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As of 9:18 a.m. June 9 2025, the USNC/Somernova CBA final vote count was verified. The USNC is thrilled that the CBA with Rafi Properties passed and that the community elected to support this CBA with over 71% of the votes. 

The biggest take-way for the USNC is that community-driven processes work, and that together we can bring about transformational change that works for Somerville. A coalition of neighbors, artists, volunteers, and abutters twice stopped the Somernova project. We further joined forces with local non-profits and labor unions, to fight for a development that better responds to the needs of residents, workers, creatives and Somerville youth, resulting in a CBA that contains provisions that offset the negative impacts large-scale development brings.  

This success was a collaborative effort. It wouldn’t have been possible without the thousands of hours community members and advocates, both for and against the development, put in by attending and organizing hundreds of small- and large-scale meetings, collecting local expertise and know how, listening to and engaging with neighbors, and sharing information widely by flyering, as well as in person and online discussions. 

The passed CBA contains landmark, precedent setting agreements, among which are:

  – upwards of 100,000 SF of guaranteed ACE space, more than half of which will be long-term affordable and purpose built.   

  – a forward looking mobility and traffic plan designed to decrease the proportion of the cars the development will bring to the city. When combined with the city’s requirements, the CBA’s additional provisions create the most strict Mobility Management Plan in the region, and contains mechanisms to halt permitting that will stop development if the plan’s goals are not met. 

  – the first Project Labor Agreement for a large-scale commercial development in Somerville, guaranteeing fair wages and a safe workplace across the entire site.

The USNC is grateful and proud to have received the support of the Boston Building Trades, #ArtStaysHere, Somerville Community Corporation, Somerville Community Land Trust, Somerville Stands Together, the Boston Bouldering Project, Esh Circus Arts, The Dojo and more.  

As Somerville continues to grow, we look forward to contributing to strengthening the bonds of community as we work together for a better future for all. We invite everyone to attend and participate in our general meetings, in person and online. The next meeting is on June 16, 2025.  You can find more details on the USNC Website.

In Community
The Union Square Neighborhood Council