A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 18-88, regarding a report on conducting a comprehensive evaluation of inclusionary tenants' experiences with particular emphasis on biased practices

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 KHALIL MOGASSABI Deputy Director Chief of Planning 344 Broadway Cambridge, MA 02139 Voice: [phone removed] Fax: [phone removed] TTY: [phone removed] www.cambridgema.gov MEMORANDUM To: Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager From: Iram Farooq, Assistant City Manager for Community Development Date: January 8, 2019 Re: Awaiting Report #18-88 dated July 30, 2018 regarding conducting a comprehensive evaluation of inclusionary tenants’ experiences with particular emphasis on biased practices In response to the above-referenced policy order, the City will solicit an outside consultant or consultant team to work with City staff to design and conduct a comprehensive evaluation of resident experiences in inclusionary housing units, emphasizing the examination of biased practices so that we can better understand any biases residents experience in inclusionary housing. While we have seen some cases where residents in inclusionary housing units have been treated differently, and in some cases even unfairly, we do not have evidence of systematic bias across inclusionary housing. Results of the 2017 survey of inclusionary tenants in more than thirty-five rental properties, and a follow-up community meeting of inclusionary housing tenants, showed that while the significant majority of inclusionary tenants were satisfied with their housing experience, some identified concerns. Where issues were raised, they came from multiple tenants in a few buildings where residents expressed similar concerns. We used the results of that survey to make owners and property managers aware of resident concerns, and where needed, to advocate for changes to improve resident experience. CDD staff work with residents and property managers to address these situations as they come to our attention. When an inclusionary housing resident expresses a concern about bias to City staff, they are also advised about available assistance, including housing mediators and legal assistance, and, in cases where they feel they have been discriminated against, or have had their rights violated, their right to file a formal complaint with the Human Rights Commission. The evaluation we expect to embark on offers an opportunity to better understand the patterns of inclusionary housing residents’ experiences as they relate to bias. We expect the evaluation to include a survey of residents in inclusionary units as well as residents living in other units to illuminate how the experience of inclusionary housing residents differs from that of other residents. The survey will be designed to identify situations where inclusionary residents

Page 2 of 2 may be experiencing bias from owners, property managers and neighbors, and to identify patterns based on different locations and types of housing. To help us with this work, we will also involve City staff from other departments – the Multiservice Center, Human Rights Commission, City Manager’s office, the department of Equity and Inclusion – and seek input from mediators and advocates who work with Cambridge inclusionary housing residents. Through this process, we look forward to better analyzing resident experience in inclusionary housing and developing a plan of action to address any biases that are identified.