LYNN — After concluding its first year of operation, the city’s Racial Equity Municipal Action Plan (REMAP) team, composed of city officials and two community activists, said the best way to address racial equity in the city is to focus on housing disparities and affordability.
In December 2020, the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) launched REMAP in six communities, including Lynn, with the aim of implementing racial-equity action plans in 2021.
A team was convened to help create Lynn’s action plan, which was meant to aid in addressing challenges regarding racial equity. The Lynn team members are comprised of city staff: Mayor Thomas M. McGee, Michel Chamsarian, Aaron Clausen, Faustina Cuevas, Deputy Police Chief Lenny Desmarais, Elyse Fannon, Norris Guscott, and Drew Russo; Jeff Weeden from Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development; and two community members and activists, Jonathon Feinberg of the New Lynn Coalition and Adriana Paz of Prevent the Cycle.
The team focused on housing disparities and the ongoing affordability challenges in Lynn that disproportionately affect communities of color and low-income families.
Weeden, one of the team members, said that Housing Lynn, the city’s new housing production plan, offered an opportunity for residents to present data and input. He said that the resident-offered recommendations helped to address housing disparities such as affordability.
“Housing affordability became a focus of the team, based on the recent data and substantial public input from Housing Lynn, the city’s newly-adopted housing production plan,” said Weeden. “Disparities in our housing are evident and there are recommendations from the plan, put forth by Lynn residents, which can be impactful.”
The REMAP program is to continue next year. The city will be optimizing Housing Lynn to have more discussions and feedback with the community.
McGee, whose term ends on Jan. 3, said he is proud of the work he has done for the REMAP team and that this past year has been productive in addressing community issues and racial equity.
“I am proud to have been a part of the work the Lynn REMAP team has accomplished so far,” said McGee. “We believe that this process has been a positive first step in addressing racial inequities in Lynn and that this work will continue into the next administration in collaboration with community partners and other important stakeholders.”
