4. A communication transmitted from Owen C. O’Riordan, Acting City Manager, relative to a recommendation from the Cambridge Election Commission regarding the assignment of thirty-two (32) police officers and any additional officers as required to the City’s polling locations for all elections in FY23, pursuant to G.L. c. 54, §72. (CM22#150)
pulled by Zondervan; Order Adopted 9-0

Aug 1, 2022
To the Honorable, the City Council:

Please find enclosed a communication received from the Board of Election Commissioners recommending the assignment of thirty-two (32) police officers and any additional officers as required to the City’s polling locations for all elections in FY23, pursuant to G.L. c. 54, §72. Upon City Council approval, the City Manager’s Office will assign police details to the City’s polling locations for all scheduled elections this fiscal year.

I appreciate your consideration in this matter and welcome any questions you may have.

Very truly yours,
Owen O’Riordan
Acting City Manager

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To: Owen O’Riordan, Acting City Manager
From: Board of Election Commissioners
Date: July 26, 2022
Re: RECOMMENDATION TO ASSIGN POLICE OFFICERS FOR ALL ELECTIONS IN 2022

In accordance with MGL Chapter 54, Section 72, the City Manager recommends that the City Council approve the assignment of thirty-two (32) officers and any additional officers as needed “to preserve the order and to protect the election officers and supervisors from any interference with their duties and aide in enforcing the laws relating to elections” for all elections in 2022, with the names and specific location assignments to be determined by Cambridge Police Commissioner or designated authorized police personnel in coordination with the Executive Director of the Election Commission.

5. Transmitting communication from Owen C. O’Riordan, Acting City Manager, relative to a request from the Board of Election Commissioners recommending the relocation of the Ward 1 Precinct 1 polling site, in accordance with Chapter 255 of the Acts of 2020, as amended by Chapter 5 of the Acts of 2021 and Chapter 29 of the Acts of 2021. (CM22#151)
Order Adopted 9-0

Aug 1, 2022
To the Honorable, the City Council:

In accordance with Chapter 255 of the Acts of 2020, as amended by Chapter 5 of the Acts of 2021 and Chapter 29 of the Acts of 2021, please find attached a request from the Board of Election Commissioners recommending the relocation of a polling site for Ward 1 Precinct 1.

Very truly yours,
Owen O’Riordan
Acting City Manager

To: Owen O’Riordan, Acting City Manager
From: Board of Election Commissioners
Date: July 26, 2022
Re: RECOMMENDATION TO RELOCATE THE POLLING SITE FOR WARD 1 PRECINCT 1

In accordance with Chapter 255 of the Acts of 2020, there are procedures required when moving precincts or polling locations which affects any polling place changes. The section states:

“Notwithstanding section 24 of chapter 54 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, the select board, board of selectmen, town council or city council may, by recorded and public vote, change any polling place to be used at the election not less than 20 days prior to the date of the election if it is determined that the public convenience or public health would be better served.

If the select board, board of selectmen or town council determines that the public convenience or public health would be better served, they may house all polling places in a single building within the municipality, if such building is suitably equipped; provided, however, that alcoholic beverages shall not be served or consumed in that portion of a building used as a polling place, during voting hours or while ballots are being counted therein.

In cities, the city council may designate polling places in non-adjacent precincts if they determine the public convenience or public health would be better served.

In making a decision to change a polling place, the select board, board of selectmen, town council or city council shall evaluate and report on whether such change would have a disparate adverse impact on access to the polls on the basis of race, national origin, disability, income or age, and not later than 3 days prior to changing a polling place, shall make publicly available on its website and at the office of the town or city clerk a report on its evaluation.

When the polling places have been designated pursuant to this section, the board of registrars shall post on the municipal website and at other such places as it may determine, a description of the polling places and shall notify voters by using an electronic means, to the extent available, such as via email or reverse 911 call.”

The City’s primary responsibility is to conduct fair elections in a manner that facilitates maximum voter participation while minimizing voter confusion and risk during COVID-19. Accordingly, “the select board, board of selectmen, town council or city council may, by recorded and public vote, change any polling place to be used at the election not less than 20 days prior to the date of the election if it is determined that the public convenience or public health would be better served...”

With the everchanging status of the coronavirus and lack of available and suitable locations to serve as polling places it has been determined by the City of Cambridge Board of Election Commissioners (“Board”) that public health and convenience would be better served if some polling sites were relocated.

In addition, in response to the increase in population as per the 2020 Federal Census, the Election Commission, with the assistance of the Cambridge GIS department, submitted the 2020 Re-Precincting Plan to the Local Election District Review Commission (“LEDRC”) and it was approved. The City of Cambridge will maintain its eleven (11) wards and thirty-three (33) precincts but will now add new nine (9) sub-precincts. There will be twenty-five (25) polling sites, 33 precincts and nine (9) new subprecincts.

Board has located a suitable location to serve as polling site for Ward 1 Precinct 1 that would meet state regulations and be in the same ward and precinct with hopes of providing voter convenience and to minimize voter confusion. The proposed polling location was evaluated, and the Board determined that this site will not have a “disparate adverse impact on access to the polls on the basis of race, national origin, disability, income or age...” The proposed location is accessible for all voters, near previously used polling locations, and provides enough space to accommodate the necessary voting equipment and supplies and social distancing of poll workers, and voters.

In accordance with 950 CMR 51:00 “Polling place accessibility for elderly and handicapped voters” a Polling Place Accessibility Survey completed for the proposed relocation site to enable the Board to determine that it is fully accessible for all voters and suitable as a polling location. In addition, the Board will adhere to public health guidelines and ensure election workers receive training on properly sanitizing equipment, PPE and social distancing to mitigate public health risks.

The following is the recommended relocation site for Ward 1 Precinct 1 polling place:

Precinct	2021 Polling Place	2022 Polling Place Relocation
1-1	Community Charter School of Cambridge, 245 Bent Street	222 Jacobs Street, Conference Center

At a meeting held on Monday, July 25, 2022, at 5:30pm the Board voted 4 in favor, 0 against, to submit this request recommending the relocation of certain polling places to the City Council for review and determination as per Chapter 255 of the Acts of 2020. The draft 2022 City of Cambridge Polling Precincts list, which includes the recommended polling place for Ward 1 Precinct 1, is attached for your convenience.

7. Transmitting communication from Owen C. O’Riordan, Acting City Manager, relative to the appointment of Michael Shear as a new member of the Cambridge Health Alliance Board of Trustees for a 1-year term. (CM22#153)
Placed on File 9-0

Aug 1, 2022
To the Honorable, the City Council:

I am hereby transmitting notification of the appointment of Michael Shear, MD as a new member of the Cambridge Health Alliance Board of Trustees. This appointment requires notification to the City Council only.

Michael Shear, MD (Cambridge, 1-year term)
Dr. Shear is an Emergency Medicine trained physician who currently works at Harvard University Health Services. Prior to Harvard University Health Services, Dr. Shear was an attending physician at Emerson Hospital (Concord, MA), Mount Auburn Hospital (Cambridge, MA), and Lahey Clinic Medical Center (Burlington, MA). Dr. Shear has extensive medical relief work experience in Micronesia with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in Haiti through the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, and in Haiti with the International Medical Corps. Dr Shear also practiced two years in Nepal.

Very truly yours,
Owen O’Riordan
Acting City Manager

17. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, requesting a reduction of $18,654 in the allocated amount for the FY23 Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) funding due to a lower HUD allocation that estimated. (CM22#163)
pulled by Zondervan; Order Adopted 9-0

Aug 1, 2022
To the Honorable, the City Council:

I am hereby requesting a reduction of $18,654 in the allocated amount for the FY23 Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) funding.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) CDBG entitlement program allocates annual grants to states and larger cities to provide affordable housing, revitalize neighborhoods, and expand economic opportunities to low and moderate-income persons.

