The Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with Somernova Site developer Rafi Investments-Somerville, LLC (Rafi) requires that the USNC constitute a “CBA Implementation Committee” (CBA-IC) consisting of five (5) members to monitor the progress of all the commitments entered into by Rafi and the USNC under the CBA. A copy of the executed CBA can be found here. 

Description of Committee Tasks:

1. Monitoring progress on‬ all commitments under the Somernova CBA
2. Rafi will meet with the CBA-IC: ‬
   1. quarterly during construction of any phase of the Project, and‬  ‬
   2. semi-annually in the event that no construction is on-going at the Project site. 
3. Committee members should meet in preparation for each meeting with Rafi. This involves:
   1. soliciting questions from the USNC Board to be submitted in writing to Rafi at least two weeks (14 days) in advance of each meeting;
   2. reviewing Rafi’s progress reports, to be submitted no fewer than 7 days in advance of each meeting.
4. Members of the committee should expect to invest at least 4 hours every quarter; this includes meeting and preparation times, as well as coordination and emailing.

Candidate Requirements: 

The USNC seeks applications from candidates who are:

1. Aged 16+.
2. We welcome candidates from the following constituencies:
   1. Somerville Residents;
   2. Abutters to the Project area (persons who live within 1,000 feet of the Somernova campus, including the green area shown as expanded catchment on the USNC boundary map);
   3. Artists and Arts Administrators who live or work in Somerville; 
   4. Veterans of the Somernova CBA process (either for or against); 
   5. Somernova CBA Negotiating Team; USNC Board Members.
3. Expertise in any of the following areas is welcome but not required: 
   1. Prior experience with CBAs;
   2. Familiarity with zoning and planning issues;
   3. Community organizing;
   4. Architects, Planners, Traffic Engineers;
   5. Law and legal services.

Restrictions: Candidates must not be employed by Rafi, its associates or consultants, and not otherwise have a conflict of interest (as defined in the USNC Bylaws §13). 

Interested candidates should submit the following materials as part of their application:

1. Contact info and confirmation of candidate qualification from the Candidate Requirements listed above.
2. A Cover Letter that addresses the following questions:
   1. Why do you want to be on the committee? What constituency (or constituencies) do you count yourself as belonging to?
   2. Why do you think you’d be an ideal person to be on the committee? Please include any relevant experience you have in this regard.
3. A Curriculum Vitae (optional).

Applicant questions needing response before the submission deadline should be directed to the Somernova Committee by 9 p.m. EST on January 26, 2026. Questions may be directed to usnc-somernova-oversight+managers@googlegroups.com with the subject “Question Somernova CBA-IC” or asked as part of public comment during any USNC General meeting happening on or before January 26, 2026.

Applicant submissions may be transmitted electronically via email to:

usnc-somernova-oversight@googlegroups.com 

with subject “Application Somernova CBA-IC”. 

Or by USPS mail to: 

Union Square Neighborhood Council
Attn: Somernova Committee
337 Somerville Avenue,
Somerville, MA 02143.

The deadline to submit applications is January 30, 2026, 11:59 pm EST. Email or physical submissions must be postmarked on or before this day. 

Interviews for short-listed applicants will be scheduled in the second half of February and/or the first week of March 2026, with the option to attend remotely or in person at a location TBD in Union Square.