2. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appointments and reappointments of members to the Cambridge Bicycle Committee for a term of two years, effective Feb 26, 2024. (CM24#24)
pulled by Nolan; PN wants committees to be “commissions” so that City Council would gain more control over these appointments, asks about whether diversity of opinion is a factor in appointments; Iram Farooq claims there is some diversity, but acknowledges that these committees are primarily advocates rather than representatives; Placed on File 8-0-1 (Azeem Absent)

CM24#24     Feb 26, 2024

I am writing to inform you that I am appointing the following persons below as members of the Cambridge Bicycle Committee for a term of two years, effective February 26, 2024. I am pleased to welcome these new members in addition to the reappointed members whose expertise and experience will enable them to contribute to this committee’s important work.

Background
The Cambridge Bicycle Committee works to promote bicycling as a means of transportation and improve conditions for people who bicycle in Cambridge. Activities of the Committee include advancing elements of the Cambridge Bicycle Plan; reviewing plans for road and path construction; organizing and participating in public events; creating public outreach materials; and working with other city committees. The Committee is made up of 15-20 members who are appointed by the City Manager. Appointees represent community interests related to bicycling from a variety of neighborhoods, ages, cultural and racial backgrounds, professions and perspectives. The appointees include small business owners; people who are foreign-born; those who bicycle with children; older adults; and those who engage in bicycling for a variety of purposes (recreational trips; commuting; running errands; social trips; etc.).

The City Manager’s office posted a request for applications for the Cambridge Bicycle Committee on the City website and via a news release on September 28, 2023, with a closing date of October 30, 2023. The call for applicants was posted in several of the City’s daily email updates and in postings on the City website. The announcement was made through the City’s Active Transportation Report and shared with community organizations. The Community Development Department’s Community Engagement Team also reached out to their respective networks. There were 25 applicants, 14 of whom were interviewed by City staff.

The next anticipated vacancy for this committee will come in 2026.

Reappointments

Mark Boswell (North Cambridge)
Mark Boswell is a software engineer in Cambridge and Boston. He is the current Chair of the committee, has been engaged with planning community rides as well as representing the committee on the Cycling Safety Ordinance Advisory Group.

Guido Cuperos (Mid-Cambridge)
Guido Cuperos is a Biologist and Sanofi Genzyme. He sees bicycling as a great way to meet people and learn about the community, bikes with his young children and would like things to be safe for them. He has helped with community bicycle rides and other committee activities.

John Ellersick (North Cambridge)
John Ellersick is president and founder of Next Rung Technology. He joined the Bicycle Committee to become more involved in issues of bicycle safety and sustainability of our urban areas. He has helped with community bike rides and bicycle counting on site.

Amy Flax (Cambridge Highlands)
Amy Flax is a retired elementary school teacher. She is the current Vice Chair of the committee, and is the committee’s representative to the Grand Junction working group as well as a representative for the committee on the Cycling Safety Ordinance Advisory Group.

Diane Gray (North Cambridge, Harvard University Representative)
Diane Gray is a Senior Campus Planner with the Harvard University Office of Planning and Design.

Alison Harris (Mid Cambridge)
Alison Harris is a project archivist at Boston College. She bicycles for commuting, general transportation around the city, and for fun and is interested in supporting sustainable transportation given the connection to environmental impacts, and with furthering mutual courtesy amongst all road users. She has assisted with community bike rides and other committee activities.

Scott Kilcoyne (North Cambridge)
Scott Kilcoyne is a mechanical engineer. He is interested in local civic engagement and data analysis, and would like to work towards ensuring that all people can be comfortable riding. He has organized community bike rides, done bike counts, and undertaken data analysis.

Eitan Normand (Neighborhood Nine)
Eitan Normand is a civil engineer at the MBTA. He rides with his young children and is involved in helping out with community rides and technical design review. He serves on the Mass. Ave. Partial Construction Working Group.