The City’s estimated CDBG appropriation of $2,634,010 was included as part of the City’s FY23 Budget, adopted in June 2022. The final HUD allocation was $18,654 lower than the City estimated. The total allocation for FY23 is $2,615,356.

Very truly yours,
Owen O’Riordan
Acting City Manager

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Agenda Item Number 17     Aug 1, 2022
WHEREAS: The City’s estimated CDBG appropriation of $2,634,010 was included as part of the City’s FY23 Budget, adopted in June 2022, however the final HUD allocation was $18,654 lower than the City estimated, now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Council vote to rescind $18,654 in the allocated amount for the FY23 Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) funding.

18. A communication transmitted from Owen C. O’Riordan, Acting City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 22-31, regarding funding received through the housing linkage program. (CM22#164)
pulled by Zondervan; Placed on File 9-0

To: Owen O’Riordan, acting City Manager
From: Iram Farooq, Assistant City Manager for Community Development
Date: Aug 1, 2022
Re: Awaiting Report #22-31, Policy Order #O-86 dated May 9, 2022, regarding funding received through the housing linkage program

In response to the above referenced Policy Order, we submit the following.

Section 11.202 of the Zoning Ordinance (the ‘Incentive Zoning’ provisions) requires developers to contribute funding to the Affordable Housing Trust based on amount of non-residential building square footage they build. An amendment to the Incentive Zoning provisions in 2015, coupled with subsequent contribution rate amendments and CPI increases, significantly increased the housing contribution rate and greatly expanded the applicability so that the Incentive Zoning provisions now apply more broadly to large developments throughout the city.

The Affordable Housing Trust received the first housing contribution under the updated Incentive Zoning provisions in FY2019. Since the adoption of the 2015 amendments, the Trust has received $44,366,047 through the Incentive Zoning provisions. A total of $6,426,630 in Incentive Zoning contributions were received under the original provisions from its inception in 1988 through the 2015 changes. Housing contributions since FY2019 are noted in Table 1 below.

Table 1: HOUSING CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED
YEAR	HOUSING CONTRIBUTION ($)
FY2019	2,109,726
FY2020	6,568,355
FY2021	9,768,279
FY2022	25,919,687
TOTAL	44,366,047

Looking to the future, we have projected housing contribution funds that are expected over the coming years from developments that have received special permits. Incentive Zoning contributions are typically received at the time of certificate of occupancy when developments are completed. It is, therefore, challenging to estimate the precise timing and amounts of housing contribution, especially from projects in the early stages. There are many factors that impact how and when proposed developments move forward and when they are completed. We cannot fully anticipate or account for these but have discounted estimates for developments that are in the earlier phases of development to attempt to address them.

In Table 2, we have included our estimates for developments that are now under construction, and more conservative estimates for developments where permitting approvals are in place but building permits have not yet been issued. We have not included estimated contributions for developments for which special permits have not been approved.

Table 2: PROJECTED FUTURE HOUSING CONTRIBUTIONS
YEAR	HOUSING CONTRIBUTION* ($)
FY2023	10,622,000
FY2024	30,353,000
FY2025	11,039,000
FY2026	13,240,000
TOTAL	65,254,000

*In FY24 and FY26, includes projected payments to the Affordable Housing Trust required by the First St Garage parking disposition agreement.

19. A communication transmitted from Owen C. O’Riordan, Acting City Manager, relative to the submission of the Affordable Housing Overlay Annual Report. (CM22#165)
pulled by Mallon; most AHO projects (as many of us predicted) are on existing properties of CHA, Just-A-Start, etc.; McGovern celebrates the lack of any process; Referred to Housing Committee 9-0

To: Owen O’Riordan, Acting City Manager
From: Iram Farooq, Assistant City Manager for Community Development
Date: Aug 1, 2022
Re: Affordable Housing Overlay Annual Report

Per the requirements of Section 11.207.11 of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance, we are pleased to submit the first Annual Report of the Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) which provides a summary of affordable housing development activity under the AHO.

The Zoning Ordinance requires that the annual report include the following:

(1) A list of sites considered for affordable housing development under the AHO, to the extent known by CDD, including:

• Site location

• Actions taken to initiate an AHO project

• Site status

(2) A description of each AHO project underway or completed, including:

• Site location

• Number of units

• Unit types/number of bedrooms

• Tenure

• Project status

• Number of residents served by AHO project

As summarized in the attached report (Affordable Housing Overlay Annual report), more than 25 sites have been assessed for potential development under the Affordable Housing Overlay and there are currently five AHO developments actively underway.

Two of the AHO projects, Jefferson Park Federal and 52 New Street, have completed both the AHO Community process and the AHO Advisory Design Review process and are now ready to request building permits once the final pieces of funding needed to begin construction have been secured. Jefferson Park Federal involves the comprehensive redevelopment of a former public housing development to result in 278 new affordable rental units. The New Street development involves the new construction of 107 affordable rental units on a site adjacent to Danehy Park.

Two AHO projects, 49 Sixth Street and 116 Norfolk Street, have held several AHO community meetings and are in the process of completing the Advisory Design Review at the Planning Board. The 49 Sixth Street development involves the conversion and historic reuse of a portion of the Sacred Heart church property to create 46 new affordable rental units and began the Advisory Design Review process in April 2022. The 116 Norfolk Street development involves the historic renovation and expansion and conversion of an existing building of single-room-occupancy (SRO) units to 62 new studio units for individuals transitioning out of homelessness and will begin the Advisory Design Review in July 2022. The fifth AHO project, Walden Square Phase 2, has extended its AHO Community Process after a redesign and will be beginning the Advisory Design Review process when their community process is complete.

The attached report only lists the sites which have been assessed as potential AHO developments, to the extent known by CDD staff. However, the list does not include other sites, such as existing multi-family buildings, which were assessed during this time period as potential opportunities to create affordable housing through means other than the AHO zoning provisions.

We are pleased that there are already five active AHO developments underway and we will continue to work with affordable housing providers to identify, assess and secure additional sites for development under the AHO provisions.

20. A communication transmitted from Owen C. O’Riordan, Acting City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-35 regarding options to update the HomeBridge and Homeownership Programs. (CM22#166)
pulled by Mallon; notable that CDD shows at best lukewarm support of increasing homeownership opportunities and building of wealth; Referred to Housing Committee 9-0

To: Owen O’Riordan, Acting City Manager
From: Iram Farooq, Assistant City Manager for Community Development
Date: July 28, 2022
Re: Awaiting Report #21-35 dated May 3, 2021, regarding options to update the HomeBridge and Homeownership Programs

In response to the above referenced Policy Orders, we submit the following. The Community Development Department (CDD) and the Affordable Housing Trust have begun reviewing the City’s affordable homeownership programs. The goals of the current program are to:

• provide housing stability,

• enable affordable homeowners to stay in Cambridge,

• provide modest asset building and return on investment to homeowners, and

• maintain long-term affordability of the housing units.

The purpose of the review is to explore options to update the programs to also increase the ability to build intergenerational wealth through ownership of an affordable home. The City holds affordability restrictions on more than 550 homeownership units. These units were created through a variety of programs, including non-profit housing development; market purchase programs such as HomeBridge and its predecessors; and Inclusionary and other zoning-based requirements.

The affordable homeownership program has served hundreds of residents over more than thirty years. Over the past few years, we have spoken with many owners informally on the challenges and opportunities they have had with the program. In addition, we continue to collect and analyze the data we have on owner’s equity returns at sale, costs to maintain units, and the affordability of homes over time.

Current Program
The current form of homeownership affordable housing restriction has been in use since the early 1990’s, with one significant revision in 2010. This revision was in response to changes in Fannie May (FNMA) mortgage policy and did not substantially change any of the program terms that are part of this review.

Most current owners have some form of this restriction, although there are about 15 owners with older restrictions that have very different terms, including more significant price increases. This summary does not apply to those earlier restrictions. Key program components that have come up as areas to interrogate are the resale formula and inheritance policy.

