Fair Housing means no discrimination! Candidates for Mayor and City Council had the chance to present their views on non-discrimination in housing by answering a questionnaire from the Somerville Fair Housing Commission, a nonpartisan group of volunteers. We are sharing all the answers we received. The Commission hopes you, the voters, will use the candidates’ answers as you decide how to vote in the September 16 primary and the November general election.

Answers from challengers are below; answers from incumbents were published in last week’s edition of The Somerville Times.

Challengers

This year, the first 3 of 6 questions for candidates who have not been elected before are:

Question 1: Have you ever seen or personally experienced discrimination in housing (either in renting, buying, or getting a mortgage)? What did you observe, how did you handle it, and how did you feel about it?

Question 2: What do you think are the most common forms of housing discrimination in Somerville?

Question 3: What is the most important thing that Somerville landlords, property

managers, real estate agents, or owners selling their homes need to know to further Fair Housing in Somerville? What would you do to increase compliance with Fair Housing law?

The answers to the remaining 6 questions for challengers will be printed in next week’s edition. Here are all the answers we received either from challengers or people running for an open seat:

Question 1: Have you ever seen or personally experienced discrimination in housing (either in renting, buying, or getting a mortgage)? What did you observe, how did you handle it, and how did you feel about it?

Jason Mackey, City Council candidate, Ward 5:

To be honest, I can’t say for certain that I’ve faced overt housing discrimination myself. I’ve been fortunate not to have someone slam a door in my face or say the quiet part out loud. But as a gay Black man and lifelong renter, I’ve spent my adult life navigating a housing system where you often wonder, did that broker not call me back because of demand… or something else? That question sticks with you.

The truth is, most discrimination in housing today doesn’t look like what it did decades ago. It’s quieter. It’s being told a unit has already been rented when it hasn’t. It’s submitting an application and never hearing back, while someone else does. It’s resumes or rental inquiries with certain names getting fewer responses, statistically and anecdotally. It’s the friend of a friend who was discouraged from applying because they had a Section 8 voucher, or the landlord who suddenly got cold feet after a tenant disclosed a disability.

These forms of discrimination are hard to prove, but they’re real, and they’re corrosive. They create a system where who you are subtly determines what doors open for you. And they’re part of why I’m running: because housing is too fundamental a need to be rationed based on bias, assumptions, or silence.

Emily Hardt, City Council candidate, Ward 7:

I have witnessed several close friends experience housing discrimination. I have had friends have difficulty finding an apartment to rent when pregnant (in one instance) and with a young child (in another instance), which I believe to be due to landlords not wanting to de-lead their apartments. I have also witnessed friends who are immigrants and who formerly lived in public housing face discrimination when looking for housing. All these instances of injustice made me angry. No one should face this kind of discrimination and have housing be so precarious.

Michael Murray, City Council candidate, Ward 7:

I’m not aware of having ever personally experienced discrimination in housing.

Justin Klekota, City Council candidate, At Large:

Discrimination in housing is never acceptable, and I thank the Somerville Fair Housing Commission for their valuable work receiving complaints from members of our community about housing discrimination in Somerville and providing legal references to them.  To the best of my knowledge, I have not personally experienced housing discrimination.  As a City Councilor, I am committed to working with Somerville residents and our City Commissions to advance the cause of justice in housing, employment, City services, our schools, and beyond.

Marianne Walles, City Council candidate, At Large:

No, I have not.

Ari Iaccarino, City Council candidate, At Large:

I’m a straight white guy with amazing credit, no kids, and no prison record. So, regarding access to market-rate rentals, I’ve faced zero discrimination, and that’s a great demonstration of the privilege I’ve had.

However, the one time I wanted to get on an affordable rental list in Boston, I never received a call back from the complex even though they advertised it. I qualified for Section 8, but the length of time it would have taken would have been untenable. Consequently, like most folks in this situation, I continued to send a majority of my take-home pay to just have a roof over my head since there was no other viable option.

I understand that pricing people out of cities is a structural issue and not discrimination in the legal sense, but it is one of my main focuses and something I will continue to reference throughout these prompts. There is little to no power renters have other than the hope that their landlord will be a local who doesn’t raise the price on them.

