July brings the announcements for candidates for City Council and School Committee. As of July 13th, 25 candidates for City Council and 12 School Committee candidates have filed papers. Below please find the July ABC Newsletter. DEVELOPMENT UPDATES The City Council and Planning Board held a joint meeting at the end of June to discuss zoning changes for the Volpe Center site in Kendall Square. This is a complex situation involving the federal government as well as private developers. Meetings will continue throughout the summer.Cambridge Chronicle The Boston Globe reported on rising prices for office space in Greater Boston. Commercial rents in Kendall Square are averaging above $70 per square foot. There was also a report on housing permits in Boston in the first half of 2015. Around 43% of the permitted 2,461 units fall into either the affordable housing category, for low-income residents, or will be priced as middle-class units.Boston Globe 07.07.15Boston Globe 07.08.15 People often ask A Better Cambridge to explain the affordable housing and development-related terms we regularly use. This guide, written by Matthew Yglesias, former Cantabrigian and author of The Rent Is Too Damn High: What To Do About It, And Why It Matters More Than You Think, provides a concise and useful primer on affordable housing, zoning, development, and more.Affordable Housing Explained UPCOMING EVENTS The next A Better Cambridge general meeting will take place on Wednesday, August 12th at 7 pm. Location TBD. The Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss a proposed amendment to the Municipal Code by adding a new chapter entitled Open Data Ordinance today, July 15th at 5:30 pm.City of Cambridge On Monday, July 27th at 5:30 pm, the three consultant teams selected to interview for the upcoming citywide planning process will present to the public on their teams and overall project approaches including answering questions.CDD The City's Broadband Task Force, charged developing options for cheaper and faster Internet in Cambridge will be meeting on Thursday, July 30th at 6 pm, in City Hall. Family movie screenings will be taking place at parks around the city on Wednesday nights through July and August.Screen on the Green LINKS OF INTEREST A Brief History of Boston’s Public Parks The Urban Housing Crunch Costs the U.S. Economy About $1.6 Trillion a Year Who Votes in Cambridge? Can Boston Become America’s Best BRT Town? DID YOU KNOW? According to 2013 Census Data, 13% of Cambridge households have no internet access at all.

Tonight the Cambridge Planning Board and the City Council’s Ordinance Committee are both holding important meetings that I wanted to make you aware of and encourage you to attend or to submit your comments via email: Ordinance Committee - Tuesday, July 14th at 5:30pm at City Hall The City Council is considering a long-overdue increase in the “Incentive Zoning Ordinance” that requires large commercial developers in Cambridge to contribute to the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The proposal currently before the council would increase the fee annually over the next three years from $10 to $12 per square foot of development, with the requirement for a new study to examine the impact of the fee in three years. A Better Cambridge supports this proposal and agrees with the author of a recent study commissioned by the City which indicates greater increases in the fee would hamper commercial development and result in less money overall for the affordable housing trust fund.Please contact the Ordinance Committee by emailing [email protected] with a copy to the city clerk at [email protected].   Planning Board - Tuesday, July 14th at 7:00pm at City Hall Annex (344 Broadway, 2nd Floor) The Planning Board is currently reviewing proposed zoning for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Volpe site in Kendall Square. The Federal Government has indicated their plans to select a developer to rebuild the DOT building, and add additional uses (i.e., residential, commercial, or open space) on this large site. A Better Cambridge supports rezoning the site to encourage a vibrant, mixed use development with a particular emphasis on affordable low- and middle-income housing. As we recently saw with the the Mass & Main zoning in Central Square, substantial increases in density and height are necessary to achieve the greatest amount of affordable, family housing. ABC encourages the Planning Board to adopt zoning with density and height allowances necessary to create a greater percentage of affordable housing.Please contact the Planning Board by emailing [email protected] who will pass your comments on to the board members.

