Arlington Establishes Task Force to Adress Homelessness: Report

ARLINGTON, MA—The Town of Arlington has established a task force to address the issues of homelessness in town.

According to a report by the Arlington Advocate, the Board of Selectmen unanimously approved a proposal from Town Counsel Doug Heim which establishes a group of nine members to further study the issues of homelessness in Arlington. The task force will consist of four residents, and representatives from various other town departments.

According to a memo sent to the selectmen by Heim, the establishment of the task force comes after the Selectmen voted no action on Article 24, which would have banned camping on public grounds. Many groups in town, including the Arlington Human Rights Commission, believed that more information regarding the nature of the challenges facing the homeless should be gathered.

On July 14, Heim recommended the establishing of the board, and recommended that the task force must work with the Somerville Homeless Coalition to address the issue.

The board will consist of four residents, two appointed by the board and two appointed by the Town Moderator, with one of each coming from precinct one. There will also be a representative from the Arlington Health, Police, Planning and Recreation departments; as well as a representative from the Arlington Human Rights Commission.

You can read more from the Arlington Advocate here.