Rally Over Worcester DTA Office Move Planned For Friday

WORCESTER, MA — Local community groups opposed to the state moving the Department of Transitional Assistance office out of downtown Worcester will rally at City Hall on Friday morning. The rally is part of a campaign to draw attention to how the move will affect impoverished people who enjoy the office's central location.

The state's lease for office space at the 13 Sudbury St. location expires at the end of February. After going out to bid last year, the state signed a new lease in August to rent the former Big Y space at 50 Southwest Cutoff — about five miles southwest of the Sudbury Street office near the Millbury border.

The move is set to take place on Feb. 26, but activists are pushing for concessions from the state. Martha Assefa, director of the Worcester Food Policy Council, said that local community groups are offering the state office space in the downtown area to keep a satellite office open.

Community groups also want DTA clients to get transportation reimbursement for having to travel from downtown to the new office. WRTA added a new bus line — Route 12 — to connect downtown to the new office, but that can be a barrier for people who are accustomed to a quick walk or ride to get DTA services, Assefa said.

The Worcester DTA office provides a range of services — from SNAP food benefits to employment training — to thousands of Worcester area residents. A state Department of Housing and Community Development office will also be moving to the new Southwest Cutoff location.

A slew of community groups, including the Central West Justice Center and Catholic Charities Worcester County, have been meeting recently about how to push back on the move, Assefa said.

And they have political support. The Worcester City Council in January passed a resolution opposing the move, and state Rep. Mary Keefe, D-Worcester, said recently that the move would "[fragment] a critical safety net for our most vulnerable residents."

"We're keeping up the pressure, it's a long term thing," Assefa said. "We know this really matters."

The Feb. 21 "Stand Up for DTA & DHCD Access!" rally begins at 11:30 a.m. outside of Worcester City Hall, 455 Main St.