Asked the City Manager to work with the Law Department, the Community Development Department, and the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department to determine whether the City could provide incentives for residents who do not have cars

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In 2016, the Cambridge City Council unanimously adopted Vision Zero to eliminate

traffic fatalities and severe injuries in the city, and two years later the City released the Vision Zero Action Plan; and

Since 2014, Cambridge has had a goal of reducing the reducing the ratio of cars owned by residents by 15% from the levels in the city in 1990 but had not reached that goal as of 2020; and

One way to help reach these goals would be to provide incentives to residents who forgo car ownership and Cambridge residents who currently do not have a car to continue being able to live without one, including residents who cannot afford car ownership; and

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has emphasized that municipalities are “local community laboratories” for advancing innovative public health measures and have significant authority to pilot new approaches; and

Incentives to reduce car usage in the city would help reduce traffic deaths and fatalities, lower emissions and pollution, and lessen the damage to and wear on city roads—which are both public health improvements as well as public benefits; and

Cambridge has accessible records of car ownership through motor vehicle excise tax and parking permit data; now therefore be it

ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Law Department, the Community Development Department, and the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department to determine whether the City could provide incentives for residents who do not have cars, including an MBTA pass, a BlueBikes membership, or others; and be it further

ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council in a timely manner.