Cambridge City Council meeting - May 11, 2026

CITY MANAGER’S AGENDA
1. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to an update on the city’s digital equity work. (CM26#138) [text of report]
pulled by Nolan; comments by Nolan, Maria McCauley, Sue Walsh, McGovern, Al-Zubi, Jason Lee, Zusy, Siddiqui; Placed on File 9-0

2. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $312,000 to support the City’s digital equity efforts through a Digital Navigator position at the Cambridge Public Library for up to 3 years. (CM26#136) [text of report]
Order Adopted 9-0

3. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $65,000 to support World Cup watch parties across Cambridge. (CM26#128) [text of report]
Order Adopted 9-0

4. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to an update on the successful completion of the 221 Mount Auburn Street demolition. (CM26#137) [text of report]
pulled by Nolan; comments by Nolan, Kathy Watkins, Azeem, Yi-An Huang, Zusy, Flaherty, McGovern; Placed on File 9-0
[Note: There seemed to be a suggestion from Azeem, Flaherty, and McGovern that additional compensation for the condominium owners could be achieved by jacking up the zoning in order to increase the land value. Not only does this seem like a classic example of spot zoning, it might also be seen as a violation of the Anti-Aid Amendment even though the City would not be transfering actual cash to individuals. Flaherty’s suggestion that the owners could maintain a limited-equity stake in the future ownership of the property might make more legal sense than “payment via upzoning”.]

Police Commissioner Pauline Wells made comments at this point on the Memorial Drive shooting that took place earlier in the day. Two male victims were shot before the suspect was shot by State Police and an armed former marine. Additional comments from Siddiqui, Simmons, Azeem, McGovern, Flaherty, Zusy, Nolan, Al-Zubi.

ORDERS
1. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the relevant departments to immediately request Empower to resign from the Massachusetts High Technology Council and consider options for transitioning the City of Cambridge out of Empower and transferring its retirement accounts into one of the City’s other retirement programs should Empower continue to be a member of the MHTC. Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Al-Zubi, Mayor Siddiqui (PO26#97)
Charter Right - Sobrinho-Wheeler; Withdrawn May 18

2. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant City departments including the Law Department to ensure that there is no new data collected by ShotSpotter devices and all existing data shall be kept, used, or deleted only as required by law under our Welcoming Community Ordinance and Surveillance Technology Ordinance. Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan (PO26#98)
pulled by Simmons; comments by Al-Zubi, Simmons (on “performative allyism” and “saviorism of marginalized people”, calls the order “borderline insulting to people who look like me” – “Have you had your son shot down in the street? I have.”); Charter Right - Azeem

3. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Mayor’s Office, Law Department, Election Commission, and other relevant City Departments to engage the Collins Center in assisting the City in reviewing policy options for allowing Cambridge voters to directly elect the City’s Mayor. Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor McGovern (PO26#99)
pulled by Sobrinho-Wheeler; comments by Sobrinho-Wheeler, McGovern, Nolan, Azeem (would prefer Instant Runoff), Zusy (questions why this is being considered now, calls it a distraction), Siddiqui (who still apparently believes that only incumbent city councillors should be involved in proposing charter changes), Megan Bayer, Flaherty (sees this as Step 1 toward eliminating our city manager form of government, says the mayoral selection was a very positive experience - politics at its finest, outstanding), Simmons (notes that the mayoral question did not meet the threshold for consideration from the Charter Review Committee); Charter Right - Simmons

4. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant City departments to do extensive outreach to residents, businesses, and property owners to communicate the current water level status and take all measures to reduce nonessential water use citywide, and provide a report on citywide water usage and water supply. Councillor Nolan, Councillor Flaherty, Councillor Zusy, Mayor Siddiqui (PO26#100)
pulled by Nolan for comments; Order Adopted 9-0

