On Monday, October 16th, the City Council ordained amendments to the 100% Affordable Housing Overlay by a final vote of 6 to 3, marking a major win for housing affordability in Cambridge. This landmark zoning reform will allow more affordable homes to be built along transit hubs and corridors, which means that more of the 22+ thousand people on the Cambridge Housing Authority’s Can’t Wait List will get to call Cambridge home. Continue reading

MONDAY, October 16, at 5:30 pm, the full City Council will take its final vote on the 100% Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) amendments, a crucial tool for keeping a diverse city by meeting the housing needs of more of our low- and moderate-income residents. Continue reading

A Better Cambridge is proud to announce our endorsement of 9 pro-housing candidates for this November’s City Council elections. Please vote for all 9 in the order of your choice by November 7th! Continue reading

MONDAY, September 11, at 5:30 pm, the full City Council will vote on the 100% Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) amendments, a crucial tool for keeping a diverse city by meeting the housing needs of more of our low- and moderate-income residents. Continue reading

TUESDAY, August 29th at 6:30pm, the Planning Board will continue its review of the Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) amendments and make a recommendation to the City Council. Continue reading

🎉 The 100% Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) amendments were passed out of Ordinance Committee this past Thursday! Thank you to everyone who emailed and gave public comment—and thank you to the Councillors who voted in favor, Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, and Councillors Azeem, McGovern, Simmons, and Zondervan. 🎉  Continue reading

Please join A Better Cambridge for our 2023 City Council Candidate Forum to learn about the candidates and their plans to build more homes, create more affordable housing, and enhance tenant protections.  RSVP Here Continue reading

Proposals to expand the 100% Affordable Housing Overlay went before the Ordinance Committee this past Monday for public comment and a second Ordinance hearing without public comment is scheduled for tonight, Thursday, August 3, for Councillor discussion. Notably, Michael Johnston, Executive Director of the Cambridge Housing Authority, said that at the current rate, even if CHA closed its affordable housing waitlist today, it would take 20 years to provide affordable homes just for the 6,500 households on the waitlist with a local preference. Continue reading

Important amendments to the 100% Affordable Housing Overlay need your support THIS MONDAY (July 31), when the City Council’s Ordinance Committee holds its first public hearing on them. Continue reading

Homeowners Rehab Inc. has filed for an Affordable Housing Overlay permit to turn a parking lot into 25 apartments of permanently affordable housing. The proposal includes a renovation of the historic mansion – landmark designation pending – at 1627 Mass Ave to provide an additional four apartments. When this development is complete, the 1863 Charles Hicks Saunders mansion – previously owned by Lesley University – will return to its original residential use. The Planning Board will take emailed comments on the plan until 5:00 pm on Monday, July 17 and live comment at a Zoom hearing at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, July 18. The HRI project team will also answer questions at an Open House in the Saunders building on Wednesday, July 26, from 6:00 - 7:30 pm. Continue reading