Resale formula
This is the formula that defines how the unit’s value appreciates over time. The current formula is a “Return on Equity” model. In this model, the affordable unit value increase is based on the amount of equity (i.e., the total of an owner’s down payment and loan principal payments) multiplied each year by a Treasury Bill rate. This “Return on Equity” is added to the original affordable purchase price to determine the resale price. The rate of appreciation depends on many factors, including the Treasury Bill rates, down payment amounts, and mortgage interest rate, and can vary greatly between owners.

Over the past thirty years, this formula has done an excellent job of preserving and increasing affordability over time, creating housing stability for owners, and in many cases allowing units to be resold to households with lower incomes at resale than at the original purchase. However, the formula can be confusing for homeowners to understand, and the financial return is very modest and does not support wealth-building in keeping with real estate value increases. Our initial analysis of resale prices and affordability indicates that the return to owners can be increased without compromising permanent affordability, and that there are options to make the resale formula more beneficial, transparent, and equitable for owners.

Inheritance Policy
The City’s current restriction does not allow for any transfer of ownership, including through inheritance, without approval of the City. However, the restriction does have explicit language that allows a surviving spouse or domestic partner to remain living in the unit after the owners’ death for the rest of their life, even if they are not themselves an owner. Other household members may remain for one year after the completion of probate. In cases where an owner passes away with an adult child living with them, it has been our policy to allow the child to purchase the unit if they are an income-eligible buyer and can afford to purchase the home.

We have received feedback on several occasions that the lack of inheritance is a deterrent for some residents.

Potential Changes
Our work is likely to result in recommendations for changes to the existing homeownership program. We may also benefit from considering additional programs that have been successful in other parts of the country, particularly focusing on housing markets similar to Cambridge.

Changes to the current programs
As we consider changes to the homeownership program, we expect to consider modifications both to the resale formula and the inheritance policies. Such changes are likely to also prompt changes in other areas, such as how capital improvements are included in the value and the process for selling an affordable unit.

Additional Programs
The current affordable homeownership stock is approximately 1% of the total housing units in Cambridge. In addition to looking at ways to increase the asset building potential in these 550 units, the City could develop additional programs with an emphasis on connecting underserved groups historically excluded from market homeownership.

For example, one potential model to consider could be a “shared equity” program, similar to San Francisco’s Down payment Assistance Loan Program (DALP). This program provides funding for participants to purchase a home on the open market, like the HomeBridge program. The City funds act as a second loan. At the time of a sale or transfer (such as inheritance), the full principal amount of the loan is repaid, plus a portion of the appreciation based on the original percentage of the purchase paid by the DALP loan. Once the home is sold and the DALP loan repaid, there are no ongoing restrictions on the unit. The City might also hold a purchase right to give the option to re-subsidize the unit at resale with the seller’s loan payoff.

Using HomeBridge subsidy numbers, a shared-equity program capitalized with $5.5MM could provide funding for 12 to 18 purchases, depending on the unit sizes and prices.

Process and Equitable Outreach
We have begun a process to review and develop options for potential changes to the affordable homeownership program and are using multiple strategies to engage people and gather input. While homeowners who are in the program are likely to have the most detailed insights, our goal is to engage with multiple groups:

• current owners,

• Cambridge residents who are waiting for affordable homeownership opportunities, both through the Resale Pool and HomeBridge programs, and

• those who may be interested in homeownership but not the current terms of the City program.

We are working with our newly-formed Community Engagement Team to design equitable outreach strategies and encourages a wide range of owners and those interested in the program to participate. We are also considering meeting formats that support an open exchange of viewpoints and information.

Initial Invitation for Input and Affordable Housing Trust Discussion
We sent a letter to all current owners with an overview of the process and an invitation to participate. The letter included an invitation to submit written comments and attend the meeting of the Affordable Housing Trust held earlier this year focused on the topic of changes to the homeownership program. More than 80 homeowners attended the Trust meeting, and many provided written input for the Trust to consider.

Trust members identified the following additional research and analysis that would be helpful for the discussion. Staff will be working on these items in upcoming months:

• analysis of the impact of potential changes on the supply of available ownership units over time;

• possible financial impacts including the potential need for new funding to keep units affordable; and

• an overview of how other affordable homeownership programs approach the balance of building assets and maintaining affordability.

Survey
We sent a survey to current homeowners in the program to gather preliminary feedback on questions about priorities for a resale formula, inheritance policy, and how the current program impacts owners’ housing choices. More than one-third of current owners completed the survey in July. We are now reviewing responses and compiling data and expect to have data to share with the Trust and community in late summer.

Listening Sessions
We are also preparing for listening sessions with owners to gather more qualitative feedback and begin discussing the range of potential changes. We anticipate that these meetings will begin in September.

All owners will be provided with materials relating to these conversations, whether they choose to participate in a meeting or not.

City Council Housing Committee
Discussions at the City Council’s Housing Committee could provide additional opportunities for broader public comment, particularly engaging with those who are not currently involved with the homeownership programs, but might be interested.

Written Comments
Owners are also able to submit written comments at any time throughout the process.

Legal Considerations
The affordable ownership stock was created through a range of programs and funding sources. In addition to engaging with a range of stakeholders, we are working with the Law Department to review underlying requirements of funding sources, zoning ordinances, permitting agreements, and any other conditions that may impact potential changes or potential new programs. Completing a thorough review is necessary to ascertain what change(s) the Trust or City can consider while maintaining compliance with underlying legal requirements.

Timeline
We have begun community engagement concurrently with Affordable Housing Trust discussions and internal research. Our aim is to have a set of program changes for considerations late this year, with the expectation that decisions on these changes can be made by early 2023. We recognize that it is important for this review process to be responsive to feedback as we receive it, so the timeline may evolve, if needed.

21. A communication transmitted from Owen C. O’Riordan, Acting City Manager, relative to a request that the City Council extend its prior authorization for the City Manager to grant street obstruction approvals, which are required for restaurants to operate outdoor dining on the sidewalk or street until June 30, 2023. (CM22#167)
pulled by Toner; Order Adopted 9-0

Aug 1, 2022
To the Honorable, the City Council:

Consistent with Governor Baker’s Orders and temporary legislation which authorized restaurants to expand outdoor dining through an expedited process, the City Council has previously authorized the City Manager to grant street obstruction approvals, which are required for restaurants to operate outdoor dining on the sidewalk or street.

On September 13, 2021, the Council extended its prior authorization for the City Manager or their designee to grant street obstruction approvals until June 30, 2022. This prior extension was extremely helpful for maintaining flexibility in line with the state and due to the fact that the Spring has been the busiest season for outdoor dining applications.

The City has continued to work with restaurants that wish to have outdoor dining apply for all necessary approvals pursuant to the expedited process and the City’s Outdoor Dining Policy. On April 1, 2022, Governor Baker signed into law a further extension of the legislation which authorized restaurants to expand outdoor dining through this same expedited process until April 1, 2023.

Consistent with the extension of the legislation that allows outdoor dining through this process until April 1, 2023, and the City’s updated Outdoor Dining Policy. I am hereby requesting that the City Council extend its prior authorization for the City Manager or their designee to grant street obstruction approvals, along with any other necessary approvals for temporary obstructions until June 30, 2023.

If granted, this extension until June 30, 2023 will continue to provide the City some additional flexibility throughout the Spring of 2023 following the expected April 1, 2023 expiration of the Governor’s Order.

I look forward to discussing this matter with you and answering any questions you may have.

Very truly yours,
Owen O’Riordan
Acting City Manager

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Agenda Item Number 21     Aug 1, 2022
ORDERED: That from this date until June 30, 2023, due to the restaurant community’s need to expand outdoor dining services in response to COVID-19 and consistent with the extension of the legislation which temporarily waives some of the time-consuming procedural requirements for restaurants that are licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption that are applying to operate outdoor dining services, temporarily waives the requirement that the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission approve such requests, and temporarily waives zoning requirements that may prohibit outdoor dining services, and consistent with the City’s updated Outdoor Dining Policy, until June 30, 2023, all applications for temporary street obstructions for outdoor dining services will hereby be referred to the City Manager with authorization to act.