5. Foreign Policy Issues in the City Council. Councillor Nolan, Councillor Simmons (PO26#101)
pulled by Simmons; comments by Nolan (no one is silencing anyone, notes that it would be equally inappropriate for our federal representatives to weigh in on our local issues), Simmons (notes that issues outside Cambridge do often affect us locally, but this is about we use our time here), Azeem (moves to bring forward Charter Right #1); Azeem notes that his views have changed, calls City Council processes strange - most matters go through a committee process, but a matter like this goes through no process, says he will now support this foreign policy order on Cuba, questions image of Cambridge as a progressive city if this only has 5 votes; McGovern says he will vote for this, says it is our business to take a stand on Cuba; Al-Zubi will vote No, attacks Israel, says the Council can do what it wants; Sobrinho-Wheeler says he will vote Yes on Cuba resolution, No on the Order re: foreign policy issues, suggests that only millionaires can have influence at the U.S. Congressional level; Zusy expresses sympathy for the people of Cuba, but we could take up issues from around the world at every meeting - will vote for this Order, but will vote “Present” on the Cuba issue; Flaherty will also vote “Present” on the Cuba order - we could do this every week, but we should focus on things within our boundaries, notes upcoming local charity drives for Cuban people and invites people to open their wallets; Siddiqui says she will support Cuba resolution and will vote No on Order #5; Simmons responds to public commentary re: Caroline Hunter and her fight against apartheid in South Africa and how much grief she got in Cambridge at the time for her efforts - will not vote for the Cuba issue - why won’t we address voting rights matters now in the center of national debate - notes the many important matters that have happened in Cambridge that received little or no attention; Order Adopted 6-3 (Azeem, Flaherty, McGovern, Nolan, Simmons, Zusy - Yes; Al-Zubi, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Siddiqui - No)

6. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council on the projected fiscal impact of maintaining the current exemption for seniors, along with any administrative steps necessary to do so. Councillor Simmons, Councillor Zusy (PO26#94)
pulled by Simmons; comments by Simmons, Zusy, McGovern (w/various proposed amendments, also wants to exempt low-income people), Al-Zubi (refers to “class analysis”), Flaherty (would like to be added as sponsor, feels that no senior should pay the fee while Transportation is getting $22 million in revenue), Azeem (worried that we’re trying to get too clever with this); Nolan (still believe we should charge what the program costs, but never questions the cost estimates - still wants to maintain $75 for all but with checkoff to reduce to $25, including seniors); Charter Right - Sobrinho-Wheeler

7. That a special Committee of the City Council be formed to conduct a full and complete analysis of each of the proposed changes, with full the goal of a transparent understanding of each of the proposed changes and the implications. Councillor Flaherty, Councillor Simmons (PO26#102)
Charter Right - Sobrinho-Wheeler

CHARTER RIGHT
1. That the City Council go on record calling upon President Trump to immediately rescind Executive Order 14380, immediately enter meaningful negotiations with the Cuban government with the goal of ending the United States oil embargo, and carry out his foreign policy agenda with respect to the wishes of the people of the United States and in accordance with international law. [Charter Right - Nolan, May 4, 2026] (PO26#95)
Azeem motion to take this up with Order #5 (see above); additional comments by Nolan; Order Adopted 5-0-0-4 (Al-Zubi, Azeem, McGovern, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Siddiqui - Yes; Flaherty, Nolan, Simmons, Zusy - Present)

O-2 May 4, 2026 Charter Right - Nolan
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR AL-ZUBI
WHEREAS: Since March 14, 1958, the United States has maintained a trade embargo on Cuba; and
WHEREAS: On January 29, 2026, President Trump signed Executive Order 14380 that labels Cuba an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the United States, serving as a pretext to impose severe economic penalties on any country that attempts to deliver oil or trade with Cuba; and
WHEREAS: The consequences of this Executive Order have been measured in human suffering, with the most vulnerable—children, the elderly, and the sick—bearing the brunt of this cruelty:
• Families left without power for light, refrigeration, and cooking;
• Hospitals risking the closure of wards and the suspension of critical treatments;
• The distribution of food and medicine being paralyzed; and
WHEREAS: All nations have the right under international law to self-determination and to address their internal economic and social needs free from undue external coercion, consistent with the principles of sovereignty and non-intervention; and
WHEREAS: Full restoration of trade and travel between the two countries would be of benefit to both, particularly in the areas of food production, economic opportunity, education, health care, tourism, the arts, music, and sports, along with medical and biotechnological research; and
WHEREAS: For over 30 years, the UN General Assembly has voted annually, with an overwhelming majority, to condemn the US embargo on Cuba; and
WHEREAS: The current United States policy toward Cuba is a special manifestation of harshness which is harmful to those with ties to Cuba, and especially hard on families in Cuba and in the Cuban-American community in the U.S.; and
WHEREAS: In March 2021, the City Council unanimously passed PO21#50 affirming its support to lifting the United States’ blockade on Cuba, with the City Councils in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ypsilanti, Michigan, and Richmond, Virginia passing similar resolutions since 2025; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Council go on record calling upon President Trump to immediately rescind Executive Order 14380, immediately enter meaningful negotiations with the Cuban government with the goal of ending the United States oil embargo, and carry out his foreign policy agenda with respect to the wishes of the people of the United States and in accordance with international law; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Council go on record calling for the immediate restoration of engagement with the Republic of Cuba as initiated by President Barack Obama; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Council go on record urging the United States Congress to promulgate and pass legislation that will finally end the unsuccessful and harmful 64-year-old economic, financial, and commercial embargo on Cuba, as well as ending the travel restrictions on United States citizens and residents of Cuba, and Cuban citizens to the United States; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward suitably engrossed copies of this Policy Order to Cambridge’s delegation to the United States Congress on behalf of the entire City Council.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
2. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $10,000,000 to provide funds for the design and construction of improvements along Massachusetts Avenue and vicinity between Bigelow Street and Sindey Street. (CM26#95) [text of report] [Passed to 2nd Reading Apr 27, 2026; Eligible to be Adopted May 18, 2026]

3. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $13,000,000 to provide funds for the reconstruction of various City streets and sidewalks. (CM26#96) [text of report] [Passed to 2nd Reading Apr 27, 2026; Eligible to be Adopted May 18, 2026]

4. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $12,000,000 to provide funds to replace and modernize the City’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. (CM26#98) [text of report] [Passed to 2nd Reading Apr 27, 2026; Eligible to be Adopted May 18, 2026]

5. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $14,000,000 to provide funds for remediation and improvements at Gold Star Mothers Park. (CM26#99) [text of report] [Passed to 2nd Reading Apr 27, 2026; Eligible to be Adopted May 18, 2026]

6. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $28,500,000 to provide funds for the Municipal Facilities Improvement Plan. (CM26#100) [text of report] [Passed to 2nd Reading Apr 27, 2026; Eligible to be Adopted May 18, 2026]

7. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $12,795,000 to provide funds for financing school building upgrades. (CM26#101) [text of report] [Passed to 2nd Reading Apr 27, 2026; Eligible to be Adopted May 18, 2026]

8. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $8,375,000 to provide funds for the design and construction of surface enhancements and sewer and drainage infrastructure improvements in the Baldwin neighborhood. (CM26#102) [text of report] [Passed to 2nd Reading Apr 27, 2026; Eligible to be Adopted May 18, 2026]

9. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $500,000 to provide funds for the City’s Climate Change Program to improve protection against flooding and extreme heat. (CM26#103) [text of report] [Passed to 2nd Reading Apr 27, 2026; Eligible to be Adopted May 18, 2026]

10. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $7,500,000 to provide funds for the sewer Combined Sewer Overflow Control Program. (CM26#104) [text of report] [Passed to 2nd Reading Apr 27, 2026; Eligible to be Adopted May 18, 2026]

11. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $1,000,000 to provide funds for design and construction of the Harvard Square sewer separation and stormwater management program. (CM26#105) [text of report] [Passed to 2nd Reading Apr 27, 2026; Eligible to be Adopted May 18, 2026]

12. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $310,000 to provide funds for the replacement of Ozone generators at the Water Department. (CM26#106) [text of report] [Passed to 2nd Reading Apr 27, 2026; Eligible to be Adopted May 18, 2026]

13. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $2,000,000 to provide funds for water works construction projects for repairs and replacement of water distribution infrastructure. (CM26#107) [text of report] [Passed to 2nd Reading Apr 27, 2026; Eligible to be Adopted May 18, 2026]

14. Chapter 2.127 Community Benefits Advisory Committee Ordinance. [Passed to 2nd Reading Apr 27, 2026; Eligible to be Adopted May 18, 2026] (ORD26#4)

