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The proposed Cambridge "Missing Middle Housing" (MMH) citywide up-zoning petition promoted by the National Association of Home builders (NAHB) and their allies will NOT create affordable housing but rather will displace tenants as their buildings are sold to make way for luxury developments. It would also increase density throughout the city, further diminishing of our threatened tree canopy and limited green space.
Under the false promise of providing more affordable housing, this proposal puts a bullseye on single-family and two or three deckers throughout Cambridge. How? By slashing set-backs on all sides and allowing 40 foot tall building on every property. The result: Dorm-level density allowed on even the smallest streets.
Each lot could be maxed out, including replacing an existing home entirely - all with NO design review or concern for even direct abutters. New owners could also decide to build themselves a McMansion, adding stories and additions that can tower over their neighbors. If new units are created, NO off-street parking would be required - no matter how many new cars might reasonably be expected.
This is NOT affordable housing: Only developments of 10 or more units are required to provide any affordable housing. Land and construction costs in Cambridge are among the very highest in the US; most new units would have to be luxury, not even middle-income, to make the return on investment work.
As the 10% most densely populated city in the country, and one with hundreds of new units already added every year under existing rules, Cambridge needs smart growth, not a modern-day land rush that displaces current tenants.
Want to volunteer? email us at info@CCCoalition1@gmail.com
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What will the MMH Up-Zoning Petition Change in Cambridge Citywide Residential Zoning?
-Increases to allow dorm-size residential density (FAR) everywhere: 1.25.
-Increase to residential height allowances everywhere: 40' (4 story equivalent).
-Decrease to lot size per dwelling unit, allowing: 500sqft / unit
-Decrease to front yard setbacks: 10' (unless neighboring lots are smaller)
-Decrease to side yard setbacks: 7'6" (or 5' if the neighboring lot is significantly set back)
-Decrease to rear yard setbacks: 10'
-Remove cornice line requirement on town houses, encouraging box-like flat-roofed buildings.
What will the MMH Up-Zoning also do?
-Allow for home demolitions, evictions, and displacements to add more, larger luxury housing.
-Promote the conversion of rental properties into expensive condos
-Encourage more gentrification in transitional neighborhoods
-Promote the removal of existing green spaces and our declining tree canopy.
What will the MMH Up-Zoning Petition NOT do?
-Provide more affordable housing.
-Provide design review for new home additions or new housing on existing property.
-Allow immediate neighbors to address design impacts.
-Further any of the core Envision goals.
Misinformation being Promoted by MMH supporters
-That current homes created in lower or higher zoning spec eras are somehow now "illegal." Not True.
-That demolishing a still viable home, filling up local dumpsite, cutting more trees to build bigger is good environmentally. Not true.
-That trickle-down supply-down theories re.housing work any better than for taxable income changes. Not true.
- That adding more market-rate (luxury) housing will decrease housing and rental costs. Not true (just the opposite).
_____________________________________________________________________________
What are people saying about the city-wide up-zoning "Missing Middle" proposal?
"Asking for-profit developers to fix the affordable housing problem is like asking an arsonist to put out their own fire. What is their incentive?" in "Black Response Cambridge Up-zoning Petition: 'Missing Middle' Fails for Housing Affordability" in Cambridge Day, Feb. 15, 2021.
-Stephanie Guirand, Resident of the Port, Graduate Student and Author
"The 'Missing Middle' is a blanket policy that leaves out and misses the presence of already diverse residential portfolios that the city offers and that should be enhanced and not opened up to speculative and short-sighted speed of building over quality housing. Community design review is essential to the success of any development regardless of size, by addressing the context in which it will exist and the lives it will host."
-Fabrizio Gentili, East Cambridge Resident and Realtor
There is no middle class in the city of Cambridge and there is no middle-income housing in the city of Cambridge. You are either rich or you are poor in the city of Cambridge and the City has to do a better job providing middle income housing for us."
-Greg O'Bannon. Resident of the Port. Transportation Worker
"The desired scale and density of the so-called Missing Middle has long been in place in Cambridge. Advocates for the 'Missing Middle' (including developers) many from out of town, decry the fact that many homes were built before current zoning laws, and do not meet these minimums, wanting to rebuild the entire city according to new far taller and denser zoning (now in place for dorms) and fill in open spaces between homes, removing trees and green spaces."
-Fritz Donovan, Esq. Mid-Cambridge Resident. Immigration Attorney
"The 'Missing Middle' Proposal is nothing more than a developer's money-making scheme that will result in excessive over building and will strain our already stressed infrastructure. Despite its catchy slogan. It is an over development Frankenstein, advanced without regard to real housing demands and other city needs.
-Katiti Kironde, North Cambridge, Designer
"We are the middle. There are many multi-family free standing homes that pepper the neighborhood. 'Missing Middle' will displace current residents like us so investors and private contractors can tear down our homes, eradicate our small green space and make money rebuilding at great cost that they pass on to our replacements as we join the missing. That's a construction jobs program and private developers' boondoggle, not a solution to a housing crisis."
