LGBT Equal Access to HUD Programs Policy Awareness

On April 25th, the City of Somerville Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, in collaboration with the Office of Somerville Commissions, The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Dvelopment Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, and MassEquality, presented a training to recipients of aid from HUD about the new regulations prohibiting housing discrimination. Under the regulation, any housing that receives funding from HUD is prohibited from discriminating based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. The training was well attended and provoked interesting conversations about equal access to housing for LGBT residents of Somerville. One thing that was discussed was that the new regulation may provide encouragement for homeless services to provide better accommodations for LGBT people, particularly transgender individuals.

You can get more information about the nondiscrimination policy here.

City of Somerville LGBTQ Programs and Services Directory

In May, in partnership with the Committee on Suicide Prevention and Mental Health and with the help of an excellent Tisch Scholar Ryan Parigoris, we were able to finally produce a first edition of the City of Somerville LGBTQ Programs and Services Directory. This has been a long time coming, and was worked on for many years by various LGBT Liaisons. After a small print run, we have now put the guide online! Check it out. Got any feedback about it? Let us know in the comments!

FINDINGS: Somerville Immigrant Needs Assessment Survey Report

Somerville Immigrant Needs Assessment Survey Report

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
The Office of Somerville Commissions collaborated with many organizations to reach out to Somerville immigrants in 2012. The purpose of the survey was to find the top needs of immigrants, learn the ways people connect to find out important information, and find the various languages spoken by Somerville residents. Hundreds of surveys were distributed, 43 surveys were completed in English (33%) and Portuguese (30%) along with Haitian Creole (21%) and Spanish (16%). There are many different language skills of the survey participants including:
44% speak Portuguese
44% speak Haitian Creole
24% speak French
12% speak Spanish
3% speak Bengali
3% speak Hindi
3% speak German
3% speak Bambara
3% speak Newari
3% speak American Sign Language

Based on the data provided by survey participants collected in 2012, Somerville immigrants’ top three priorities listed by participants were (1) schools & after-school programs, (2) children & youth programs, and (3) family support & information. It is evident that the greatest priorities held by immigrant residents of Somerville revolve around children (in regards to both schools and after-school programs) and the family unit in general. The top prioritized needs immigrants want to keep themselves and family healthy and safe are (1) finding more work/job support, (2) schools & programs for children, and (3) family welfare & education. While children and family opportunities are important, immigrants also want support to find a job or more work.

Almost 60% of responding immigrants have not used the City’s 3-1-1 service. The low number of participants who admitted to having used the 3-1-1 service provided by the City of Somerville indicates that this resource can be much better publicized to residents. Given that one third of participants were not even aware that this service existed, it is evident that advertising the 3-1-1 system would be a productive goal and project for the City of Somerville. The top three sources for information of participants were (1) friends, (2) school, and (3) local agencies. These results show that local immigrants do not use City of Somerville resources or posted signs for opportunities but acquire their information regarding Somerville from friends, their children’s schools, and local agencies.

REPORT PRODUCTION
Report Written and Data Prepared by Kiersten Ellefsen
Report Graphics and Design Prepared by Sonja Darai
Project Designed & Supervised by Sonja Darai

INFORMATION COLLECTION & EVALUATION

Kiersten Ellefsen, Tufts University Undergraduate Intern

PRIMARY PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS
o Massachusetts Alliance for Portuguese Speakers (MAPS)
o The Argenziano School
o Mystic Learning Center
o Haitian Coalition

Somerville Agencies and City of Somerville Departments who received surveys for this project
 Elizabeth Peabody House
 Centro Presente
 Council on Aging
 MAPS
 CASLS
 Catholic Charities/St. Patrick’s Shelter
 CAAS
 The Family Center
 Haitian Coalition
 Somerville Housing Authority
 Welcome Project
 Mystic Learning Center
 Argenziano
 SCALE
 SEC

The report and survey is a project of the Office of Somerville Commissions, a program of the Health Department in the City of Somerville.  For more information, contact the OSC at 617-625-6600 (x2400) or commissions@somervillema.gov.

What is the #1 Struggle Women Face Now

Art Beat 2013 results from asking passers-by at the Commission for Women's booth

Photo Source: natashalavender.wordpress.com

What is the #1 Struggle Women Face Now?


Lack of access to education

Lack of female decisions makers

Body Shaming

High/unrealistic expectations

Women judging each other and fighting instead of supporting each other

Being objective in advertising

Finding a job to support my family

Women with kids disadvantaged in work place

Getting better jobs

Childcare

Republicans

We still don't have full control over what we do with our bodies and insurance discrimination

Conservative assholes taking away our rights

Not enough women in science, technology, engineering and math

Stigma

Affordable child care

Stupid men

Cost of housing

Being sexualized

Poverty

Violence

Stereotypes

Income inequality

Sexual violence

Gaining respect

Being considered less equal than men

Texas

Grant longer paid maternity leave with job guaranteed upon return

Control of our bodies and emotions

Male republican governors attacking women's rights

Rape is our fault

That feminism will help everyone

Our voices are still being silenced

More women in government

Being thought as more then just a female

Mom vs. job. can we do it all?

