Public Safety
The mission of the Somerville Housing Authority’s Public Safety Department is to assist residents in maintaining a safe and secure living environment. Our Public Safety Department is located at 35 Memorial Road, Somerville, Massachusetts. Currently, SHA has one or two Public Safety Officers working every shift. An Officer is on duty from 10:00 am to 6:00 p.m. and another from 5:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on weekdays.
The SHA’s Public Safety Department works closely with the Somerville Police Department to ensure the safety of our residents. If there is a crime in progress or an emergency, please call 911. The Somerville Police Department will dispatch the appropriate response to your complaint.
Public areas of some buildings are under constant video monitoring. Viewing of live and archival film may be reviewed by security and management staff and under certain circumstances may be provided to authorities.
If there is an on-going security or safety problem in your building such as vandalism, unwanted guests in the hallways or suspected drug activity, help us maintain a safe environment by calling your Housing Manager, a Public Safety Officer, or the SHA ANONYMOUS TIP LINE AT 617-628-1258. This line is checked for messages during Public Safety hours and is for non-emergencies only. Callers may remain anonymous. You do NOT have to leave your name, and we do not have caller ID on this phone line. Please leave as much detail as you can. If you have a non-emergency situation you can call the SHA Public Safety Department during normal business hours.
Get involved and help protect your environment! Statistics have shown that an effective deterrent to crime is resident involvement. When individuals in a neighborhood look out for each other and communicate with law enforcement crime goes down. This does not require you to carry any weapons, nor does it require you to apprehend any suspicious looking individuals. However, it does require each resident to be more active in reporting suspicious activities or persons to the proper authorities. Therefore, we encourage each resident to know his or her neighbors and become alert to suspicious persons or activity on the property.
How to file a Complaint or Commendation to the Somerville Housing Authority Public Safety Department
We value your input. Please complete the form below if you would like to commend our Officers or file a complaint. We appreciate hearing when an Officer has done well, but it is of critical importance that we are also informed if you've had a negative encounter with one of our Officers and wish to file a complaint.
Steps to File a Public Safety Complaint
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Obtain the Complaint Form: The SHA Public Safety Complaint and Commendation form is available at the link(s) below (link to the attached translated forms). You may access a hardcopy of the form in the lobby of the SHA Administration Office at 30 Memorial Road, Somerville, MA 02145.
- Complete the Form: Fill out the form with detailed information about the incident, including dates, times, locations, and names of parties involved.
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Submit the Complaint/Thank You: You can submit the completed form in person or by mail to the SHA Administration Office at 30 Memorial Road, Somerville, MA 02145. You may email a copy to Executive Director Diane Cohen at DianeC@sha-web.org.If you need assistance, you may call (617) 625-1152 or speak to a staff member at the SHA Administration Office.
- Follow-Up: After submission, the SHA will review your complaint/commendation in accordance with their established procedures. You may be contacted for additional information or to discuss the matter further.