COMMUNICATIONS
1. A communication was received from Andrew E. Sharpe, regarding THANK YOU for repainting the Traffic Signal Electrical Box at the Intersection of Rice Street and Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge.

2. A communication was received from Annette LaMond, regarding Brattle Street Separated Bike Lanes. OPPOSED.

3. A communication was received from Brian Pfeffeifer, regarding Brattle Street Separated Bike Lanes. OPPOSED.

4. A communication was received from Bruce Berzin, regarding Brattle Street Separated Bike Lanes. OPPOSED.

5. A communication was received from Chuck Hinds, regarding Letter from ECPT to City Council regarding Eliminating the 80, 87, and 88 busses.

6. A communication was received from Cynthia Broner, regarding OPPOSED - Brattle Street Separated Bike Lanes.

7. A communication was received from George Sommer, regarding City Council Meeting at 1pm on July 26, 2022 concerning the Building Energy Use Ordinance (BEUDO).

8. A communication was received from Hasson Rashid, regarding Agenda Item.

9. A communication was received from Hasson Rashid.

10. A communication was received from Lawrence Hartmann, regarding Brattle Street Separated Bike Lanes. OPPOSED.

11. A communication was received from Lawrence Neil Bailis, regarding Brattle Street Separated Bike Lanes. OPPOSED.

12. A communication was received from Luis E. Cotto, regarding Tasty Burger in Central Square.

13. A communication was received from Matt Goldstein, regarding end parking requirements across Cambridge. [Note: The letter writer lives in a single-family home with parking.]

14. A communication was received from Robert J. LaTrémouille, regarding Friends of the White Geese Memorial Drive Phase 3 The Fraud on the Charles River Gets Thicker.

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15. A communication was received from Amanda Sindel-Keswick, regarding support for Order #1 and Order #12.

16. Sundry communications were received, regarding Fur Free Cambridge (Order #1).

17. Sundry communications were received, regarding 105 Windsor Street.

18. A communication was received from Annette LaMond, 7 Riedesel Avenue, regarding Case 4836: Brattle Street from Mason to Craigie Streets, by City of Cambridge - OPPOSED.

19. A communication was received from Joan Pickett, regarding Brattle Street Certificate of Appropriateness.

20. A communication was received from Nancy Tsung, regarding Speed bump to slow the traffic.

21. A communication was received from Catherine Davis, 6 Mason Street, regarding Case 4836: Brattle Street from Mason to Craigie Streets, by City of Cambridge – OPPOSED.

22. A communication was received from Patrick W. Barrett III, regarding Agenda Items for Monday August 1, 2022.

23. A communication was received from Denise Jillson, regarding Order #16 to investigate shared free bus service and E bike delivery program.

24. A communication was received from Robert Winters, regarding Tasty Agenda Items for Monday, August 1, 2022.

25. A communication was received from Phil Balboni, regarding Changes on Brattle Street.

26. A communication was received from Elizabeth Houghteling, 132 Bratttle Street, regarding separated bike lanes on Brattle Street.

27. A communication was received from Shelagh Hadley, regarding Tuesday’s Zoom meeting.

28. A communication was received from Suzanne Blier, regarding 3 Items this week to consider.

29. A communication was received from Heather Hoffman, 213 Hurley Street, regarding the letter the City of Cambridge sent to the MBTA on the Bus Network Redesign proposal.

30. A communication was received from Jason Stockmann, regarding support for Order #12.

31. A communication was received from Helene Bank, 174 Putnam Avenue, regarding BEUDO, housing costs and environment.

32. A communication was received from Janice StClair, regarding Order #12.

33. A communication was received from Helene Bank, 174 Putnam Avenue, regarding changes in MBTA services.

34. A communication was received from Helene Bank, 174 Putnam Avenue, regarding parking minimums, bike lanes and the environment.

35. A communication was received from Robert J. LaTrémouille, regarding Memorial Drive.

36. Resolution on the death of Rosemary Dorothy O’Neill.   Councillor Toner

R-36     Aug 1, 2022

COUNCILLOR TONER

WHEREAS: The City Council was deeply saddened at learning of the death of Rosemary Dorothy O’Neill on July 20, 2022; and

WHEREAS: Rosemary was the cherished daughter of the late Speaker of the US House, Thomas P. “Tip” and Millie O’Neil; and

WHEREAS: Rosemary’s passing will leave a void in the lives of all her surviving family, her siblings Former Lt. Governor Thomas P. O’Neill, III and his wife Shelly, Susan O’Neill and Christopher “Kip” O’Neill and his wife Stephanie, as well as many nieces, nephews and their families, former sisters-in-law, Jackie O’Neill and Joanne O’Neill and many treasured cousins; and

WHEREAS: Rosemary was predeceased by her parents; her brother Michael; and former brother-inlaw Bruce Daniel; and

WHEREAS: Rosemary grew up in North Cambridge and attended the Ellis School, St. John’s Elementary, and Matignon High School; and

WHEREAS: Rosemary will be sorely missed by all she touched and loved; now therefore be it

RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record extending its deepest sympathy for the family of Rosemary Dorothy O’Neill at this time of such personal 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 O’Neill family on behalf of the entire City Council.

39. Congratulations on the Retirement of Maryellen Carvello from The City Manager’s Office.   Councillor Toner

R-39     Aug 1, 2022

COUNCILLOR TONER

WHEREAS: Maryellen Carvello is retiring in August 2022 after 39 years of service to the City of Cambridge; and

WHEREAS: Maryellen Carvello was born and raised in Cambridge and attended the Morse Elementary School and Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School; and

WHEREAS: Maryellen Carvello began her career in the School Department in 1983, which lead her to obtain key positions in the City Clerk Office, Law Office, and Mayor’s Office; and

WHEREAS: Maryellen Carvello continued to excel and gain municipal experience, becoming Secretary to the City Manager in 1990, which lead to advancement to other positions and responsibilities in the City Manager’s Office that include Administrative Assistant in 1996, Project Administrator in 2013, Office Manager in 2015, Executive Assistant 2018, and finally, Manager for Planning and Operations in 2019; and

WHEREAS: In her roles in the City Manager’s Office, Maryellen Carvello had many key responsibilities to ensure the smooth operation of the City Manager’s office and that also includes managing and preparing the City Manager’s Agenda for City Council meetings as well as coordinating, writing, and managing the responses to awaiting City Council Policy Orders; and

WHEREAS: Maryellen Carvello has successfully coordinated and managed the appointment process for the City’s several Boards and Commissions; and

WHEREAS: Maryellen Carvello, because of her extensive knowledge of city operations through her varied job experiences, became the “go to person” for City Councillors, Department Heads and Staff, and the public for advice on how to find information, solve problems, navigate processes, or help in avoiding making errors; and

WHEREAS: Maryellen Carvello leaves a legacy in helping to create and lead the coordination of the multiple activities, including outreach, for the annual Danehy Park Family Day, which provides enjoyment to thousands of children and adults. In addition, Maryellen Carvello was the driving force behind creating and planning the Annual Dance Party, which grew in popularity each year and represents a real community event; and

WHEREAS: Because of Maryellen Carvello’s exceptional achievements and hard work, she was awarded Outstanding City Employee Award in 2015 and the Public Works Community Partner Award in 2019; and

WHEREAS: Maryellen Carvello’s retirement will allow her to spend more time with her devoted husband Pat, their son Nicolas, daughter Chanel and her husband Frankie, and grandchildren Demi and Mateo; now therefore be it

RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record thanking Maryellen Carvello for her 39 years of service to the City of Cambridge, for her skill, dedication, and making Cambridge a better place, and in wishing her a truly happy and joyful retirement; and be it further

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

3. A communication was received from Mayor Siddiqui and Councillor Azeem, transmitting information regarding the Fare Free Working Group. [Ridership Information] [Cost-Estimate] [Bus Routes and NRS Areas] [Fare-Free Bus Report] (COF22#91)
Placed on File 8-0-1 (Nolan ABSENT)

To: Cambridge City Council
From: Sumbul Siddiqui, Mayor
Date: July 27, 2022
Subject: Communicating Information about the Fare Free Working Group

To the Honorable, the City Council,

The Fare Free Working Group recently wrapped up its work and recommended that the City pursue a fare free pilot for the Route 1 bus. Additional information and recommendations can be found in the attached report. Following the conclusion of the Working Group, we began meeting with City staff, the MBTA, and the Boston transit team to move the idea of an intercity fare free bus pilot forward. As those conversations continue we will update the City Council.

