By The Times Staff

The past year was an issues-oriented one for many in the city. A citywide election took place, culminating in the selection of a new mayor. The city took on a number of matters concerning the development and sustenance of both new and existing projects. Protests over immigration enforcement took focus for a time, as did many other demonstrations in support of human rights and equality. The following events highlight some of the top stories of 2025:

The year got off to a bit of a bumpy start as bicyclists complained that the bike lane entry onto Washington Street felt unsafe, following a reconstruction project of sidewalks and repaving meant to make it safer for pedestrians, motorists, and bicyclists.

During the December 12 City Council meeting, Ward 2 City Councilor J.T. Scott ordered the Director of Mobility and the Director of Engineering to appear before the Council to discuss the preparation of a change order to revert the design back to the original plans for the bike lane at the entrance of Washington Street and Webster Avenue in Union Square.

Also in January, Mayor Katjana Ballantyne announced the ratification of a new contract with the Somerville Municipal Employees Union Unit B that included unprecedented wage increases designed to address long-standing wage bias. The new contract included average salary adjustments between 14% and 17% in fiscal year 2025.

The three-year agreement developed by the administration and union leadership covered fiscal years 2023-2025 and is based on a deep analysis of more than 90 different jobs and compensation in over a dozen comparable communities in the Greater Boston Area.

At a City Council meeting in January, a resolution was put forward to urge officials at Mass General Brigham to stop their delays and come to the bargaining table to recognize a PCP union.

“Mass General Brigham’s decision to fight its own overworked staff’s unionization harms its reputation and, more importantly, harms patient health,” said City Councilor-At-Large Willie Burnley, Jr., in a written statement. “We need to listen to our healthcare workers when they advocate on behalf of our most vulnerable residents and ensure that they are able to provide the best care possible.

Somerville Media Center reopened to the public early in the year and brought new facilities and services online for the Somerville community. Their new computer lab and podcast studio were operational and already providing service to members. Their new and luxurious conference room has hosted meetings for staff and the board of directors. Next online was their hot set mini-studio and full-sized main studio.

Ongoing efforts to “Ground McGrath” Highway (Route 28) in Somerville received a federal funding boost when the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced that the State has been awarded a more than $43 million federal grant to advance the project, which would replace the elevated McCarthy Overpass with a safer, more accessible ground-level road and people-friendly streetscape. The grant was part of more than $102 million in federal support that Massachusetts won for transportation infrastructure projects.

Many residents in Somerville expressed concerns regarding President Donald Trump’s order to target undocumented immigrants, and while federal authorities are cracking down on high-risk individuals who pose a threat to national security or public safety in sanctuary cities, the new policy raises the specter of persistent raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who have been tasked with implementing the presidential mass deportation directive amid a slew of executive orders.

In response to these enhanced targeting operations, Somerville City Councilor Matthew McLaughlin placed an order during the January 23 city council meeting for the immigrant affairs director at SomerViva to update the public health and public safety committee to address immigrant rights and coordinate programming that can assist residents.

“While we are deeply concerned about potential federal overreach and its impact on families and our economy, we remain steadfast in our commitment to protect the lawful and constitutional rights of all who call our city home,” said Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne in a written statement.

In February, the City of Somerville announced a recalibration of redevelopment plans for 90 Washington Street following a legal decision that significantly increased the cost of the property.

The city decided to prioritize the sale of the property for private development, focusing on mixed-use residential development with ground-floor retail space – including both affordable and market rate units–that aligns with the community vision outlined by the 90 Washington Street Civic Advisory Committee.

Two sanctuary cities in Massachusetts – Chelsea and Somerville – filed a federal lawsuit on Monday of this week challenging the Trump Administration’s efforts to coerce them into participating in mass deportation efforts. Represented by Lawyers for Civil Rights, the cities assert that the Administration’s heavy-handed tactics – threatening to strip sanctuary cities of federal funding and prosecute them for failing to bend to the President’s will – violate their Constitutional rights.

In March, the city submitted a home rule petition to the Massachusetts State Legislature that would require that broker fees in the City of Somerville be paid by the party who solicits a licensed broker, according to the petition.

According to a press release from Governor Maura Healey’s Administration on January 13, the Commonwealth planned on proposing an end to renter-paid broker fees in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

On Saturday, March 8, 200 Somerville residents rallied in support of our immigrant neighbors in front of the East Somerville Library for two hours in 30-degree temperatures. The rally featured Somerville residents sharing their immigrant stories and loudly declaring their existence here. Many local organizations shared their ongoing work and commitment to support immigrant communities during national attacks on immigrants and undocumented people. Rally attendees joined calls for an end to deportations and ICE raids, for Maura Healey to declare Massachusetts a Sanctuary State, to uphold Somerville’s sanctuary city status, and for city elected officials to affirm immigrants’ important role and right to be in our city and schools.

The Somerville City Council took a firm stance in defense of disability rights by passing a resolution in support of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This decision comes in response to a legal challenge from 17 states that threatens to weaken protections for people with disabilities across the country.

At the March 13 City Council meeting, local leaders and advocates stressed the importance of maintaining the safeguards provided under Section 504, which prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in federally funded programs, including education, housing, and healthcare. The council’s resolution rejects attempts to get rid of these protections and reaffirms the city’s commitment to inclusivity and accessibility.

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne announced the transformation of Founders Ice Rink into a multi-purpose recreation hub serving all ages. This exciting development comes after a successful pilot period showcasing the community’s demand for diverse recreational activities.