COMMUNICATIONS
1. Alice Sullo – PO26#82
2. Alyssa Smith – Ahern Field
3. Amy Thompson – Supporting the Policy Order for qualified research
4. Annette LaMond – Please Support PO26#82
5. Becky Harmon – PO26#82
6. Ben Wurgaft – Supporting a Housing Needs Study
7. Suzanne Blier – On Today’s Agenda May 4, 2026
8. Bunanta, Susyrati – We support a Housing Needs Study (PO26#82)
9. Carlos Loya – Loya Public Records Request Response P260118012226
10. Cetrulo, Lawrence – Request for Immediate Moratorium on Large-Scale Residential Development
11. Christine Tessier – Housing PO26#82
12. Joseph T. Coyle – UpZoning
13. Cynthia Broner – Housing Needs Study
14. Dan Cohn – PO26#82 Housing Needs Study
15. David Brewster – Support of PO26#82
16. Deborah Zucker – Please support Housing Needs Study (PO26#82)
17. Dorian and Judith Farris Bowman – PO26#82
18. Elizabeth Gilmore – PO26#82
19. Elizabeth Gombosi – Support PO26#82
20. Frank LoGerfo – PO26#82
21. Gaylen Morgan – Housing study PO26#82
22. Shelagh Hadley
23. Heather Hoffman – communications in City Council agenda
24. Heli Meltsner – I support a Housing Needs Study (PO26#82).
25. Jana Odette – PO26#82, a rigorous Housing Needs Study by a qualified RESEARCH ORGANIZATION, housing decisions.
26. Jay Rosenberg – PO26#82
27. Jean Krulic – I support a Housing Needs Study (PO26#82).
28. Jennifer Markell – PO26#82
29. John Trever – I support a Housing Needs Study (PO26#82)
30. Joseph Moore – PO26#82
31. Joyce Devlin – PO26#82
32. Lauren Harder – Support PO26#82
33. Lillian Brodsky – Please Keep Ahern Field Natural
34. Lisa Glover – Please approve PO26#82
35. Louise Venden – Housing Needs Study
36. Madeleine Aster – Please support Housing Needs Study PO26#82 and add an amendment
37. Marilee Meyer – Please support charter right, study for measured housing goals
38. Mary Jane Kornacki – in support of PO26#82 housing need study
39. Michael Sipser – Request for Housing Needs Study
40. Pat McCarthy – PO26#82
41. Phyllis Simpkins – PO26#82
42. Robin Wolfe – Message to Cambridge City Council; re: PO26#82
43. Ronald Suleski – Strongly Support a Housing Needs Study
44. Rosalind Michahelles – YES to PO26#82
45. Sam Allon – What’s up with Kirkland Street
46. Seymour Kellerman – Approve PO26#82
47. Ted Live – Support PO26#82
48. William Bloomstein – PO26#82 needs your approval
49. Young Kim – Calendar #1 – Charter Right PO26#82 Housing Needs Study Framework
50. Young Kim – another
51. Young Kim – yet another
52. Zack Goldberg – Please approve PO26#82 to support a fact-based outside study of Cambridge housing needs.

LATE RESOLUTIONS
1. Condolences to the family of Charles Linehan III. Councillor Flaherty

COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITY OFFICERS
1. A communication was received from Interim City Clerk Paula Crane, regarding an update regarding legislative activity. (COF26#72)
Placed on File 9-0

2. A communication from Mayor Siddiqui transmitting a memorandum regarding information from the School Committee. (COF26#74)
pulled by Siddiqui; Withdrawn 9-0 due to wrong communication having been submitted

3. Draft 2026-2027 Rules of the City Council (COF26#73) [text of report]
pulled by Sobrinho-Wheeler for comments; Late Policy Order (Flaherty, Councillor Simmons) introduced, JSW immediate Charter Right; Nolan disagrees with 9:00pm proposed end time - feels 10:00pm would be more appropriate, has other suggested amendment re: striking a proposed cap of only two opportunities to speak on a given matter; Siddiqui outlines options; Azeem agrees with Nolan proposed amendments, agrees with breaking meeting into two days when needed; Al-Zubi prefers to refer to committee or to exercise Charter Right; Siddiqui moves to adopt rules; Charter Right - Flaherty

Tues, May 12
9:00am The Finance Committee will conduct a public hearing on the City and School budgets covering the fiscal period July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.

Thurs, May 14
9:00am The Finance Committee will conduct a public hearing on the City and School budgets covering the fiscal period July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 (If needed).

Wed, May 20
12:00pm The Public Safety Committee will hold a public hearing to review specific items from the Annual Surveillance Report as required under Cambridge Municipal Code Chapter 2.128, Section 2.128.060, CM26#44, submitted to the full City Council on Mar 9, 2026.

Tues, May 26
11:00am The Health and Environment Committee will hold a public hearing to review and discuss implementation of Zero Waste Master Plan (ZWMP) 2.0, adopted by Council in June 2025, including review of draft ordinance changes as recommended by the ZWMP 2.0.

Tues, June 9
3:00pm The Economic Development and University Relations Committee will convene a roundtable of representatives from the Cambridge and Greater Cambridge startup ecosystem to provide insight into current conditions, emerging needs, and specific ways the City can strengthen its support for startups and enhance the local innovation environment.

Tues, June 23
10:00am The City Council shall hold a Special Meeting for a mid-year check-in on the City Manager’s 2026 Performance Review Process and progress towards annual goals.

