Willie Burnley

Nonpartisan

Whether it’s a space to socialize, to seek support, or to sink your teeth into a meal, local businesses serve a crucial role in our community. Sadly, too many of our storefronts remain vacant for far too long. We need creative leadership that works with our local business community to end the blight of in our squares.

Expand worker benefits by ensuring that survivors receive separate paid leave in the event of violence, as supported by RESPOND.

Fund additional grants for local artists to beautify Somerville through murals and other public art through a tax on short-term rentals like Airbnb.

Ensure that our playgrounds are accessible and built with universal design.

Work with state partners to end the unethical practice of forcing renters to pay for a broker that they did not hire.

As someone formerly displaced from Somerville and the only renter in this race, Willie acutely feels the urgency of working to build permanently affordable housing. That’s why he’s used his power on the council to eliminate economic barriers for affordable housing developers.

Collaborate with the Somerville Community Land Trust to build more permanently affordable housing.

Offer students safe and engaging spaces to learn by improving municipal buildings like schools and libraries.

Create a comprehensive Out-of-School Time strategy for our students that works to fill scheduling gaps and centralizes resources for community-wide activities in one place.

Create a City-operated website for artists to upload examples of their work, create profiles, and be connected to local businesses as they go through the permitting process in order for businesses to more easily buy locally made art.

Ensure the long-term viability of Arts at the Armory by creating co-governance of the Armory with legal leases.

Increase funding to Somerville’s Housing Acquisition fund through a tax on short-term rentals like Airbnb.

Implement a Green New Deal for Somerville Public Schools to ensure that new school buildings will be fully sustainable and decarbonized.

Supporting our students requires us to support educators with living wages and safe working conditions.