Cambridge Citizens Coalition is proud to have been the first Cambridge civic group to submit a zoning petition to end single family exclusionary zoning, the 2021 Advancing Housing Affordability Petition (also referred to as the Donovan Petition): HERE. We support responsible governance, not the demolition of homes in lower income neighborhoods to make way for luxury housing.
There is not a scintilla of evidence that the current citywide luxury housing petition will bring down housing prices: more likely it will increase housing costs.
We believe the 2024-25 citywide luxury housing up-zoning is misguided not only because it lacks design guidelines and oversight, removes legal rights from residents and will lead to home demolitions, evictions, and lease terminations. This citywide plan is potentially harmful to the environment, runs counter to our Envision plan, and will primarily benefit outside investors and developers. The local (area, and national) housing crisis around which this proposal has been framed, carries striking commonalities with disaster capitalism actions, with large investment groups buying up local housing, increasing housing costs for renters and owners alike. The resulting "crisis" is being used to pressure local governments to remove long standing zoning guardrails and the legal rights of residents. Read more HERE.
This upzoning ordinance also allows 9 story (and 13 story) buildings for 100% public-funded housing units on every street and in every neighborhood.CCC also chose not to support the Council's earlier citywide upzoning for large scale publicly-funded housing developments known as AHO because it lacked any design oversight oversight by the Planning Board and legal right to appeal. To date NO design guidelines have been submitted for the amended 2021 AHO ordinance which is also without design oversight and has removed legal rights from citizens. An additional problem with this plan is that taxpayers are being charged over a million dollars a piece for units in the city's public housing projects even though they are given the land for free by the city. Market rate housing costs about half that amount to build and must include land costs. A recent survey of tenants at the Corcoran affordable housing development in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood, signaled strong tenant support for two and three story buildings with each unit having its own exterior door as well as parking. The proposed 8-story public housing project in the Baldwin neighborhood will have none of these.
There is not a scintilla of evidence that the current citywide luxury housing petition will bring down housing prices: more likely it will increase housing costs.
We believe the 2024-25 citywide luxury housing up-zoning is misguided not only because it lacks design guidelines and oversight, removes legal rights from residents and will lead to home demolitions, evictions, and lease terminations. This citywide plan is potentially harmful to the environment, runs counter to our Envision plan, and will primarily benefit outside investors and developers. The local (area, and national) housing crisis around which this proposal has been framed, carries striking commonalities with disaster capitalism actions, with large investment groups buying up local housing, increasing housing costs for renters and owners alike. The resulting "crisis" is being used to pressure local governments to remove long standing zoning guardrails and the legal rights of residents. Read more HERE.
This upzoning ordinance also allows 9 story (and 13 story) buildings for 100% public-funded housing units on every street and in every neighborhood.CCC also chose not to support the Council's earlier citywide upzoning for large scale publicly-funded housing developments known as AHO because it lacked any design oversight oversight by the Planning Board and legal right to appeal. To date NO design guidelines have been submitted for the amended 2021 AHO ordinance which is also without design oversight and has removed legal rights from citizens. An additional problem with this plan is that taxpayers are being charged over a million dollars a piece for units in the city's public housing projects even though they are given the land for free by the city. Market rate housing costs about half that amount to build and must include land costs. A recent survey of tenants at the Corcoran affordable housing development in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood, signaled strong tenant support for two and three story buildings with each unit having its own exterior door as well as parking. The proposed 8-story public housing project in the Baldwin neighborhood will have none of these.
Below, a once modest home on 121 Rindge Avenue in North Cambridge is one of the many examples of how this upzoning is playing out in the luxury housing market.
The citywide luxury up-zoning was ordained on Feb 10, 2025.
We thank Councillor Cathie Zusy for opposing it.
In addition to the Cambridge Citizens Coalition, other local groups that were displeased with the recent citywide luxury housing up-zoning, and voiced opposition to the 4+2 model include: the Cambridge Housing Justice Coalition, the Cambridge Residents Alliance, CARE Housing, NAACP, and Our Revolution.
We are already feeling the impacts of this upzoning with higher valued properties and broader investor engagement. Housing prices (& taxes) as well as our energy bills are increasing exponentially.
A Bloomberg News Article by Kriston Capps of City Lab published a lengthy piece on the recent citywide Upzoning (3.3.25 - HERE). The sub-title celebrating this ordinance suggests that the upzoning is intended for "apartment developers" who will be the key beneficiaries of this plan. More apartments is indeed what the ordinance's proponents told students they would be getting (HERE). Alas, both Mr. Capps and the students were misled since the vast majority of the home demolitions happening now facilitate the construction of larger even more expensive single family homes or in some cases luxury duplexes because this is what is most profitable.
In this article, Mr. Capps calls out the Cambridge Citizens Coalition as the opposing group to ABC on the upzoning. We were not! Nearly every other Cambridge civic group here opposed the ABC plan(see above) because it would lead to greater gentrification. Capps highlights some of our oppositional points without linking to our research, among these:
In this article, Mr. Capps calls out the Cambridge Citizens Coalition as the opposing group to ABC on the upzoning. We were not! Nearly every other Cambridge civic group here opposed the ABC plan(see above) because it would lead to greater gentrification. Capps highlights some of our oppositional points without linking to our research, among these:
- Luxury Upzoning? Indeed the vast majority of new units will be large market rate (multi-million dollar) homes. Nothing likely will be "affordable" to a city firefighter, police officer or teacher. Indeed no developer wants to build 10 unit projects which is the only means to require 20% affordable units. The city has turned over planning to the for profit developers and financial return is their only motive.
- Disaster capitalism? Yes. This is indeed what has shaped the housing situation in both Cambridge and elsewhere. Read our
- Disaster Capitalism and our Housing Crisis (12.4.24): HERE
- How Investors are Now Outbidding Local Buyers: Letter to Constituents by State Senator Pat Jehlen: HERE
Land Speculation & Property Tax problems (12.17.24): HERE
Housing Prices & Crisis Capitalism (with a Cambridge focus – 12.9.24): HERE
Why Housing Prices are so High and Going Higher (10.23.24) HERE (w. Cambridge data on demolitions, prices)
- A compromise bill? Hardly: as Burhan Azeem, the lead proponent notes, any modification they were asked to make was minor: HERE
- ChatGpt as a tool to analyze the city's database for demographics and housing issues for a course on Cambridge at Harvard: Yes. (and the City does the same thing): HERE
- Was this indeed the first such project? No. The process began with CCC's zoning petition to end exclusionary zoning, called the Advancing Housing Affordability Petition.
- The article concludes that this upzoning redresses affordable housing issues in Cambridge. Far from it, this upzoning already is making housing more expensive here, forcing out lower income residents, and increasing the gentrification already in play.
