City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda read the item and recognized the Commissioner of Health and Human Services, who provided an overview of shelters and the total number of beds available in the city, the number of chronically homeless people serviced, the process relative to finding and building permanent supportive housing, best practices to increase shelter capacity for the city, strengthening outreach in the community, and proactive eviction prevention strategies.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda discussed the opioid crisis epidemic, and the impact addiction has related to chronically unhoused people utilizing services offered and the process relative to creating increased follow-up supportive services with the Commissioner of Health and Human Services.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda then discussed the intentions of the day resource center relative to emergency shelter strategies with the Commissioner of Health and Human Services.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda recognized Councilor Haxhiaj, who spoke concerning the new policy brought forth by the Governor of Massachusetts regarding capping the access to shelters for families with children, data related to the landlord tenant guarantee fund, the process relative to expediting zoning reviews related to building multifamily homes, and the responsibilities related to the eviction taskforce with the Commissioner of Health and Human Services.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda brought forth the following two (2) Chairman’s Orders: 1) Request City Manager request Chief Development Officer expedite a zoning review as it relates to ensuring the building of multifamily housing in the city; and 2) Request Standing Committee on Public Health and Human Services hold a discussion with representatives from the city’s zoning taskforce and community stakeholders relative to preventative strategies around evictions as it relates to homelessness in the city.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson, who spoke concerning expediting zoning reviews, the intention, size, and potential locations relative to the day resource center, funds, resources, and partnerships available to use towards the day resource center, the size relative to the eviction taskforce team and their mission with the Commissioner of Health and Human Services.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda then discussed Department of Health and Human Services satellite locations relative to the day resource center with the Commissioner of Health and Human Services.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda moved to recommend the item be held.

Recommend Hold

Request City Manager request Chief Development Officer expedite a zoning review as it relates to ensuring the building of multifamily housing in the city.

Request Standing Committee on Public Health and Human Services hold a discussion with representatives from the city’s zoning taskforce and community stakeholders relative to preventative strategies around evictions as it relates to homelessness in the city.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda read the item and recognized the Director of the Quality of Life Team, who provided an overview related to hiring a fourth nuisance inspector and the process relative to following a quadrant model by assigning a quarter of the city to each nuisance inspector, resident and business owner community outreach, neighborhood cleanup initiatives, and the process relative to working with Health and Human Services.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda discussed challenges met by the Quality of Life Team and best practices to move forward and other city agencies that use the 311 application with the Director of the Quality of Life Team.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda recognized Councilor Haxhiaj, who spoke concerning how City Councilors can work with the nuisance inspectors relative to their assigned quadrants of the city, how the Quality of Life Team can be supported related to promoting the bluebag initiative and recommend any materials published related to the initiative be published in multiple languages with the Director of the Quality of Life Team.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson, who spoke concerning negative resident experiences related to the 311 application and the process relative to application improvements and methods to gaining residents’ trust, the best practices related to educating business owners about maintaining clean business environments, the access to affordable yellow bags and the process relative to garbage disposal equity between residents and business owner with the Director of the Quality of Life Team.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda spoke regarding ensuring a high neighborhood cleanliness standard with community members and businessowners.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson, who then discussed the buy-in from the neighborhood residents regarding cleanups across the city with the Director of the Quality of Life Team.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be filed.

Recommend File on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda read the item and recognized the Commissioner of Health and Human Services, who provided an overview of the Opioid Overdose Strategic Plan as relates to the process relative to preventative and trauma informed care, school outreach, Community Healthlink youth detox centers, recovery high school programs, disparities in recovery treatments relative to the BIPOC community, the function relative to the opioid taskforce, the process relative to providing access to care to the city’s most vulnerable communities, hospital policy changes, and working with the court’s Recovery with Justice (RWJ) Program.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda discussed the process relative to establishing recovery treatment centers for African American and Black men and for women with children with the Commissioner of Health and Human Services.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager request Commissioner of Health and Human Services coordinate meetings with City Councilors in each City Council district to discuss overdose data with members of the community.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda recognized Councilor Mero-Carlson, who discussed limitations related to school outreach and concerns regarding limited data from the jails with the Commissioner of Health and Human Services.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request Standing Committee on Education hold a discussion with the Commissioner of Health and Human Services and appropriate members of the Worcester Public Schools relative to ensuring data and education is provided to students within the school department concerning opioids and overdose prevention strategies.

Chairperson Councilor Ojeda moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be filed.

Recommend File on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays

Request City Manager request Commissioner of Health and Human Services coordinate meetings with City Councilors in each City Council district to discuss overdose data with members of the community.

Request Standing Committee on Education hold a discussion with the Commissioner of Health and Human Services and appropriate members of the Worcester Public Schools relative to ensuring data and education is provided to students within the school department concerning opioids and overdose prevention strategies.