Randy Stern (Cambridgeport)
Randy Stern is a community gardener, bird watcher, and retired software development executive. He currently serves as Secretary to the committee and has been involved with community outreach events. He also attends community meetings and does technical review for city projects.

Carola Voelker (Wellington-Harrington)
Carola Voelker is a solar energy engineer and has worked with youth groups. She has volunteered with some of the City’s outreach and engagement efforts, including the community bike rides.

New Appointments

Martha Birnbaum (Mid-Cambridge)
Martha Birnbaum is the director of a local opera company based in Cambridge. In addition to bicycling in Cambridge, she has done bike tours across the globe, and is interested in policy issues related to improving our bicycle infrastructure.

Michael Burke (Neighborhood Nine)
Michael Burke is the Dean of Student Services at Harvard University. His primary mode of transportation around Cambridge is bicycling, and he is interested in promoting cycling to address climate change and improve the resiliency of our infrastructure.

Gregory Carey-Medlock (The Port)
Gregory Carey-Medlock is Director of Research at a Cambridge Biosciences company. He bikes with his two young children and would like to help improve safety, make it easier for people to get where they need or want, and ensure that future generations have freedom of movement in their city.

Muna El Taha (Wellington-Harrington)
Muna El Taha is an architectural designer. She is interested in how the design of spaces affects people and how they experience their environment; she hopes to use her background in teaching to help communicate about the benefits of cycling infrastructure.

Richard Freierman (Neighborhood Nine)
Richard Freierman is a retired project manager. He has experience with civic engagement and is interested in community involvement, including engagement with small businesses.

Denise Haynes (Cambridgeport)
Denise Haynes is a long-time Cambridge resident, who along with her son, likes to bike in the city. As part of joining the Committee, she is looking to help to ensure that street designs work for all users, are safe and comfortable for more than just the most confident cyclists.

Camille Jonlin (West Cambridge)
Camille Jonlin works in economic development planning at MAPC. She is interested in the regional benefits of making bicycling more accessible and would like to bring her economic development perspective to the work of the committee.

Leah Pickett (Neighborhood Nine)
Leah Pickett is a transportation planner. She is interested in civic engagement and would enjoy organizing bike rides and writing reports as a member of the Committee.

Worth Smith (Works in Cambridge)
Worth Smith is the founder of NEMO, an on-demand bike repair company. He would like to bring his unique perspective as someone with bicycle industry experience and as a small business who works with other businesses in Cambridge.

Ling Zeng (Mid-Cambridge)
Ling Zeng is the founder and owner of an interior design firm. She bikes with her young son and is interested in helping out with family and children-oriented bike rides.

I appreciate the willingness of these community members to serve and look forward to their contributions as members of the Cambridge Bicycle Committee.

3. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appointments and reappointments of members to the Cambridge Pedestrian Committee. (CM24#25)
pulled by Nolan; no additional comments; Placed on File 8-0-1 (Azeem Absent)

CM24#25     Feb 26, 2024

I am writing to inform you that I am appointing the following persons below as members of the Cambridge Pedestrian Committee for a term of two years, effective February 26, 2024. I am pleased to welcome these new members in addition to the reappointed members whose expertise and experience will enable them to contribute to this committee’s important work.

Cambridge Pedestrian Committee Background

The Cambridge Pedestrian Committee works to create a more comfortable, safe, and pleasant environment for walking in Cambridge. It advises on the design of roadway projects and helps develop policies and design guidelines related to pedestrians, including policies related to traffic signals, sidewalk standards, and supportive elements (e.g., benches). It also identifies intersections and other locations where it is difficult to walk, makes suggestions about proposed development projects as they affect people on foot, and undertakes other activities based on members’ interests and concerns, including activities and programs to promote walking. The Committee is made up of 15-20 members who are appointed by the City Manager. Appointees represent interests related to walking from a variety of neighborhoods and perspectives, including walking with children, walking as older adults, promoting and encouraging walking, and the safety of the walking environment.

