Police Lieutenant Selected for Governor’s Interagency Housing and Homelessness Advisory Council

The Cambridge Police Department is pleased to announce that Lt. Christopher Ponte has been appointed to serve on Governor Maura Healey’s Interagency Housing and Homelessness (IHH) External Advisory Council (EAC). Lt. Ponte is currently assigned to the Police Department’s Family & Social Justice Section where he oversees a team of outreach officers specifically aimed at connecting unhoused residents with services.

“This is a significant appointment and a well-deserved recognition of his leadership on housing issues and his extensive work with our unhoused population.” Said Deputy Superintendent Michael Medeiros, Commanding Officer of the Family & Social Justice Section. “Chris has been a driving force behind our outreach efforts, strengthening relationships with providers, improving coordination across agencies, and ensuring that some of our most vulnerable residents receive consistent support and services.”

The EAC held its first meeting on Friday, November 21^st that was chaired by Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. Membership on the committee includes state legislators, community-based providers, individuals with lived experience, and more. It is planned that the EAC will hold quarterly meetings, providing a space to hear updates on key housing and homelessness issues and state priorities, share perspectives from the field, and help shape interagency strategies that cut across housing, health, and community safety. 

The appointment of Lt. Ponte to this committee will give Cambridge a voice at the table in discussions surrounding housing and homelessness. It will also provide CPD an opportunity to share our experiences while learning from others with direct involvement in these important issues.   

For more on the Interagency Housing and Homelessness (IHH) External Advisory Council (EAC): Click Here

For more on the Family & Social Justice Section: Click Here