Periods or cramps

Undervalued as parts of our society and government

Knowing their power

People making decisions for us

Buying using tampons/pads

Sexism

Having no support for men as a single mom and raping

Abuse

U.S supreme court

Slut Shaming

Feminism is a "bad" word

Having to look like a Barbie doll

Being judged by what we wear

The glass ceiling

Women in Fla serving 20 years for shooting abusive husband

Join the next Somerville Commission for Women meeting on August 21 at 7:00pm at the Cross Street Center (165 Broadway).  

411 on Protecting Elders

Photo credit:    www.atlanticphilanthropies.org

Knowing the 411 to protect our elders.

Do you know the basic signs of elder abuse or what to do with a concern?

We ask that if you suspect a family member, friend or neighbor is being abused or is living unsafely, please consult with Protective Services (PS). 

·         SIGNS OF ABUSE

o   physical – bruises, limping, bleeding. 

o   More subtle signs may be that the older adult appears afraid around particular family members, crying frequently, or are jumpy when they are around certain people. 

o   If you’re a neighbor, some signs may be:

§  you see cars appearing at strange hours or hear a lot of yelling, or

§  if an elder tells you that they’ve been abused or that their adult child, relative or friend is stealing from them. 

·         NEGLECT and SELF-NEGLECT

o   if they appear to be wandering and lost, if they look disheveled or that they aren’t taking care of their personal hygiene, if they’ve had a very sudden shift in their mental status and all of a sudden appear confused.  If you notice that there have been small fires in their houses – a lot of our self neglect cases are around memory loss and elder’s starting to leave their stoves or ovens on

·         PROTECTIVE SERVICES

o   PS reports are confidential, meaning that we will not tell the elder who reported them to Protective Services

·         RIGHT TO REFUSE

o   Elders are allowed to refuse PS interventions if they are found to have capacity to make their own decisions, even if it still appears that their situation is unsafe.

PROTECTIVE SERVICES HOTLINE

·         DAY

o   Somerville/Cambridge Elder Services (SCES)

Mon-Fri, 9 am – 5 pm:  617-628-2601, ext. 3420

·         EVENING/NIGHT

o   Statewide Protective Services hotline:  1 800-922-2275

Knock, Knock

         Who’s There?

A home visitor for Gramma and Grampa. 

      Hello!

Keeping our elders home, safe and independent is key.  This month’s “Voices of Somerville” episode (City’s channels 13 or 22) has Annie Fowler from Somerville Cambridge Elder Services. 

Watching the show will tell you all you need to know about keeping people safe in the least restrictive setting with supports available for elders and their family care givers. 

SCES offers A LOT for independent folks:

• State Homecare Program putting concrete services such as homemaking, personal care, transportation to medical appointments, Meals on Wheels.
• Checking with elders to be sure they have enough support and are safe
• Help finding a home with more supports (like Elder/Disabled housing building, Assisted Livings, and Nursing Homes, but really only when there are absolutely no other options)
• Educating the community about abuse, prevention, and services.

Watch the program on the City’s cable channels 13 or 22

Catch it again on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpmZ1nQFtlw&feature=youtu.be 

Watch and Learn

Quick: Name a loan provider that had low to no foreclosures in local communities across the US during the economic crisis?

 

Answer: Credit Unions !

 ____________

Watch this month’s show “Voices of Somerville: Credit Unions”   Host Sonja Darai talks with CEO Rui Domingos of the community-based CPCU Credit Union on the City’s cable channels 15 and 22 to learn more. Can't wait? Watch the show at http://youtu.be/38SyivzXeZ0.

 

Credit Unions

 

Credit Unions are member-owned and operated cooperative financial institutions which serve a select “member group” or community for the purpose of saving and lending to each other.

 

This means we have places that you can put your money in then your neighbor or local business owner borrows and pays back to the pool. You benefit from this with improvements to the lives of your neighbors, local business, and your own financial strength.

Want more links to credit union info?

 

CBS Sunday Morning Show: episode on credit unions (watch again 6/16 !)

•  Watch one family’s own credit union story along with how credit unions are beneficial to local communities across the US. 
• www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57575946/a-credit-union-thats-all-in-the-family

 Massachusetts Credit Union League

• Details of the credit unions in Massachusetts
• www.maleague.org/about

 New Hampshire Credit Union League

• A CBS Sunday Morning highlights credit unions and America’s Credit Union Museum
• www.enewsbuilder.net/necusnh/e_article002664721.cfm?x=b11,0,w

 Credit Unions Wikipedia

• All you ever wanted to know about credit unions in a nutshell.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_union

 

Banks Anticipate New Mass. Foreclosure Law (excerpt from article)

 

Meanwhile, Mary Ann Clancy, senior vice president of the Massachusetts Credit Union League, which represents credit unions in the state, was careful to say her organization didn't oppose new foreclosure regulations. But she said members would have preferred a different version of the bill.

 

Clancy said credit unions tend to have lower foreclosure rates than banks, and the extra administration associated with the new law will slow down services, and increase costs to credit union members.

• www.wbjournal.com/article/20121004/METROWEST02/310049996/banks-anticipate-new-mass-foreclosure-law

 Credit Union's Tax Status at Risk

•  The tax status of credit unions may be at stake. Congress is debating on taxing CUs along with other organizations.
• You can read more about this at www.DontTaxMyCreditUnion.org.