The City Manager’s office posted a request for applications for the Cambridge Pedestrian Committee on the City website and via a news release on September 28, 2023, with a closing date of October 30, 2023. The call for applicants was posted in several of the City’s daily email updates and in postings on the City website. The announcement was made through the City’s Active Transportation Report and shared with local community organizations. Flyers announcing the call were distributed at City events, and the Community Development Department’s Community Engagement Team also reached out to their respective networks. There were 25 applicants, 17 of whom were interviewed by City staff.

The next anticipated vacancy for this committee will come in 2026.

Reappointments

Robin Bonner (Neighborhood Nine)
Robin Bonner is manager of the Cambridge Skating Club. She and her husband chose to raise their family in Cambridge in part so they would not need to rely on a car for day-to-day transportation; walking is her favorite way to commute. She is currently Vice Chair of the committee.

Debby Galef (Baldwin)
Debby Galef is an ESL teacher. She has been involved in several efforts related to enhancing walking in Cambridge, including on a City working group on snow clearance and as past Committee chair. She currently represents the committee on the Cycling Safety Ordinance Advisory Group and the Mass Ave Partial Build Working Group.

Sandy Goldberg (Riverside)
Sandy Goldberg is an independent museum media content strategist, writer and producer. Walking is her primary way of getting around and her work involves thinking about safe and efficient pedestrian flows and experiences, which she looks to translate in thinking about the urban environment. She is currently Chair of the committee.

Sean Peirce (North Cambridge)
Sean Peirce is an economist at USDOT’s Volpe Center in Kendall Square. He joined the Pedestrian Committee as a way of supporting a safe and environmentally friendly form of transportation, and for the health benefits of walking.

Jeannine Powers (Harvard Representative)
Jeannine Powers is a Senior Campus Planner with the Harvard Office of Planning and Design.

Jenine Turner-Trauring (Baldwin)
Jenine Turner-Trauring is a software engineer. She is interested in data analysis and evaluation to support safe walking environments, particularly for children in the city. She currently represents the committee on the Cycling Safety Ordinance Advisory Group.

New Appointments

Jesus Armenta (works in East Cambridge)
Jesus Armenta works at the East End House as a Therapeutic Case Manager within the Community Programs Department. Through this work, Jesus has seen firsthand the importance of accessible walking in Cambridge while helping lead youth on local field trips and parks by walking and supporting a senior walking club. This has led him to think about how design influences behavior, safety, and comfort levels for all pedestrians. Jesus is an avid walker, runner, and hiker.

David de Chaves (Wellington-Harrington)
David de Chaves works in business administration. He commutes on foot and would like to support walking as a safe mode of transportation.

Alexandra Hallowell (Mid-Cambridge)
Alexandra Hallowell is a transportation planner for the MBTA. She has two young children and wants to make city streets safer and more comfortable for people walking and rolling, especially children.

Evan Killion (North Cambridge)
Evan Killion is a market research analyst. He formerly served as an intern in the Community Development Department, and he is interested in supporting active transportation in Cambridge.

Kevin Leckey (The Port)
Kevin Leckey is a sales operations manager. He is interested in community outreach and would bring his data analysis skills to the Committee.

John Leo (North Cambridge)
John Leo is a commodity manager. He is interested in infrastructure improvements to make streets safer for pedestrians and all modes.

Thomas Marsh (West Cambridge)
Thomas Marsh is a program administrator working in professional and custom education at a local university. He leads a personal walking group and is interested in reviewing projects to ensure pedestrian safety.

Michael McGowan (Wellington-Harrington)
Michael McGowan works in biotechnology manufacturing. He is an avid yoga practitioner and has a keen interest in promoting the health benefits of walking; he would love to be involved in organizing and promoting community walks and educating people about walking in cold weather and walking meditation.