Thank you to all the members of the Fare Free Working Group for their time and commitment to equitable transit in Cambridge. Thank you as well to the Community Development team for assisting the Working Group’s efforts.

Do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,
Mayor Siddiqui
Councillor Azeem

4. A communication was received from Mayor Siddiqui, transmitting information regarding the Charter Review Committee. (COF22#92)
Placed on File 8-0-1 (Nolan ABSENT)

To: Cambridge City Council
From: Sumbul Siddiqui, Mayor
Date: July 27, 2022
Subject: Communicating Information about the Charter Review Committee

To the Honorable, the City Council,
The Ad Hoc Selection Committee reviewed 122 highly qualified applicants and on July 1, 2022, announced 15 Charter Review Committee members who reflect the diversity of Cambridge: Kaleb Abebe, Jessica Dejesus Acevedo, Mosammat Faria Afreen, Kathleen Born, Nikolas Bowie, Kevin Chen, Max Clermont, Jennifer Gilbert, Kai Long, Patrick Magee, Mina Makarious, Lisa Peterson, Ellen Shachter, Susan Shell, and Jim Stockard. Kathleen Born will serve as Chair.

All Committee members are registered Cambridge voters as required by the Charter. Per the passage of the ballot initiatives in November 2021, the Committee will review the current Plan E Charter, hold community forums, and gather input from all stakeholders and residents. The Committee will recommend changes they believe will improve and modernize Cambridge’s structure and governance to the City Council. Any recommendations the City Council accepts will be put before voters in a municipal election prior to adoption. The Committee is expected to take up to one year to complete its work with the first meeting scheduled for August 16 at 5pm (remote meeting). A dedicated page on the City website will be available in the coming weeks for residents to follow the process and provide input.

Do not hesitate to reach out with any additional questions.

Sincerely,
Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui

6. A communication was received from Mayor Siddiqui, transmitting updates from the UPK Ad-Hoc meetings. (COF22#94)
Placed on File 8-0-1 (Nolan ABSENT)

To: Cambridge School Committee Members
From: Sumbul Siddiqui, Mayor
Date: July 28, 2022
Subject: Communicating Information on Joint CC and SC Ad-Hoc for Universal Pre-K

In order to implement Universal Pre-K in our city, my office formed a joint City Council and School Committee Ad-Hoc in collaboration with the Cambridge Office of Early Childhood (formerly known as Birth to 3rd).

The UPK Ad-Hoc is composed of Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Alanna Mallon, City Councilor Dennis Carlone, City Councilor Marc McGovern, School Committee Member David Weinstein, School Committee Ayesha Wilson, Dr. Lisa Grant, Executive Director, Birth to 3rd Grade Partnership, Dr. Carolyn Turk, Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Michelle Madera, Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Schools, Ellen Semonoff, Assistant City Manager for Human Services and Michelle Farnum, Assistant Director, Children Youth and Families.

During the first UPK Ad-Hoc meeting on June 16th, 2022, the Ad-Hoc discussed updates and key structural changes needed to move universal pre-k forward. The Birth to Third program is going to rebrand its office to the Office of Early Childhood and create a new centralized website that will host all the information regarding preschool and school choice in one place. The Office of Early Childhood outlined the work of the task forces and updated the timeline with key milestones to meet by 2024.

The Office of Early Childhood is working with Harvard University to determine the capacity assessments and qualifications in the workforce. The Preliminary Capacity Assessment shows there are 1042 four-year-olds in the city as of 2020. The study will also determine the number of three- and four-year-olds in the city and how many seats are needed in pre-schools. A few next steps needed for implementation include assessing capacity within school buildings, the amount of classrooms needed for preschoolers, changes in the school choice process, and alignment of the school choice process for kindergarten and beyond.

During the UPK Ad-Hoc meeting on July 14th, 2022, the Ad-Hoc discussed the key areas for UPK implementation and updates regarding the task forces. The task forces started to meet in mid-July and will continue to have ongoing conversations throughout the fall. The Advisory Committee members have been selected and include school department administrators Dr. Carolyn Turk, Dr. Michelle Madera, Dr. Barbara Mullen, and Claire Spinner; city leaders Ellen Semonoff, Michelle Farnum, Meghan White, Michelle Godfrey; and community leaders Laura Perille, CEO of Nurtury, David Gibbs, Executive Director of CAAS Head Start, Dr. Stephanie Jones, Harvard University Professor, and Katy Donovan, Executive Director of Campus Child Care. The UPK team also hired a temporary UPK Project Manager who will begin this summer and transition full time in the fall.

The Office of Early Childhood has identified three key areas in order to implement universal pre-k. The city should lower the entry age and split junior kindergarten and kindergarten. The school choice process needs to be updated through a centralized online system that is easy to navigate for families. The City needs to discuss the funding structure for wrap-around services for caregivers and provides. The Ad-Hoc also discussed ways to market and announce the work the Office of Early Childhood has already taken in order to inform residents.

The next UPK Ad-Hoc meeting will be on September 22nd, 2022, to discuss updates towards UPK implementation and the junior kindergarten curriculum.

Sincerely,
Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui

7. A communication was received from Councillor Zondervan, transmitting historical information about the city-owned property at 105 Windsor Street. (COF22#95)
pulled early by Zondervan; Placed on File 9-0

To the Honorable, the City Council: July 28, 2022

Attached you will find some interesting historical documents and images related to the building at 105 Windsor Street, courtesy of the Cambridge Historical Commission. I hope you will find this information useful during our discussion of the proposed loan order. Special thanks to the helpful staff at the Historical Commission and to Aayan Ahmad and Ethan Maggio, two MYSEP students interning in my office this summer who helped put this communication together.

Sincerely,
Quinton Zondervan
Cambridge City Councillor

TEXT OF ORDERS
O-1     Aug 1, 2022
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
WHEREAS: Over 100 million animals are killed annually for their fur; and
WHEREAS: These animals are bred and confined and forced to live in cramped, wire bottom cages and deprived of the ability to engage in natural behaviors; and
WHEREAS: Egregious animal cruelty is the norm in the fur industry. Animals are killed in inhumane ways such as crude gassing or anal electrocution; and
WHEREAS: There are no federal laws or animal welfare standards to protect animals on fur farms leading to immense suffering; and
WHEREAS: The fur trade poses serious risks to public health, for example, in wildlife markets in China, foxes and raccoon dogs were found to have been infected with the SARS coronaviruses and on US and European fur farms, mink tested positive for the virus that causes COVID19, resulting in the death of over 5 million mink and the Dutch government said it is “very likely” that the farmed mink spread the virus to humans; and
WHEREAS: The fur industry also poses serious environmental threats. On fur farms, waste runoff from animals pollutes the soil and waterways and the tanning and dying process uses toxic and carcinogenic chemicals like chromium and formaldehyde to prevent the skin from decaying; and
WHEREAS: Banning fur sales eliminates the demand for cruel products and ensures that humane minded consumers can shop with confidence; and
WHEREAS: Cambridge, currently does not have stores that sell fur, but nothing in our municipal code would prevent fur shops or sales; and
WHEREAS: Communities in Massachusetts including, Plymouth, Brookline, Weston, and Wellesley have passed local ordinances to prevent this cruel industry from operating in their municipalities; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the Ordinance Committee of the Cambridge City Council meet to amend the Cambridge Municipal Code by adding a chapter numbered 6.24, titled Sale of Fur Apparel Products.

