POR 2024-20
Asked the City Manager to present recommendations for the refinement and improvement of the housing permitting process to the City Council, with a focus on reducing delays, minimizing costs, and enhancing clarity and accessibility for all stakeholders
the second “Whereas” by striking the word “affordable”The clerk's words, from the minutes of Feb 26, 2024, p. 9.
the third “Whereas” by striking the word “affordable”The clerk's words, from the minutes of Feb 26, 2024, p. 9.
the first “Ordered” to add the words “contractors, architects, developers”The clerk's words, from the minutes of Feb 26, 2024, p. 9.
the amendment by adding the words “(including but not limited to) trade unions, tenants’ groups” before the word “contractors”The clerk's words, from the minutes of Feb 26, 2024, p. 9.
View the roll call
Voted yes (8), unanimous
Marc McGovern
Patty Nolan
Joan Pickett
Sumbul Siddiqui
Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler
Paul F. Toner
Ayesha M. Wilson
E. Denise Simmons
Absent (1)
Burhan Azeem
O-1
The current housing permitting process within the city is recognized as lengthy, often leading to significant delays, creating confusion, and driving up the cost of housing; and
The complexity and costliness of these processes can act as a barrier to the creation of affordable housing options; and
Simplifying these processes, including the review of permitting fees, timelines, communication across departments and the consideration of pre-approved designs, can significantly reduce the bureaucratic and financial burden, thus encouraging more affordable housing options in Cambridge; now therefore be it
That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to undertake a comprehensive review of the city's current housing permitting processes, with the aim of identifying and implementing measures to streamline these processes, and with such review done with input from entities involved with both market rate and affordable housing production; and be it further
That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to develop a high-level overview of the current processes, highlighting areas of inefficiency and potential improvements; and be it further
That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to present recommendations for the refinement and improvement of these processes to the City Council, with a focus on reducing delays, minimizing costs, and enhancing clarity and accessibility for all stakeholders; and be it further
That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the Housing Committee with this overview and set of recommendations.