The Administration proposed a significant upgrade following the rink’s seasonal closure with the installation of a multi-purpose gym floor. The estimated $168,000 for this upgrade requires funding approval by the City Council and has been submitted for consideration.

In April, over 2,000 people gathered at the Powderhouse Square Park to attend a rally condemning the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainment of Rumeysa Ozturk. The Tufts Ph.D student was detained outside her West Somerville apartment on Tuesday, March 25, by ICE agents who had been surveilling her home from an unmarked vehicle the two previous days. Court records state that she was subsequently taken to a detention center in Louisiana, despite orders from U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani that ICE not remove Ozturk from Massachusetts.

The City of Somerville installed the nation’s first outdoor dual sharps disposal kiosk at Seven Hills Park, further advancing its harm reduction and public safety initiatives. Located behind the Davis Square MBTA station, the kiosk is accessible by foot, bike, and car, with nearby access from Meacham Road.

Hundreds of educators, caregivers, students, and community members gathered outside of East Somerville Community School in May before a hearing on the school budget to call on Mayor Katjana Ballantyne to increase her funding proposal for Somerville Public Schools.

Afterwards, dozens of educators, caregivers, and community members offered public comments and spoke passionately about the need to go beyond level funding to meet the needs of Somerville students and educators and defend against federal funding cuts.

After an intensive community engagement process, the City of Somerville released its Master Plan for establishing its Armory building as a public community arts center, which would place Somerville among only a handful of communities nationwide with a public-owned arts and culture center.

In June, Rafi Properties, owner and operator of the Somernova innovation campus, is proud to announce the official signing of the Somernova Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) and a first of its kind Project Labor Agreement (PLA) – marking a major step forward for the arts and innovation ecosystem and equitable, community-driven development in Somerville’s Union Square.

The Somerville Legislative Matters Committee took steps in July to protect tenants affected by the condo conversions, which have led to the displacement of some long-term renters. To address these displacements, Committee members proposed changes to the city’s condo conversion ordinance. This change in the ordinance proposal was intended to extend the notice period for vacant rental units from 1 year to 2 years. This is essentially the window of time landlords need to give written notice to a tenant of their intent to change the property.

On Sunday, July 6, 26 people, including two minors, as well as pets, were displaced by a fire on Wheatland Street that left two multifamily homes uninhabitable. Fortunately, everyone got out safely, but significant challenges remained for those who could not return to their homes. Roughly a dozen city departments and a half-dozen partner agencies mobilized to set up temporary shelter and food, and actively coordinated ongoing support. The Somerville Homeless Coalition’s Emergency Fund was then created to help them get back on their feet.

In August, the Somerville Bicycle Advisory Committee, in a unanimous vote, endorsed comments for the upcoming Somerville Avenue design project. The project planned to move bike lanes from the street to beside sidewalks, adding to bike lane protection. It is part of the Somerville Bicycle Network Plan and planned to use materials like paint, flex posts, and signs to create boundaries. But it will not include any major construction.

Also in August, the city’s Department of Public Space and Urban Forestry (PSUF) shared updates to its Tree Preservation Ordinance, reinforcing the city’s commitment to protecting trees on both public and private land. The amended ordinance includes strengthened requirements for tree removal and new protections for significant trees affected by construction.

The Somerville School Building Committee met on August 18 to further discuss progress regarding the Winter Hill Community Innovation School project and the feedback received from the community surrounding it so far.

Somerville established a sister-city relationship with the City of Pryluky, located in the northern region of Ukraine, to stand in solidarity against authoritarian regimes that threaten democracy amid difficult and trying times.

In September, in what some consider a stunning upset, incumbent Mayor Katjana Ballantyne was edged out of her bid for reelection by challengers Willie Burnley, Jr. and Jake Wilson, who would face off for the office in the Municipal Election on Tuesday, November 4. Wilson prevailed and won his bid to become Somerville’s next mayor.

At a meeting of the Somerville City Council held on September 11, lawmakers condemned the use of face masks by immigration agents, requesting identification standards and submitting a resolution that, while mostly symbolic, may assist with the eventual ban of masks worn by ICE agents.

A resolution submitted by Councilor J.T. Scott asked the mayor to update the City Council on any plans to prevent ICE agents from wearing identity-concealing masks and issue a requirement for agents to provide identification upon request.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed the proposed new City of Somerville Charter on September 9, and now the joint efforts of Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, the City Council, and the Charter Review Committee to update the charter are ready for voter approval. Two November 4, 2025, ballot questions would allow voters to decide whether to accept the charter and whether to extend the mayoral term.

Dozens of residents joined Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, Deputy Police Chief Jim Donovan, and other city leaders inside the Somerville Community Baptist Church on October 6 to discuss concerns over homelessness and public safety around Davis Square and Seven Hills Park.

On November 6, the Somerville Land Use Committee held a joint session with the city’s Planning Board and Redevelopment Authority to discuss potential changes to the 90 Washington Street Demonstration Project plan.

Following public outcry and a win on the Palestine Solidarity Ballot Question during the November municipal election with 11,599 votes in favor, lawmakers in Somerville answered back by passing a resolution that lays the groundwork for plans toward divestment at the latest city council meeting on November 25.

2025 was a year characterized by the usual accomplishments and controversies that are to be expected in this dynamic City of Somerville.

May 2026 bring even more of the best that the city has to offer.