Dear Editor and Somerville/Medford News Weekly Speakup Line,

The city’s affordable unit they put me in CANNOT even pass building codes AND has TOXIC mold. I am disabled and this can be fatal for me and is unsafe. Why can ISD- Building Department conduct stealth meetings with landlord, but cannot return a phone call from the tenant?

Why did they write a building code violation letter ( but never enforce (Nov. 2023)? Why did the city try to attempt to go into my dwelling without my permission, consent and knowledge as a tenant with landlord. FOURTH AMENDEMENT VIOLATION- ILLEGAL SEARCH AND SEIZURE. Why have they not taken landlord to court? Why was my unit not inspected and meeting building codes prior to occupancy of building? These are all very good questions. OPEN RECORDS seems like only way to get answers about the questions of safety, property, health, etc.

Dec. 2023 I did a verbal records request only received about 5% of those docs. It cannot be enforced since it was verbal- city didn’t provide accommodations to put in writing. July 2024 I put in open records request in writing to city of Somerville, since i was provided accommodations this time. And the Records Access Officer, Cindy Amara has a legal obligation since she is appointed as the designated person but has yet to respond. David Shapiro, a city atty, who IS NOT the Records Officer SENDS ME A BILL FOR RECORDS

TOTAL ESTIMATED FEE = $3,441.75 (for PUBLIC RECORDS)

I then ask through a city employee that I need information on waivers and passes information that this falls under FEDERAL DEPT. OF JUSTICE waiver GUIDELINES. What? It falls under STATE law. Why was he trying to purposely provide bad info…he is an attorney….

I requested a waiver pursuant to Massachusetts law, which I qualify under any of the 3 items. Plus, the city never responded in an accessible effective communication within 10 days requested and legally have to waive fees. Yet instead of honoring the request to waive this was David Shapiro (City of Somerville- atty not records officer) response:
Your request for fee waiver is denied on the grounds that your records request is primarily for individual benefit and your records request is overly burdensome to respond to at no charge

Then as far as my accommodations required under American Disability Requires this was his response:
City’s voluntary act in reading any written responses to you was neither required by law

Massachusetts Guide to Public Records states “in the interest of open government, all records custodians are strongly urged to waive the fees associated with access to public records

Why are they fighting public records? Why refuse waiver? Why is it not transparent? Tax dollars make it public…