READ our Series on the impacts of this Upzoning Already
Our Six Part Series: Cambridge YIMBY Win? Initial Results & Reflections
(we will be updated this series as we learn more)
PART ONE -- “Take a Look. It’s Already Happening” HERE
PART TWO -- "YIMBY Present and Past" HERE
PART THREE -- "Strawberry Fields Forever" HERE
PART FOUR -- "A PRIMER: Our Revolutionary YIMBY Success Story" HERE
PART FIVE -- "Cambridge is Number 1!!!" HERE
PART SIX -- The Role of Students in our Recent YIMBY Victory HERE
PARTS ONE-SIX: Cambridge YIMBY win? Initial Results and Reflections: HERE
UPDATES & SUMMARIES of our YIMBY BLOGPOST SERIES: HERE
(we will be updated this series as we learn more)
PART ONE -- “Take a Look. It’s Already Happening” HERE
PART TWO -- "YIMBY Present and Past" HERE
PART THREE -- "Strawberry Fields Forever" HERE
PART FOUR -- "A PRIMER: Our Revolutionary YIMBY Success Story" HERE
PART FIVE -- "Cambridge is Number 1!!!" HERE
PART SIX -- The Role of Students in our Recent YIMBY Victory HERE
PARTS ONE-SIX: Cambridge YIMBY win? Initial Results and Reflections: HERE
UPDATES & SUMMARIES of our YIMBY BLOGPOST SERIES: HERE
Many Cambridge Home Owners Received the above "Attention Cambridge" postcard from an area realtor specializing in investment properties (3.3.25).
Unfortunately, proponents of the luxury housing upzoning plan misrepresented this plan as about "affordable" housing which it is not. Neighborhood group leaders across the city have opposed this citywide urban redevelopment plan that largely will benefit outside developers and investors. Rental properties worth hundreds of millions are already being purchased by real estate investors already: HERE
According to Cambridge Civic: “The zoning petitions comprise perhaps the largest residential up-zoning in the history of Cambridge zoning but are disguised under the innocuous banner of “allowing multi-family housing” citywide (or, as one of the local political advocacy organizations brands it, “ending exclusionary zoning”). 12.23.25 (Cambridge Civic )
Unfortunately, proponents of the luxury housing upzoning plan misrepresented this plan as about "affordable" housing which it is not. Neighborhood group leaders across the city have opposed this citywide urban redevelopment plan that largely will benefit outside developers and investors. Rental properties worth hundreds of millions are already being purchased by real estate investors already: HERE
According to Cambridge Civic: “The zoning petitions comprise perhaps the largest residential up-zoning in the history of Cambridge zoning but are disguised under the innocuous banner of “allowing multi-family housing” citywide (or, as one of the local political advocacy organizations brands it, “ending exclusionary zoning”). 12.23.25 (Cambridge Civic )
On February 10, 2025 Cambridge City Council voted 8 to 1 to ordain largest city upzoning petition in our history on to a second and final reading and vote. This vote will take place at City Council on February 10, 2025. The only Councillor who voted in opposition was Cathie Zusy. This zoning change will allow 4 story buildings "as of right" and without design oversight on every city property, extending to 5' from the property lines at the sides and rear. 6 story buildings on 5,000 SF properties or higher will be allowed for projects of 10 units or more (which will have 20% inclusionary units) - again as of right and without design review. 9 story buildings will be allowed on every lot if all the units are affordable. What the likely impacts of this in infrastructure is not clear, particularly since the city plans to increase the population by 25% by 2030.
CCC favored letting this up-zoning petition run out in February and restarted with more outside professional help. However, if it is going to pass (preferably as a 3+3) we want to see the following changes:
CCC favored letting this up-zoning petition run out in February and restarted with more outside professional help. However, if it is going to pass (preferably as a 3+3) we want to see the following changes:
- Corridors: Tall structures (6 stories and higher) can ONLY be built on corridors.
- Step Downs: Tall structures (6 stories and higher) must have step downs to the neighborhoods. See HERE
- Additions & ADU projects need limitations to existing main building height and scale.
- Setbacks/Open space: Fix current language that now can allow ZERO green ground space. See HERE
- Add 10’ side/rear setbacks in A & B districts for environmental reasons (& prevent mature tree losses)
- Stop McMansions: add language to allow only projects that add two plus new units in new upzoning rules.
- Demolitions should have 10% project cost fee paid to the city to address environmental harm & infrastructure changes.
- Infrastructure load must be assessed & addressed before building permit granted (water, sewage, electric, traffic etc.).
- New building & addition plans at ISD must be available online & neighbors must have two early meetings with developers & CDD.
- Solar panel protection must be in place in residential areas before Council votes. See HERE
- Legal appeal must be allowed if supported by 3 or more Councillors, in specific cases of fraud or major non-compliance.
DOCUMENTS on Up-Zoning Proposal
CDD Site: https://www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/Projects/Zoning/multifamilyhousing
August 21, 2024 CDD powerpoint Multi-Family Housing: HERE
October 23, 2024 Neighborhood and Longterm Planning Committee Video: HERE
October 31, 2024 City Council Economic Development and University Relations Committee Meeting: Video HERE
October 31, 2024 CDD financial report on Upzoning for City Council Economic Development & University Relations Committee Meeting: HERE
November 19, 204 CDD Multi-family housing PDF Final Report: HERE
December 19, 2024 Video of City Council Ordinance Meeting: HERE
January 4, 2022 "Single and Two Family Housing Amendments, CDD Presentation to the Planning Board HERE
January 16, 2025 "CDD Multi-Family Upzoning Proposal Presentation: HERE
Feb. 3, 2025 "Clean Amended Upzoning Proposal" see below:
Feb. 10, 2025: Materials for this Meeting
October 23, 2024 Neighborhood and Longterm Planning Committee Video: HERE
October 31, 2024 City Council Economic Development and University Relations Committee Meeting: Video HERE
October 31, 2024 CDD financial report on Upzoning for City Council Economic Development & University Relations Committee Meeting: HERE
November 19, 204 CDD Multi-family housing PDF Final Report: HERE
December 19, 2024 Video of City Council Ordinance Meeting: HERE
January 4, 2022 "Single and Two Family Housing Amendments, CDD Presentation to the Planning Board HERE
January 16, 2025 "CDD Multi-Family Upzoning Proposal Presentation: HERE
Feb. 3, 2025 "Clean Amended Upzoning Proposal" see below:
Feb. 10, 2025: Materials for this Meeting
Since Cambridge at 6.8 square miles of densely settled streets has few vacant lots, most of the additional homes will come as a result of demolitions of existing homes.
Foreseeable Problems with the Proposed citywide 6 story up-zoning Plan:
Our dense neighbor, Somerville, as a strong city plan with regard to residential and other buildings. Here are some links with features of this plan.
HOUSING PREFERENCES?
Survey results summarized in the Cambridge Housing Authority slide show for the 1/9/25 resident meeting: Corcoran Park Modernization Project: HERE
HOW MUCH NEW HOUSING DO WE NEED? The City has anticipated that our population to rise some 25% by 2030 (just 5 years away). 12,500 new dwelling units is about 25% of 49,564 households, which is the estimates provided in the 2020 decennial U.S. Census household count of 49,564. This is presuming that (more or less) 1 dwelling unit equals 1 household. That is a massive increase if true. A lot has changed since the 2020 census.
