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OP-ED: Housing Group Recommends Steps to Address Housing Discrimination in Watertown

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Last week, the WestMetro HOME Consortium, a partnership of 13 regional communities of which Watertown is a member, released the results of a fair housing audit study that it conducted from March 2023 to January 2025. The Consortium worked with Suffolk Law’s Housing Discrimination Testing Program to test the prevalence of illegal race- and income-based discrimination in the housing market, pairing an applicant with a white alias with another with a “racially identifiable” Black, Hispanic, or Asian alias, or an applicant who posed as someone offering to pay market rate with one who posed as a housing voucher recipient. The study’s results are sobering, to say the least. In 65 tests of race-based discrimination (conducted across the Consortium’s 13 communities), applicants of color experienced discrimination 22 percent of the time. In 69 tests of income-based discrimination, voucher holders experienced discrimination a whopping 35 percent of the time.

Around Town

Watertown Savings Bank’s 26th Annual Customer Choice Awards Supports Local Non-Profits

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For the 26th year, Watertown Savings Bank invites customers to support their favorite local non-profit in the Customer Choice Awards. See the announcement from WSB below. Watertown Savings Bank’s 26th Annual Customer Choice Awards is underway. Local residents and WSB customers are invited to vote for their favorite local non-profit organizations in Arlington, Belmont, Lexington, Newton, Waltham, and Watertown. As part of this Awards program, Watertown Savings Bank will donate a total of $100,000, with the top prize being $15,000.

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OP-ED: Stand Up for Great Public Schools for All Kids

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By Shaunna Harrington

President Trump is gunning to weaken our K-12 public schools, and that should outrage all of us in the Commonwealth. Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Education announced all education institutions must eliminate DEI programs in 14 days to maintain federal funding. 

The Trump administration wields DEI as a bogeyman to scare people into believing it is causing grave injustices. But the bogeyman is no longer frightening when we talk about what diversity, equity and inclusion actually mean in our K-12 public schools in Massachusetts. 

Our commitment to diversity means we make sure kids from non-majority groups do not feel invisible, excluded, devalued, or unsafe. It means we celebrate multiple cultural traditions and teach kids to respect people different from themselves. We express our commitment to diversity in anti-bullying policies.

Around Town

Mount Auburn Street Project for Week of Feb. 18-22 Delayed

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UPDATE (Feb. 19) Mount Auburn Street Construction Work Paused for Week of February 18 – February 21, 2025. The Below Work Anticipated to Restart on February 24, 2025

The Mt. Auburn Street renovation continues this week with installation of drainage, a traffic signal, and tree protection, as well as soil testing. See details below provided by the City of Watertown.

Around Town

No Snow Emergency for Watertown, but Winter Parking Ban Still in Effect

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There will not be a snow emergency for Saturday’s storm, but cars still must be off the street, according to the announcement from the City of Watertown. See more information below. The City of Watertown would like to advise you of expected snow starting later today, Saturday, February 15, 2025, which will turn into icy conditions heading into Sunday, February 16, 2025. The City is not declaring a Snow Emergency Parking Ban, but the Winter Overnight Parking Ban remains in effect and will be strictly enforced. We strongly encourage residents to park in their driveways or municipal parking lots by the time the storm begins around 6pm, if possible.

Around Town

See the City Manager’s Statement on the Housing Discrimination Test Program Findings

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Watertown City Manager George Proakis released a statement on the findings of a Housing Discrimination Test Program conducted in Watertown, and a dozen other are communities. A pair of meetings, one virtual on Feb. 19 and one in-person in Newton on Feb. 26, will be held to discuss the reports findings and recommendations. See the statement provided by the City of Watertown below.

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City Closings & Trash Schedule for Presidents Day Week

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The City of Watertown announced that some municipal buildings and facilities will be closed for Presidents Day. See the information from the City below. Watertown City Hall, Parker Annex, Senior Center, Department of Public Works Office, and Watertown Free Public Library, will be closed on Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 17, 2025. Please note that there is a one day delay for trash and recycling pickup the week.