Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

October 3, 2026

Hexus Nexus – October 5, 2026 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council,cycling,transportation — Tags: boards and commissions, Cambridge, City Council, cycling, housing, Patrick Barrett, transportation, zoning — Robert Winters @ 1:42 pm

Hexus Nexus – October 5, 2026 Cambridge City Council meeting

City Hall I’ll definitely have more to say about this week’s agenda – especially about the arrival of the long-delayed Nexus Study on Inclusionary Zoning – but here are the main attractions for this week’s one ring circus:

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointment of Seth Minkoff to the Commission on Immigrant Rights and Citizenship (CIRC). (CM26#280) [text of report]

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, conveying a response to AR26-32 regarding food vending in parks. (CM26#283) [text of report]

Manager’s Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to an Inclusionary Zoning Report. (CM26#281) [Manager’s Letter][CDD/Housing Recommendations][Nexus Report]

Order #1. That the proposed language for “Tenant Notification of Property Sale” be forwarded to the Ordinance Committee for hearing and report. Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui (PO26#185)

Order #2. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant City staff to advocate for a stronger level of CSO Control and virtual CSO elimination by 2050 in the CSO Control Plan and to advocate for broader funding across the state and entire MWRA region, and for additional federal funding. Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Azeem (PO26#186)

Charter Right #1. Postponing the roll out of the Outer Huron Bike Lanes from the Bicycle Safety Ordinance until we solve the parking problem. [Charter Right – Zusy, Sept 28, 2026] (PO26#181)

Charter Right #2. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the relevant staff and departments to implement the recommendations following the May 2025 Human Services & Veterans Committee meeting, such as strengthening anti-poverty measures, establishing a dedicated CARE Team call and referral line, prioritizing commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking prevention efforts for LGBTQIA+ youth, and report back to the City Council on progress. [Charter Right – Nolan, Sept 28, 2026] (PO26#184)

192 Communications (including one supposedly from Art Vandelay – for those who get the joke)

Comments and additional details to follow

Comments (0)

September 26, 2026

The Taxman Cometh – September 28, 2026 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council,cycling,Fresh Pond — Tags: boards and commissions, budget, Cambridge, City Council, cycling, parking, School Committee, Schools, traffic, transportation, water, zoning — Robert Winters @ 1:14 pm

The Taxman Cometh – September 28, 2026 Cambridge City Council meeting

There’s a lotta money on the table this week – setting the rates for the Fall tax bills, and a scheduled rally by the Teachers Union (a.k.a. Cambridge Education Association) to substantially jack up the School Department budget. There’s also a common-sense proposal to delay or stop the removal of parking on the section of Huron Ave. west of the golf course that challenges the dogma of the Cambridge Bicycle Safety crowd. There are also a couple of City Board appointments, an announcement that my pal Jason Weeks will be moving on after many years at the Cambridge Arts Council, a proposal for some minor adjustments to the Multi-Family Housing Ordinance, and more!

Here are the items that drew my attention:

Tax Rate Hearing (6:30pm): A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the FY27 tax rate. [City Manager’s Letter][Tax Rate Orders]
comments by Nolan, Zusy, McGovern, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Claire Spinner (Finance), Gayle Willett (Assessing), Flaherty, Yi-An Huang (low tax rates, high property values, highest budgets for broader and deeper services), Al-Zubi, Azeem, Nolan, Siddiqui; Order 1a Adopted 8-0-1 (DS-Absent); Nolan explains equity issues re: flat Residential Exemption; Order 1b Adopted 9-0; Placed on File 9-0; Reconsideration Fails 0-9

The bottom line is: The FY27 Adopted Operating Budget is $1.033 billion which is an increase of 4.1% (or $41 million) over the FY26 Adopted Budget. The actual FY27 tax levy required to support the FY27 Budget is $725,384,189 which is an increase of $46,531,718 or 6.85% from FY26, consistent with the estimate presented when the budget was adopted in June 2026.

TO BE EDITED The property tax levy increase of 6.85% is lower than the FY25 increase of 8.0%. The five-year (FY23-FY27) annual average increase is 7.96%, and the ten-year (FY18-FY27) annual average increase is 6.9%. The FY26 residential tax rate will be $6.95 per thousand dollars of value, subject to Department of Revenue approval. This is an increase of $0.28, or approximately 4% from FY26. The commercial tax rate will be $16.99, which is an increase of $2.92, or 21% from FY25 (which follows a 22% rate increase the previous year).