Alexander Mitchell (Wellington-Harrington)
Alexander Mitchell is a strategy professional and advisor to climate technology startups. He is interested in leveraging his experience and passion for urban policy to help create more vibrant, sustainable and equitable communities.

Bernhard Nickel (Mid-Cambridge)
Bernhard Nickel is a philosophy professor. He grew up in a European city and developed a deep appreciation for walkability; he is interested in policy solutions to make city streets and public spaces safer and more accessible to all.

Maryann Quinn (East Cambridge)
Maryann Quinn is a businesswoman and community gardener. She was engaged with the Participatory Budgeting process in the past and has creative ideas about communication and outreach she would like to bring to the Committee.

Logan Read (MIT Representative)
Logan Read is a Communications Specialist at MIT.

Janet Stein (Riverside)
Janet Stein is a recent retiree. She is an enthusiastic walker and would like to support efforts to make walking safe and pleasant for everyone.

I appreciate the willingness of these community members to serve and look forward to their contributions as members of the Cambridge Pedestrian Committee.

4. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, Policy Order Response #24-15 dated Feb 12, 2024 regarding drafting zoning language and related changes to allow for and encourage the continued growth, redevelopment, and evolution of Central Square. (CM24#26) [text of report]
pulled by Sobrinho-Wheeler; JSW wants to know when this would go to Planning Board; Farooq says it goes to PB when petition is filed and during the process; Toner asks if this will build upon work already done; Farooq says YES, and that advisory committees need not be consulted (really?); Nolan suggests that better methods of informing community should be considered; Pickett asks if Central Square Lots study will be integrated and how; Farooq says study in its final stages; Wilson agrees re: communication with residents; Placed on File 8-0-1 (Azeem Absent)

To: Yi-An Huang, City Manager
From: Iram Farooq, Assistant City Manager for Community Development
Date: Feb 21, 2024
Re: Policy Order Response O-15 dated Feb 12, 2024 regarding drafting zoning language and related changes to allow for and encourage the continued growth, redevelopment, and evolution of Central Square

As requested by the City Council, the Community Development Department (CDD) will commence a process to update zoning for Central Square to allow for and encourage the continued growth, redevelopment, and evolution of the district, in alignment with the prior planning processes undertaken by CDD, with a focus on increasing housing, creating public spaces to build community, and supporting our diverse retail, cultural, and non-profit community, and creating additional public open spaces as well opportunities for centralized parking. This memo describes a process and schedule needed to meet the City Council’s goal of adopting new zoning by the end of the calendar year. Our target would be to begin work in March and provide zoning text for filing in September 2024 to allow time for public hearings and City Council vote.

As we formulate zoning recommendations, we will rely on the community’s vision and goals articulated in multiple studies completed in the past decade, including the C2 Planning Study (2013), the Central Square Commercial District Assessment Survey (2018), and the Central Square City Lots Study (2024). Our work will include additional planning and urban design analyses, as needed, to adjust to current priorities and context and to test recommendations for market viability construction feasibility, and ability to balance multiple city goals.

We expect to hold one to two public meetings to discuss potential zoning strategies and receive feedback. Additional community engagement will include meeting with organizations such as the Central Square BID, the Central Square Advisory Committee, neighborhood groups, the faith community, senior housing, area non-profits and cultural organizations as well as focus groups with underheard, underserved, and historically excluded communities. In addition to broad community feedback, we will provide updates to the City Council during the process so that Council feedback can be incorporated into the zoning petition.

