The City Council on Sept.18 voted 7-0 to approve a resolution that I cosponsored urging the city to “divest from, and refrain from future investments in, companies with a substantial, ongoing, and intentional complicity in violations of international law and human rights in Israel and Palestine.”
The other cosponsors are Jeremy Dubs of Ward 4 and Rachel Maiore of Ward 7. At-large councilors Marissa Elkins and Garrick Perry were absent from the vote.
The resolution states: “The City Council recognizes that all human life is precious and recognizes the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank in particular and seeks to avoid economically supporting such crimes through the City’s financial investments.”
The resolution calls for divestment from companies identified by the Economic Activism Program of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) as being complicit in violating international law and human rights in Israel and Palestine. That program is dedicated to exposing corporate involvement in oppressive state violence and promoting corporate standards for social responsibility.
As of January 2025, the city had an estimated $71,000 invested in companies identified by the AFSC as complicit. That is about six-tenths of 1 percent of the city’s total investments. In my remarks supporting the resolution, I said that while that is relatively small, any amount diverges from the city’s humanitarian values.
I also said that community leaders have a moral imperative to continue responding to the violations of international law and human rights in Israel and Palestine.
The City Council in February 2024 voted 8-0 to approve a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza that I cosponsored. That resolution is available here:
In November 2024, I was one of five councilors to vote in favor of a resolution calling for federal “legislation to impose a total and immediate embargo on unrestricted sales and shipment of U.S. weapons to Israel.” That resolution is available here:
The divestment resolution is available here:
https://northamptonma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/25786?fileID=209182
Housing forum
The City Council’s Committee on Community Resources and the Northampton Housing Partnership will host a housing forum from 5 to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 24, in the second-floor hearing room of City Hall, 210 Main St.
Remote participation is available by using this Zoom link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84174515145?pwd=yG0P4XkawbOQ58XLV0qJqDzedzHeYC.1&jst=3
Topics include trends in the housing market that are contributing to the high cost of construction and other impediments, as well as statewide housing initiatives.
Scheduled speakers are Jessica Allan, real estate development director, Valley Community Development, 256 Pleasant St.; Aelan Tierney, president, Kuhn Riddle Architects of Amherst; and Jeff Spiritos, principal of Spiritos Properties LLC, a mass timber building developer.
Division of Community Care anniversary
The Division of Community Care (DCC) will celebrate its second anniversary from noon to 4 p.m., Friday, Sept. 26, in its community space at 1 Roundhouse Plaza.
Part of the Department of Health and Human Services, the DCC sends civilian responders to nonviolent calls as an alternative to policing. Responders, who are available Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., assist some of the most vulnerable members of the community by providing support, advocacy and connection to resources.
Services provided by the DCC during its first two years will be described and community partners also will offer information.
More about the DCC is available here: https://www.northamptondcc.org.
Stan