- Phil Wellons. Riverside Resident. Consultant
Under the false promise of providing more affordable housing, this proposal puts a bullseye on single-family and two or three deckers throughout Cambridge. How? By slashing set-backs on all sides and allowing 40 foot tall building on every property. The result: Dorm-level density allowed on even the smallest streets.
Each lot could be maxed out, including replacing an existing home entirely - all with NO design review or concern for even direct abutters. New owners could also decide to build themselves a McMansion, adding stories and additions that can tower over their neighbors. If new units are created, NO off-street parking would be required - no matter how many new cars might reasonably be expected.
This is NOT affordable housing: Only developments of 10 or more units are required to provide any affordable housing. Land and construction costs in Cambridge are among the very highest in the US; most new units would have to be luxury, not even middle-income, to make the return on investment work.
As the 10% most densely populated city in the country, and one with hundreds of new units already added every year under existing rules, Cambridge needs smart growth, not a modern-day land rush that displaces current tenants.
Want to volunteer? email us at info@CCCoalition1@gmail.com
_____________________________________________________________________________
What will the MMH Up-Zoning Petition Change in Cambridge Citywide Residential Zoning?
-Increases to allow dorm-size residential density (FAR) everywhere: 1.25.
-Increase to residential height allowances everywhere: 40' (4 story equivalent).
-Decrease to lot size per dwelling unit, allowing: 500sqft / unit
-Decrease to front yard setbacks: 10' (unless neighboring lots are smaller)
-Decrease to side yard setbacks: 7'6" (or 5' if the neighboring lot is significantly set back)
-Decrease to rear yard setbacks: 10'
-Remove cornice line requirement on town houses, encouraging box-like flat-roofed buildings.
What will the MMH Up-Zoning also do?
-Allow for home demolitions, evictions, and displacements to add more, larger luxury housing.
-Promote the conversion of rental properties into expensive condos
-Encourage more gentrification in transitional neighborhoods
-Promote the removal of existing green spaces and our declining tree canopy.
What will the MMH Up-Zoning Petition NOT do?
-Provide more affordable housing.
-Provide design review for new home additions or new housing on existing property.
-Allow immediate neighbors to address design impacts.
-Further any of the core Envision goals.
Misinformation being Promoted by MMH supporters
-That current homes created in lower or higher zoning spec eras are somehow now "illegal." Not True.
-That demolishing a still viable home, filling up local dumpsite, cutting more trees to build bigger is good environmentally. Not true.
-That trickle-down supply-down theories re.housing work any better than for taxable income changes. Not true.
- That adding more market-rate (luxury) housing will decrease housing and rental costs. Not true (just the opposite).
_____________________________________________________________________________
What are people saying about the city-wide up-zoning "Missing Middle" proposal?
"Asking for-profit developers to fix the affordable housing problem is like asking an arsonist to put out their own fire. What is their incentive?" in "Black Response Cambridge Up-zoning Petition: 'Missing Middle' Fails for Housing Affordability" in Cambridge Day, Feb. 15, 2021.
-Stephanie Guirand, Resident of the Port, Graduate Student and Author
"The 'Missing Middle' is a blanket policy that leaves out and misses the presence of already diverse residential portfolios that the city offers and that should be enhanced and not opened up to speculative and short-sighted speed of building over quality housing. Community design review is essential to the success of any development regardless of size, by addressing the context in which it will exist and the lives it will host."
-Fabrizio Gentili, East Cambridge Resident and Realtor
There is no middle class in the city of Cambridge and there is no middle-income housing in the city of Cambridge. You are either rich or you are poor in the city of Cambridge and the City has to do a better job providing middle income housing for us."
-Greg O'Bannon. Resident of the Port. Transportation Worker
"The desired scale and density of the so-called Missing Middle has long been in place in Cambridge. Advocates for the 'Missing Middle' (including developers) many from out of town, decry the fact that many homes were built before current zoning laws, and do not meet these minimums, wanting to rebuild the entire city according to new far taller and denser zoning (now in place for dorms) and fill in open spaces between homes, removing trees and green spaces."
-Fritz Donovan, Esq. Mid-Cambridge Resident. Immigration Attorney
"The 'Missing Middle' Proposal is nothing more than a developer's money-making scheme that will result in excessive over building and will strain our already stressed infrastructure. Despite its catchy slogan. It is an over development Frankenstein, advanced without regard to real housing demands and other city needs.
-Katiti Kironde, North Cambridge, Designer
"We are the middle. There are many multi-family free standing homes that pepper the neighborhood. 'Missing Middle' will displace current residents like us so investors and private contractors can tear down our homes, eradicate our small green space and make money rebuilding at great cost that they pass on to our replacements as we join the missing. That's a construction jobs program and private developers' boondoggle, not a solution to a housing crisis."
- Phil Wellons. Riverside Resident. Consultant