Summer is here and school is coming to an end, but important initiatives for the future of Cambridge are in full swing. Below please find the June ABC Newsletter. DEVELOPMENT UPDATES The City Council has begun the discussion of zoning changes regarding the Volpe Center in Kendall Square. This site has huge potential for the city. There will be a public hearing with the Planning Board and Ordinance Committee on Monday, June 29th in the Sullivan Chamber.Cambridge ChronicleCity of Cambridge The City Manager submitted to the Council proposed changes to Incentive Zoning as a result of a "Nexus Study", examining the impact of development on the Cambridge housing market. If adopted by the Council, this will result in: More projects being required to contribute to the Affordable Housing Trust. Increasing the contribution rate to $12/square foot, with $1/square foot increases for the next three years. Creating a formal definition of middle income housing and clarifying that the Affordable Housing Trust can assist middle income housing. Indexing the contribution rate to inflation and requiring the City to review the rate every three years. City of Cambridge The three year master plan initiative is moving ahead as the City Council discusses the details of the project and searches for an outside consultant.Cambridge Chronicle UPCOMING EVENTS The next A Better Cambridge general meeting will take place on Tuesday, June 23rd at 7 pm. at the YWCA Board Room. The entrance is on Bishop Allen, past Temple Street. This Wednesday, June 17th the Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss new carsharing regulations.City of Cambridge The Cambridge Pedestrian Committee will host a summer stroll exploring North Point on Saturday, June 20th from 11 am to 12:30 pm.City of Cambridge On Thursday, June 25th at 7pm the Board of Zoning Appeals will take up plans by Harvard to remake the area of Harvard Square known as Holyoke Plaza. Visuals and descriptions of the plan can be found here:VisualsProposalThe annual City Dance Party will take place on Friday, June 26th from 7 pm to midnight in front of City Hall.City Dance Party LINKS OF INTEREST NIMBYism Is a Huge Drag on America’s Economic Growth Newcomers Outpace New Housing in Least Affordable Rental Markets More Affordable Housing – Not a Housing Moratorium – In San Francisco How Big Cities That Restrict New Housing Harm the Economy DID YOU KNOW? Between 1980 and 2010, increases in housing stock and population in Cambridge were primarily confined to Riverside, Cambridgeport, and East Cambridge. 

With summer weather arriving, ABC hopes everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Below please find the May ABC Newsletter.  Did someone forward you this email? Make sure you don't miss another newsletter or announcement from A Better Cambridge by signing up on our website: http://www.abettercambridge.org/sign_up.   DEVELOPMENT UPDATES On Monday night the City Council voted on the Mass + Main development proposal after months of discussion. The proposed zoning passed 7-2. While the addition of new housing, including significant affordable units, is welcome, the City must move forward with other measures to increase the housing supply. This includes adopting C2 recommendations and exploring other policies to facilitate increased housing within Cambridge.For more information on why many in the city support this proposal please read the recent letters by Carolyn Fuller and Ellen Schachter in the Cambridge Chronicle.Carolyn FullerEllen Shachter The Broadband Task Force appointed by City Manager Richard Rossi to "examine options to increase competition, reduce pricing, and improve speed, reliability and customer service for both residents and businesses" has begun meeting. More information about the task force is here:City of Cambridge ABC member Saul Tannenbaum helped instigate this task force and shares his thoughts about what Cambridge should do:Connecting Cambridge: Reinventing a Free, Fair, and Open Internet The Cambridge Community Development Department completed a community review process of the draft scope and deliverables for the citywide master plan that is underway. More information about the initiative including a schedule for the three year project is available here:CDD UPCOMING EVENTS The next A Better Cambridge general meeting will take place on Tuesday, June 23rd at 7 pm. Location TBD. May brings the return of farmers markets all over the city. You can view the schedules and locations of the markets on the city website.City of Cambridge Fresh Pond Day is Saturday, May 30th from 11am - 3pm.Fresh Pond Day The 35th Cambridge Arts River Festival will take place Saturday, June 6th from noon to 6 pm in Central Square.River Festival LINKS OF INTEREST Permit More Housing in Cambridge to Slow Rising Costs How Urban Planners See America's Growing Housing Affordability Crisis The High Cost of Residential Parking Transit Oriented Development in Dorchester DID YOU KNOW? According to the Census, as of 2011, 11.6% of commuters in the Boston Metro area used public transportation to get to work compared to 5% nationwide. 

I am writing today to ask you to take final actions to help ensure City Council approval of the proposed Mass+Main mixed-income residential district that includes an unprecedented 47 new affordable housing units in Central Square.In recent weeks the Ordinance Committee of the City Council and the Planning Board have both sent positive recommendations on the proposed Mass+Main zoning to the full City Council. Next Monday, May 18th the City Council will vote whether or not to implement these proposed zoning changes. We need you to take action in the coming week: Send an email to the City Council describing your support for the project. Feel free to use information from our past Action Alerts on this issue. Personalized messages are powerful, but short messages still go a long way to making sure the City Council knows the broad-based support this project has in our community. Even if you've emailed the council on this issue in the past, it's a good idea to reinforce your past support.  Send your message to [email protected] and be sure to copy the City Clerk at [email protected]. Emails received by this Friday, 5/15 Thursday, 5/14 at 5pm will be included in the public record for Monday's meeting. Attend the next City Council meeting to speak publicly in support of this important project - the Council Council meets Monday, May 18th at 5:30pm in the Sullivan Chambers at Cambridge City Hall. You can sign up to address the City Council by calling the City Council office starting at 9am next Monday (5/18): 617-349-4280. A Better Cambridge stands in full support of the Mass+Main zoning, primarily for it's inclusion of 20% affordable housing, including 40 units for low-income families and 7 units for middle-income families. In addition, we endorse other key benefits of the proposal, such as its inclusion of family-sized 3 bedroom units, an innovative approach to reducing parking demand generated by the development, a commitment to making commercial rents affordable to local businesses, and creation of a public market. Don't just take my word for it. Last week, the Cambridge Chronicle featured three letters from community members detailing why they believe Mass+Main is the right project for Central Square at this time. Ellen Shachter is a Cambridge resident and attorney who has represented low-income Cambridge residents in housing matters for the past 25 years. She believes 47 new affordable housing units is critical for Central Square. Read her letter here. Carolyn Fuller is an ABC member whose home is directly adjacent to the proposed development. Despite some challenges the development may pose for her property, she supports the project because of the greater benefits it will bring to our community. Read her letter here. Mark Boyes-Watson is a Cambridge resident and an architect who has spent most of the past 30 years designing housing in Cambridge. He believes development like Mass+Main can help stabilize the high cost of housing in our city. Read his letter here.  Thanks for your support!