“A major concern going forward is that if residential values increase and commercial values continue to decrease, the City could hit the ceiling for the property tax classification shift. Once the classification ceiling is reached, the residential class will bear all tax levy increases while this condition continues.”

As a result of the market activity in calendar year 2025, which is the basis of the FY27 property assessments, total residential property values increased by 2.3%. Total commercial property values decreased by 12.4%. These negative results reflect the continued softening of the commercial and lab markets.

By property class, an average a single-family home will see a 6.47% tax increase, a two-family will see a 8.24% increase, a three-family will see a 8.38% increase, and a condo will see a 0.71% decrease. Due to the flat residential exemption, condo owners will often see a decrease or only a very small increase in years when other property owners are hit with a significant increase. Here are the median figures including the CPA Surcharge:

FY2027 Taxes – including CPA Surcharge and Residential Exemption

Residential Property Type	FY24 Median Tax	FY25 Median Tax	FY26 Median Tax	FY27 Median Tax	Median $ increase	% increase
Condominium	$1,555	$1,734	$1,964	$1,950	– $ 14	-0.71%
Single-Family	$7,674	$8,277	$9,122	$9,712	$ 590	6.47%
Two-Family	$6,713	$7,146	$7,802	$8,445	$ 643	8.24%
Three-Family	$8,246	$8,865	$9,657	$10,466	$ 809	8.38%

History of changes in residential property taxes

Median Annual Tax Increases – Cambridge (not incl. CPA surcharge)
Tax Year	condo	single-family	two-family	three-family
FY2009	$ 18	$ 40	$ 24	$ 72
FY2010	$ 69	$ 119	$ 47	$ 41
FY2011	$ 77	$ 306	$ 132	$ 154
FY2012	$ 60	$ 269	$ 177	$ 215
FY2013	$ 65	$ 159	$ 80	$ 85
FY2014	– $ 38	$ 109	$ 110	$ 201
FY2015	$ 15	$ 11	$ 334	$ 253
FY2016	– $ 18	$ 64	$ 101	$ 217
FY2017	$ 11	$ 324	$ 237	$ 336
FY2018	$ 76	$ 136	$ 33	$ 61
FY2019	$ 21	$ 124	$ 292	$ 469
FY2020	$ 43	$ 449	$ 366	$ 369
FY2021	$ 3	$ 246	$ 131	$ 218
FY2022	$ 33	$ 545	$ 301	$ 335
FY2023	– $ 107	$ 419	$ 269	$ 379
FY2024	– $ 7	$ 743	$ 494	$ 598
FY2025	$ 175	$ 587	$ 421	$ 602
FY2026	$ 224	$ 821	$ 638	$ 770
FY2027	$ 24	$ 836	$ 841	$ 766
5 year average	$61.80	$681.20	$532.60	$623.00
10 year average	$48.50	$490.60	$378.60	$456.70
15 year average	$34.67	$371.53	$309.87	$377.27
20 year average	$36.60	$309.50	$247.75	$300.60
number of properties	15472	3925	2172	1138

Board Appointments:

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appointments to the Climate Committee. [text of report]
Appointments Confirmed 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appointments to the LGBTQ+ Commission. [text of report]
Appointments Confirmed 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #2. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to an Arts Council Leadership Announcement. [text of report]
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $2,250,000 from the Water Fund Balance to fund the purchase of supplemental drinking water from the MWRA. [text of report]
Order Adopted 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to AR26-26 regarding harmonization of institutional bus protocols. [text of report]
Placed on File 9-0

