Looking Back/Looking Forward

Alderman-at-Large Stephanie Hirsch on Lessons Learned and Wish List for 2019

Happy New Year, Somerville neighbors!

At the start of 2019, I will share some lessons learned from my first year of service, as well as a wish-list for Somerville for this coming year. You can take a look at all my updated goals, steps taken, and Board Orders here.

Would you like to give me feedback? Take this anonymous feedback form (and/or email or call any time.)

Here are some reflections on my first year of service.

Making Decisions Together: This year confirmed for me that making progress means very difficult decisions made on a deadline. The work has reminded me how important it is that we as a community make decisions TOGETHER, involving every corner of Somerville and every last person who sleeps or works within our borders.

How can we keep trying to do this better in 2019?

First, we need a shared understanding on what options exist and how those options relate to one another’s needs. The more

we are looking at the same picture of reality, I believe, the more likely we are to agree on what needs to happen. Initiatives that support this goal include:

• The City making municipal data available (such as through the City’s Socrata portal), and residents like us figuring how to use it (such as through our pilot Housing Challenge);
• Efforts that help residents understand the trade-offs, such as through a participatory budgeting pilot; and
• Initiatives that create opportunities for each of us to share our stories and explain our unique needs, such as the upcoming renewed SomerVision 2040 process that aspires to ask all residents about their hopes, efforts to help each individual succeed (like OneSomerville and the Somerville Education Foundation), and community-building work (like last summer’s Block Party Challenge).
• Next, we need increased mutual trust. Campaign contributions from developers and other groups that have a major financial interest in city operations erodes that trust. When money shapes policies (or even appears to shape policies), it’s harder to know if the decisions getting made best serve our residents.

We often look to Cambridge as a benchmark against our own more slower-paced progress on tree planting, traffic calming, investment in youth, or affordable housing. Cambridge can do this work because it has such a huge revenue base, with three times the money to spend as Somerville. I believe that Somerville will have to find a way to increase its commercial and residential tax revenue as a community — even sometimes making sacrifices in design, traffic, and other issues. However, we can only make decisions about which trade-offs are worth it if the foundation of decision making is trust, transparency, empathy, and shared knowledge. With that foundation, we can decide what to do as a community. There will still be differences of opinion, but they will be healthy ones, rather than one side wondering what deals may be getting made for the wrong reasons behind closed doors.

Technical Solutions and Law: I have worked on the “good government” side of Somerville since 2004 (and in other communities before that). I have spent my career believing that using the best available technical solutions will improve municipal operations. Municipal government has about 70 different responsibilities, from caring for veterans and seniors to putting out fires to maintaining trees. Those different units report to one Mayor who can’t be an expert on all topics. Mayor Curtatone and I worked to start SomerStat back in 2004 to help address this management challenge, and SomerStat has helped make lots of progress in each of Somerville’s unique divisions, especially using tools of analysis, operations, and finance.

A new piece for me is understanding how important are the tools of law. As a member of our legislative body, I can help re-write laws to make change. Once the law changes, the executive must carry out those laws in terms of administrative policy. There’s a great deal of room for improvement in the operations and coordination of all municipal functions in every community in the Commonwealth. And, similarly, I believe there’s potential for reforms using the tools of municipal law that remain unexplored. At current staffing levels, our law office needs to run to keep up with the daily legal work related to the many different municipal functions. I’m convinced that if we had an extra team of municipal law experts, we’d be able to implement break-through reforms in by rewriting local laws.

Change at the State Level: Despite the opportunity to innovate locally, state and federal laws, polices, and spending greatly limit options. Many of the goals we set locally — such as those related to transit, housing, education, open space, and most other areas of local life — meet roadblocks when it comes to state approvals or funding. The interests and/or politics of Somerville and a few other communities don’t align perfectly with most of Western Mass and many of our suburban Boston neighbors. And, as a result, both the Republican governor and the Democratic-controlled legislature, advance a set of goals that differs from ours. Change needs to happen at the state level. Our state delegation (Senator Jehlen and Reps Barber, Provost, and Connolly) are the most progressive in the Commonwealth, so we can’t personally vote out our representatives to make change. It has to happen in the rest of the state.

