Somerville is the most densely populated municipality in New England. Historically a gateway city that previously attracted large numbers of Italian, Irish and Portuguese immigrants, it remains an immigrant city with a population that is 25% foreign born. Previously known as a blue-collar city suffering from deindustrialization, crime, and population loss, Somerville is now a well-known sanctuary city that is home to diverse people from Brazil, Haiti, and Central America. It is also becoming increasingly socioeconomically polarized as affluent professionals and families settle into historically poor and working class communities. The city is recognized as a model modern city distinguished by innovative government, community engaged planning efforts, and as a city where residents are committed to working together to tackle community-wide challenges. However, there is disagreement in the city regarding the extent to which residents have informed development and transportation decisions, and there has been a great deal of grass-roots and resident organizing pushing for more participatory governance, and a greater representation of the needs of diverse Somerville residents in decision making and local policy. As Somerville has evolved into a desirable place to live, it presents a case-study for how municipal governments and their communities grapple with various intertwined urban issues such as gentrification, affordable housing, development vs displacement, and transportation expansion- all factors that influence health.
SOC-STD 68UH: Urban Health and Community Change