Order #1. City Council opposition to H.R. 8870 and Increases in Federal Truck Size and Weight Limits. Councillor McGovern, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor Azeem, Councillor Al-Zubi
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #4. That the City Council hold a Roundtable/Working Meeting on Mon, Nov 30, 2026, from 4:00-6:00pm, to discuss the future uses of City-owned properties. Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Al-Zubi
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #6. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council within thirty days on the status of the negotiations between the Cambridge School Committee and the Cambridge Education Association, in Executive Session if the Law Department advises that a report in open session would disclose collective bargaining strategy Support for Cambridge Public Schools paraprofessionals, substitutes, and clerks. Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
pulled by Zusy; Siddiqui recuses herself; comments by Al-Zubi (wants to fund everything), Zusy (notes actual salary ranges, this is School Committee’s business and that proposals would add 18% to School Dept. budget, will vote No), Nolan (this is School Committee business and would step into middle of contract negotiations, district has proposed a 60% increase over 2 years of lowest paid paraprofessionals, wants School Committee to work within current budget, notes continuing mediocre MCAS results), Sobrinho-Wheeler (support any union no matter what), Flaherty (this is not just about supporting unions, but passing this would set a bad precedent), McGovern (calls this “a tough one”, but City Council has no line item authority with the School Department and its budget), Azeem (it would be fine if we spent extra, but this belongs with School Committee, Al-Zubi (claims there is no conflict of interest, wants confidential information on negotiations to be provided), Simmons (notes former School Committee members on Council and how the School Committee would resent City Council intervention in this matter – stay in our own lane), Zusy (clarifies pay ranges for paraprofessionals – average salary is more like $52,000, in line with neighboring communities); Motion Fails 2-4-1-2 (AAZ,JSW-Yes; BA,TF,PN,CZ-No; SS-Absent; MM,DS-Present)

Order #8. Postponing the roll out of the Outer Huron Bike Lanes from the Bicycle Safety Ordinance until we solve the parking problem. Councillor Zusy, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Flaherty
pulled by Zusy; comments by Zusy, Flaherty, Simmons, Nolan, Azeem, Kathy Watkins, Al-Zubi, McGovern (w/substitute Order with Siddiqui), Siddiqui; Charter Right – Zusy

Charter Right #1. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Cambridge Police Department and other relevant departments to develop a coordinated July 4th response plan for the Cherry Street, Harvard Street, and Fletcher Maynard Academy area to ensure that this spot not be utilized for the illegal use of fireworks. [Charter Right – Simmons, Sept 14, 2026]
comments by Simmons (opposes proposed amendments), Al-Zubi (withdraw previous amendment, introduce new amendment); previous amendment withdrawn 9-0; comments by Flaherty, Sobrinho-Wheeler, McGovern (fine w/original Order), Zusy (will vote for original Order, this is about enforcement and not social services), Siddiqui (would delete reference to Community Safety taking the lead), McGovern, Azeem; Amendment by Al-Zubi, Sobrinho-Wheeler Fail 4-3-0-2 (AAZ,PN,JSW,SS-Yes; MM,DS,CZ-No; BA,TF-Present); Original Order Adopted 7-2 (AAZ,JSW-Present); Reconsideration Fails 0-9

Resolution #3. Happy 102nd Birthday to Marvin Gilmore. Councillor Simmons, Councillor Flaherty
pulled by Flaherty with story and to be added as sponsor; comments by Simmons

Committee Report #1. The Housing Committee and the Neighborhood and Long-Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts and Celebration Committee held a public hearing on June 25, 2026 to continue discussion of the 2025 Multifamily Zoning Amendments and consider potential modifications. The Committees also reviewed PO26#123, relative to proposed amendments to the Multifamily Zoning Ordinance. The June 25, 2026 Committee meeting recessed and reconvened on Sept 16, 2026. At the Sept 16, 2026 meeting both Committees voted favorably to recommend to the full City Council adoption of the proposed Policy Order, as amended, requesting that the City Manager work with CDD and relevant City Departments to prepare zoning language based on the recommendations discussed at the Sept 16, 2026 joint Committee hearing. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0; comments on proposed Order by McGovern, Nolan, Yi-An Huang, Melissa Peters (CDD), Zusy, Azeem (notes that 20% Inclusionary and other zoning changes are not producing the housing that was projected, especially with high interest rates and tariffs – OK with proposed amendments but make other future changes), Flaherty (suggests having a sunset provision), McGovern, Melissa Peters (will respond within 6-8 weeks); Order Adopted 9-0

Order #11. (proposed in Comm. Report #1) That the City Manager is requested to work with CDD and relevant City departments to prepare zoning language based on the recommendations discussed in the Sept 16, 2026 Joint Housing and Neighborhood and Long-Term Planning Committees for consideration by the full City Council. Councillor Nolan, Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Order Adopted 9-0 (see Committee Report #1)

Comments (0)

September 21, 2026

Current City of Cambridge Board and Commission Vacancies (Sept 21, 2026)

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge government — Tags: boards and commissions, Cambridge government — Robert Winters @ 9:00 pm

Volunteer Opportunities – Cambridge Boards & Commissions

Cambridge Seeking Community Members for New Commission Vacancies

Aug 25, 2026 (updated Sept 21) – Serving on a City of Cambridge board, commission or committee can be a rewarding experience and an excellent way to contribute to our community. Members have the opportunity to participate in the City’s decision-making process across a variety of topics.