As with coalition-building throughout the country and world, campaign and policy strategists who work at the state level will need to see what

voters in communities like Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and Brookline (where Baker did not get a majority of votes) have in common with Granville, Templeton, or Lynnfield (where Baker got 80% or more votes). Both sets of communities have some very low median income towns and some very high. I believe the same approaches that work locally — good government, trust, transparency, investment in the common good, and empathy — will help with both state and federal campaigns. For now, my focus will stay local, but I encourage all of us to think about how to change our state leadership.

A Huge Scope: Perhaps the biggest realization this year has been how big the job is. There was a large turnover in the BOA this year, and many of us came into office having campaigned hard the year prior. We and the returning incumbents spoke to thousands of residents and heard their frustrations and hopes. We brought those issues into the horseshoe and piled them on the agenda, hoping to make as much progress as possible, as fast as possible. For me, the broad scope means that I spend about 30 hours a week corresponding with residents about their individual concerns, and another 15 hours in meetings. This leaves less time for the general category of “getting things done” or moving major projects forward. (One of my very favorite parts of being in office is talking to you about your concerns and hopes… and one of my least favorite parts is not being able to solve them all… or even most.)

Empathy: I am reminded several times a day the number one lesson learned from being in office… people are different. Just when I think I understand the general feeling on a topic, I hear from someone who sees the world completely differently. I get to hear the thousands of different stories and perspectives because it’s my job to ask. On a daily basis, though, I wish that everyone could hear one another’s stories. There ARE cases where empathy doesn’t make sense, like when profit is the main motivator. We don’t have to practice empathy when an out-of-town developer wants to replace housing with luxury units on our street. In most cases, though, when someone has a different opinion, it does make sense to ask “Why do you feel that way?” In listening to the response, we will hear common drivers, such as family tradition, fear or worry, chronic pain, an experience of trauma, concern about a child or aging parent, or a desire to be included and valued. I believe more than ever that as a community we must use every possible technical tool to find the win-win solutions. And when we can’t find that perfect solution, we will need to split the difference, with empathy, knowing that one person’s sacrifice is to help address the needs of a neighbor. (Pictured here is a sidewalk in Union Square… I never see sidewalks the same since spending time listening to the worries of people with accessibility and mobility constraints.)

People Power: Finally, this year has affirmed for me the importance of local organizing. I have seen groups this year — advocates for open space, urban forestry, affordable housing, traffic calming, labor, improvements to Davis Square, better design in new developments, improvements to bike infrastructure, more housing/YIMBY, and may others — organize to make a big impact on our local policy agenda. I have seen blocks get together to negotiate with developers who have arrived on their block or to advocate for safer streets. Residents are always limited by time, because we have lives, jobs, families, and hobbies. However, if we can unlock the people power in Somerville on each block and around each issue, I believe we will find break-through solutions. It’s a case of many hands make light work — if each of us can resolve to donate more to local causes, serve on a committee, attend a meeting, or organize a neighborhood gathering, I believe we will get so much done as a community. And, perhaps equally importantly, we will have fun and form friendships as we do it.

MY 2019 WISHES: As we’ve been saying goodbye to 2018, I’ve been sending up wishes for my community. (Take a look here for a complete list of my goals, what progress we’ve made, and related Board Orders submitted.)

I am wishing for fewer rats and fewer cars. As we’ve been talking about all year, rats and cars affect public health, peace of mind, and community ties. I’m proud of our funding and staffing of a new position called Health Liaison (aka Rat Czar) who will start this week. Once the new staff person settles in, she will meet with affected blocks. Regarding traffic, I’m proud of our increased investment this year — almost doubling staffing in traffic/transportation planning divisions. Resident advocacy — including meetings monthly with me and Alderman Niedergang throughout 2018, I hope, lead to the formation of a City-staffed pedestrian/transit Committee (modeled after the bike committee) early in 2019. This group with staff can work to prioritize problem traffic locations and issues, and try out all available solutions. Read more about traffic problems and possible solutions in a draft column that Alderman Niedergang and I plan to submit to The Somerville Times.