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE That the Municipal Code of the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts, is hereby amended by adding a chapter, to be numbered Chapter 6.24, which said Chapter reads as follows:

Chapter 6.24 Sale of Fur Apparel Products.

6.24.010 – Council Findings

(a) The City Council finds that animals that are slaughtered for their fur endure tremendous suffering. Animals raised on fur farms typically spend their entire lives in cramped and filthy cages. Fur farmers typically use the cheapest killing methods available, including suffocation, electrocution, gas and poison.

(b) The City Council finds that fur farms are reservoirs and transmission vectors for dangerous zoonotic diseases, including SARS coronaviruses, that threaten public health, including in the City of Cambridge. COVID-19 infections have been confirmed at fur farms in Europe and the United States, and scientific studies have linked mink, raccoon dogs, and foxes – the animals most commonly farmed for their fur – to a variety of coronaviruses.

(c) The City Council finds that the fur production process is energy intensive and has a significant environmental impact, including air and water pollution. Runoff from the fur production process contains high concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen, which are the most common forms of water pollution in the United States. In addition, the tanning and dying processes used in fur production use toxic chemicals and heavy metals like chromium and formaldehyde.

(d) Considering the wide array of alternatives for fashion and apparel, the City Council finds that the demand for fur products does not justify the unnecessary killing and cruel treatment of animals, harm to the environment, and the public health risks to the people of the City of Cambridge caused by these practices.

(e) The City Council believes that eliminating the sale of fur products in the City of Cambridge will decrease demand for these cruel and environmentally harmful products and promote community awareness of animal welfare and, in turn, will foster a more humane environment in the City of Cambridge and enhance the reputation of the City.

6.24.020 - Definitions

The following definitions shall apply in this section:

(a) Fur shall mean any animal skin or part thereof with hair, fleece, or fur fibers attached thereto, either in its raw or processed state.

(b) Fur product shall mean any article of clothing or covering for any part of the body, or any fashion accessory, including but not limited to handbags, shoes, slippers, hats, earmuffs, scarves, shawls, gloves, jewelry, keychains, toys or trinkets, and home accessories and décor, that is made in whole or part of fur. “Fur product” does not include any of the following:

(1) An animal skin or part thereof that is to be converted into leather, or which in processing will have the hair, fleece, or fur fiber completely removed;

(2) Cowhide with the hair attached thereto;

(3) Deerskin with the hair attached thereto;

(4) Lambskin or sheepskin with the fleece attached thereto; or

(5) The pelt or skin of any animal that is preserved through taxidermy or for the purpose of taxidermy.

(c) Non-profit organization shall mean any corporation that is organized under 26 U.S.C. Section 501(c)(3) that is created for charitable, religious, philanthropic, educational or similar purposes.

(d) Taxidermy shall mean the practice of preparing and preserving the skin of an animal that is deceased and stuffing and mounting it in lifelike form.

(e) Ultimate consumer shall mean an individual who buys a fur product for their own use, or for the use of another, but not for resale or trade.

(f) Used fur product shall mean a fur product that has been worn or used by an ultimate consumer.

6.24.030 – Prohibition

No person shall sell, offer for sale, display for sale, trade, or otherwise distribute for monetary or nonmonetary consideration a fur product within the City of Cambridge. For purposes of this section, the sale of a fur product shall be deemed to occur in the City of Cambridge if:

(1) The buyer takes physical possession of the fur product in the city; or

(2) The seller is located in the city.

6.24.040 - Exemptions

This Chapter shall not apply to the sale, offer for sale, displaying for sale, trade, or distribution of:

(1) A used fur product by an individual (excluding a retail transaction), non-profit organization, or second-hand store, including a pawn shop;

(2) A fur product required for use in the practice of a religion;

(3) A fur product used for traditional tribal, cultural, or spiritual purposes by a member of a federally recognized Native American tribe; or

(4) A fur product where the activity is expressly authorized by federal or state law.

6.24.050 – Penalty

Any person who violates this Chapter shall be subject to a fine not exceeding three hundred dollars. As an alternative penalty, any person who violates this Chapter may be penalized by a noncriminal disposition as provided in General Laws Chapter 40, Section 21D. Each act of violation and every day upon which any such violation shall occur shall constitute a separate offense. Each fur product involved in a violation of this Chapter shall constitute a separate act of violation.

6.24.060 – Severability of Sections

It is declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and words of this Chapter are severable and if any word, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this Chapter shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid by the judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality or invalidity shall not affect any of the remaining words, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this Chapter since the same would have been enacted by the city council without the incorporation in this code of any such unconstitutional or invalid word, clause, sentence, paragraph or section.

6.24.070 – Effective Date

This ordinance shall take effect following approval of the Attorney General and compliance with the provisions of G.L. c.40, § 32, and no earlier than January 1, 2023.

O-2     Aug 1, 2022
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR TONER
VICE MAYOR MALLON
WHEREAS: Russell Field is an active, open space used by many Cambridge residents of all ages; and
WHEREAS: Russell Field is equipped with restrooms that are locked to the public except during city sponsored events; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with all relevant City Departments to either keep the restrooms at Russell Field open to the public during hours of operation or provide portable toilets, similar to those at Danehy Park.

O-3     Aug 1, 2022
VICE MAYOR MALLON
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
WHEREAS: There is an upcoming State primary election on Tues, Sept 6, 2022; and
WHEREAS: Many polling locations in Cambridge have moved; and
WHEREAS: The City and Election Commission should make an effort to inform registered voters in Cambridge of all upcoming elections in addition to where they can cast their ballots; and
WHEREAS: The Cambridge Alert System can be used for this task, as the Code Red Text Alerts can be sent to any registered resident; and
WHEREAS: Many other municipalities make good use of the Code Red Text Alerts, such as Lawrence, Bedford, Hamilton, and many more; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Emergency Communications Department and the Election Commission to use the Code Red Text Alerts to send out information regarding the new polling locations for the primary election, and all elections thereafter; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back on this matter before the Sept 6, 2022.

O-4     Aug 1, 2022
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
ORDERED: That the Executive Assistant to the City Council confer with the Dedication Committee to consider the request from Councillor McGovern to find a suitable location for a street sign dedication in the vicinity of 167 Windsor Street to honor Murrell Weeks; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward this order to the Dedication Committee for their review and approval.

O-5     Aug 1, 2022  Amended
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
COUNCILLOR CARLONE
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN
WHEREAS: The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) proposed the first iteration of their plans for a bus network redesign on account of shifting demographics, emerging employment districts, increasing traffic congestion, and changing travel patterns within the Greater Boston Area in recent years; and
WHEREAS: The MBTA cites the following projected systemwide benefits from the redesign:
  • 25% more bus service
  • 70% more weekend service
  • 275,000 more residents would be near high-frequency service (buses running every 15 minutes or better, 5 AM – 1 AM, seven days a week)
  • 115,000 residents of color and 40,000 low-income households would gain access to high-frequency service; and
WHEREAS: These changes will impact routes that operate within the City of Cambridge, as was discussed during a recent Transportation and Public Utilities Committee hearing; and
WHEREAS: Cambridge will see several positive changes with the redesign, including five new high-frequency routes, among them:
  • Kendall to Lechmere, Charlestown, East Somerville, Medford
  • Central to Longwood Medical Area, Jamaica Plain
  • Kendall and Central to Watertown and Waltham
WHEREAS: The redesign also adds more service in Central Square while reducing the need for buses to wait (layover) in the neighborhood; and
WHEREAS: The changes outlined in the redesign also brought on a lot of concern from community members and city staff:
  • Reduced service on Concord Avenue in the Alewife Quadrangle
    o Where a significant amount of affordable residential development has recently been constructed
    o We expect more residential and commercial development in the near term
  • Reduction of service on Broadway, proposed to be peak only
  • Elimination of all routes from East Cambridge to Somerville (80, 87, 88)
  • Change of Route 83 from Central to Kendall; and
WHEREAS: These proposed changes that cause concern will have an adverse impact on residents who rely on public transit and who cannot afford vehicles, including many senior citizens and other residents of limited mobility and many public housing residents along the routes proposed to be reduced who will be further isolated if public transit options are reduced, instead of increased; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Council go on record in support of more bus service in the Alewife region as well as in East Cambridge; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution to representatives at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) on behalf of the entire City Council.

