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 the first 5 of 6 questions to challengers were published in the last two weeks’ editions of The Somerville Times.

Challengers

The last question for candidates who have not been elected before is:

Question 6: Do you have any new programs or incentives to help small landlords maintain housing?

Here are all the answers we received from challengers running for an open seat:

Question 6: Do you have any new programs or incentives to help small landlords maintain housing?

Jason Mackey, City Council candidate, Ward 5:

Yes. I believe small landlords, especially owner-occupants, can be part of the solution when supported properly. Here are a few ideas I’d pursue:

• Somerville Home Preservation Fund: Provide matching grants or low-interest loans to small landlords who agree to affordability covenants, avoid no-fault evictions, and uphold Fair Housing standards.
• Technical Assistance and Legal Support: Launch free city, sponsored clinics to help small landlords understand Fair Housing law, access financial tools, and navigate city processes without resorting to evictions.
• Property Tax Incentives for Affordability: Explore abatements or deferrals for landlords who maintain below-market rents, accept vouchers, or stabilize long-term tenants.
• Landlord Education and Certification: Create an optional “Good Landlord” program that offers faster permitting or other perks to landlords who complete training, maintain affordability, and comply with housing law.
• Explore expanded property tax relief for senior homeowners, especially those on fixed incomes who are at risk of displacement. This could include increased exemptions, tax deferrals, or in some cases, full elimination of property taxes for qualifying elderly residents who meet affordability thresholds.

The goal is not to subsidize bad actors, but to help responsible small landlords stay in the game, keep tenants housed, and prevent turnover to corporate landlords or speculative buyers.

Emily Hardt, City Council candidate, Ward 7:

I think the City needs to do all we can to help small landlords preserve housing. I plan to pursue a policy of tax relief for small landlords who keep rent below market rate for low income or elderly renters. I would also advance efforts to educate landlords and pursue other recommendations of the Residential Displacement Committee of the Anti-Displacement Task Force. I would work to better publicize the resources that already exist to respond to discrimination complaints and ensure that the City has enough staff to respond to complaints and carry out investigations.

Michael Murray, City Council candidate, Ward 7:

No, not at this time. I’m interested in constituents and the commission’s ideas. I’m curious whether you mean keeping housing available, keeping up reasonable maintenance, or both?

Justin Klekota, City Council candidate, At Large:

Somerville has a Housing Rehabilitation Program that provides property owners loans to help maintain their properties in livable condition.  Programs such as this and the right of tenants to live in well-maintained units should be included in the educational materials listed above.  The Somerville Fair Housing Commission should refer complaints to the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) Housing Division to ensure that unsafe, unlivable housing conditions are identified and remedied in a timely manner.

Marianne Walles, City Council candidate, At Large:

I would like to see money set aside for small landlords so that they can’t ensure housing compliance such as ADA compliance, lead removal, etc..

Ari Iaccarino, City Council candidate, At Large:

The local landlords I’ve met keep prices relatively stable and only raise it when a new renter signs on for a lease. For example, I pay $2,450 for a two-bedroom apartment; compare that to a landlord I met in Union Square who charges $1,400, and one on Powder House Blvd who charges $1,700. When I asked why they keep prices relatively low, they said they do so because their tenants are part of the Somerville community, and they don’t want to hurt their neighbors.

Out-of-state landlords and corporate property owners do not have this same commitment or tendency.

That’s why I’m in favor of grants and tax breaks for local landlords who are doing the right thing by complying with Fair Housing and keeping rent below market rate for renters.

I would also support a new tax on all landlords that charge at market rate or above and then use that money to fund housing subsidies to keep Somervillians in Somerville. If they continue to charge below market rate, then no additional tax is levied. I understand this would require approval from the State, and I am open to other ways to keep landlords from raising the rent.

For example, many owner-occupied landlords I’ve spoken to have seen their homes’ values skyrocket because they’ve resided in their houses for decades and they’re now worth millions. However, these landlords’ incomes have not necessarily risen at the same speed, so higher property taxes are one reason they give for raising rents. I would explore a property tax deferral program that would delay property tax increase collections on owner-occupied rentals to when the house is actually sold or transferred.

I would also like to see Somerville lobby for grants that de-lead rentals with 100% coverage for landlords and provide temporary housing so that more families can safely house their children in landlord-owned properties. I helped my sister-in-law do this in Pennsylvania; I’m sure we could do it here in Somerville.

I’m empathetic to local, owner-occupied landlords who are doing their best to keep Somervillians in Somerville, and I think we have the bandwidth to honor their commitments.

Scott Istvan, City Council candidate, At Large:

Much like our residential exemption program makes property taxes more affordable for owner occupied houses, I’d love to see tax incentives extended to small landlords who are charging below market rents and don’t push onerous rent increases onto their tenants.

Holly Simione, City Council candidate, At Large:

Boston recently launched an incentive program to support landlords who rent to Boston households moving out of homelessness. It provides customer service to both landlords and tenants, including education and if needed mediation to resolve any disputes, along with financial incentives to the landlord and referrals during unit occupancy. If elected I would collaborate with city staff and City Council to review the success of this project, and if we can tailor a program to fit the needs of our community.