The City of Cambridge is currently seeking to fill vacancies on the Commission for Persons with Disabilities Advisory Board and the Planning Board. The deadline to apply is Monday, September 21.

Apply today at Cambridgema.gov/apply. A cover letter and resume or applicable experience can be submitted during the online application process. If you have questions about the application process or need assistance, please contact the City Manager’s Office at 617-349-4300 or boardsandcommissions@cambridgema.gov.

Below is more detailed information on each of the current vacancies:

Commission for Persons with Disabilities Advisory Board (Application Deadline: September 21) City Seal
The CCPD Advisory Board works to increase access to all aspects of Cambridge community life for people with disabilities. The Commission raises awareness about disability issues and promotes equal opportunities for people with a range of abilities, including physical, mental, and sensory. CCPD also provides information, referrals, guidance, and technical assistance to individuals and their families, employers, public agencies, businesses and private non-profit organizations. CCPD Advisory Board members work with other board members and office staff to carry out the CCPD Ordinance (Cambridge Municipal Code Chapter 2.96).

The CCPD Advisory Board, which has 11 members who serve as volunteers for three-year terms, currently meets virtually on the second Thursday of every month at 5:30pm. Members must attend monthly meetings and also take part in Working Groups and work on projects as needed.

If interested applicants have questions or require more information, please contact? CCPD@cambridgema.gov, call 617-349-4692 (voice), or 711 (relay).

Planning Board (Application Deadline: September 21) City Seal
The Planning Board is a group of Cambridge residents who make recommendations and decisions about urban development on behalf of the City of Cambridge. The Planning Board meets regularly in a public forum to discuss the City’s urban planning objectives, and apply them in the following ways:

Reviewing major urban development proposals, granting certain types of Special Permits when they are needed, and putting conditions on Special Permit approval. The Planning Board reviews about 20-25 Special Permit cases each year;
Reviewing proposed amendments to the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance, which sets rules for urban development, and making recommendations to the City Council. The Planning Board reviews about 10-15 proposed zoning amendments each year;
Making recommendations to the Board of Zoning Appeal (BZA) on some cases. The BZA is a different board that grants some Special Permits and variances;
Discussing other City of Cambridge planning efforts.

The Planning Board, which has 10 members who serve as volunteers for five-year terms, typically meets one-two times in the evening every month virtually or in a hybrid format.

If interested applicants have questions or require more information, please contact Swaathi Joseph in the Community Development Department at 617-349-4668, email sjoseph@cambridgema.gov or visit www.cambridgema.gov/planningboard.

All board and commission members in Cambridge must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies. Members should be Cambridge residents representing different disabilities, diverse cultures and races, and all areas of Cambridge.

Comments (4)

September 15, 2026

September 14, 2026

The Return – September 14, 2026 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,Charter,City Council,transportation — Tags: boards and commissions, budget, Cambridge, Cambridge Police, charter, City Clerk, City Council, mayor, traffic, transportation, zoning — Robert Winters @ 12:47 pm

The Return – September 14, 2026 Cambridge City Council meeting

There are no Big Controversial Issues to pitch to a Resident Assembly this week, so I suppose The Nine will have to face the challenges of representation (or misrepresentation) on their own after their summer vacation. Here are a few items that piqued my interest:

To Drink the Impossible Drink

Reconsideration #1. Councillor Patricia Nolan has filed Reconsideration for PO26#140: “That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the City Solicitor and the License Commission to draft and submit a Home Rule Petition to authorize one additional Section 15 all-alcoholic beverages license not to be drunk on the premises.”
Reconsideration Fails 4-5 (AAZ,PN,CZ,SS-Yes; BA,TF,MM,DS,JSW-No)

Communications & Reports #4. A communication from Councillor Nolan Regarding Reconsideration of the Alcohol License Home Rule Policy Order. [text of report]
Placed on File 9-0 (early w/Reconsideration #1)