I’ve emailed you frequently over the last few months, asking you to join ABC in our efforts to support the proposed Mass & Main mixed-income residential district in Central Square, and to hold the developer accountable for making 20% of the housing units affordable to low- and middle-income Cambridge families. Thanks to your support, in March the developer announced they would meet the 20% threshold called for by ABC. As a result, this development  will bring 47 new and much-needed units of affordable housing for low- and middle-income families in the heart of Central Square. No other proposal near Mass Ave. and Main Street contemplates nearly as many affordable family housing units, at a time when increasing the affordable housing supply is a shared community goal in Cambridge. After the City Council Ordinance Committee approved the Mass & Main zoning earlier this month, we’re now in the final stretch with key City Council and Planning board meetings coming up this week. We need you to take action right away to help make this important mixed-income housing development a reality: Speak in support at the City Council and Planning Board meetings this week: City Council: Monday, 4/27 at 5:30 P.M. in the Sullivan Chambers at City Hall Sign up ahead of time by calling the City Council office starting Monday at 9:00am - 617-349-4280 Planning Board: Tuesday, 4/28 at 7:00 P.M. at City Hall Annex - 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor Email letters of support to the City Council and Planning Board in advance of their meetings: Reach Mayor Maher and the other city councilors at [email protected] or send individual messages using emails listed on the City’s website Send a copy to [email protected] to ensure your comments are included in the public record Reach Planning Board Chairman Cohen and the other members by emailing [email protected] who will pass your message along to the members and include it in the public record. Need more information? Read previous ABC action alerts on the Mass & Main zoning, including a list of additional community benefits resulting from the proposal: http://www.abettercambridge.org/tags/mass_main Read ABC's recent statement on housing production in Cambridge which outlined the need to create 8,500 new housing units near public transportation to meet the growing demand for affordable housing at all income levels: http://www.abettercambridge.org/abc_housing_statement Thanks for your support,

Please click here to read the ABC May 2015 newsletter. Spring is here and with that comes the welcome return of street cleaning and the final melting of snow. Below please find the April ABC Newsletter. Did someone forward you this email? Make sure you don't miss another newsletter or announcement from A Better Cambridge by signing up on our website: http://www.abettercambridge.org/sign_up. DEVELOPMENT UPDATES The Ordinance Committee of the City Council moved the Normandy/Twining zoning petition for the proposed Mass + Main development to the full City Council with a favorable recommendation. The proposal is still before the Planning Board which will hold a second hearing on Tuesday, April 28th.Mass and Main The Boston Foundation released its annual Greater Boston Housing Report Card. The report analyzes the current state of the housing market and how to address the affordability crisis facing the region.The Boston FoundationThe Boston Globe Cambridge is seeking membership applications for the Transit Advisory Committee. The committee is devoted to advancing policies that strengthen public transportation. Applications are due by Friday, May 1st.City of Cambridge The results of the participatory budgeting initiative were announced. The projects that were approved include a public toilet for Central Square and 100 new trees for the city.Cambridge Day UPCOMING EVENTS The next A Better Cambridge general meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 19th at 7 pm. Location TBD. On Wednesday, April 15th at 5:30 pm. the Ordinance Committee will discuss the C2 portion of the K2C2 study. This study contains important recommendations for zoning around Central Square and it is encouraging that the Council is finally taking up this matter.City of Cambridge The annual Cambridge Science Festival kicks off on Friday, April 17th. The festival lasts until the 26th.Cambridge Science Festival The group Transportation for Massachusetts is hosting a statewide transportation summit on Friday, May 1st.Transportation for Massachusetts LINKS OF INTEREST When Has Housing Supply Ever Kept Rents Down? Suburban Sprawl is Stifling the U.S. Economy Broken Planning: How Opponents Hijacked the Planning Process Poor Land Use in the World’s Greatest Cities Carries a Huge Cost DID YOU KNOW? According to the United States Census Bureau Cambridge has issued building permits for 40 housing units through the first two months of 2015 compared to 1,071 for Boston.

