Asked the City Manager to work with the chairs of the Housing Committee to create zoning language that effectively promotes multi-family housing, including income-restricted affordable housing with the goal of having viable housing for everyone especially lower-income residents

O-7

Calendar Item # 2

In order to help end the housing shortage our city is facing and provide housing for all, we must encourage the construction of multifamily housing in every neighborhood of Cambridge; and

The current zoning in Cambridge prevents the construction of many multi-family homes, to the point that most of our housing stock is currently nonconforming; and

The current zoning in Cambridge “reflects a preference for socioeconomic exclusionary practices” such as racism and classism, as is evident when you overlay a redlining map on a zoning map; and

Exclusionary zoning prevents housing opportunities in certain neighborhoods for many in our city by artificially constraining supply; and

Inclusionary zoning has provided the majority of new affordable housing in Cambridge since its adoption in 1998, but cannot be effective in areas without zoning that encourages multi-family housing; and

The Housing Committee has discussed ending exclusionary zoning in previous terms; now therefore be it

ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Community Development Department to work with the chairs of the Housing Committee on zoning language that effectively promotes multi-family housing, including inclusionary units, citywide, and hereby is requested to report back to the Housing Committee on this matter as soon as possible.

History: 03/18/24

City Council

CHARTER RIGHT

Next: 03/25/24