Federal Policies Trickling Down

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a federal update including an update on relevant court cases. [text of report]
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #2. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to an appropriation, in the amount of $500,000, from the Federal Grant Stabilization Fund to the Grant Fund Department of Human Service Programs Other Ordinary Maintenance account, to support a citywide response to federal changes affecting SNAP and MassHealth benefits under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OB3). [text of report]
pulled by Al-Zubi; comments by Al-Zubi, Yi-An Huang, Siddiqui, Zusy, Flaherty, Simmons; Order Adopted 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #20. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, regarding Welcoming Community Ordinance Reporting from the Cambridge Police Department. [text of report]
pulled by Al-Zubi; comments by Al-Zubi; Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #21. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, conveying a response to AR26-15 regarding hiring of former Federal immigration enforcement agents by the Cambridge Police Department. [text of report]
Placed on File 9-0

Order #10. City Council support of protecting and strengthening Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Councillor Zusy, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan
pulled by Nolan to be added as sponsor; comments by Zusy, Nolan; Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Order #12. That the City Council urge the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Massachusetts General Court to prioritize the hiring of additional DTA case workers to ensure those eligible for SNAP are able to receive and maintain benefits and taking other steps needed to end the SNAP access crisis. Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor McGovern, Vice Mayor Azeem, Councillor Nolan
pulled by Nolan to be added as sponsor, comments by Nolan, Siddiqui; Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Hey Big Spender (with apologies to Peggy Lee)

Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Community Preservation Act Appropriations. [text of report]
pulled by Siddiqui; comments by Siddiqui, Taha Jennings (noting death of CPA Committee member Kevin Foster), Zusy, Kathy Watkins, Simmons, Nolan, Sobrinho-Wheeler (who does not understand that when CPA was originally adopted it was with the understanding that it would be cost-neutral to taxpayers but would leverage state funds), Flaherty; All Orders Adopted 9-0

Committee Report #2. The Finance Committee and Economic Development and University Relations Committee held a joint public hearing on Apr 30, 2026 with Harvard University to discuss and receive and update on the Harvard University Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Communications & Reports #5. A communication from Councillors Nolan and Al-Zubi Regarding a Proposed Schedule for Budget Related Finance Committee Hearings. [text of report]
pulled by Nolan for comments; Placed on File 9-0

Excuse me, but we have some Appointments to make

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appointments to the Cambridge Commission for Persons with Disabilities. [text of report]
Appointments Confirmed 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointment of five members to the Commission on Immigrant Rights and Citizenship for terms of three years. [text of report]
Appointments Confirmed 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appointment of David Canavan to the Police Review and Advisory Board for a term of five years. [text of report]
Appointments Confirmed 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #9. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appointments to the Fresh Pond Advisory Board. [text of report]
Appointments Confirmed 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #24. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, regarding the Cambridge Preschool Program and the establishment of a Task Force charged with identifying policy solutions to expand supports for families with young children. [text of report]
pulled by Nolan; comments by Nolan, McGovern, Siddiqui, Yi-An Huang, Joseph Corazzini, Cheryl Ohlson; Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #25. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appointments to the Joint Childcare Access Task Force. [text of report]
Appointments Confirmed 9-0

We know where the bodies are buried

Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $250 in donations in support of the Old Burying Ground. [text of report]
Order Adopted 9-0

Buildings and Stuff

Manager’s Agenda #11. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, requesting that the City Council amend the City of Cambridge’s Authorized Revolving Fund Ordinance to establish a new revolving fund for the Renewable Energy and Greenhouse Gas (“GHG”) Reduction to serve the City’s municipal energy use. [text of report]
pulled by Nolan; comments by Nolan, Ellen Katz (DPW), Zusy; Passed to 2nd Reading 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #12. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to AR26-27, requesting that the City Manager direct staff to examine whether the City can enact an ordinance requiring public buildings and places of public accommodation in Cambridge with one or more single-stall restrooms to have at least one single-stall restroom with gender-neutral signage. [text of report]
pulled by McGovern; comments by McGovern, Megan Bayer; Placed on File 9-0