Finally, being able to consider anything akin to a mortgage in Somerville is so out of my financial league despite having worked for over 20 years. Millionaires and housing lottery winners shouldn’t be the only people who get to buy a two-bedroom apartment in Somerville.

Scott Istvan, City Council candidate, At Large:

An unfortunately common experience I’ve heard about is friends with various health conditions not being able to find suitable housing, whether that is mold free, has adequate temperature control, or properly functioning appliances. Unfortunately, requesting that a landlord take care of these issues (that are legally required) has led to landlords not renewing leases, or jacking the rent up as a form of lease non-renewal. It’s frankly disturbing that landlords are shirking their legal responsibilities and causing my friends to be unstable in their housing situations.

Holly Simione, City Council candidate, At Large:

I experienced age discrimination when looking for a college apartment in Somerville. I was discouraged to apply for the unit based on my income and work history, then told the unit was taken when I applied. I was not aware that I had rights or how to ask for help.

In my role as Chair of the Somerville Disability Commission, I have had several Somerville residents ask for my help when experiencing discrimination in housing. Working with city staff and doing outreach to state agencies for legal advice and representation has shown me how fearful people are to report abuse and discrimination in housing, even when our city is supporting them with resources and holding owners accountable to the law. Marginalized populations experience many obstacles to finding a safe, affordable and often accessible place to live. Resi-dents should not be fearful of asking for help or reporting issues.

Ben Wheeler, City Council candidate, At Large:

I haven’t personally experienced housing discrimination, but I’ve heard about it directly from friends. A few have told me about apartment tours where it was clear—through condescending questions or dismissive treatment—that the landlord’s broker wasn’t planning to send their application to the landlord. In one case, a friend worried that the broker assumed they couldn’t afford the deposit because of a biased assumption about their perceived race. They left feeling humiliated, and ultimately didn’t even apply. Hearing these stories made me angry, but also resolved: we need a city where people don’t have to feel that kind of doubt and exclusion when they try to find a home. No one should be made to feel like an outsider in our community.

Jon Link, City Council candidate, At Large:

I come from a place of privilege. I came to Somerville as a renter and a teacher and had to scrape by for years, but I still benefited from being white, a native English speaker, having good credit, and knowing how to navigate the system. When I tried to buy a home, it was very difficult to get a loan, but I got lucky. Many others don’t.

The path to homeownership and even stable rentership is stacked against working families. Large investors continue to buy up housing stock, and regional zoning restrictions have created an artificial shortage. As a result, tenants and would-be homeowners are left effectively powerless. Credit checks punish people for hardships beyond their control. Tenants are judged or exploited for speaking English as an additional language, for having a disability, or even for having a child. I’ve seen it, and I’ve heard it at doors. It’s wrong.

I understand that landlords want to protect their investments, but we have to strike a different balance. These aren’t abstract assets like stocks. These are homes, and people are being illegally and unfairly shut out of them.

Christopher Ryan Spicer, City Council candidate, At Large:

Last year I saw the impact of precarious housing compounded by an ICE detention which divided an East Somerville family. At the request of the remaining parent, I brought over documents for spousal visitation at Plymouth Jail. I often think of that family and the cramped basement housing conditions of their home. Some places have holes in floors, or rent dirt floor basements. Blatant code violations. If Inspectional Services Department (ISD) comes and issues a fine, it is likely a landlord may retaliate by escalating rents. So I know that dilemma of a housing ally or conscientious neighbor, whether to call ISD or overlook the landlord’s gross exploitation. Likewise, David Gibbs, Executive Director of the Community Action Agency of Somerville, during the Human Rights Commission focus group, describing the shocking living conditions of undocumented residents who are being exploited for their rent.

The second part of the question: No, I have not personally experienced discrimination in civilian housing. I am assumed to speak English fluently and to be a U.S. citizen. Like a third of Somerville residents I own housing; in my case, I am beneficiary of intergenerational wealth to do so. In fact, when I think about the offer letter I wrote to the owner about being a young family hoping to raise our kids in the schools here, I was fishing for prejudice. There’s no letter a formerly incarcerated person can write that will help. And then you have the fact that a criminal record can block someone from public housing. I have seen conditions of penal housing that make me an ardent advocate for supportive housing. For instance, I have lobbied the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to grant $9 million toward targeted housing assistance, along with a measure requiring IDs to be provided for “returning citizens” upon release.