TEXT OF ORDERS
O-1 May 11, 2026 Charter Right - Sobrinho-Wheeler
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR AL-ZUBI
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
WHEREAS: The Massachusetts General Court is considering sending a number of initiatives to voters this November, including the implementation of a revenue cap and making the state’s taxation rate less progressive, both of which would provide significant tax cuts to the wealthiest Massachusetts residents; and
WHEREAS: The latter two ballot questions are proposed by the Massachusetts High Technology Council (MHTC); and
WHEREAS: These proposed ballot questions would cause dramatic impacts to state and city services, causing deep cuts to education, healthcare, and infrastructure and other services, meanwhile providing a major boon for the wealthiest Bay Staters; and
WHEREAS: As of March 2026, one of the MHTC member companies is Empower, a financial services company that provides retirement and investment accounts to individuals and employers around the world, including providing retirement accounts for employees of the City of Cambridge, which also partners with two other financial services companies to offer retirement accounts to our employees; and
WHEREAS: Due to the pressure and scrutiny these member companies have faced since forming the Council, MHTC has hidden the membership list on its website, and several companies, universities, and other institutions have resigned from participating; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the relevant departments to immediately request Empower to resign from the Massachusetts High Technology Council and consider options for transitioning the City of Cambridge out of Empower and transferring its retirement accounts into one of the City’s other retirement programs should Empower continue to be a member of the MHTC; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council in a timely manner.

O-2 May 11, 2026 Charter Right - Azeem
COUNCILLOR AL-ZUBI
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
WHEREAS: ShotSpotter is a regional and citywide network of microphones owned by for-profit company SoundThinking and capable of continuously monitoring public spaces that relies on artificial intelligence (AI) to determine if soundwave patterns indicate a gunshot; and
WHEREAS: ShotSpotter has never been independently scientifically validated to be an accurate and reliable source of information and nationally, there have been few evaluations of ShotSpotter’s actual efficacy, with inconsistent and negative results across various locations; and there is no evidence that ShotSpotter prevents or even deters crime and in fact, has a false positive rate of about 82 percent in Cambridge; and
WHEREAS: The City of Boston Office of Emergency Management has a contract with SoundThinking that provides for deployment of ShotSpotter gunshot detection technology for the Metro Boston Homeland Security Region, which includes the City of Cambridge, via a grant from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a federal agency that oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); and
WHEREAS: SoundThinking owns the law enforcement information database CrimeTracer (formerly known as COPLINK X) which has historically been accessed by federal agencies, including ICE, and may continue to be monitored by unnamed agencies, as stipulated by SoundThinking in the data sharing agreement for CrimeTracer; and
WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge established itself as one of the first few sanctuary cities in 1985; recommitted to this in 2006, 2016, and again in February 2020 with the passage of the Welcoming Community Ordinance that includes the stipulation that Cambridge police cannot voluntarily work with federal immigration enforcement, and unanimously reaffirmed this commitment in December 2024 with policy ordinance PO24#154; and
WHEREAS: ICE funding has recently increased to $48.5 billion and launched an expanded and aggressive immigration enforcement operation in Massachusetts called Operation Patriot which resulted in nearly 1,500 arrests in one month according to ICE, roughly half of whom had no criminal record, and arrested a Tufts student in March 2025 for co-authoring a public statement in support of Palestine; and
WHEREAS: According to the Annual Surveillance Report ShotSpotter costs approximately $50,000 annually in grant-funded operations covered by DHS, and the City of Cambridge incurs ongoing expenses of approximately $10,000 in related costs in addition to the internal costs including officer training and the operational costs of deploying personnel to investigate ShotSpotter alerts; beyond these fiscal outlays, the technology imposes profound social costs: it exacerbates the over-policing of Black and Brown communities, strains pro-bono and legal aid systems through increased caseloads, and inflicts a lasting psychological toll on residents, including those targeted by ICE; and
WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge has adopted a Surveillance Technology Ordinance in 2018, Chapter 2.128 of the city Code of Ordinances, the first-of-its kind in the Boston metropolitan area; that requires all surveillance technology be reviewed by the City Council for approval and be subject to informed public discussion before deployment; and
WHEREAS: Under section 2.128.060(C) of the Surveillance Technology Ordinance, the City Council must assess for each technology discussed in the Annual Surveillance Report whether the benefits outweigh the costs and whether reasonable safeguards exist for civil rights and liberties; and the Ordinance is clear that if either standard is not met, the City Council may “disapprove further use of the surveillance technology”; and
WHEREAS: An Annual Report on ShotSpotter was submitted in March 2026 and was reviewed by the Public Safety Committee in April 2026; upon consideration of available evidence, community input, and broader concerns around data governance, substantial concerns remain regarding: (a) the reliability and effectiveness of the technology in producing actionable public safety outcomes; (b) the operational costs associated with its deployment; and (c) the adequacy of safeguards to mitigate risks to privacy, civil liberties, and civil rights; now therefore be it
ORDERED: The City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant departments to rescind prior approval of ShotSpotter, including ending any and all contracts with ShotSpotter that are connected to the City of Cambridge; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Police Department to stop using ShotSpotter, including turning off and physically removing the surveillance tools no later than 90 days; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant City departments including the Law Department to ensure that there is no new data collected by ShotSpotter devices and all existing data shall be kept, used, or deleted only as required by law under our Welcoming Community Ordinance and Surveillance Technology Ordinance; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back, both during a public hearing and with a written publicly available report, to the Council in a timely manner, once the contract has been terminated and all the devices in the City of Cambridge have been removed.