See our new blogpost: How Much New Housing Do We Need?: HERE
Also, a lot has changed since the Envision Report when, according to Robert Winters, the proposal to add 12,500 new units in Cambridge was never discussed but simply added by CDD staff afterwards. .
We will soon know the impact of of the new federal administration policies, including cuts to science and other funding which could severely impact programs (and staffing) at a large number of local universities and hospitals, many affiliates of whom are housed in Cambridge. Moreover, if this administration's policies on vaccines are in place, the financial well-being of the Cambridge biotech industry may be impacted. The new, faster and more efficient Chinese AI could impact local infotech companies as well. Another staffing impact may be felt in local local universities, hospitals, and large commercial companies is dependent on the area immigrant community. Still another factor to consider is the huge costs that the building industry will face with new national policies regarding emigres and non-native workers, as well as the large anticipated tariffs on goods from China (key building materials), Canada (lumber), Mexico and elsewhere. Indeed, we may be facing a building construction freeze on par with COVID at the same time that many in our community will see increased financial struggles as federal funds on medicaid, SNAP, Social Security, and other programs may be enacted. In short, we may soon be seeing staffing (and housing need) cut back across the region and in Cambridge more generally. All this suggests that rushing forward with an massive citywide up-zoning featuring the demolition of existing homes makes far less sense now than when this was first proposed. It likely will take some 5-10 years to catch up to where we are today in terms of housing needs and construction possibilities.
And, even if these changes were not in place, core demographic changes in Cambridge indicate that already we are about to face a major demographic shift (from the Baby Boom Population) that will see a sizable need downturn. This is all the more reason to not proceed with radical zoning changes now. See chart below:
How Long Will We Face this Housing Need? About a Decade, then it will fall off
( Experts Tell Us: Look at the Graph Below)
Foreseeable Problems with the Proposed citywide 6 story up-zoning Plan:
- There are serious environmental, infrastructure, and likely increased housing cost problems with the radical proposed citywide up-zoning that likely will see increased demolitions of existing historical sustainable homes to enable large box-like luxury housing that will have far higher price tags than current housing.
- in Ottawa, Canada, 85% of new condos were purchased by investors, who will financially benefit from the increased rental prices in them: HERE
- in Arlington, VA a Judge recently struck down the city’s MMH Plan on which Cambridge’s proposed plan is based and further enhances: A key issue in the suit is that this plan “…would overwhelm or even destroy their neighborhoods, clogging up their streets and storm drains and removing tree canopy.” Washington Post 9.27.24
Our dense neighbor, Somerville, as a strong city plan with regard to residential and other buildings. Here are some links with features of this plan.
HOUSING PREFERENCES?
Survey results summarized in the Cambridge Housing Authority slide show for the 1/9/25 resident meeting: Corcoran Park Modernization Project: HERE
- Residents prefer low-rise, townhouse configuration with individual entrances
- Residents dislike 6 stories, prefer 3 stories
- Residents prefer high ration of parking to units, approaching 1:1 (In this case, design will be .81. parking spaces to units)
- Residents prefer private open space (patios) to parkland
- Residents prioritize parking over trees
HOW MUCH NEW HOUSING DO WE NEED? The City has anticipated that our population to rise some 25% by 2030 (just 5 years away). 12,500 new dwelling units is about 25% of 49,564 households, which is the estimates provided in the 2020 decennial U.S. Census household count of 49,564. This is presuming that (more or less) 1 dwelling unit equals 1 household. That is a massive increase if true. A lot has changed since the 2020 census.
See our new blogpost: How Much New Housing Do We Need?: HERE
Also, a lot has changed since the Envision Report when, according to Robert Winters, the proposal to add 12,500 new units in Cambridge was never discussed but simply added by CDD staff afterwards. .
We will soon know the impact of of the new federal administration policies, including cuts to science and other funding which could severely impact programs (and staffing) at a large number of local universities and hospitals, many affiliates of whom are housed in Cambridge. Moreover, if this administration's policies on vaccines are in place, the financial well-being of the Cambridge biotech industry may be impacted. The new, faster and more efficient Chinese AI could impact local infotech companies as well. Another staffing impact may be felt in local local universities, hospitals, and large commercial companies is dependent on the area immigrant community. Still another factor to consider is the huge costs that the building industry will face with new national policies regarding emigres and non-native workers, as well as the large anticipated tariffs on goods from China (key building materials), Canada (lumber), Mexico and elsewhere. Indeed, we may be facing a building construction freeze on par with COVID at the same time that many in our community will see increased financial struggles as federal funds on medicaid, SNAP, Social Security, and other programs may be enacted. In short, we may soon be seeing staffing (and housing need) cut back across the region and in Cambridge more generally. All this suggests that rushing forward with an massive citywide up-zoning featuring the demolition of existing homes makes far less sense now than when this was first proposed. It likely will take some 5-10 years to catch up to where we are today in terms of housing needs and construction possibilities.
And, even if these changes were not in place, core demographic changes in Cambridge indicate that already we are about to face a major demographic shift (from the Baby Boom Population) that will see a sizable need downturn. This is all the more reason to not proceed with radical zoning changes now. See chart below:
How Long Will We Face this Housing Need? About a Decade, then it will fall off
( Experts Tell Us: Look at the Graph Below)
What we hear on the the Streets of Cambridge and in meetings such as ACT (the Alliance of Cambridge Tenants):
- One wealthy Cambridge developer has already purchased some 250 properties ready to start developing if the Up-Zoning passes.
- One African-American civic leader who lives in one of our historically Black neighborhoods was carded (asked for his ID) as he was walking in the neighborhood.
- One low income resident speaking at a meeting stated the obvious: "No More Gentrification for Our Generation." There was also talk of the successful campaign to stop the interstate from crossing through and destroying black homes in the 1960s.
CAMBRIDGE IS now the #1 SPOT WEALTHY YOUNG people are moving in the U.S. Some 63% of them have a salary of $150,000 or more according to GOBankingRates. We have replaced NYC HERE
CAMBRIDGE TOPS LIST OF YOUNG AND WEALTHY (Patch 2.8.25) HERE
CAMBRIDGE IS now THE #2 SPOT MILLENNIALS (22-45 year olds) are moving in the U.S.: The AVERAGE home price here now c. $1 million, according to Boston.com. 39% of these are from out of state. HERE
What will happen to our current residents (tenants and owners alike): the lower income and the once middle income, renters and home owners, as well as seniors on fixed incomes. What happens once the property values and taxes and rents on these properties become so high that no one can afford to pay any more? They will have to leave.
The LAST thing we should be doing now is up-zoning, and diminishing our guardrails to quality housing so investors and developers can profit from this and destroy our neighborhoods by squeezing in tall residences everywhere without any concern about neighbors, tree canopy loss, the demolition of triple-deckers and other homes, infrastructure needs (water, sewage, parking) - all at the expense of the rest of us.
