The city is taking up the challenge of reconciling the recharging needs of e-car owners and the concerns of their landlords.

By Kyle Dante

On January 20, the Somerville City Council’s Legislative Matters Committee raised budget concerns addressed at their previous meeting in December’s meeting. According to the meeting’s discussions, Somerville faces numerous issues going into the new year.

Another topic was ownership of electric cars and the impact of charging stations on rental properties. First brought up on May 27, 2021, the memo provided an overview with a home rule petition (HRP) requested by the Committee.

The HRP has two designated exceptions: a single-owner or family home of more than four renters has access. Between July 6 and November 4, they researched the situation for clarification on the stated terms. The outline included a starting date to be put into effect by September 1 of this year.

Ward 2 Councilor J.T. Scott indicated that any installations would require an application. “More specifically, how an association would manage, here in Somerville,” Scott explained.

The switch to electric mobility is a highly debated subject among vehicle owners not only in Somerville but across the U.S. An electric car operates less expensively overall and requires minimal maintenance. However, the travel distance, refueling, and initial cost make electric vehicles an uneasy investment.

“80% of people in my district rent,” says Scott. Rental properties meter their electricity, so adding a charging station is problematic. Property landlords can also block the stations being added to apartments, legally speaking. If the installation is a part of property rent, people are trying to figure out how to move forward. It will reduce fossil fuel consumption, but setting up these systems may prove difficult.

Scott hopes the issues are resolvable. It is an initiative he feels the City Council should move on with respect to reducing emissions in the city. The Council is encouraged to update the Committee for contextual purposes in order to inform the community.

Focus groups will gather public input on the situation through the early months of 2022. The sooner these issues can be resolved, including financial considerations and global warming mitigation, the better, according to e-car advocates. As a result, they believe, it will make rental properties more financially and environmentally accommodating to residents.