSPCD: Housing
City of Somerville FY21 Budget
Mission Statement
The Housing Division is responsible for delivering safe, affordable and sustainable housing for Somerville residents. In serving this mission, it administers programs and/or funding for Affordable Rental and Homeownership Opportunities (known as Inclusionary Housing), Heat System Replacement and Housing Rehab, Lead Paint Abatement, and Residential Energy Efficiency efforts. The Division’s staff also support three boards and commissions and serve as the lead agency for the City’s Continuum of Care, which provides services and housing for homeless individuals and families, in addition to implementing the five housing goals of SomerVision and the policies of the Sustainable Neighborhoods Committee.
Changes from FY20
Personal Services - A 1.2% reduction in base general fund salaries was due to a combination of supplemental grant funding and statutory cap waivers and provisions on admin expenses.
Ordinary Maintenance - a 10% decrease in overall ordinary maintenance was primarily due to a decrease in professional and technical services resulting from universal waitlist work completed and expended in FY20.
During the budget process, $64,821 in cuts to the Police Department were reinvested within the Housing Division's Salaries line in order to fund a new Inclusionary Housing Program Manager position.