Traffic & Transportation

Manager’s Agenda #18. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the 2025 Transportation Demand Management Program Report. [text of report]
pulled by Nolan; comments by Nolan, Ryan McKinnon, Zusy, Stephanie Groll, Flaherty; Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #19. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to AR26-45, regarding a review of decline in traffic enforcement. [text of report]
pulled by Sobrinho-Wheeler; comments by Sobrinho-Wheeler, Brooke McKenna (automated traffic and parking enforcement, i.e. surveillance, is coming soon), Police Commissioner Pauline Wells, Azeem, Lt. Phil McDavitt, McGovern, Zusy, Flaherty, Yi-An Huang, Nolan; Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #1. The Transportation and Public Utilities Committee held a public hearing on Apr 28, 2026 to review and discuss the Residential Permit Parking Program, associated costs, and the relationship between the program, the services it provides, and the general use of the public ways in Cambridge. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #5. The Transportation and Public Utilities Committee held a public hearing on June 24, 2026 to discuss micromobility in Cambridge, including current safety trends, the recently filed State legislation “Ride Safe Act,” and next steps for education and enforcement considerations. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Charter Chatter and Appointment of the City Clerk

Manager’s Agenda #23. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to AR26-37, which requested that the City Manager work with the Mayor’s Office, Law Department, Election Commission, and other relevant City departments to engage the Collins Center in reviewing policy options for allowing Cambridge voters to directly elect the City’s Mayor. [text of report]
Placed on File 9-0

Order #11. That the City Solicitor engage the services of a suitable law firm, in consultation with the City’s Chief People Officer and with approval of the City Solicitor, to negotiate an employment contract with Paula M. Crane on behalf of the City Council. Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Zusy, Councillor Flaherty, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor Azeem
pulled by Siddiqui; comments by Siddiqui, Flaherty, Nolan, Simmons, Al-Zubi, McGovern, Zusy, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Azeem; Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

I emphatically support the move to elevate Acting City Clerk Paula Crane to City Clerk – joining a long line of wonderful people who have held that position going back to the establishment of Cambridge as a city in 1846 (and even earlier as a town).

As for the matter of direct election of the mayor, I think this is a very bad idea in a city with a city manager form of government. I will add that the current practice of having the City Council exclusively deciding all possible changes to the city’s Charter (subject only to a formal plebiscite) – where every iteration concentrates more power and privileges into the hands of city councillors – is a dreadful state of affairs.

Order #4. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Cambridge Police Department and other relevant departments to develop a coordinated July 4th response plan for the Cherry Street, Harvard Street, and Fletcher Maynard Academy area to ensure that this spot not be utilized for the illegal use of fireworks. Councillor Simmons, Councillor Flaherty
pulled by Simmons; comments by Simmons, Flaherty; proposed amendment by Al-Zubi, Sobrinho-Wheeler to instead have Cambridge HEART and other City departments do the intervention rather than Cambridge Police; comments by Al-Zubi, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Zusy, McGovern, Siddiqui, Simmons, Nolan, Azeem; Charter Right – Simmons
Note: I personally hear these fireworks through the night every July 4 (on Broadway near Lee Street). It’s a REAL problem even at that distance. It must be an impossible situation near the source. The suggestion that “Cambridge HEART” should be doing the intervention is astonishingly naive.

Order #8. Recognize September 2026 as Meet Your Neighbor Month in the City of Cambridge, commending the Peace Commission for its leadership, and encouraging all Cambridge residents to take this opportunity to meet a neighbor, share stories, and build the connections that strengthen our community. Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Azeem
Order Adopted 9-0

Riding that Streamliner Train

Order #9. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant departments to develop a coordinated initiative to improve and streamline the permitting and licensing process for small businesses. Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Azeem, Councillor Nolan
pulled by Siddiqui along w/Communications & Reports #2; comments by Siddiqui, Nolan, Zusy; Order Adopted 9-0

Committee Report #3. The Economic Development and University Relations Committee held a public hearing on Tues, June 9, 2026 to convene a roundtable of representatives from the Cambridge and Greater Cambridge startup ecosystem to provide insight into current conditions, emerging needs, and specific ways the City can strengthen its support for startups and enhance the local innovation environment. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Communications & Reports #2. A communication from Mayor Siddiqui transmitting a memorandum regarding information from the City of Cambridge participation in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative. [text of report]
pulled by Siddiqui along w/Order #9; Placed on File 9-0

Zoning Out

Unfinished Business #1. Cambridge Street Active Use Zoning petition. [Passed to 2nd Reading Aug 3, 2026; Eligible to be Ordained Aug 24, 2026]
pulled by McGovern; Ordained as Amended 9-0; Reconsideration Fails 0-9

Unfinished Business #2. Massachusetts Avenue Active Use Zoning petition. [Passed to 2nd Reading Aug 3, 2026; Eligible to be Ordained Aug 24, 2026]
pulled by McGovern; Ordained as Amended 9-0; Reconsideration Fails 0-9