I am wishing that we can preserve more homes for low- and middle-income Somerville residents, especially on every block. I’m proud of what we (including BOA, City, and resident advocates) accomplished this year, such as the formation of the Office of Housing Stability, expansion of the tax deferral program, the drafting of the Transfer Fee Home Rule Petition, and analysis of data to inform policies. We will dig into the Zoning Overhaul early in 2019, with the hope that it can get passed by the summer with new affordability tools in place. In coming weeks, I’ll be meeting with affordable housing policy experts and city staff to figure out what tools the zoning can include to create more

affordable units, especially within the traditional neighborhoods. I will also be meeting with City staff this month to look at a toolkit of relief and support for seniors and long-time homeowners, whose taxes and fees have risen, continuing the work we did last year with better promotion of the tax deferral program. (Pictured here is an example of an increase in tax bills).

Without a change in housing policy, the vast majority of us will be living on blocks that have all luxury homes within a decade or two, with the only affordable units in larger developments. I hope 2019 is a year we redouble our efforts to change course before it’s too late.

I am wishing that everyone can experience trees and open space and that no one in Somerville will have to breathe unsafe levels of highway air pollution. I’m proud of the work of open space, urban forestry, and environmental advocates this year, who fought for an Urban Forestry Committee a full accounting of the City’s strategy to preserve and expand tree canopy and open space. I am inspired by the relentless work of researchers and activists, like Wig Zamore and Ellin Reisner, over decades now, to build up a basis of evidence to make a case for steps that will reduce resident exposure to highway pollution. There is so much more work to do to maintain what we have and to add more. I hope that 2019 will be a year that we experience both incremental and breakthrough solutions. (Pictured here are ideas for a wall that would prevent some of the pollution from McGrath to reach Foss Park.)

I am wishing that each of us has an opportunity to be environmental stewards. Advocates and the City have released a road map for achieving climate resiliency, and I hope we all — regardless of age, background, or means — have opportunities to take steps to help and feel a sense of hope about what’s possible. Furthermore, I hope that we will work towards having more (increasingly close to) zero waste homes and schools. I’m proud of the work we (the School District, the City, and advocates of all ages) did to implement composting and recycling in the schools this year… and I’m ready to help do much more.

I am wishing that our residents will all get to know one another — and be able to organize. This past year, we launched the block party challenge. In 2019, I want to continue to support residents connecting with one another to set and achieve goals and to form friendships. I hope to help give each block a toolkit to tackle the problems that most impact quality of life, health, and community ties.

I am wishing that we will be a community that invests in its institutions so that each person has a place to go to feel welcome, engaged, and active, and that no one falls through the cracks. I recently read an article about a city in Finland called Kauniainen which is, supposedly, the “happiest town in the world.” It’s not the weather that makes people happy, nor the town’s physical beauty. What the article says makes people in this town happy is a enough support systems, like adequate housing and health care, PLUS, many opportunities to be engaged in community life. People can visit parks, libraries, adult education classes, free preschool and playgrounds, game nights. This isn’t such a complicated formula, and I think we can do all of this in Somerville. We’re just the right size, we also often have gloomy weather, and we already bursting with Somerville pride and traditions. We are a town of advocates, hard workers, and people watchers — we can get this done. I’m proud of the work I’ve done this year to support efforts like expanding out-of-school time programming, working to build a community recreation center in Union Square, increasing access to the City’s pools, and funding a renovated West Branch Library. We need to do much more, though, to continue to make sure each child thrives, that people struggling with opioid addiction have options, and that the story of Laura Levis results in lasting change in our emergency responses. With discipline about spending, empathy about what different people need, an all hands-on-deck approach to community investment, and a community-driven process of deciding where to invest, I believe we can be the Kauniainen of New England.

And most of all… I am wishing you all a healthy and joyful 2019. I look forward to connecting with as many of you as possible as the new year unfolds to see how I can help you. I promise to do my very best to support your hopes for Somerville.

You are my job, your stories are my stories, and I wish all of us the health, resilience, resolve, and peace of mind to get big things done in the new year.

Stephanie