The following schedule summarizes the process:

Phase	Month
	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Planning and Urban Design Analysis
Community Engagement		×		×
City Council Update			×		×
Draft Zoning Recommendation & Petition
Filing of Zoning Petition							×
Public Hearings
Possible Zoning Adoption										×

CHARTER RIGHT
1. That the Final Report of the Charter Review Committee be referred to the Government Operations, Rules and Claims Committee. [Charter Right – Simmons, Feb 12, 2024] (PO24#19)
Toner says conversation should start in Gov’t Operations Committee; Nolan OK with starting there, but says it should not stay there - noting that she and Siddiqui are “deeply involved in this” (quite the understatement); Pickett draws parallel with how possible Rules changes are now being considered in committee; Siddiqui OK with starting in committee, but will participate and “brainstorming” with suggestion of a robust process; Toner explains process of culling ideas from councillors, legal questions, timeline; Wilson wants a community conversation around this; Referred to Gov’t Ops. 8-0-1 (Azeem Absent)

O-6     Feb 12, 2024  Charter Right - Simmons
COUNCILLOR TONER
ORDERED: That the Final Report of the Charter Review Committee be referred to the Government Operations, Rules and Claims Committee.

6. Resolution on the death of Charles Fried.   Councillor Nolan

R-6     Feb 26, 2024
COUNCILLOR NOLAN

WHEREAS: The City Council was saddened to learn of the death of Harvard Law School professor, renowned legal philosopher, and longtime Cambridge resident, Charles Fried on January 23, 2024; and

WHEREAS: Born in Prague on April 15, 1935, Fried and his family, who were Jewish, fled Czechoslovakia in 1939 before the Nazi invasion, eventually becoming a United States citizen in 1948; Fried would eventually advise the Czech government on its new construction after the Communist government in Prague fell; and

WHEREAS: After clerking for Supreme Court Justice John Marshall Harlan, Fried joined the faculty of Harvard Law School in 1961 and went on to an over 60-year tenure on the Harvard Law School faculty; and

WHEREAS: Fried was a prolific writer, authoring numerous books and journal articles on his wide-ranging areas of expertise, and a founder of Campaign Legal Center which is devoted to voting rights for all and campaign finance reform; and

WHEREAS: In addition to his storied career at Harvard, Fried served as the 38th solicitor general of the United States from 1985 to 1989 and as associate justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts from 1995 to 1999, in addition to a number of other public service roles; and

WHEREAS: Fried, a rigorous and thoughtful academic who showed intellectual courage in never being afraid to reconsider previously held beliefs, was a role model for intellectual rigor and steadfast conviction that democracy demanded openness to opposing views, which led him to change his opinion on several legal issues, including abortion rights in the United States, with him arguing against the decision of Roe v. Wade in 1985, as part of the Reagan administration, and upon reflection of all legal decisions, later arguing in a 2021 op-ed that “[overturning] Roe now would be an act of constitutional vandalism;” and

WHEREAS: His moral courage was exemplary, notably, in speaking out about the risk to democracy posed by then candidate Trump in 2016 and declaring publicly that conservatives should not only not vote for the Republican nominee, but should endorse and work for Hillary Clinton; and he demonstrated a commitment to justice and democracy that put him at odds with many in power, which did not sway Fried to stay away from the public domain; and

WHEREAS: Charles Fried is survived by his wife, Anne Summerscale Fried, who had many contributions to the world in the form of teaching and art and was her husband’s intellectual partner in many pursuits, his son, Gregory, his daughter, Antonia, and his grandchildren; and

WHEREAS: Fried was admired for his intellectual leadership and noted for his influence on thousands of Harvard Law students, and his analyses and writing ability were well known and respected by a range of legal scholars and students; now therefore be it

RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record expressing its deepest condolences to the family of Charles Fried, for their tremendous loss; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution to the family of Charles Fried on behalf of the entire City Council.