Jack Perenick, City Council candidate, At Large:

In 2021, while helping my grandmother downsize to a new apartment, I encountered some difficulty finding buildings willing to rent to tenants they knew would have disability-related needs and require reasonable accommodation. In particular, many apartments were unwilling to answer questions about the ability to temporarily install wall-mounted grab bars or other mobility aids. We were fortunate that we were able to find a newer building which had an elevator, and ground level access that was willing to allow us to make some temporary mobility modifications inside. As a caretaker, our experience was not as difficult as it might have otherwise been. I continue to worry about disabled residents who accept housing while being unwilling or unable to risk asking about the ability to make modifications or ask for accommodations from landlords.

Question 2: What do you think are the most common forms of housing discrimination in Somerville?

Jason Mackey, City Council candidate, Ward 5:

The most common forms of housing discrimination in Somerville are often subtle but deeply entrenched:

• Source-of-income discrimination, particularly against voucher holders, is rampant despite being illegal under Massachusetts law. Landlords may find excuses to reject applicants using Section 8 or RAFT, or simply stop responding.
• Family status discrimination also persists, tenants with children may be discouraged, denied, or ghosted, especially in multifamily buildings.
• Race- and ethnicity-based bias still shows up in who gets callbacks, how applications are processed, or what kinds of questions people are asked. It’s rarely explicit, but patterns are visible to those paying attention.
• Disability discrimination, especially when tenants request reasonable accommodations, is more common than many realize.
• Anti, LGBTQ+ bias continues to impact housing access for queer, trans, and nonbinary residents, whether in the form of microaggressions or outright denial.

These forms of discrimination are hard to track because they’re usually not overt. But their impact is no less real, and we need better enforcement, better testing, and a proactive commitment to equity, not just a reactive one.

Emily Hardt, City Council candidate, Ward 7:

As noted above, I believe that discrimination based on skin color, national origin, and having young children are quite common. In addition, I think people with disabilities and seniors are often discriminated against, and have a hard time finding housing in Somerville where very few housing options are accessible.

Applicants using mobile vouchers are frequently discriminated against as well. As reported in the Anti-displacement Task Force Report:

“As of September 2023, data from the Somerville Housing Authority (SHA) showed that out of 1,038 mobile Section 8 vouchers issued through the SHA, only 295, or about 28%, were used in Somerville. The rest were used in other cities or towns.”

While it cannot be assumed that all of these voucher-holders experienced discrimination, that is a very low percentage who were able to find housing in Somerville and it suggests that discrimination is at least partly responsible.

Michael Murray, City Council candidate, Ward 7:

Here’s what I think:

-Discrimination against people with children.

-Discrimination against people of color.

-Discrimination against members of the LGBTQ community.

-Discrimination against people with disabilities.

Justin Klekota, City Council candidate, At Large:

Increasingly, as housing prices in Somerville rise, lower income residents are finding it difficult to find housing in Somerville and may be encountering unlawful discrimination related to their source of income (e.g. Section 8).  In addition to educating the public to combat this type of unlawful discrimination, it is important for our community to increase construction of affordable housing units and expand our definition of affordability to include middle class families as well.

Marianne Walles, City Council candidate, At Large:

I would think the most common is race, disabilities, and children.

Ari Iaccarino, City Council candidate, At Large:

I’m intentionally focusing on financial displacement as a form of structural discrimination we need to address in Somerville. And while not always legally actionable under Fair Housing law, economic displacement in Somerville disproportionately affects renters from protected classes, including racial minorities, families, people with disabilities, older adults, voucher holders, and LGBTQ+ individuals.

Scott Istvan, City Council candidate, At Large:

I’d be willing to bet that discrimination against families with children ranks pretty high given the lead laws and prevalence of lead paint in older homes in the area. Age and job/income discrimination are probably up there as well – I see a lot of postings preferring “young working professionals” out there and have heard of a lot of section 8 discrimination happening as well.