Committee Report #4. The Health and Environment Committee held a public hearing on June 22, 2026 to review and discuss the 5-year update to the Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP) including recommendations from the analysis and evaluation and feedback from community meetings. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Communications & Reports #3. A communication from Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Al-Zubi and Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler transmitting a memorandum regarding information from the Social Housing Task Force. [text of report]
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For your consideration…

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council — Tags: boards and commissions, Cambridge, City Council, housing, Inclusionary Zoning, Multifamily Housing Zoning, Patrick Barrett, zoning — PatrickWBarrettIII @ 11:44 am

For your consideration… – a letter from Patrick Barrett

Cambridge City Council
City of Cambridge
795 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139

Sunday, September 13, 2026

Mayor Siddiqui and Honorable Cambridge City Council, Patrick Barrett

I am writing to you in my capacity as an advocate, long-time volunteer, multiple committee member, and at this point in my career too many Cambridge specific advocacy boards and initiatives to name. I am, of course, also a real estate developer.

In the coming weeks you will be discussing the renewal of the Mid-Cambridge Neighborhood Conservation District (MCNCD), amendments to the revolutionary Multifamily Housing Zoning ordinance which is currently slated to be examined and taught this Spring at both Harvard and MIT, and you will finally release the long overdue¹ Inclusionary Zoning Nexus Study. I have been involved in enough discussions about “controversial” issues in Cambridge to know when the die has already been cast. This comes typically by way of concessions made during the mayoral shuffle at the beginning of any term or when we tip over the edge of any even year into the “danger zone” of the municipal election cycle. Rarely are these concessions in the best interests of Cambridge and even more rarely do the knee-jerk decisions based on misinformation campaigns or the fear inspired by a potential election loss ever produced a good outcome.

On June 8th I represented a client on a conversion project; we were adding a sizable addition to create 4 large format townhouse units from an existing smaller format three-unit building. An interesting twist in that case was that prior to our presentation another presentation was given by a sitting member of the Cambridge Historical Commission (CHC). His project, a down conversion of a three-unit building (in fairness the developer didn’t know if it was a 2 or 3) into a single-family home with an additional single-family home behind it. The existing property is pending at $3.5M. Aside from the clear conflict of interest that a sitting CHC member has with the MCNCD (CHC reviews all MCNCD appeals) what set this presentation apart was that it was approved unanimously with little conversation about the loss of housing and a bit of lip service to a 51” caliper tree on the abutting lot. When my case came up the first question asked of me by Commissioner Tice was “Are these units affordable?” – a ridiculous question that somehow never came up during the previous case. This was then followed by Commissioner Corstens asking me, the attorney advocate, directly, “What is your legacy?” – a bizarre question but similar to a question Councillor Zusy had asked me a while ago who also happened to be in the audience that evening. The chef’s kiss came in the form of Kyle Sheffield joining in, now announcing himself as a concerned citizen (and abutter), admonishing the project and calling me out directly for challenging the City’s unlawful and irrevocably broken Inclusionary Ordinance. Our case was rejected, no continuance, no further discussion. A City special employee attacking a litigant in a very publicized legal challenge could only be construed as an attempt to unduly sway a regulatory body or to intimidate or both. Our case was rejected and Cambridge lost at least three new units of much needed housing and gained two new $5+M homes. The MCNCD is by far the largest NCD in the city and according to the Cambridge Historical Commission, consists of approximately 2000 buildings and is roughly .35 square miles. It acts as a de-facto homeowner’s association displacing development to other less “protected” areas of the city. The MCNCD residents enjoy this “protection” at zero cost to themselves to the detriment and expense of everyone who cannot afford Mr. Sheffield’s bespoke $5M homes. That is the legacy of the MCNCD. That is why it should not be renewed.