2. A communication from Councillors Nolan and Pickett, transmitting Preliminary Schedule for Finance Committee Meetings. (COF24#18)
Clarifications from Nolan, Pickett (especially in regard to new items for Public School contract, Universal Pre-K); Placed on File 8-0-1 (Azeem Absent)

To: The Cambridge City Council
Date: Feb 22, 2024
Subject: Preliminary Schedule for Finance Committee Meetings

To the Honorable Mayor, the City Council:

As co-chairs of the Finance Committee, we are providing an update on upcoming meetings so that we may have a productive and collaborative budget process. We intend to build upon the work of last term, which offered the council and the community opportunities to give input long before the budget was finalized. And, we will continue the progress made towards providing greater accountability and transparency throughout the budget process through the Finance Committee. We are grateful to the Mayor, the City Manager, and the entire City Council for the commitment to goal-setting this term and we hope that the transparency provided through the budget process will help us further this collaboration.

In addition to the statutorily required budget hearings in May, which will be scheduled at a later date, we have worked with the City Manager and his staff to schedule Finance Committee meetings on the following topics:

Wed, Feb 28, 2024, at 3:00pm – The Finance Committee will have a public meeting to review and discuss the Operating Budget in advance of the FY25 budget season including a discussion of currently known budget obligations and future spending plans, and to discuss City Council budget priorities and goals.

Tues, Mar 19, 2024, at 3:00pm – The Finance Committee will hold a public meeting to review and discuss the FY25 Capital Budget and to continue the Dec 12, 2023 City Council discussion on Public Investment Planning and to discuss City Council capital budget priorities and goals.

Tues, Mar 26, 2024, at 3:00pm – The Finance Committee will hold a public meeting to receive a status update on the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding in Cambridge, as well as to review and discuss the Police Department budget for FY25 before it is submitted to the City Manager, as required under Cambridge Municipal Code Chapter 2.74.040.

If you have any questions or comments on this schedule, please let us know.

Sincerely,
Patricia Nolan
Joan Pickett
Finance Committee Co-chairs

TEXT OF ORDERS
O-1     Feb 26, 2024
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
VICE MAYOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
WHEREAS: The current housing permitting process within the city is recognized as lengthy, often leading to significant delays, creating confusion, and driving up the cost of housing; and
WHEREAS: The complexity and costliness of these processes can act as a barrier to the creation of affordable housing options; and
WHEREAS: Simplifying these processes, including the review of permitting fees, timelines, communication across departments and the consideration of pre-approved designs, can significantly reduce the bureaucratic and financial burden, thus encouraging more affordable housing options in Cambridge; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to undertake a comprehensive review of the city’s current housing permitting processes, with the aim of identifying and implementing measures to streamline these processes, and with such review done with input from entities involved with both market rate and affordable housing production; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to develop a high-level overview of the current processes, highlighting areas of inefficiency and potential improvements; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to present recommendations for the refinement and improvement of these processes to the City Council, with a focus on reducing delays, minimizing costs, and enhancing clarity and accessibility for all stakeholders; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the Housing Committee with this overview and set of recommendations.

O-1     Feb 26, 2024 (with Toner amendments, JSW amendments)
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
VICE MAYOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
WHEREAS: The current housing permitting process within the city is recognized as lengthy, often leading to significant delays, creating confusion, and driving up the cost of housing; and
WHEREAS: The complexity and costliness of these processes can act as a barrier to the creation of affordable [not adopted] housing options; and
WHEREAS: Simplifying these processes, including the review of permitting fees, timelines, communication across departments and the consideration of pre-approved designs, can significantly reduce the bureaucratic and financial burden, thus encouraging more affordable [adopted] housing options in Cambridge; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to undertake a comprehensive review of the city’s current housing permitting processes, with the aim of identifying and implementing measures to streamline these processes, and with such review done with input from [contractors, [trade unions, tenant groups (JSW)], architects, developers, and] [adopted] entities involved with both market rate and affordable housing production; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to develop a high-level overview of the current processes, highlighting areas of inefficiency and potential improvements; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to present recommendations for the refinement and improvement of these processes to the City Council, with a focus on reducing delays, minimizing costs, and enhancing clarity and accessibility for all stakeholders; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the Housing Committee with this overview and set of recommendations.