Holly Simione, City Council candidate, At Large:

While housing discrimination exists in several forms, Disability makes up more than half the complaints reported to HUD. Socio-economic discrimination of lower income minorities and people of color also experience housing discrimination disproportionally in comparison to other economic classes. There are countless examples of qualified housing applicants being denied or passed on for a more favorable candidate, leaving the prospective tenant with no option but to reside in an often-inferior alternative. For persons who rely on mobility devices, the lack of affordable and “wheel-accessible” options are very limited, forcing people to leave Somerville.

Ben Wheeler, City Council candidate, At Large:

In practice, I suspect that the most common forms of housing discrimination in Somerville are often not overtly exclusive, but is deeply rooted in economic barriers that hit marginalized groups hardest. Overt exclusion is definitely a major problem; I’ve heard stories of bias from brokers or landlords shuffling some applicants to the bottom of the pile, including for reasons of ageism, racism, discrimination on the basis of disability, and aversion to taking applicants with Section 8 vouchers. But there are also practices that might seem neutral, but still perpetuate exclusion—like strict credit score requirements (which may not even be enforced consistently for all applicants), and demanding high upfront deposits and fees. Our aging housing stock also leaves families with children at a disadvantage because some units aren’t de-leaded, and people with disabilities such as mobility needs struggle to find options that are accessible. These overlapping barriers create a situation where, even without overt slurs or out-right refusals, whole groups are systematically shut out.

Jon Link, City Council candidate, At Large:

I’ve seen it and heard from people in Somerville. There is discrimination against low-income renters, people of color, families with children, immigrants, and voucher holders. Landlords often use credit checks, income requirements, and informal bias to exclude tenants, especially those with Section 8. These practices reinforce racial and economic segregation. We need stronger enforcement, more affordable housing, more public housing, and stronger tenant protections.

Christopher Ryan Spicer, City Council candidate, At Large:

In the 2017 Somerville Housing Assessment 44% surveyed said arrest record was cause of discrimination. Housing discrimination is most often seen in exclusionary practice: what happens when background and credit checks are used in the criterion of ‘good’ tenants.  Broker services to find ‘ideal’ renters make automatic exclusion of potential tenants with vouchers.

66% said race. In the 2021 Housing Assessement, it was reported anecdotally that many long-term Somerville landlords who bought their properties decades ago tend to use informal, limited networks to fill vacant units. Such owners for the most part are white. Fair Housing law extends recourse to those who have experienced discrimination members of protected classes, race/color and/or country of origin. So we have to ask why the City’s Latino population is particularly concentrated in portions of East Somerville and Magoun Square.

44% said disability. Fair Housing Law, Massachusetts. General Law chapter 151B is the state Fair Housing Act which prohibits housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, children, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, public assistance recipient, gender identity, genetic information or physical or mental disability. Beyond the Americans Disabilities Act of 1990 which included persons living with a disability as a protected class, The Fair Housing Act of 1968 sets most private housing requirements for accessibility. In Somerville, the stock of accessible housing is extremely limited because of a lack of zoning incentives.

Discrimination in Somerville because of presence of children in household is also common. The realtor doesn’t want to hear if someone is pregnant. Families with young children don’t get rental applications accepted because of aging housing and lead remediation.  The $1500 Massachusetts Lead Paint Removal Tax Credit was designed to improve compliance with Fair Housing law, because many landlords refused to take applicants with children under six. Family or relationship structure was added in 2023 to protected classes in Somerville and does not fall under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) but may appear in the forthcoming assessment.

Seniors are discriminated against in housing when renting, buying or securing finance for their home. Poor elders are most likely to miss rent and tax payments, making them subject to ‘just-cause’ eviction.

General unaffordability is a structural barrier. For instance, in 2021, there were 4960 households carrying extreme housing cost burdens with below 30 percent Area Median Income (AMI). The trend of that burden on the poorest was increasing, but we await update from the forthcoming 2025 Housing Needs assessment. The forthcoming 2025 Feasibility Study was required to “determine how and under what conditions the City could create units targeted to residents at 30% of AMI and what tradeoffs or additional resources would be necessary to allow projects to be financially feasible with this requirement. What tradeoffs or resources would be necessary for 10% of units be affordable to those at 30% AMI without reducing number of units in other tiers.” 