According to sustainability experts, the most energy efficient home is typically a renovated one, not a demolished and newly built one, as the process of demolition and new construction generates a significant amount of carbon emissions, making renovation the more environmentally friendly choice; essentially, "the greenest building is the one that's already built." (Carl Elefante)
Disaster Capitalism in Housing: Cambridge joins other cities in support of this false narrative: "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before." Rahm Emanuel.
Jan. 8, 2025 was an important day for the citywide up-zoning proposal.
View the video of the 1:00 PM Committee meeting with the Urban Planners: HERE
"Harvard and MIT Experts Weigh in on Proposed Zoning Overhaul" Harvard Crimson (1.10.25): HERE
"Urban Planners Speak on Cambridge Upzoning Proposal: CCC Blog (1.8.25): HERE
Councillor Zusy held a meeting of the Neighborhood and Long-Term Planning Committee in which she brought in three urban planning experts from MIT and Harvard. They largely opposed the plan the city is now proposing. Councillors were able also to ask questions (see blogpost below). All of the councillors were there with the exception , Councillor Marc McGovern. Unfortunately the sound system was not working, and we will post the video when it is available.
The conclusions of the three experts are that:
1. Cambridge Envision Plan is a very good one, and was created with a lot of citizen buy-in. They should follow this model and also provide visualizations of what things will look like in different areas and work to get citizen buy in.
2. Cambridge should move to form-based zoning - like Somerville, Portland ME, Miami, Denver, and other areas, however this takes time.
3. Resident engagement and buy-in are important.
Later in the day, at 5:00 PM there was a special meeting of the Ordinance Committee for public comment on the proposal. 156 people signed up to speak and the meeting went well into the night. The photo composite below features images from both meetings. At this juncture, it appears that the vast majority of Cambridge civic and political groups oppose the current plan, supporting instead either Councillor Wilson’s 3+3 amended proposal (allowing 3 stories as of right and 6 stories for structures of 10 units or more, e.g. with inclusionary housing)* or allowing this petition to expire. Those groups that support one or both of these two latter options include:
- CARE (Citizens for Affordable, Responsible, and Equitable Housing)
- CCC (Cambridge Citizens Coalition)
- CHJC (Cambridge Housing Justice Coalition)
- CRESA (Cambridge Residents Alliance)
- MSAC (Massachusetts Senior Action Council)
- NAACP (local branch of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People)
- OR (local branch of Our Revolution - a Bernie Sanders affiliate).
Similar views were voiced by the large majority of the long-term residents of the city who spoke at the Ordinance Committee meeting. The proposal proponents were largely graduate students from Harvard and MIT and members of the pro-builders' group who had proposed this plan, ABC. The students were advised by one speaker near the end of the meeting, who urged them to push their universities to build more housing because the city can't be asked to provide house for university students.
One of the leading Councillors promoting this plan emailed his listserve at 4:00 PM the afternoon of Jan.7, urging them to speak out and support the plan focused on "ending exclusionary housing" – failing to note that this plan is not about allowing multi-family housing to be built citywide. We all support ending 1 and 2 family housing zoning. Indeed, CCC earlier submitted a zoning petition, the Advancing Housing Affordability Petition (the Donovan petition) that would have done just that.
The experts all suggested that whatever would be done would see relatively slow results. Today, January 9, 2025, a Cambridge Realtor and developer told us:
1. "Zoning enables developers to maximize within the zoning" (they will take advantage of this).
2. "If this plan passes, we will see almost instantaneous tear-downs because of how the numbers work."
3. Key worries are not only tear-downs but also "heat island impacts, green space, and trees."
On January 11, 2025, a Cambridge Resident noted a neighbor (and developer) who indicated he owns 200 properties in Cambridge, is threatening to cut down the trees on the large back yard and build a new taller structure there. Neighbors offered to purchase the part of the property with the trees. The neighbor said he is waiting until the up-zoning passes to determine the value of the property.
TO READ AND WATCH:
ENVIRONMENT AND PRESERVATION
"The American Dream (Water Not Included)- Real estate developers are running a dark-money campaign to overturn new housing rules — and ignore basic laws of nature. The Lever (2.7.25): HERE
Philadelphia recently published several reports on the interdependence (and compatibility) of housing preservation and affordable housing: HERE
"Understanding the Carbon Costs of Demolition (4.12.21) Restore Oregon: HERE
The Added Problem with Tear-downs In this Up-zoning: A useful article on environmental cost of demolitions: "Understanting the Carbon Costs of Demolition (4.12.21) Restore Oregon: HERE
- "Conservatively speaking, residential and commercial demolitions in the City of Portland are responsible for 124,741 metric tons of C02 emissions per year, which amounts to approximately 4.5 percent of the City’s total annual reduction goal."
- "This study finds that it takes 10 to 80 years for a new building that is 30 percent more efficient than an average-performing existing building to overcome, through efficient operations, the negative climate change impacts related to the construction process.”
- "calling upon policy makers to acknowledge the environmental impact of sending usable buildings to landfills; strive for density without demolition; provide meaningful incentives for retention and reuse; and maintain or strengthen demolition review requirements for designated historic properties."
URBAN PLANNING
Transit Supported Density in the Boston Area (Report): HERE This report appears to be based on CURRENT densities, not FUTURE densities. Even so, Alewife already exceeds the density of Boston Landing, the latest new commuter rail stop. Page 20 forward.
HOUSING/LAND INVESTMENTS & GENTRIFICATION
An Important Study on "Why Vancouver is so insanely Expensive" in Macleans (Jan.16, 2025) HERE
Denver putting the brakes on upzoning in key neighborhoods due to gentrification concerns (Denver Post 1.2.25): HERE
Kim et al “Upzoning and gentrification: Heterogeneous impacts of neighbourhood-level upzoning in New York City” Urban Studies (12.24.24): HERE
"Billionaire Blowback & Housing Disruption" (10.2024) HERE
Cambridge Gentrification Stories: HERE
An important NEW study on Up-Zoning and Gentrification in NYC (published in Urban Studies on January 24, 2024 by Minjee Kim et al.) addresses how NYC up-zoning has promoted gentrification (by the forcing out of lower income residents by higher income ones). Read the full Study HERE
"We find that upzoning is positively associated with signs of gentrification – upzoned neighbourhoods became whiter, more educated and more affluent in the long run. Upzoning is also associated with increases in housing production, but housing prices also increased. Most importantly, we find that these effects varied significantly by the intensity of upzoning and the pre-upzoning local contexts. Neighbourhoods affected by intense upzonings experienced gentrification more intensely, along with greater housing production, rent growth and housing price appreciation. Black-majority and low-income neighbourhoods experienced gentrification to the greatest extent, while neighbourhoods with high demand for housing saw the greatest increases in housing supply. We discuss different mechanisms of gentrification likely at play for the different types of neighbourhoods."