O-2     Feb 26, 2024
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
MAYOR SIMMONS
WHEREAS: The City Council has consistently supported statewide legislation to enact a real estate transfer fee for municipalities and in 2020 the City Council unanimously approved a Real Estate Transfer Fee Home Rule Petition; and
WHEREAS: H.4138, The Affordable Homes Act includes many important provisions that will improve the production of livable and affordable housing throughout the state, and includes a provision to enable a local option for transfer fees; and
WHEREAS: Over a dozen communities have requested the ability to use a transfer fee to support affordable housing production since 2010 and the housing crisis has only worsened without this important tool; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the Cambridge City Council go on record strongly supporting H.4138, The Affordable Homes Act, and urge legislators to retain the provisions for a local option transfer fee; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this policy order to House and Senate leadership on the Joint Committee on Housing and to the Cambridge delegation on behalf of the entire City Council.

O-3     Feb 26, 2024
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR SIDDIQUI
MAYOR SIMMONS
VICE MAYOR MCGOVERN
WHEREAS: April 19, 2024 is Global Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Day; and
WHEREAS: While the cause is still unknown, CDH affects diaphragm and lung development in over 52,000 babies annually, leading to the death of over 800 infants annually across the country; and
WHEREAS: Due to advancements in prenatal technology, CDH is detected more often, but only a select few medical centers are capable of providing treatment; and
WHEREAS: More research is being conducted every day to determine the cause of and develop additional treatment options to this condition, including at the Massachusetts General Hospital; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Council go on record declaring April 19, 2024 as Global Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Day to bring further awareness to this condition; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the appropriate City staff to ensure that City Hall is lit up in blue, pink, and yellow on April 19, 2024 in recognition of this day.

O-4     Feb 26, 2024
COUNCILLOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR WILSON
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
MAYOR SIMMONS
WHEREAS: International Mother Language Day is celebrated around the world on February 21, to promote linguistic diversity and multilingualism; and
WHEREAS: International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999, and the idea was initiated by Bangladesh; and
WHEREAS: Languages hold cultural significance and 45% of estimated 7,000 languages spoken in the world are endangered and less than 100 languages are used in the digital world; and
WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge is a multilingual city where more than 90 languages are spoken in Cambridge Public Schools and 33.3% of Cambridge residents speak another language at home; and
WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge recently initiated a translation hotline and cards are available at city offices to make the number and service more visible; and
WHEREAS: For the first time, the 2023 Cambridge Resident Satisfaction Survey was conducted in Amharic, Arabic, Bangla, Portuguese, English, Haitian Creole, and Spanish; and
WHEREAS: Last year, more than 60 poems were on display in Cambridge City Hall collected from Cambridge residents to showcase the various languages spoken in our city; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the appropriate City department to put up a lawn sign every year a week before International Mother Language Day to commemorate; and be it further
RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record recognizing the importance of International Mother Language Day every February 21st.

O-5     Feb 26, 2024
COUNCILLOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
COUNCILLOR WILSON
WHEREAS: The City of Boston Voucher Program (“CBVP”) was established with a $2.5m appropriation from the city’s general fund, which was increased to $5m in the FY22 budget and is administered by the Boston Housing Authority (BHA); and
WHEREAS: CBVP focuses on Project Based Vouchers tied to a particular site or development and aims to leverage city resources by deepening the affordability of both existing and in-development income-restricted housing; and
WHEREAS: The City of Somerville started a new fully municipally funded voucher program with a priority for Somerville families who have kids in the public schools and who are ineligible for federal housing resources; and
WHEREAS: Funding for Somerville’s program comes from ARPA dollars to begin with, and likely pivot to funds from the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust when necessary; and
WHEREAS: The Cambridge City Council has passed multiple policy orders regarding the use of city financed vouchers, including PO #581 in 2015, PO #78 in 2016; PO #47 in 2023; and
WHEREAS: As outlined in the Envision Cambridge report, “both home values and rents nearly doubled between 2000 and 2015,” requiring a household income of $100,000 to rent a 1 bedroom apartment, although the median household income in Cambridge is $75,000, and prices have only risen since the time the report was published; and
WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge should explore the feasibility of this municipal resource and pros and cons of adopting a similar program to Boston and Somerville; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and is hereby directed to confer with the City Manager’s Housing Liaison, Community Development Department, and the Cambridge Housing Authority on the feasibility of municipally-funded housing vouchers and report back to the City Council in a timely manner; and be it further
ORDERED: That the matter be referred to the Housing Committee for a meeting to discuss.