O-3 May 11, 2026 Charter Right - Simmons
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
WHEREAS: In November 2025, Cambridge voters approved a new charter for the City of Cambridge, completing its first charter review in more than 80 years, with updates including modernizing charter language, modernizing vote tabulation methods, standardizing budget meetings, allowing the School Committee to choose its own Chair, and requiring that City Council approve City Manager appointments to multimember bodies, among other changes; and
WHEREAS: This process began with the formation of a Charter Review Committee, which met from August 2022 through January 2024 and produced a series of recommendations for updating the City’s charter; and
WHEREAS: The City Council began reviewing these recommendations in December 2024 through the Special Committee on Charter Review; and
WHEREAS: Some changes were advanced after minimal discussion, while other recommendations and newly emerged topics - including the possibility of establishing a directly elected Mayor - were referred to the Government Operations Committee for further exploration; and
WHEREAS: Because charter changes in Massachusetts require approval by the state legislature and governor through a home rule petition process before being put to voters, the City faced deadlines that did not allow sufficient time to fully develop and vet policy options for a directly elected mayor for inclusion on the November 2025 ballot; and
WHEREAS: On April 14, 2025, the City Council unanimously passed PO25#57 petitioning the Massachusetts General Court to enact a new home rule charter; and
WHEREAS: The City worked with the Collins Center at the University of Massachusetts Boston - an organization established by the state government to provide cities and towns with technical assistance on municipal government matters - during its previous charter update; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Mayor’s Office, Law Department, Election Commission, and other relevant City Departments to engage the Collins Center in assisting the City in reviewing policy options for allowing Cambridge voters to directly elect the City’s Mayor; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Executive Assistant to the City Council to identify appropriate funding for this work from within the City Council budget; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council in a timely manner.

O-4 May 11, 2026
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY
COUNCILLOR ZUSY
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
WHEREAS: Much of the country is experiencing serious drought conditions which put a strain on governments at all levels, and cause financial, public health, and Climate risks; and
WHEREAS: Cambridge has been in at least a Level 1, Mild Drought status since September 2025, including several months at a Level 2, Significant Drought, and all of March 2026 in a Level 3, Critical Drought, which, as outlined in the Massachusetts Drought Management Plan, require detailed monitoring of drought conditions, along with ongoing coordination among state and federal agencies to implement water use restrictions; and
WHEREAS: The U.S. Geological Survey monitors and maintains water storage data for the Cambridge water supply, which is used by the Cambridge Water Department to monitor water levels at the Hobbs Brook Reservoir and Fresh Pond; and
WHEREAS: Reservoir storage for all of the year to date in 2026 is significantly lower than the median reservoir levels for the last 15 years, and if below-normal precipitation continues, the City of Cambridge may have to resort to purchasing water from MWRA to supplement or replace the City supply for an extended period of time, as in previous drought years, which is a significant expense; and
WHEREAS: Despite the considerable snowfall that Cambridge and the greater region has had this winter, drought conditions persist due to limited groundwater recharge this winter, and with the higher water demand season approaching, it is critically important to be proactive with regards to water consumption and be vigilant in acting to conserve water; and
WHEREAS: The City Council has asked the City administration for a comprehensive and effective response to drought conditions and to inform the general public, including public communication in all City outlets, including the Daily Update, and should focus particularly on outreach to large water users; and
WHEREAS: Notwithstanding the need to conserve water, street trees, park trees, and trees on private property will need to continue to be maintained through regular irrigation as they provide essential public health and environmental justice benefits and are thus considered an essential use; and
WHEREAS: The City Council wants the City to be prepared in the case of dry conditions continuing and to be prepared for late summer droughts; now therefore be it
RESOLVED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant City departments to do extensive outreach to residents, businesses, and property owners to communicate the current water level status and take all measures to reduce nonessential water use citywide, and provide a report on citywide water usage and water supply; and be it further
RESOLVED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council in a timely manner.