Zoned Out the Legacy of Code Next (about upzoning and gentrification in Austin Texas): HERE
Newton also has addressed upzoning in their recent elections. Read this important Oct 4, 2020 blog on likely impacts: "Upzoning in Newton: Tool to turn over City Middle Class." HERE
INSTITUTIONAL ENGAGEMENTS
Harvard Funds Affordable Housing in Allston. Harvard Gazette (1.27.25): HERE
DESIGN
Multi-Family/AHO Zoning Petition Comments & Recommendations by Architect Dennis Carlone (Neighborhood Nine Presentation of 1.6.26)(2.9.25). HERE
Design Matters! Harvard GSD Mayor's Forum: "State, City Officials Emphasize Importance of Design in Addressing Housing Issues" (2.7.25): HERE
Notes by Architect and Former City Councillor, Dennis Carlone on Up-Zoning Criteria:
IN THE NEWS:
Boston Globe article (11.21.24) titled "‘We love these buildings’: Should developers get to build six stories anywhere in Cambridge?"
Cambridge Day (11.20.24) Opinion Piece "Zoning lessons from other cities: Will we heed them?"
Harvard Crimson (11.13.24) article titled "'Radical and Irresponsible': Residents Blast Zoning Upheaval at Planning Board Hearing."
Harvard Crimson (10.13.24) on the Neighborhood and Longterm Planning meeting with Neighborhood Group Leaders: Meeting Video (11.13.24): HERE
Boston Globe on former Public Housing Project (now Luxury Condos) HERE
CCC Blogposts on this and related issues
ENVIRONMENT AND TREES
Deconstruct Don’t Demolish: Older Building Reuse (1.29.25): HERE
Upzoning Green Space VS Open Space VS Green Roofs VS Climate Harm (1.21.25) HERE
Take CARE: Up-Zoning Can Bring Major Solar Panel-linked Environmental and Economic Losses (1.25.25) HERE
BEUDO: What Every Cambridge Resident Should Be Following (7.27.23): HERE
Environmental Impacts & Upzoning: Trees, City Policy, and Practice (10.3.24): HERE
Cambridge Trees: Policy and Impacts (9.29.24): HERE
CCC Advisor & Landscape Architect, Elena Sapporta, reports on Memorial Drive's threatened Sycamore trees: HERE
ZONING: CAMBRIDGE SPECIFIC ANALYSES AND OVERVIEWS
Multi-Family/AHO Zoning Petition Comments & Recommendations by Architect Dennis Carlone (Neighborhood Nine Presentation on 1.6.26)(2.9.25). HERE
Property Value Impacts in Upzoning by Charles Norris (1.31.24) HERE
Housing Outlooks: Demography, Migration, and Changing Home Starts (1.30.25) HERE
The View From My Window (1.25.25) HERE
Multi-Family Project Reviews in the Up-Zoning Petition by Gordon Moore (1.24.25) HERE
Dirt: Why is Vancouver so Insanely Expensive (extract from P. Condon’s Jan 16, 2025 Maclean article) HERE
Design Impacts for Homes new Squares and Corridors by Gordon Moore HERE
Cambridge: Up-zoning Increases Gentrification and Reduces Affordability by Realtor, Ed Abrams (1.14.25) HERE
Three Cambridge Photos: The Story of Upzoning Impacts (1.14.25) HERE
Diversity, Bias, Age, Race & Gentrification in Our Zoning Criteria (1.13.25): HERE
Form-Based Zoning: Cambridge Goal Since 2021 (1.12.25): HERE
Roll the Dice: Randomness Planning & Its Problems (1.12.25): HERE
Mapping Cambridge Housing Diversity and Potential Housing Impacts (3.13.24): HERE
Cambridge Specific Needs: Upzoning for Best Outcomes (11.21.24): HERE
Doing the Math: On Residents Housing and Rezoning (11.18.24): HERE
City Housing Data Matters: Graphs, Maps, Analysis (9.28.24) HERE
Why Housing Prices are So High & Going Higher (10.23.24) HERE (Cambridge/Boston Focus)
How to Get Far Better Housing Results (10.14.24): HERE
Likely Citywide Zoning Impacts: What Most Residents Do Not Know (9.27.24): HERE
Cambridge Residents Speak Out Against the Upzoning (1.7.25): HERE
What Responsible Zoning Entails (9.22.24): HERE
No Rules Zoning: One Architect’s View of demolishing 3-Story Homes (9.15.24): HERE
Zoning-in on the 2024 Cambridge City Council Upzoning Petition (5.10.24): HERE
Cambridge Citywide Upzoning Discussions and Data (10.3.24):HERE
CAMBRIDGE AND COMPARATIVE ENGAGEMENTS
Land Speculation & Property Tax problems (12.17.24): HERE
Housing Prices & Crisis Capitalism (with a Cambridge focus – 12.9.24): HERE
Why Housing Prices are so High and Going Higher (10.23.24) HERE (w. Cambridge data on demolitions, prices)
Disaster Capitalism and our Housing Crisis (12.4.24): HERE
Urban History Matters: Here, There, and in Film (11.27.24): HERE
Towering impacts: Planning Locally for the Realities ahead (11.10.24): HEAD
The Cat in the Hat & Housing: Breaking Past Rules, Likely Outcomes (11.7.24): HERE
How to Get Far Better Housing Results (10.14.24): HERE
The Cat in the Hat & Housing: Breaking Past Rules, Likely Outcomes (11.7.24): HERE
How to Get Get Far Better Housing Results (10.14.24): HERE
Upzoning for Dummies: Our Citywide Upzoning Proposal Simplified: HERE
Land Speculation & Property Tax problems (12.17.24): HERE
Housing Prices & Crisis Capitalism (with a Cambridge focus – 12.9.24): HERE
Why Housing Prices are so High and Going Higher (10.23.24) HERE (w. Cambridge data on demolitions, prices)
Disaster Capitalism and our Housing Crisis (12.4.24): HERE
Urban History Matters: Here, There, and in Film (11.27.24): HERE
Towering impacts: Planning Locally for the Realities ahead (11.10.24): HEAD
The Cat in the Hat & Housing: Breaking Past Rules, Likely Outcomes (11.7.24): HERE
BROADER POLICY STUDIES AROUND HOUSING, UP-ZONING & COSTS
How Much New Housing Do We Need (2.1.25): HERE
How to Make Housing More Affordable in Cambridge (1.30.25): HERE
What happens when a city leaves planning & development up to market forces, without design review and oversight
Urban Planners Speak Out on the Cambridge Upzoning Proposal (1.8.25): HERE
Housing Truths, The Hard Facts (what other scholars are saying - 1.7.25): HERE
Trickle Down & Supply Demand (12.17.24): HERE
NYC lessons & Up-Zoning Housing Policy (12.9.24): HERE
Reinventing the Construction Industry to Build More Housing (12.8.24): HERE
Zoning Lessons from Other Cities: Will We Heed Them (10.31.24) HERE
(includes: Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Portland, San Francisco, Vancouver, & other International)
SCHOOLS
Kennedy-Longfellow School Changes by Cambridge School Committee Member, Elizabeth Hudson (12.17.24) HERE
TRANSPORTATION
Parking Minimalism Plans in Cambridge: Why Facts Matter (2.27.22) HERE
Removing Parking Minimums: Likely Consequences: The Buffalo Story (10.11.22): HERE
UP-ZONING - LOCAL & PUBLICLY FUNDED HOUSING
Upzoning for Dummies: Our citywide up-zoning proposal simplified (10.22.24): HERE
Cambridge Zoning History (with Charles Sullivan - 5.6.21): HERE
[note C.N.A. appears to have removed the video].