O-5     Feb 26, 2024 (with Pickett amendments)
COUNCILLOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
COUNCILLOR WILSON
WHEREAS: The City of Boston Voucher Program (“CBVP”) was established with a $2.5m appropriation from the city’s general fund, which was increased to $5m in the FY22 budget and is administered by the Boston Housing Authority (BHA); and
WHEREAS: CBVP focuses on Project Based Vouchers tied to a particular site or development and aims to leverage city resources by deepening the affordability of both existing and in-development income-restricted housing; and
WHEREAS: The City of Somerville started a new fully municipally funded voucher program with a priority for Somerville families who have kids in the public schools and who are ineligible for federal housing resources; and
WHEREAS: Funding for Somerville’s program comes from ARPA dollars to begin with, and likely pivot to funds from the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust when necessary; and
WHEREAS: The Cambridge City Council has passed multiple policy orders regarding the use of city financed vouchers, including PO #581 in 2015, PO #78 in 2016; PO #47 in 2023; and
WHEREAS: As outlined in the Envision Cambridge report, “both home values and rents nearly doubled between 2000 and 2015,” requiring a household income of $100,000 to rent a 1 bedroom apartment, although the median household income in Cambridge is $75,000, and prices have only risen since the time the report was published; and
WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge should explore the feasibility [and evaluate the impact of] of this municipal resource [a voucher program similar to Boston and Somerville as a complement to building affordable housing] and pros and cons of adopting a similar program to Boston and Somerville; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and is hereby directed to confer with the City Manager’s Housing Liaison, Community Development Department, and the Cambridge Housing Authority on the feasibility of municipally-funded housing vouchers [and identification of potential revenue sources including unallocated ARPA funds, the Affordable Housing Trust, and CPA dollars for funding such program] and report back to the City Council in a timely manner; and be it further
ORDERED: That the matter be referred to the Housing Committee for a meeting to discuss.

O-6     Feb 26, 2024
COUNCILLOR TONER
VICE MAYOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
WHEREAS: The Commonwealth is experiencing a housing crisis of previously unforeseen proportions; and
WHEREAS: Increasing the availability supply of housing is a major priority of the Cambridge City Council both in the interest of addressing housing affordability and to provide housing near jobs to support our local and regional economy; and
WHEREAS: Section 3A of MGL c. 40A, the ‘MBTA Communities Law,’ requires that an MBTA community shall have at least one zoning district of reasonable size in which multifamily housing is permitted as-of-right, and that meets other criteria set forth in the statute; and
WHEREAS: Failure to comply with the law results in a loss of eligibility for certain state funding programs such as funds through the Housing Choice Initiative; Local Capital Projects Fund, and Mass Works infrastructure program; and
WHEREAS: Housing that is subject to inclusionary housing requirements greater than 20% cannot be counted towards compliance under the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) guidelines and EOHLC requires an Economic Feasibility Analysis for communities that have pre-existing inclusionary housing ordinances that require more than 10% of housing units in new developments to be affordable to low-to-moderate income households; and
WHEREAS: Cambridge received approval of preliminary compliance application from EOHLC and submitted final compliance documents in December 2023; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council with the data analysis included in the Economic Feasibility Analysis provided to EOHLC as part of Cambridge’s MBTA Communities final compliance submission.