A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 23-32, regarding the feasibility of purchasing property from Lesley University

C I T Y O F C A M B R I D G E Community Development Department IRAM FAROOQ Assistant City Manager for Community Development SANDRA CLARKE Deputy Director Chief of Administration 344 Broadway Cambridge, MA 02139 Voice: [phone removed] Fax: [phone removed] TTY: [phone removed] www.cambridgema.gov MEMORANDUM To: Yi-An Huang, City Manager From: Iram Farooq, Assistant City Manager for Community Development Date: December 18, 2023 Re: Awaiting Report #23-32 dated May 8, 2023 regarding feasibility of purchasing property from Lesley University In response to the above-referenced Policy Order, we report the following: Homeowner’s Rehab, Inc. (HRI) completed the acquisition of 30 Wendell Street from Lesley University earlier this month. This property is one of several properties Lesley offered for sale earlier this year. HRI acquired the property with $5.7 million from the Cambridge Affordable Housing Trust. HRI will now begin planning for the creation of affordable housing at this property. There are other Lesley properties still on the market. CDD staff are continuing work with affordable housing providers to assess whether other properties might also be purchased to create additional new affordable housing.