Agenda Summary
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To end the Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program access crisis.
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Official Text
WHEREAS: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, is the largest and most effective anti-hunger assistance program in the nation, serving more than 900,000 Massachusetts residents in 2026; and
WHEREAS: From January to April 2026, 91.5% percent of callers who had to take action or get DTA to take action to get or keep SNAP could not reach the DTA due to high call volume and insufficient staff to answer phone lines; and
WHEREAS: Since last July when President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill into law, the SNAP caseload has declined statewide by nearly 175,000 people, including 62,000 children; and
WHEREAS: This has resulted in a loss of more than $360 million federal food dollars per year. Some residents are losing SNAP due to H.R.1’s cruel eligibility cuts, and many residents are losing SNAP because they can’t reach DTA for help; and
WHEREAS: Participation in SNAP has dropped by 15% in Somerville from November 2024 to April 2026, about 992 residents. The decline in the 02145 zip code was 20% during this time. Statewide, many affected by access issues are children; Massachusetts child participation in SNAP has decreased by 18% since July 2025. Data indicate much of this decline is due to lack of capacity to process applications at the DTA. From January to April 2026, procedural issues led to 70% of application denials and 51% of recertification denials, compared with 50% and 30-35%, respectively, in times of adequate DTA staffing. As a result, local service providers must spend more time assisting and are straining for resources to fill in gaps when people lose SNAP or cannot get their benefit adjusted appropriately due to a worsening of financial circumstances.
WHEREAS: While the federal government is focused on cutting programs that have served our residents well for decades, we know Massachusetts can choose differently by investing in SNAP and DTA’s workforce; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED: That the Somerville City Council urges the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Massachusetts General Court to prioritize ending a SNAP access crisis in Massachusetts that is preventing members of our community from tapping into this powerful resource. Somerville City Council requests the hiring of additional DTA case workers to ensure those eligible for SNAP are able to receive and maintain benefits.