O-5 May 11, 2026
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
WHEREAS: At times, the Cambridge City Council submits resolutions or policy orders that do not directly relate to municipal business, but are nevertheless important to note because of the impact on Cambridge residents or the City government; and
WHEREAS: Some resolutions, while important morally or symbolically, are not directly related to the impact on Cambridge residents or the City government and can take up valuable City Council business hours on debate and public comment, without ultimately making a significant material impact on residents; and
WHEREAS: Previously, the City Council adopted PO24#13, which asked the City Council to discuss the topic of foreign policy resolutions in the Government Operations, Rules & Claims Committee; and
WHEREAS: The question of when it may be appropriate to address foreign policy issues at regular meetings of the City Council and how and when to have such discussions of importance to the community was not brought back to the full city council and that discussion is important; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the Government Operations, Rules & Claims Committee and the Civic Unity Committee hold a joint meeting as soon as possible to discuss the topic of including foreign policy resolutions in regular City Council meetings.

O-6 May 11, 2026 Charter Right - Sobrinho-Wheeler
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
COUNCILLOR ZUSY
WHEREAS: Proposed changes to residential parking permit and visitor parking permit fees, as most recently discussed by the Transportation Committee on April 28, have not yet been finalized nor implemented, but would increase most residential parking permit and visitor parking permit fees to $75; and
WHEREAS: Under the proposal now under discussion, the current fee treatment would remain unchanged for residents without cars and persons with handicap permits, but senior citizens would lose their existing exemption and instead pay a $75 or $25 (the subsidized rate for low-income residents, requiring them only to check off a box); and
WHEREAS: It has been estimated that leaving the current exemption for seniors in place would reduce projected City revenue by only $185,000-$300,000, which would be a relatively modest fiscal impact in exchange for preserving meaningful relief for older residents; and
WHEREAS: This proposal comes at a particularly difficult time, as parking spaces are being removed, household budgets are under increasing strain, and residents are feeling financial pressure from virtually every direction, including rising fuel and home heating costs and broader increases in the price of consumer goods, making the preservation of this one small area of relief for seniors a meaningful step the City can take to ease that burden; and
WHEREAS: In that context, imposing a new charge on seniors, even if limited to $25, is problematic and risks placing yet another burden on residents who are often living on fixed incomes; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested, prior to implementation of any new residential parking permit and visitor parking permit fee structure, to keep unchanged the current fee treatment for senior citizens, as for persons with handicap permits, by maintaining the existing exemption for seniors with respect to the proposed new charges; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on the projected fiscal impact of maintaining the current exemption for seniors, along with any administrative steps necessary to do so.

AWAITING REPORT LIST
25-29. That the City Manager is requested to work with the School Department, the Department of Public Works, and other relevant departments to ensure that all city owned parking lots, with a focus on school complexes, including the still under construction parking at Tobin/Darby Vassal school complex, could be made available for after-hours use by residents.
Councillor Nolan, Councillor Toner, Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Zusy, Councillor Wilson (O-2) from 5/12/2025. [forwarded by Councillor Nolan as AR26-2]

25-51. The City Manager is requested to work with all relevant departments to seek input from the community as well as direct outreach to condo owners and short-term rental operators and develop additional recommendations based on the discussion in the Ordinance Committee.
Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor McGovern, Councillor Siddiqui (O-8) from 9/8/2025. [forwarded by Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui as AR26-4]

25-69. Review the previous home rule petition and prepare a new petition that would allow Cambridge to enact a Real Estate Transfer Fee to be sent to the state legislature.
Councillor Nolan, Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor McGovern (O-6) from 12/8/2025. [forwarded by Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor McGovern as AR26-6]

26-7. Restricting Eligibility for On-Street Resident Parking Permits in New Transit-Oriented Developments.
Councillor Zusy, Vice Mayor Azeem, Councillor Nolan (O-2) from 12/22/2025, Charter Right #2 of 1/12/2026

26-14. That the City Manager conduct a comprehensive review of existing safety and security measures at Cambridge City Hall, including an assessment of physical access controls, visitor screening practices, on-site security staffing and training, emergency response and evacuation protocols, and the use of security technologies such as surveillance systems and alarm monitoring.
Councillor Flaherty, Councillor Simmons (O-3) from 1/12/2026, Charter Right #2 from 1/26/2026