As listed above, in Massachusetts, it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of source of income (section 8 or receipt of public assistance or hourly wage). Only 28% of section 8 mobile vouchers were used in Somerville, as of Sept. 2023 data from Somerville Housing Authority. Discussing this finding, The Anti-Displacement Task Force report validated the assumption the rest were used in other cities and towns because while there is a limited amount of time that they must be applied, they were unlikely to find Somerville landlords who would rent to them, and if they had tried and failed to find housing those rejections were discriminatory. However, none of the four backlogged Somerville cases filed at MCAD as of January 2024 involved discrimination based on source of income.

Complainants can seek injunctive relief with Suffolk Law School’s Housing Discrimination Testing Program. Under existing contract with the City of Somerville, De Novo Center for Justice and Healing can represent tenants in fair housing cases. And the City’s Housing Division can provide informal advocacy. The Affordable Homes Act signed into law July 2024 created an Office of Fair Housing.

Jack Perenick, City Council candidate, At Large:

Many of my friends and coworkers have been subject to age-based discrimination in renting. I suspect given Somerville’s younger-than-average population, many students, and young renters are frequently exposed to discrimination in leasing. As an immigrant community, I fear we also have many neighbors who are discriminated against on the basis of their non-citizenship status or national origin. My understanding is that discrimination against Section 8 voucher holders, is in Somerville, as it is nationwide, is prevalent and pervasive. My own experience has taught me that many landlords, intentionally or not, discriminate against those with recognized disabilities, in particular those that might require improvements to the property.

Question 3: What is the most important thing that Somerville landlords, property

managers, real estate agents, or owners selling their homes need to know to further Fair Housing in Somerville? What would you do to increase compliance with Fair Housing law?

Jason Mackey, City Council candidate, Ward 5:

The most important thing housing providers in Somerville need to know is that Fair Housing isn’t just a legal obligation, it’s a moral one. Housing shapes people’s lives, opportunities, and futures. The choices landlords and brokers make can either open doors or quietly shut them. To increase compliance:

• Education: I support a city run Fair Housing certification for landlords and brokers, particularly those managing fewer than six units. Many aren’t aware of the full scope of their obligations.
• Testing and enforcement: The city should invest more in paired testing, data collection, and field investigations. If we’re serious about enforcement, we need to act on patterns, not just individual complaints.
• Tenant awareness: Knowledge is power. I would expand outreach so renters, especially immigrants, young people, and low-income households, know their rights and how to assert them.
• Transparency in listings: Require Fair Housing disclaimers and anti, discrimination information in all online and physical rental ads posted within Somerville.

Fair Housing isn’t about checking a box. It’s about making sure that who you are doesn’t dictate where you can live.

Emily Hardt, City Council candidate, Ward 7:

I would increase education and raise awareness about both the protected classes and the severity and impact of violations of Fair Housing law. The classes of people who are protected under Fair Housing law is the most important information for landlords, property managers, real estate agents and home sellers to have. They also need to know that housing discrimination is extremely harmful to people and there are consequences for violating the law.

Michael Murray, City Council candidate, Ward 7:

It’s important that The Fair Housing Commission take an active role, promoting non-discrimination, and responding to discrimination complaints.

Justin Klekota, City Council candidate, At Large:

State and Federal Fair Housing Law prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, military status, age (except minors), sexual orientation, family status (e.g. have children), source of income (e.g. Section 8), disability, marital status, genetic information, and ancestry.  As a City Councilor, I am committed to working with the Somerville Fair Housing Commission and funding its educational outreach efforts to landlords, property managers, real estate agents & owners as well as to residents to know their rights.

Marianne Walles, City Council candidate, At Large:

To further Fair Housing compliance we need to continue to education landlords, property managers, and tenants. I find that more outreach opportunities to engage in conversations can help build better compliance.

Ari Iaccarino, City Council candidate, At Large:

Rental housing is a business, an investment, and this business happens within an ecosystem of laws created by people. Interested parties, specifically large landlords and property management companies, must recognize that the housing crisis has been exacerbated by their monopolies on homes and lobbying at local and state levels. The public is demanding a stronger culture of compliance and accountability, so they should not be surprised at increasing pressure on them to follow Fair Housing and adapt to a slew of renter protections.

