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 Chronicle
City 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.

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:
Visuals
Proposal

The 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.