As an advocate for a diverse Cambridge, I am hoping you can take action this week to support the creation of more affordable housing in Central Square.Last November, Normandy Partners/Twining Properties submitted a zoning petition to create a higher-density, mixed-income and mixed-use zoning district near Mass Ave. and Main St. in Central Square. While A Better Cambridge expressed our support for key elements of the proposal, we called on Normandy/Twining to increase the number of affordable units in the project to 20%.Our advocacy worked, and last week Normandy/Twining announced that they would increase the affordable housing percentage to 20%. This includes 17% of all units for low-income families and 3% for middle-income families. In total, this means 47 new permanently affordable and privately subsidized housing units could be built in Cambridge.Now we need you to take action to make sure this affordable housing is built! Attend this Wednesday's City Council Ordinance Committee hearing to publicly testify in support of this proposal: Wednesday, 4/1 at 4:00 P.M. in the Sullivan Chambers at Cambridge City Hall If you cannot attend the meeting on Wednesday, email the Ordinance Committee beforehand to let them know about your support for this proposal. Even if you can attend, consider sending an email to reinforce your support: Address to Vice Mayor Benzan and Councilor Carlone, Co-Chairmen of the Ordinance Committee - be sure to email [email protected] AND City Clerk [email protected] to get your message on the official record. Finally, I invite you to join us for the next ABC general meeting this Thursday to hear about other opportunities to be involved with our advocacy work: Thursday, 4/2 at 7:00 P.M. at the Cambridge YWCA. Please click here for more information and to RSVP. I hope to see you this week!

Congratulations/Condolences on surviving what is officially the snowiest winter on record. Spring officially arrives on Friday. Below you will find the March ABC Newsletter. Did someone forward you this email? Make sure you don't miss another newsletter or announcement from A Better Cambridge by signing up on our website: http://www.abettercambridge.org/sign_up. DEVELOPMENT UPDATES ABC released a housing statement calling on the city to create 8,500 housing units by 2030 with at least 20% of the units affordable to low-, moderate-, and middle-income families.A Better Cambridge Housing Statement The city is suing the owners of the abandoned Vail Court seeking unpaid fines and a cease in the use of the property as a commercial parking lot. The bulk of the fines result from a $10 per day per parking space fine, yet another way the city underprices parking.Cambridge Day MBTA ridership reached record levels in 2014 with 400 million rides.WBUR UPCOMING EVENTS The next A Better Cambridge general meeting will take place on Thursday, April 2nd at 7 pm Location TBD. The Boston Foundation presents its Greater Boston Housing Report Card 2014-2015 on Wednesday, March 18th at 8:30 am.The Boston Foundation The library is hosting planner Jim O’Connell to share his historical overview of Boston’s Metropolitan development on Thursday, March 19th at 6:30 pm.Cambridge Library On Wednesday, March 18th at 6:30 pm at the Fitzgerald Theatre, Cambridge Rindge & Latin School, Boston 2024 presents its plan for Boston to host the 2024 Summer Olympics to the Cambridge community. ABC member Saul Tannenbaum has analyzed the impact on Cambridge here:CCTV Cambridge 2024 The Housing Committee will conduct a public hearing to provide an update and continue discussion on the incentive zoning study from the Community Development Department on Thursday, March 19th, 2015 at 5:30 pm in the Sullivan Chamber. The voting for the participatory budget initiative will take place from March 22nd-28th.Full particpatory budgeting information here The Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing to continue discussions on the Normandy/Twining Zoning petition on Wednesday April 1st at 4:00 pm in the Sullivan Chamber. LINKS OF INTEREST The Gentrification Effect A Short and Long Term Plan for the MBTA Who’s Sprawling Now? Mixed Signals from the Market DID YOU KNOW? As of 2013, Somerville had a population density of 19,221 people per square mile compared to 16,686 for Cambridge.

In a recent statement, A Better Cambridge called for building 8,500 housing units in Cambridge and mistakenly attributed this number to the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. MAPC itself calls for the creation of between 3,100 and 6,200 units in Cambridge by 2030.   Our number was derived by subtracting the existing number of occupied units in Cambridge according to the 2012 American Community Survey from MAPC's projection for the number of units Cambridge needs under a "strong region." That resulted in our 8,500 unit goal.   We appreciate MAPC calling this error to our attention and apologize for any confusion our error in attribution caused.   We look forward to a robust discussion of how our community should best respond to this clear need for housing.