Ben Wheeler, City Council candidate, At Large:

Yes– especially if we tie support to keeping rents stable and properties safe. I’d support programs that help small landlords access funds for lead abatement, energy upgrades, and critical repairs, with conditions that ensure affordability for tenants. We should also streamline permitting for health and safety improvements and explore tax abatements for landlords who commit to long-term affordability. These programs make housing safer, help small landlords stay solvent, and protect tenants from displacement– a win for everyone.

Jon Link, City Council candidate, At Large:

I’d support programs that will help small landlords keep units affordable and well maintained if they commit to tenant protections, long-term affordability, and non discriminatory practices. That could include low-interest loans or grants for repairs, additional help with energy upgrades or lead remediation, tied to affordability agreements. I’d also support incentives for small landlords to sell to community land trusts or nonprofit housing organizations, so we can shift more housing into permanently affordable, community-controlled hands. This goes beyond housing by the way, I’d like to see the model currently being worked out for the Central Street Studio applied to more art space as well as retail and commercial space.

Christopher Ryan Spicer, City Council candidate, At Large:

First home buyers often take on fixer-uppers. Small landlords face unexpected needs for repair. August 6th 2024 Governor Healey signed into law House Bill 4977 “An Act Relative to the Affordable Homes Act.” Now we can support landlords to make accommodations that optimize energy efficiency and weatherize their properties, sure the costs won’t be offset onto tenants. Granted the City has a Climate Forward plan to address infrastructure neglect and anticipate storms in magnitude and duration we have not yet seen. Further liability is necessary to plan for. For homes vulnerable to sewage overflows, Municipal assisted disaster cleanup should be ordained as authorized emergency spending.

Second, nearly a quarter of Somerville households include someone age 60 or older–and their needs for transportation and health care are changing. According to the April 2025 Aging Needs Assessment, about half (54%) of survey respondents need home repairs to continue living in their residence safely. A third of survey respondents would prefer a senior independent living community if they had to move in the next 5 years due to health or physical ability; 23% would prefer a condo or townhome. in Somerville 19 percent of men over 65 are veterans suggesting the eligibility of many for programs based on their military service or that of their spouses. The Assessment gives a portrait of anticipated demographics essential to bear in mind for any new programs or incentives:

“According to projections generated by the Donahue Institute at the University of Massachusetts, a consistent share of the older population in Somerville is expected in future decades. Donahue Institute projections suggest that by 2045, about 15% of Somerville’s residents will be age 60 or older—12% of Somerville’s population will be between the ages of 60 and 79, with an additional 3% age 80 and older.”

 A local program for those aging in place has a steady population forecast. Keeping the aging in our neighborhoods means we can benefit from their varied lived experience, skills, and interests.

Somerville can ill-afford unexpected costs such as the $20 million Cambridge recently incurred assuming demolition costs when a 66-unit condominium was deemed a threat to public safety. Somerville has not seen a surplus in several years, and tighter margins will put pressure on City Council to increase the tax base as it has through relinquishing affordable housing constraints on development. Unless we elect greater creativity. So here is my off-the-wall idea to include in negotiations for a future Community Benefit Agreement. I would love to see in Somerville a combined tool library and resource center for salvaged housing parts. Small landlords who want to maintain their housing would receive City incentive to join as members. These benefit from recycled furnishings, cabinets, sinks, toilets, tubs, doors, doorknobs–all that and more can be salvaged from homes marked for demolition. A nonprofit Carey Company Inc. which made its first home demolition salvage using a repair-micro grant, now has been able to repurpose 30percent of demolished home property. This makes sense for our reputation as innovative gleaning residents. Somerville housing is so valuable that most owners are able to realize a return on improvements, but at the same time, in 2021, there were 4960 households owners with below 30% Area Median Income carrying extreme cost burdens. Some of these households become subject to Inspectional Services Department mandated demolitions. My idea is for a repair-micro grant to help ease the cost of making renovations for these households and ultimately that spares Somerville tax-payers. 

If elected, I pledge support to increase opportunities for minority homebuyers, renters, and people with disabilities in neighborhoods where they are noticeably underrepresented. Let me share an instance that gives me hope here. As many proudly know, our local Community Development Financial Institution is the Somerville Community Corporation (SCC), which administers millions garnished in the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Even more, grassroots power has made such change possible. Renters organized and challenged the Mayoral administration back when it had a surplus, a few years ago, of $33 million. They figured the City should do like when they get a check, Renters put at least a third of their income down. So should the city; renters called for an investment of $11 million for affordable housing. The City put in $8 million. Often, being an effective City Councilor means insisting on upholding our values no matter the expected weather and applauding what is working.

 Jack Perenick, City Council candidate, At Large:

In the course of my campaign, I have frequently addressed the importance of maintaining our city’s existing support of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing, usually small 2-3 unit properties that are owner occupied. In particular, my housing policies are designed to encourage longtime residents and small landlords, who usually offer below market rents, to stay in the city and continue to provide the NOAH that exists. In particular, I think further increases to the residential tax deduction would further these efforts, alongside efforts to help older residents maintain aging properties and age in place. Rodent abatement of properties is also an essential component of ensuring that valuable below market properties remain livable and a part of our rental market.

— Somerville Fair Housing Commission