26-16. The City Manager is requested to direct the Community Development Department (CDD) to examine the feasibility, legal considerations, and administrative requirements of permitting qualified third-party guarantors or co-signers for applicants to Inclusionary Housing units and provide recommendations as to whether such a policy could responsibly expand access to these units.
Vice Mayor Azeem, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Simmons (O-3) from 2/9/2026

26-18. The City Manager is requested to direct the appropriate departments to review the city’s digital equity work to date, including the study’s recommendations and all steps taken since the study conclusion in order to update the evaluation of existing internet access programs, assessing whether residents’ digital needs are or could be better provided for and to propose how we can better meet their needs and to report back to the Council by June 2026 on internet access programs. See Mgr #1
Councillor Zusy, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor Azeem (O-1) from 1/26/2026, Charter Right #2 from 2/9/2026

26-19. That the City Manager is requested to assess opportunities to improve the consistency of how meeting information is posted and accessed on the City’s website.
Councillor Simmons, Councillor Zusy, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler (O-1) from 3/2/2026

26-22. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant City departments as well as the Election Commissioners to review guidance from the IRS and consult with other municipalities in order to simplify our processes for paying election workers.
Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Zusy (O-6) from 3/2/2026

26-25. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to instruct all City departments, boards, commissions, and offices to discontinue all official posting and engagement on X within 60 days; and to include an explanation of why the City will no longer use X.
Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor Nolan (O-3) from 3/2/2026

26-26. That the City Manager is requested to direct the Community Development Department and the Transportation Department to meet with Harvard’s Office of Community Relations and the Longwood Collective (MASCO) to harmonize institutional bus protocols with public-facing commitments.
Councillor Al-Zubi, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Nolan (O-3) from 3/23/2026

26-27. That the City Manager is requested to direct relevant City departments and staff to examine and report back on whether the city can require single-stall public bathrooms to be gender-neutral.
Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor Flaherty, Councillor Nolan, Vice Mayor Azeem (O-4) from 3/23/2026

26-28. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant departments to review the current legal landscape and provide recommendations for how to regulate construction of large data centers in Cambridge.
Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Zusy (O-5) from 3/30/2026

26-29. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant City departments to raise the fee of the parking permit program for all residents to $75, consider how to include a self-identified check off option so as not to increase administrative costs for a subsidized fee of $25 for residents who live in affordable housing, are enrolled in a program such as SNAP or are low income, remove the senior exemption for the residential parking permit program and lower the number of cars that individual residents are allowed to get a residential parking permit for from four to two.
Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zusy, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor McGovern (O-5) from 2/9/2026, Substitute Order Adopted 3/30/2026

26-30. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested work with relevant City departments to provide a report on how the decision to install artificial turf was made, the rationale for artificial turf, and what process was taken to ensure community concerns and public health considerations were fully addressed, and to ensure that construction will not move forward until a report is delivered.
Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor McGovern (O-3) from 4/13/26

26-31. That the City Manager is requested to update the City’s “Succession Planning and Employee Ownership Workbook” and any comparable written or online guidance so that worker buyouts and worker cooperatives are clearly presented as standard succession options for retiring business owners.
Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan (O-1) from 4/27/26

26-32. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with relevant City staff to review City ordinances regulating the operation of food vendors in City parks.
Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor McGovern, Vice Mayor Azeem, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Al-Zubi (O-3) from 5/4/26

26-33. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant staff to explore options for commissioning a comparable housing needs study through a qualified research institution.
Councillor Zusy, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Flaherty (O-5) from 4/27/26 (Charter Right #1 from 5/4/26)

26-35. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant departments to review the state bills referenced as well as the previously filed Home Rule Petition and prepare a new Home Rule Petition that would allow Cambridge to install and operate cameras to enforce red light, speeding, or other moving violations as outlined in H.3754 and S.2344 and the prior home rule.
Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor McGovern (O-5) from 3/2/26

26-39. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Cambridge Department of Transportation (CDOT) and any other relevant departments to halt any further design, engineering, procurement, or construction activities related to implementing a reconfiguration of Garden Street to restore two-way motor-vehicle traffic or relocate the existing Bluebikes station and provide the City Council with a written update within six months of passage of this Order describing an alternative set of safety improvements that do not restore two-way motor vehicle traffic on Garden Street.
Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler (O-2) from 4/13/26 and Charter Right #1 from 4/27/26