I would require new landlords and property managers to take a mandatory Fair Housing 101 course in order to be certified to do business in Somerville. I would use my M.Ed. to help refine the course if needed alongside housing advocates and real estate professionals. I would also support a volunteer-led city-wide audit program of “secret shoppers” to test for Fair Housing compliance in an effort to enhance accountability.

I will fight to keep as many Somervillians in Somerville as possible through an increase of renter protections and enforcement. Additionally, I want small, local landlords who are doing good by their renters by following the law and keeping rates stable to be eligible for grant money that would de-lead and enhance safety at their properties.

Scott Istvan, City Council candidate, At Large:

For landlords, agents, and owners, we need to make sure education is available and accessible about their responsibilities. I’m excited about the rental registry that was recently passed in Somerville. Being able to identify rental properties and their landlords more easily will make distributing educational material easier.

We also need to provide more education and support to tenants and prospective buyers. The Office of Housing Stability has helped with this; I’d love to see them get more resources to expand their coverage. I’d particularly be interested in getting residents access to free/city-funded legal aid.

Holly Simione, City Council candidate, At Large:

Somerville landlords and property owners need to understand the goal of public and elected officials is to promote and expand affordable housing opportunities throughout the City, and they will realize ample profit margins working within these parameters. The reason we have such interest from property managers and developers is the exploding real estate values that we have experienced in the past and will continue to experience for the foreseeable future. We must ensure the Somerville Fair Housing Commission is staffed and funded properly to continue the good work they do educating and enforcing these laws.

Discrimination in housing based on race or color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability is a civil rights violation that will not be tolerated. I would ensure the process to report any such discrimination is accessible to all, kept private and investigated swiftly. I would also ensure all city staff receive annual training from certified resources and ask that all developers ensure their staff are also trained each year.

Ben Wheeler, City Council candidate, At Large:

First, landlords, property managers, real estate agents, or owners selling their homes need to understand that Fair Housing isn’t optional or symbolic—it’s enforceable law. Education is key: I would support proactive workshops and multilingual materials that make Fair Housing obligations unmistakable. But education alone isn’t enough. We should strengthen enforcement—supporting the Fair Housing Commission’s authority, and resourcing the Office of Housing Stability and Inspectional Services to respond swiftly to violations. We should ensure that the “No-tice of Rights and Resources at the Start of Tenancy” provided to tenants is a clear and com-plete as possible, and expand or revise it in response to patterns of need; and we should make sure we are making public reporting tools known and accessible to tenants, so that they can recognize common problems and know where to go to report them swiftly. Compliance shouldn’t depend on tenants having the resources to sue—it should be actively monitored and enforced by the city.

Jon Link, City Council candidate, At Large:

Honestly, they just need to know the facts. Many landlords aren’t aware that any form of discrimination based on race, income, family status, disability, or voucher use is illegal. To increase compliance, I’d support real penalties for violators and better tenant education and advocacy. We also have some models for making better, more affordable housing, like the community land trusts (shout out to the Somerville Community Land Trust), social housing, and other models that take some of our city’s housing out of the speculative market and put it under community control and make it permanently affordable.

Christopher Ryan Spicer, City Council candidate, At Large:

First, SomerVIP (Voucher Incentive Program) offers one time incentive payments, money for necessary repairs, and technical support to landlords and realtors who lease Somerville properties for the first time to Somerville residents holding vouchers and other mobile tenant-based programs. Second, Landlord tenant mediation and foreclosure prevention is available through the Somerville Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development. Third, Fair Housing in Somerville depends on equal access to the market, something many unintentionally blockade. Equal access to housing accommodations, facilities, services and financial aid depends on sec 7-42 enforcement powers ordained to the Fair Housing Commission, an effort I will continue to support and expand if elected. I would support a strengthened Fair Housing Commission to both investigate complaints and enforce penalties on findings of discrimination.

Jack Perenick, City Council candidate, At Large:

While we usually think about discrimination in terms of denial of housing, price discrimination and discrimination in the terms of a tenancy agreement are also common. It’s critical we ensure that all people have equal access to fair market prices for housing in our city. In particular, price point discrimination is critical to deflating our rental market. Increasingly, this will mean a regulation of pricing software and AI in addition to traditional forms of discriminatory practices.

— Somerville Fair Housing Commission