Snowmaggedon 2.0, plus no school, council on Monday

Feb 22

Some quick updates:

No school on Monday (2/23) for QPS students
Trash pickup will be delayed by a day this week
City offices will be closed on Monday, and Monday’s City Council meeting has been canceled. The meeting will instead take place on Monday, March 2. (Everyone is welcome to attend (or watch on QATV)! Second floor of Old City Hall, with committee meetings starting at 6 pm and the council meeting proper starting at 7:30 pm.)
For now we still plan to have a resident council meeting in person on Wednesday (2/25). Please sign up here for details!
Anyone interested in serving as a volunteer on a city board or commission can send a note with your interest and background to the mayor’s chief of staff, Chris Walker, at cwalker@quincyma.gov.
Snow emergency parking rules in effect from now through at least Monday (2/23):

That means parking is allowed on the ODD side of non-emergency arteries, residents can continue to park on the legal side of streets with one-side-only parking, and any vehicles blocking snow operations can be towed. Please don’t park within 20 feet of an intersection, and please use driveways whenever possible to make plowing easier!

A reminder: residents and businesses are responsible for shoveling the sidewalks in front of their properties, and businesses that fail to do so are subject to fines. And of course everyone is encouraged to help any neighbors who are unable to shovel themselves.

Residents who lose power or heat can call the Department of Emergency Management at (617) 376-1105. Information from National Grid is available at their outage page. For assistance with snow issues, residents can use the City’s snow request application at snowhotline@quincyma.gov or call the DPW's 24-hour snow operation hotline at (617) 376-1927. For updates and emergency notices, please tune to Quincy Access Television; visit quincyma.gov and follow the City of Quincy’s Facebook or Instagram Pages.

Be sure your gas vents are cleared of snow and your carbon monoxide detectors are working!

Upcoming events and reminders

Next few weeks: Fill out and mail back the 2026 City Census form that arrives in your mailbox! From the City: “Compliance with the City Census is a state requirement, which provides proof of address for school age children, voting rights, veteran’s bonus, housing and related benefits – as well as to ensure voters remain on the active voting list. For assistance, please call the City Clerk’s Election Department Office at 617-376-1144.”
Throughout February @ Second floor of main library (40 Washington Street): Come see the first solo art show by my lovely friend and neighbor Susan Riegler.
Wednesday, Feb. 25, 6 pm: In-person resident council meeting. Sign up here for info.
Friday, March 6, 9 am – 3:30 pm @ Quincy Health Department (440 East Squantum Street): Blood drive. Each donor will receive a $15 Target or Amazon gift card.
Thursday, March 12, 7 am – 3:15 pm @ 440 East Squantum Street: Dana Farber’s Mammography Van on site. Pre-register for a mammogram in the van (insurance required) by calling 617-632-1974 or emailing mammo_van@dfci.harvard.edu. A mammogram saved my life – anyone 40 or over should consider taking advantage of this local opportunity for a screening!
Before March 15: Free Trees for Kids registration. Kids (or their caretakers) can register for a free tree, through a partnership between the library, Neighborhood Forest, and the Quincy Tree Alliance.
Wednesday, April 1: Deadline to apply for a property tax exemption. More information from the assessor’s office:

What is an Exemption?

An exemption is a reduction in property taxes based on a qualifying circumstance. Eligibility requirements are determined by the State. This is not to be, but sometimes is, confused with an abatement. An abatement is a reduction in the property's assessment based on evidence provided during the abatement time period (Jan 1 - Feb 1).

How can a resident apply?

Applications must be submitted to our office annually on or before April 1 and may be filed:

Online via eForms, Here is the link
By mail or in person using a hard copy of the form
As stated, applicants from the prior year get the form mailed to them each July of the new fiscal year.

How can a resident, who has not applied before, obtain an exemption form?

Requesting one to be mailed by our office
Picking one up at the Assessor’s Office, located on the 1st floor of City Hall
Downloading one our pdf fillable forms from the forms section of our website and printing at home/ at the library.

Available Exemptions

What Is Required to Qualify?

Eligibility requirements vary by exemption type and are determined by the State. Please refer to the attached document "What is an Exemption" for specific qualifications.

What Documentation Is Required?

Required documentation also varies by exemption and is determined by the State. Details can be found in the attached document.

Questions?

Please contact Donata Coletti, Exemption Coordinator by phone or email.

Phone: (617) 376-1175

Email: dcoletti@quincyma.gov

You may also contact our main office at (617) 376-1170.

We would also like to note the following additional items

Our annual “Understanding Your Taxes” booklet, which provides helpful information about property taxes and the services provided by the Assessor’s Office.
Tax Deferral Program- Allows a property owner to postpone paying all, or part of their property taxes to a later date instead of paying them when due.
It is typically used when a property owner meets state eligibility requirements and needs temporary relief, often due to limited income or financial hardship. To continue deferring taxes, the owner must requalify each fiscal year, since approval does not automatically carry over. See attached document "What is a Tax Deferral" for more information