O-6     Aug 1, 2022
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
WHEREAS: In recent years, the City has established new measures, such as issuing key fobs to City employees and stationing a Cambridge Police Officer inside City Hall to greet visitors, to better ensure the safety of City employees and members of the public who utilize the City’s public buildings; and
WHEREAS: One additional measure that the City should consider is the establishment of photo ID badges for City employees to carry with them as they move about City buildings, as these would offer an additional level of assurance that those who are inside our public spaces can be easily identified as City employees and can more easily be of assistance when approached by members of the public; and
WHEREAS: This simple measure, which is the standard practice in a number of other municipalities and organizations, would add a new layer of safety for all those who utilize our public buildings; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the appropriate City to determine how and when such a City Employee ID badge program can be implemented, and to report back to the City Council on this matter in a timely manner.

O-7     Aug 1, 2022
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
WHEREAS: In recent years, a variety of factors – including but not limited to the Covid-19 pandemic, the related economic turbulence, healthcare disparities, ongoing gang activity and violence, the persistence of an Achievement Gap in our public schools, and a lack of opportunities for family-sustaining employment – has had a disproportionately negative impact upon Cambridge’s African American/Black community; and
WHEREAS: A number of organizations have arisen in the hopes of addressing these issues, a number of individuals have stepped forward to offer their assistance and support, but a truly comprehensive, holistic, City-led effort is still needed to better understand precisely how all these different factors are combining to impact our local African American/Black community; and
WHEREAS: Only once the City has truly gained a firm grasp on the status and the needs of this community can we begin to develop and implement the programs, strategies, and initiatives necessary to lift up and improve the lives of our local African American/Black population; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the appropriate City staff to establish a Task Force To Examine the Status and Wellbeing of the City’s African American/Black Population, to recruit members of this taskforce from within and throughout the Cambridge community, to establish a clear mission statement and timeline for the work of this task force, and to report back to the City Council on this matter in a timely manner.

O-8     Aug 1, 2022  Amended
COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
WHEREAS: Despite an extensive history of important contributions to Cambridge and to the world, significant inequities have effectively limited the advancement of Black Cantabrigians since the late 1630’s; and
WHEREAS: Cambridge has taken tremendous strides to improve quality of life and access to resources for all, but Black Cantabrigians remain severely impacted by historic and present day inequities that have plagued the city; and
WHEREAS: 80% of Black households are renters, and just 6% of the owner-occupied housing units in the city are owned by Black residents (while 79% are owned by white residents); and
WHEREAS: Racial and ethnic opportunity gaps persist for the more than 1600 Black students in the Cambridge Public Schools, including substantially lower benchmark MCAS scores at nearly every level in comparison with their white peers; and
WHEREAS: Nearly one-third of Black households with children are headed by a single adult, substantially more than any other group; and
WHEREAS: 80% of Cambridge adults hold at least a Bachelor’s Degree and more than 60% hold a Master’s Degree or higher, yet just 33% of Black Cantabrigians hold these degrees; and
WHEREAS: Disparities in education credentials translate to a striking gap in access to the city’s innovation economy, and less than 5% of Black Cantabrigians work in the innovation economy; and
WHEREAS: Black Male Cantabrigians continue to face discrimination and the disproportionate impacts of violence including a disproportionate number of Black males directly impacted by gang violence, gun violence, and incarceration; and
WHEREAS: There is urgent need for a holistic focus on the status of Black men and boys in Cambridge, building on the important work of the Men of Color Task Force, the Men of Color Health Initiative, and the Men’s Health League; and
WHEREAS: A Commission on the Status of Black Men and Boys would examine every aspect of our government and our city and make policy recommendations to the City Manager and City Council on how to address these injustices and better meet the needs of Black Men and Boys living in Cambridge; and
WHEREAS: Areas of focus for the Commission should include (but not be limited to) housing, economic opportunity, education, out of school time, gang and gun violence, incarceration, environmental justice, food justice, healthcare, public health outcomes, internet access, and mental health; and
WHEREAS: The Commission should include (but not be limited to) representation from the following areas: Black community leaders and activists, high school and college youth, faith leaders, educators, caregivers, tenants of subsidized housing, institutional leaders, members of the small business community; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to establish a Commission on the Status of Black Men and Boys during the FY23 budget year, based on the attached proposal; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council as soon as possible on this matter.

O-9     Aug 1, 2022
COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant staff to provide an update at the Sept 12, 2022 meeting of the City Council which includes the following:

• Information on the number of Economic Empowerment (EE) and Social Equity (SE) applicants seeking to open in Cambridge and where they stand in the process, including how many Host Community Agreements have been signed, how many are being reviewed, and how many are expected

• Information on the ways in which city staff have worked with EE and SE applicants to help them get through the process as swiftly as possible

• Information on the total number of EE and SE operators that are open for business in Cambridge and local tax revenue generated by those businesses to date

O-10     Aug 1, 2022
VICE MAYOR MALLON
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
ORDERED: That the City Manager work with the Community Development Department to provide the City Council a breakdown of the $44 million dollars received since 2019 through the current incentive zoning program by project size; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager reports back to the City Council as soon as possible.

O-11     Aug 1, 2022  Tabled - Zondervan
COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR CARLONE
WHEREAS: The city-owned property at 105 Windsor Street has a more than 200 year history of being used for active community purposes including as a school, a recreation center, a health clinic, a veterans hall, a branch library, and for elder care; and
WHEREAS: The city’s proposal to renovate this historic building is an important opportunity to address some of the unique and long-unmet needs of the Port neighborhood; and
WHEREAS: The design process should be guided by an inclusive, city-led community process to hear from as many diverse voices as possible in an effort to build consensus; and
WHEREAS: Such a city-led community process should engage a wide range of stakeholders including (but not limited to) residents of affordable housing, all residents of The Port, Margaret Fuller House, Community Art Center, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge Housing Authority, local small businesses, faith communities, Fletcher-Maynard Academy community, Cambridge NAACP, My Brother’s Keeper, The Black Response, and the Port Organizing Group; and
WHEREAS: The newly-acquired building located at 689 Mass Ave is proposed to be used for city offices without any input from the community, and a similar outcome must be avoided at 105 Windsor Street; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the appropriate departments to begin a thorough and open community process that will determine the future use of 105 Windsor Street, including (but not limited to) a series of events, some offered virtually and some in person at key neighborhood sites like the Community Art Center and the Pisani Center in an effort to engage as many diverse voices as possible and build consensus; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the Council on the nature and timeline of the planned community process as soon as possible and ahead of commencing the outreach.