Playing Monopoly in Cambridge is Not Just a Game (9.29.21): HERE
Frogs R Us: Unrestrained Development Threatens to Boil us (10.18.21) HERE
Housing for All, Not at All Costs (Doug Brown, Kelly Dolan, Alison Field-Juma
(6.12.19) HERE
CCC 2024 Overview and 2025 Goals (12.30.24) HERE
Radical New AHO Upzoning: Developers Dream (11.18.22) HERE
AHO Interim Report: Past, Present, Future (7.15.24) HERE
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The Cambridge Citywide Up-zoning Proposal to add more Luxury Housing to the CityUnlike Other Major Cities Cambridge Chooses Chaos Over Planning
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“Citywide Upzoning: Proposal and Impacts” January 26, 2025. Featured Speaker: Andrew Berman. Executive Director, Village Preservation (NYC). Local speakers: Liz Byron (co-founder CARE Housing Cambridge); Ed Abrams (Cambridge Realtor); Al Peterson (Cambridge Developer and Landlord). Watch the video HERE
Recording of Cambridge Day Discussion of Upzoning on January 29, 2025: HERE
The Numbers & Rationales: City Goals The city's Community Development Department (CDD) has stated as a basic premise that Cambridge will not meet our 2030 Housing Goals without a radical up-zoning. However this assumption is highly questionable.
According to the Cambridge City Manager's report as of June 2023, Cambridge housing stock includes 57,894 units either available or under construction. 8,591 of these are public housing (tax payer sponsored housing).
One city resident has looked at the numbers posted by CDD and addressed this on a neighborhood listserve. They have pointed out that 3050 units have been created since 2019 (source: CDD's June 30, 2024 on the Public Housing Inventory. When we add to this 750 units now being built and the 3,950 units that have now been permitted after June of 2023 (source HERE) we come up with a total of 7750 units of the city's 2030 goal of 12,500 units (or 62% achieved based on the 2018 goal based on housing data at that time. This makes it likely we will meet the 2030 goal without a radical up-zoning. In short, the rationales for this radical up-zoning are based on faulty assumptions, and this is not even taking into account the enormous impacts that COVID has had locally and around the world on the construction industry, including parts availability and workers.
According to the Cambridge City Manager's report as of June 2023, Cambridge housing stock includes 57,894 units either available or under construction. 8,591 of these are public housing (tax payer sponsored housing).
One city resident has looked at the numbers posted by CDD and addressed this on a neighborhood listserve. They have pointed out that 3050 units have been created since 2019 (source: CDD's June 30, 2024 on the Public Housing Inventory. When we add to this 750 units now being built and the 3,950 units that have now been permitted after June of 2023 (source HERE) we come up with a total of 7750 units of the city's 2030 goal of 12,500 units (or 62% achieved based on the 2018 goal based on housing data at that time. This makes it likely we will meet the 2030 goal without a radical up-zoning. In short, the rationales for this radical up-zoning are based on faulty assumptions, and this is not even taking into account the enormous impacts that COVID has had locally and around the world on the construction industry, including parts availability and workers.
August 21, 2024 CDD powerpoint Multi-Family Housing: HERE
October 23, 2024 Neighborhood and Longterm Planning Committee Video: HERE
October 31, 2024 City Council Economic Development and University Relations Committee Meeting: Video HERE
October 31, 2024 CDD financial report on Upzoning for City Council Economic Development & University Relations Committee Meeting: HERE
November 19, 204 CDD Multi-family housing PDF Final Report: HERE
December 19, 2024 Video of City Council Ordinance Meeting: HERE
January 4, 2022 "Single and Two Family Housing Amendments, CDD Presentation to the Planning Board HERE
October 23, 2024 Neighborhood and Longterm Planning Committee Video: HERE
October 31, 2024 City Council Economic Development and University Relations Committee Meeting: Video HERE
October 31, 2024 CDD financial report on Upzoning for City Council Economic Development & University Relations Committee Meeting: HERE
November 19, 204 CDD Multi-family housing PDF Final Report: HERE
December 19, 2024 Video of City Council Ordinance Meeting: HERE
January 4, 2022 "Single and Two Family Housing Amendments, CDD Presentation to the Planning Board HERE
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YARD SIGNS!CCC ran out of our first order of yard signs; we just received 2 redesigned versions of our most popular ones! If you can host one let us know & we will bring it to you.
We Have Signs - 6 Different Ones - Let Us Know If You Would Like One!
WHAT IS IN THE MODIFIED VERSION OF THE UPZONING PLAN VOTED ON BY COUNCIL DEC. 23, 2024?
*Current rules for AHO heights: "Allowable residential height" means that one does not have to get a special permit, even if there are
conditions one must meet. Additionally: 1) In districts where the allowable residential height is no more than 40', AHO projects can have
four stories and 45' in height. 2) In districts where the allowable residential height is more than 40' but no more than 65', AHO projects can
have nine stories and 100' in height; 3) A project on an AHO Corridor Lot can have twelve stories and 140' in height; 4) In districts where
the allowable residential height is more than 65', AHO projects can have thirteen stories and 150' in height; A project in an AHO Square
District can have fifteen stories and 170' in height; 6) There are situations where projects can go even higher.
Is there a real need for this citywide redevelopment upzoning?
This seems to be a bogus issue. The City data shows 58,170 units of housing in the city, with a target of 67,213 by 2030. So, roughly 9,000 units are needed to achieve that target. Nowhere did I hear mention of MIT's commitment in the Volpe Project to 1400 units of residential, roughly 1/6 of the target in a single project. Incidentally, MIT was required to do a massive amount of analysis in support of its 3-million square foot project, including 1.128 million square feet of residential development. On the table, if the Envision housing goal is the metric, is another 5-6 million square feet of residential space by 2030, in addition to the MIT project. And yet, City staff are doing a cursory analysis and providing anecdotal examples, rather than doing this correctly. This is sad in a city with MIT's Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, and Harvard's Graduate School of Design, which are among the most preeminent in the country, if not the world. That said, a little analysis would show that the balance could easily be made up with the squares and corridors approach, without draconian upzoning with poorly understood impacts including on water, sewer, traffic, electric utilities, tree canopy, etc., etc.
Who and What will be most harmed?
Who Benefits the Most?
