POR 2017 #161 · Agenda item attachment · Jun 19 2017

City of Cambridge O-1 ORIGINAL ORDER IN CITY COUNCIL June 26, 2017 COUNCILLOR TOOMEY WHEREAS: The Episcopal Divinity School, located near Harvard Square, announced last month that it has signed an agreement with the Union Theological Seminary in New York City and will move its operations to New York; and WHEREAS: The campus in Cambridge, located at 99 Brattle Street in Harvard Square, will be sold after operations end at this location this summer making the 8-acre site available for future development; and WHEREAS: There exists a critical affordable housing crisis in Cambridge; and WHEREAS: Affordable housing should be made available in all neighborhoods in the City and this 8-acre site is ideal for such use providing access to public transportation, recreation and open space, and retail; and WHEREAS: A stated mission of the Episcopal Divinity School is to promote and foster economic justice for which decent, affordable housing is a primary component; and WHEREAS: Cambridge has been effective in negotiating with other entities that similarly promote and foster economic justice such as the Archdiocese of Boston who sold at below market value to encourage development of affordable housing; now therefore be it ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Affordable Housing Trust with the view in mind of immediately contacting the Episcopal Divinity School to begin negotiations for the purchase of 8-acre Episcopal Divinity School site for construction of critically needed affordable housing units including single occupancy spaces and middle income housing, particularly housing for eligible Cambridge residents, families, starter apartments for young adults, veterans, homeless and seniors who have been displaced. CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY VICE MAYOR MCGOVERN