(Posted Monday, September 20th, 2021.) A Better Cambridge strongly supports PO #5 to raise the linkage fee for commercial development to $33.34/sqft, or to whatever level the Housing Committee deems appropriate. Continue reading

OP-ED: ABC’s housing vision for the next City Council: growth, affordability, and stability (Published in the Cambridge Chronicle on September 13th, 2021.) This year, like every year, surveys reminded us that the cost of housing is the #1 issue facing Cambridge residents. (Yes, even above COVID-19.) Every year, rising rents have pushed more and more of our neighbors out of the city - away from jobs, schools, and community - and put countless others in positions of fear and instability. Every year, it gets more and more difficult for us to claim that Cambridge is a “welcoming community”, open to refugees and immigrants, when often it’s not even open to people raised here. We write to stress, however, that the housing crisis is not a force of nature - it is a crisis of our own making, which elected bodies like the Cambridge City Council have meaningful powers to address. We hope that candidates running for office this November are up to the challenge. Continue reading

(Sent August 27th, 2021.) A Better Cambridge has just released the responses from an extensive City Council candidate questionnaire, completed by nearly the entire field. ABC’s public candidate forum will be streamed live on Sunday, September 19 at 4:00 pm. Please keep an eye on our Election 2021 page for more details and election news. Continue reading

(Sent on July 30th, 2021.) The November municipal elections are fast approaching, and it's critical that we elect a pro-housing City Council. ABC is planning a public forum for Council candidates on September 19 at 4:00 pm. Please keep an eye on our Election 2021 page for more details and election news. Continue reading

(Sent on June 23rd, 2021.)The ABC/Sunrise Missing Middle Housing proposal has run out of time allotted by state rules governing zoning petitions. At this month’s Ordinance Committee hearing, it was clear that the proposal has succeeded in changing the conversation toward substantial -- not merely symbolic -- reform of our outdated zoning laws. It's not yet clear what form the conversation will take going forward, but ABC will continue to advocate for an end to exclusionary zoning. Zoning reform would be more feasible if the City’s Planning Board, which reviews proposed zoning amendments and special permits for development, were more concerned by the harms of maintaining the status quo than by proposals for change. If you or a pro-housing friend may be interested in filling one of the vacant seats on the Planning Board, please apply or encourage them to apply now! The deadline is June 25. Continue reading

In our housing and climate crises, it is indefensible for the City to continue to prohibit new triple-deckers and fourplexes in residential neighborhoods, while allowing and encouraging new 2+-million-dollar detached houses. Small multifamily apartment buildings are some of Cambridge’s most affordable and sustainable housing stock, and the regulations that ban them have an ugly, racist and classist history. Continue reading

(Sent May 27th, 2021.) The City of Cambridge is seeking applicants for residents interested in serving on the Planning Board, which reviews proposed zoning amendments and special permits for development. Despite its tremendous influence over Cambridge’s future, the Planning Board’s membership is not representative of the city’s diverse, majority-renter population. If you or someone you know may be interested in serving on the Planning Board, please apply or encourage them to apply! The deadline is June 25. Continue reading

(Sent April 27th, 2021.) The Planning Board will resume its review of the ABC/Sunrise Missing Middle Housing petition on Tuesday, May 11 at 6:30. The MMH working group is developing a series of potential amendments to the petition, in response to concerns from Councilors and CDD, which may be released soon. Continue reading

(Sent March 24, 2021.) Please join us in supporting the ABC/Sunrise Missing Middle Housing zoning petition before the Planning Board on Tuesday, March 30 and the Ordinance Committee on Thursday, April 8. For details on how to submit comments, please see the full public comment guide, but importantly, emails must be sent in advance - for the Planning Board to receive a written statement, it must be emailed by 5:00 pm on March 29. Continue reading

(Sent Feb 22, 2021.) At tomorrow’s ABC Member Meeting (Tuesday at 6:00pm), we’ll be laying out plans for the City Council election in November. Come and contribute ideas for the ABC Platform and discuss how we can support strongly pro-housing voices on the Council. If you are not a member but wish to attend, you can become a member here and send us an email to get the invite. Continue reading