Conflicting Cambridge housing goals: Finding housing numbers for the city remains a difficult endeavor. As a city we are already meeting our city's housing goals (despite COVID) and are on the road to reach our Envision housing goals by 2030. In mid-December 2024, the city (CDD) stated they have miscounted total housing stock for 2023 and adjusted down the numbers to be added for FY24. However, this statement has been contradicted by residents who note that we will have roughly 61,992 of 67,213 new housing units and are likely to meet our 2030 Envision goals. The city now admits that the number of city residents and affiliates on our part-publicly-financed "affordable housing" list (for AHO etc.) is closer to 3,000 and not the 20,000-23,000 advocates had used previously.
- 9-Story Developments for partially-Publicly Funded Housing in every neighborhood, as of right (with no means of legal appeal).*
- 6-Story (75') Luxury (Market-Rate) Housing in every neighborhood for projects of 10 units or more (e.g. with 20% inclusionary) on 5,000 SF properties (or combined ones) with no design oversight and no means of legal redress.
- 4-Story (45') Base Luxury (Market-Rate) housing in every neighborhood (most heights now are 2.5 stories) with no design oversight and no means of legal redress. There is no requirement that properties must add units.
- Limitation of open space (yard) requirements in all A and B districts to 1/3 the property, with 1/2 being green space
- Set back minimums measured at 5' from the property line at the sides and rear.
- A three or five year comprehensive review.
*Current rules for AHO heights: "Allowable residential height" means that one does not have to get a special permit, even if there are
conditions one must meet. Additionally: 1) In districts where the allowable residential height is no more than 40', AHO projects can have
four stories and 45' in height. 2) In districts where the allowable residential height is more than 40' but no more than 65', AHO projects can
have nine stories and 100' in height; 3) A project on an AHO Corridor Lot can have twelve stories and 140' in height; 4) In districts where
the allowable residential height is more than 65', AHO projects can have thirteen stories and 150' in height; A project in an AHO Square
District can have fifteen stories and 170' in height; 6) There are situations where projects can go even higher.
Is there a real need for this citywide redevelopment upzoning?
This seems to be a bogus issue. The City data shows 58,170 units of housing in the city, with a target of 67,213 by 2030. So, roughly 9,000 units are needed to achieve that target. Nowhere did I hear mention of MIT's commitment in the Volpe Project to 1400 units of residential, roughly 1/6 of the target in a single project. Incidentally, MIT was required to do a massive amount of analysis in support of its 3-million square foot project, including 1.128 million square feet of residential development. On the table, if the Envision housing goal is the metric, is another 5-6 million square feet of residential space by 2030, in addition to the MIT project. And yet, City staff are doing a cursory analysis and providing anecdotal examples, rather than doing this correctly. This is sad in a city with MIT's Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, and Harvard's Graduate School of Design, which are among the most preeminent in the country, if not the world. That said, a little analysis would show that the balance could easily be made up with the squares and corridors approach, without draconian upzoning with poorly understood impacts including on water, sewer, traffic, electric utilities, tree canopy, etc., etc.
Who and What will be most harmed?
- Lower- and Middle-Income Cambridge Residents, minorities, and those on fixed incomes who will likely be evicted or face lease terminations
- The historic and still sustainable housing of Cambridge which will be demolished to make way for new luxury high rises.
- The environment - not only through the loss of our core tree canopy (44% of which is on private land) but also the huge carbon footprint impacts of home demolitions and the cutting down of more trees to create replacements.
- Those seeking to bring DOWN housing costs in Cambridge, because not only will individual homes cost more, but property values and taxes will likely jump exponentially, with added costs to infrastructure - water, sewage - and more.
Who Benefits the Most?
- Wealthy residential investor companies, developers, and the building industry.
- Non-residents, including international clients seeking to invest their money in Cambridge real estate.
- Those simply wanting to park their money in Cambridge real estate.
- Very wealthy individuals in the local biotech and infotech sector, as well as those who would like a pied-à-terre in the City.
- Take action to replace the current Councillors who are promoting this plan and replace them with those who care about the City and its diversity of residents.
- We can only guess since there is no design oversight. But we can guess. We know that they will be tall and large, with little green space. However the City has not submitted any design guidelines either for this zoning petition, or for the 2021 amended AHO zoning petition. See below for 6- and 4-story possibilities.
Conflicting Cambridge housing goals: Finding housing numbers for the city remains a difficult endeavor. As a city we are already meeting our city's housing goals (despite COVID) and are on the road to reach our Envision housing goals by 2030. In mid-December 2024, the city (CDD) stated they have miscounted total housing stock for 2023 and adjusted down the numbers to be added for FY24. However, this statement has been contradicted by residents who note that we will have roughly 61,992 of 67,213 new housing units and are likely to meet our 2030 Envision goals. The city now admits that the number of city residents and affiliates on our part-publicly-financed "affordable housing" list (for AHO etc.) is closer to 3,000 and not the 20,000-23,000 advocates had used previously.
A Possible Compromise
Work on this is being addressed by CCC, CARE, CRESA, &Justice Housing
Work on this is being addressed by CCC, CARE, CRESA, &Justice Housing
- Support C-1 zoning citywide (Option #7). This would end exclusive housing districts citywide providing the densest criteria to the least dense parts of the city. Of course there are downsides to this model, but it may be best for several reasons. One is that it keeps market rate to 35’ (2.5-3 stories) which allows AHO units to remain prioritized (they are now allowable to 45’ or 4 stories (this allows more affordable housing to be created citywide in our various neighborhoods. This also limits the creation of much larger McMansions (without either design oversight plus as of right)
- Support Justice Housing proposal (Ayesha Wilson amendment - Option #3), but with design oversight (plus no “as of right”) and 6 story buildings only on the corridors. Ideally 5 story buildings only on corner properties. This would mean that 35’ heights would be maintained along with some of the densest zoning in the city. It also would mean that affordable housing (now delimited as allowable to 4 stories) would still trump market rate housing, which would mean that more affordable housing is likely to be built. And with a few adjustments:
- Require design review for projects with the Planning Board, BZA or Historical Commission for demolitions of buildings older than 50 years old (as happens now for C-1). This is the only way residents and professionals can speak to specific design improvements.
- Remove "As of Right" language in the up-zoning petition .
- For both C-1 and all project proposals, require 50% of open space be green space (permeable ground).
- Require that 6 story buildings be on the corridors and 5 story buildings be on the corners (except if avenues already have taller height allowances for market housing, or by special permit)
- Require a 5-year review, and then regular 10 year reviews of the upzoning to address factors like: the number and neighborhoods of demolitions, the numbers and neighborhoods of evictions or lease terminations, impact on infrastructure (water, sewage, transit, parking, schools & other services, impact on the environment.
CITY COUNCIL HOUSING COMMITTEE PROPOSING MASSIVE CITY WIDE UP-ZONING MARK YOUR CALENDARS: May 22,2024 Housing Committee, the citywide up-zoning returns to the Housing Committee.