O-12     Aug 1, 2022
COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
COUNCILLOR CARLONE
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
WHEREAS: It has come to the attention of the City Council that there has once again been a traumatic crash at the intersection of Cardinal Medeiros Avenue, Binney Street, and Bristol Street a couple of weeks ago; and
WHEREAS: This intersection has long been dangerous, with near misses almost every day, particularly because Bristol Street is often used as a cut-through by drivers, visibility for drivers to anticipate cross traffic is extremely poor, and this section of Cardinal Medeiros is straight and induces speeding by drivers who are often lacking intimate knowledge of the particular hazards; and
WHEREAS: Most of the recent crashes at the intersection have involved cars turning from Bristol Street or Binney Street onto Cardinal Medeiros Avenue or attempting to cross Cardinal Medeiros Avenue to go straight on Binney Street; and
WHEREAS: Limiting cut-through traffic on Bristol Street would improve traffic safety at the intersection while creating additional opportunities for recreation, pedestrian and bicycle access, and safe outdoor dining at Vincent’s; and
WHEREAS: Other ways to improve safety at the intersection include installing on Cardinal Medeiros Avenue a push button crosswalk with flashing lights to slow down speeding drivers, or sensor triggered flashing lights to alert drivers to cross traffic, and/or an automated speed detection sign alerting drivers to excess speed and asking them to slow down, or full-intersection traffic controls (lights or 4-way stop) to regulate traffic flow and reduce speeding; and
WHEREAS: The City Council already passed a policy order about this intersection on June 14, 2021; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Traffic & Parking Department to take immediate action and make safety improvements to the intersection of Cardinal Medeiros Avenue, Binney Street, and Bristol Street, and to implement longer term changes as soon as possible; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager report back to the Council on these matters as soon as possible.

O-13     Aug 1, 2022
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
VICE MAYOR MALLON
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
WHEREAS: Monkeypox has recently been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO); and
WHEREAS: The CDC is tracking an outbreak of monkeypox that has spread across several countries that don’t normally report monkeypox, including the United States; and
WHEREAS: Monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder, and monkeypox is rarely fatal. The CDC recommends certain precautions you can take to limit your risk of contracting the virus; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Council go on record urging citizens to take further precautions as suggested by the CDC and the Cambridge Health Department in regards to monkeypox; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager report back on ways in which we can prepare for a Monkeypox outbreak in our city (testing centers, vaccine distribution, public outreach initiatives, etc.) as soon as possible.

O-14     Aug 1, 2022
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
VICE MAYOR MALLON
WHEREAS: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, over the last three months, has gone from 0% of the state being in any drought condition to 100% being categorized by the national monitoring entity as abnormally dry, as measured by the national drought monitoring agency and on July 21 the Commonwealth’s Drought Management Task Force categorized one-third of Massachusetts including all of Cambridge’s watershed as Level 3, Critical Drought conditions; and
WHEREAS: In the past the City Council has asked the city administration for a more comprehensive and effective response to drought conditions, based on past instances in 2016 and 2020 when the city’s projections were inaccurate and led to much later water restrictions than nearby towns; and
WHEREAS: The City Council has urged for more public communication about conserving water, and asked for long-term projections of water use as a result of changing climate conditions; and
WHEREAS: Development continues to add residents and work spaces that increase the city’s water consumption, which without conservation efforts may lead to ongoing future issues with our long term water supply; and
WHEREAS: Notwithstanding the need to conserve water, there has been a decline in our tree canopy which has environmental justice implications and future public health consequences, which has prompted the city to plant thousands of trees the last few years, which are at risk during the current drought and need watering on a consistent basis; and
WHEREAS: The City Council wants the City to be prepared in the case of the current dry conditions worsening and in the long term; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to consult with the Water Department and report back to the City Council by the end of the month on the status of the long term water projections promised a year ago and on what measures could be taken to conserve water including potential bans on unnecessary waterings, and plans for monitoring the situation, for robust communication on conserving water and for instituting water savings measures, and to inform the Water Board of this request; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to work with all relevant departments of the city on how best to ensure that trees throughout the city received adequate water to survive current conditions, and include consulting with neighborhood groups and youth groups on how to mobilize volunteers, and utilizing all communication vehicles available to the city for requesting volunteer help from residents in this emerging crisis; and further be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to declare a drought emergency and use all available means of communication to ask the community to save water and to water trees across the city.

O-15     Aug 1, 2022
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
VICE MAYOR MALLON
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
WHEREAS: Raising the City’s incentive zoning rate is being discussed in the Ordinance Committee as part of a City Council petition; and
WHEREAS: There has been a desire to explore alternative ways to structure the linkage fee, through tiered rates, marginal rate system, or other means; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager work with the City Solicitor to ask for a legal opinion on whether a tiered linkage fee system by square footage would be permitted under the current petition parameters and what was previously advertised; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager work with the City Solicitor to ask for a legal opinion on whether a marginal rate system would be permitted under the current petition parameters and what was previously advertised; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager report back to the City Council as soon as possible.

O-16     Aug 1, 2022  Amended
COUNCILLOR TONER
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR CARLONE
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
VICE MAYOR MALLON
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
WHEREAS: Cambridge is seeking to increase pedestrian and cyclist safety, reduce traffic and carbon emissions generated by automobile and truck use in the city; and
WHEREAS: The Council wants to encourage residents and visitors to the City of Cambridge to use alternative transportation and reduce our collective reliance on automobiles through the installation of protected bicycle lanes and bus priority lanes, the reduction of minimal parking requirements for new development and other methods; and
WHEREAS: The reliability and efficacy of the MBTA with its present challenges and reduction in service and bus lanes is not conducive to increasing public transit and not meeting the needs of many of our residents; and
WHEREAS: The City Council wants to meet the needs of all our residents, including those with mobility issues, in providing quick, efficient modes of transportation throughout the city: and
WHEREAS: The City Council emphatically supports our local businesses along major business corridors such as Massachusetts Avenue and Cambridge Street and in our squares that have all seen a reduction in available metered and guest parking: and
WHEREAS: Harvard, MIT, Lesley and many of our largest employers currently operate shuttle services throughout the city for their students and employees; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the Economic Development and University Relations Committee and the Transportation and Parking Committee work with CDD and the Traffic, Transportation, and Parking Department to conduct a hearing in partnership with our university and business partners who currently operate shuttle services to determine if there could be a shared shuttle plan and service that could also be utilized by residents; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to develop a pilot program in which the city would purchase several EV or Hybrid shuttle buses or other vehicles that would operate free of charge on a much more frequent schedule on our major commercial corridors of Massachusetts Avenue and Cambridge Street encouraging residents, tourists, and visitors to patronize our local businesses while making it easier for them to get around the city; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to develop a pilot program in which the city would purchase E Bikes and hire city residents to create a city-based delivery service for our restaurants and local businesses to reduce the costs paid by businesses and customers of current home delivery services.
ORDERED: That the City Manager report back to the City Council no later than the end of September.

O-17     Aug 1, 2022  Amended
COUNCILLOR AZEEM
COUNCILLOR CARLONE
VICE MAYOR MALLON
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
COUNCILLOR TONER
COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
WHEREAS: Eversource has a proposal to place a new high-voltage electrical line along Hampshire St. to connect the proposed substation to existing substations on the alternative route (S11C) instead of their preferred route (S1A); and
WHEREAS: Eversource’s Preferred Route (S1A) uses Columbia and Hampshire streets while Eversource’s Alternate Route (S11C) utilizes the train tracks between Cardinal Medeiros Ave. and Fulkerson St; and
WHEREAS: Several residents are concerned that the preferred route (S1A) route would negatively impact over 150 residential units, small businesses as well as hundreds of daily commuters (pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers, and MBTA users); and
WHEREAS: Several community members have requested that Eversource consider their Alternate Route (S11C), which utilizes the train tracks between Cardinal Medeiros Ave. and Fulkerson St, to mitigate the negative impacts of running the wires down the S1A preferred route; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Council goes on record in support of the alternative route (S11C) instead of the preferred route (S1A) for Eversource’s plans to connect the proposed substation to existing substations.

O-18     Aug 1, 2022  (separated from Order #16)
VICE MAYOR MALLON
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to develop a pilot program in which the city would purchase E Bikes and hire city residents to create a city-based delivery service for our restaurants and local businesses to reduce the costs paid by businesses and customers of current home delivery services.