On September 16th this Council will convene in the Sullivan Chamber to discuss the proposed pre-ordained changes to the Multifamily Housing Zoning ordinance wherein there is a 100% chance that the proposed changes and more, shared a few months ago, will be pushed forward to CDD for drafting. In doing so you will signal to all projects in the city and all prospective projects that Cambridge is essentially closed for business; pencils down until we know what the rules are. To date, not a single inclusionary housing project has been approved. While Councillor Flaherty can write op-ed’s² about how the 2025 ordinance is “failing” all he really exposed was how little he knows about the development process in the City of Cambridge. It takes, at minimum, 12-18 months just to go from a schematic design to assemble a CDD-approved application to application approval before one can even get to permitting which will also take months, maybe even another year. Had anyone started a month before the ordinance was ordained, we would still be sitting in CDD’s waiting room; and we are. The frustration felt by the citizenry and through the Council are all the smaller projects that do not have to go through any process (nor should they). These projects stay below the “magic” numbers: 9,999, 11,999, and 24,999 – thresholds for inclusionary zoning, passive house, and small project review by the Cambridge Community Development Department. These projects tend to be in tight conditions and are difficult to execute but are necessary to upgrade and rebuild this city. However, the set of rules you have before you favor these smaller builds over larger ones and as a policy it is the antithesis of Article 1.30 and 19.30. You favored development in the middle of a block and not only penalized corners but made them almost undevelopable without a variance or special permit. Fortunately, the state acted and now what it means to get a variance is a whole new issue; one you ought to bring up on the 16th. However, nothing in the proposed changes fixes or even addresses it and the only suggestion I’ve heard so far would make the condition laughably worse. I could go on with examples, but this is why a knee jerk mob-ruled change will not address or even ameliorate the underlying issues legitimate complaints have pointed out. A working group of experts; developers large scale and small scale should be publicly consulted on any change before one is pushed forward on the 16th. We should not erase progress applauded in local and national press and by experts across the country because the change you have embraced makes people uncomfortable. We should not indulge “serial misinformationalists” ™ who have littered the airwaves with AI slop, misleading and overly dramatic Facebook posts, phony development lists, and who feel very comfortable doxxing homeowners simply because they fear change. Please vote to keep this in committee, convene a group of practitioners, and get it as close to right as possible. Maybe the Council should sit in at MIT and Harvard’s classes next Spring?

Lastly, the inclusionary report comes out at the end of this month and will definitely state that 20% inclusionary requirements work! It will further offer the Council a simple buffet of options that will largely be seen as unnecessary to the general population, each one more baffling than the next and begging the question; why? How do I know this? Because this is a pattern of behavior that those of us who pay attention have seen time and time again. It’s exactly what happened in 2016 that got us here in the first place. I fully understand that this is a highly political and ideologically driven issue but math is math. It isn’t, however, just the man with the wanted sign who is saying this. All you have to do is look at Chelsea, San Francisco, San Jose, Denver, Portland OR, Seattle, East Palo Alto, and Redwood City who have already significantly reduced their IZ requirements to see where this issue is headed. It’s national. It is why towns across the US are exploring ways to reduce. Where Cambridge sets itself apart, like Somerville and Boston (who also chose RKG) is that politically, reduction or elimination is just a non-starter. If you read RKG’s analysis of Somerville in 2025 you can literally see the consultants twisting themselves into knots on every page. Whether it’s their 23% operational costs for rental building (excluding tax) without a way to incorporate that number to get a real value or $67k land value per unit they associate with projects. They used two different feasibility bars and used them inconsistently, that $67k land cost was applied to all five districts but rent varied by subarea, their downstream scenarios all modeled after Subarea 3, all inputs were interview-sourced without disclosure “for-profit developers,” and the smallest most adversely affected project size was never tested. If you use enough sliders and pick the data you like, everything works. They, like Rosen before them, cherry pick best case conditions for large and small development and present them as a cohesive metric for underwriting real estate development. I just wanted to get it on record this time, (I missed the chance in 2016 though Cambridge Day has a few choice comments), that this report is nonsense like the one’s RKG has produced in the past which has left Boston and Somerville scrambling³ and politically trapped by their own nonsense RKG “study.” Maybe there is a better way?⁴

Respectfully,
Patrick W. Barrett III

Footnotes:

1 11.203.2 Inclusionary Housing Requirement.
(c) The City shall initiate a reevaluation of the Inclusionary Housing Requirement at an interval of no more than five (5) years from the time the Inclusionary Housing Requirement was last amended. Such reevaluation shall include a report provided to the City Council reviewing factors such as changes in demographic characteristics and residential development activity, housing trends measured in terms of, but not limited to, vacancy rates, production statistics, prices for dwelling units, and affordability, and the relationship between Inclusionary Housing Projects and all housing in Cambridge. The Community Development Department shall also conduct an annual review and report on the Inclusionary Housing Program.

2 It Didn’t Work – by Councilor Flaherty

3 Not going so well

4 A better way

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