Allowances will allow dense C-1 zoning criteria for residential areas citywide and may include 6 stories for buildings with 10 units or more with mandated inclusionary zoning. There are also large increases in allowable occupancy levels, with no building design oversight, and no required parking.
What are we trying to achieve? If this is about adding more affordable housing (a key city goal), this will not work, and indeed will make things worse by encouraging more market rate competition to public housing developers. As the current situation has shown, no market rate developer wants to build 10-unit apartment or condo structures if it means adding 20% inclusionary. Instead, they l build 9-unit structures. And as we add more density, heat island impacts rise. In all probability, if this zoning proposal passes, these developers will compete with public housing (AHO) developers for properties, and the former will have ample funds to win.
A-1 districts (and others) may be rezoned to C-1 (East Cambridge) levels and may see a decline from 6,000 SF lot sizes to 1,200 SF lot sizes (the latter would become generalized citywide) . This proposed plan would remove large amounts of green space and trees. Therecould be far more units within each property, without a parking or planned neighborhood infrastructure changes. We likely will see historic house tear downs to build large McMansions or multi-unit luxury condos. None of these proposed plans would require BZA approval.
Where is the process on this?. No city staff members have reached out to let residents know about this highly consequential proposal. We should not make the same mistake we did on the AHO-2 where the proposal was rushed into zoning language and all one could do was tweak it.
Allowances will allow dense C-1 zoning criteria for residential areas citywide and may include 6 stories for buildings with 10 units or more with mandated inclusionary zoning. There are also large increases in allowable occupancy levels, with no building design oversight, and no required parking.
What are we trying to achieve? If this is about adding more affordable housing (a key city goal), this will not work, and indeed will make things worse by encouraging more market rate competition to public housing developers. As the current situation has shown, no market rate developer wants to build 10-unit apartment or condo structures if it means adding 20% inclusionary. Instead, they l build 9-unit structures. And as we add more density, heat island impacts rise. In all probability, if this zoning proposal passes, these developers will compete with public housing (AHO) developers for properties, and the former will have ample funds to win.
A-1 districts (and others) may be rezoned to C-1 (East Cambridge) levels and may see a decline from 6,000 SF lot sizes to 1,200 SF lot sizes (the latter would become generalized citywide) . This proposed plan would remove large amounts of green space and trees. Therecould be far more units within each property, without a parking or planned neighborhood infrastructure changes. We likely will see historic house tear downs to build large McMansions or multi-unit luxury condos. None of these proposed plans would require BZA approval.
Where is the process on this?. No city staff members have reached out to let residents know about this highly consequential proposal. We should not make the same mistake we did on the AHO-2 where the proposal was rushed into zoning language and all one could do was tweak it.
ACTION ALERT CDD has now posted zoning language for the massive proposed City Up-zoning. Read more HERE.
SOME OF WHAT THIS PROPOSED UP-ZONING FEATURES:
We have also created several new blog posts including "What Responsible Zoning Entails" with a number of key questions to address before we go forward. This Is especially important because, as a recent NPR report makes clear, the impact of expanded luxury apartments on overall community housing prices is a complex and highly contested issue among economists and housing researchers, with local experts at MIT and Tufts underscoring that additional luxury housing often actually increases community wide housing prices: HERE In short, Cambridge is not Minneapolis or Chicago (or even Austin). We need a Cambridge solution for a Cambridge and area set of problems.
SOME OF WHAT THIS PROPOSED UP-ZONING FEATURES:
- Citywide market-rate multifamily residential (as of right) in every city residential neighborhood, most criteria consistent with or harsher than our current denser C-1 neighborhoods of East Cambridge.
- 4 story (45 feet) height as of right. Since most housing in Cambridge is 2.5 stories tall and 75 feet is nearly double in height current structures, cutting down sunlight and blocking views of the sky.
- 6 story (73 feet) for projects that are 10 units or more (with 20% "inclusionary" units) and situated on 5,000 SF lots. This may block sunlight and views of the sky.
- 9 stories are allowed for projects that are 100% conforming with the city's Affordable Overlay (AHO).
- New homes & additions now may be built to property line for sides & back; there is a front setback of 0' or 5' or 10’ dependent on current zoning. This will result in the loss of considerable amounts of current green spaces and trees citywide. This may also block window light other features of neighboring homes.
- No required design oversight (Planning Board is advisory, and then only for larger projects). Large boxy structures with little if any interest in adornment or quality of materials are likely to prevail.
- Required open space becomes only 30% in all city residential areas: cutting back significantly from current requirements in many neighborhoods. This will result in the loss of considerable trees and green space in neighborhoods across the city.
- Required open space can include roofs, decks, garage tops, as well as permeable paving, pedestrian walkways, and bicycle parking. This still further eliminates existing green spaces and trees.
- No minimal spatial dimensions are stipulated in meeting the "open space" requirement (prior zoning had a 15'x 15' requirement. This means that a set of very small unusable spaces could count as open space; these likely will make it difficult to retain or plant new trees.
- If this up-zoning proposal passes, new city "AHO projects in every residential neighborhood will be allowed to reach "...AT LEAST 9 STORIES HIGH" (emphasis added) and to reach higher in Harvard Square, Central Square, Porter Square, and Cambridge St/Webster. Stated: HERE (See 1.207.5.2 in the section on "AHO Dimensional Standards"). AHO criteria also will be modified (downwards) to become equal to (no more onerous than) the new zoning requirements.
- Most new market rate and AHO projects with this up-zoning will require the demolition of existing homes and the removal of current tenants. These residents likely will have to leave the city. Related demolitions carry significant environmental consequences. The removal and rebuilding of a structure is estimated cause 40,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions, and a new "green" building will take c. 80 years to recoup the damage done.
- Any new housing with this up-zoning is likely to be considerably more expensive than the housing it replaces. This will increase property values of owners and neighbors, which in turn will increased taxes owned the city each year, impacting low and moderate income residents and seniors on fixed income.
- These up-zoning changes are likely to impact our denser, poorer neighborhoods much more heavily and will exacerbate ongoing gentrification in these areas and elsewhere.
- These up-zoning changes will significantly reduce sunlight for neighboring homes and also reduce green spaces, gardens, and trees.
- These new buildings will have no required parking and will likely exacerbate city parking and traffic problems.
- These up-zoning changes may have severe (often un-planned) impacts on our existing infrastructure and possibly on the safety of residents (increasing potential d loss of property and life if fire fighter access is restricted.
- This up-zoning is likely to impact the health and mortality rates in denser neighborhoods as ambient temperatures rise due to the increasing loss of mature trees and canopy.
We have also created several new blog posts including "What Responsible Zoning Entails" with a number of key questions to address before we go forward. This Is especially important because, as a recent NPR report makes clear, the impact of expanded luxury apartments on overall community housing prices is a complex and highly contested issue among economists and housing researchers, with local experts at MIT and Tufts underscoring that additional luxury housing often actually increases community wide housing prices: HERE In short, Cambridge is not Minneapolis or Chicago (or even Austin). We need a Cambridge solution for a Cambridge and area set of problems.