July 23, 2025
Dear Fellow Cantabrigians,
My deepest thanks to all that attended my re-election launch parties. It was wonderful to see everyone and I am so grateful for your enthusiasm for my second City Council campaign. I know winning an election is a team sport. At my new website votezusy.org. you can read my platform, donate, and sign up to help. I need your support and your #1 vote!
Here’s what’s been going on at City Hall:
In June the Council discussed some big issues that brought out many people for public comment.
End of the Fiscal Year Financial Transactions
The Council appropriated $540,000 to pay Lubavitch of Cambridge (Harvard Chabad), part of the settlement of their litigation regarding their Riverside expansion plans. The settlement allows Chabad to build a religious facility of up to six stories on Banks Street. This may alter zoning for all religious institutions in Cambridge, exempting them from many height and density restrictions. (See Cambridge Day article here.)
On the plus side, in anticipation of receiving federal grants, we appropriated $4.9m from the US Dept of Housing & Urban Development for services for unhoused people and $2.8m from the US Dept. of Transportation Reconnecting Communities Grant Program to design a longed for bicycle/pedestrian bridge over the Fitchburg train tracks, connecting Danehy Park and the Fresh Pond mall to the Rindge Ave. neighborhood. The Council also voted to fund a municipal shuttle study.
The Council formally appointed American Freedmen Commission members to three-year terms. An Executive Director will be hired and the commission will begin its work: “to investigate and report on historic, systemic and ongoing harm to American Freedmen by Federal, Massachusetts and Cambridge governments and to identify adequate, effective and prompt reparations.”
A policy order was passed asking City departments to draft amendments to the 2015 Community Benefits Ordinance to allow CBO funds to be used for capital expenses—infrastructure, facilities and equipment. The Community Benefits Advisory Committee was established to distribute grants to nonprofits from money pledged by developers in exchange for zoning amendments. To date, approximately $8.6m has been received by the fund.
Two important reports released:
2024 Transportation Demand Management Program Report
A study of 82 employers revealed significant trends. On all work days: 32% of employees work remotely, 30% drive alone, 20% use public transit, 8% walk, 7% bike and 3% carpool. Commuter public transit use is up from but has not reached pre-COVID levels. A survey of 22 large multifamily buildings (mostly near Lechmere, Kendall Square and Alewife), revealed 51% of residents owned cars. A study of 16 restaurants found 37% of patrons walked, 26% drove alone, 16% took transit, 14% carpooled, and 7% biked.
For a more complete understanding our transportation picture, we need to couple this data with the recent study of City employee transportation modes and consider additional workforce data.
Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) Housing Study
Some on the Council are concerned that the current well-intentioned Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance requiring 20% of the floor area ratio in buildings of 10 units or more to be affordable may in fact, be constraining new housing development. Community Development will prepare a preliminary IZ report this fall and will commission a broader study.
There is pressure from three main corridor large housing developments (on Concord and Mass. Aves.; 236, 85 and 60 units planned) to temporarily lower the IZ percentage to enable those projects to start construction.
While these big developments have stalled, three six-story Multifamily Housing (MFH) projects are now in process, all on smaller streets (Western Ave. and Ellery and Russell Streets; 55-60, 29 and 53 units planned). Additionally, about 10 smallish MFH projects are in play. Clearly, the next few months will show if lowering the IZ percentage is really essential to inspiring housing production.
Passed: A Policy Order asking City departments to prepare an interim report on demolition requests and building permits during the first six months of the new MFH zoning. Of course, I voted in support.
See links to these reports here, pp. 30-46 & 47-60.
Concerns about the Multifamily Housing Ordinance
While the MFH Ordinance has many flaws, many neighbors find the “as of right” provision most problematic. Developers are asked to go through the motions of a community meeting, but they are not required to share plans or integrate input, creating great uncertainty. Developers must, however, inform neighbors of their plans to demolish a structure.
Neighbors, know you can access filed drawings at the Inspectional Services Department (ISD) by visiting their Record Room or emailing Record Room Coordinator, Jordan Rosario at jrosario@cambridgema.gov. You can also access permit details via the City’s Open Data Portal here.
Since the passing of the MFH Ordinance, the Cambridge Historical Commission (CHC) has received over 100 inquiries about the historic significance of properties. Developers want to assess their ability to demolish buildings before they offer to purchase a property. As of June 30, only seven demolition permits had been issued.
Take note: At the Historic Commission’s August 7 meeting, the demolition of the 124-132 Western Ave. Spears Funeral Home will be considered. Three two-and-a-half-story houses dating from 1855 may be replaced with a six-story building yielding fifty-five to sixty units in a residential neighborhood with “gentle density.” (See proposed rendering below.)
Concerning: CHC Member Appointments
After four meetings, the Council approved new members to the CHC and the Half Crown Marsh and Avon Hill Neighborhood Conservation Districts. Pressure to add more “housing friendly” members from some City Councillors, resulted in the appointment of alternate members to three year terms. Some new alternates lack expertise in architecture, historic preservation, or art or architectural history. The terms of longtime members of the commission were reduced. Note: As with many highly specialized City boards requiring exacting time and expertise, it is difficult to find qualified volunteers willing to serve the city.
Broadway Corridor Resident Parking
Passed: A Policy Order asking City departments to explore creative solutions to reduce car dependency while expanding access to parking alternatives near Broadway. New bike lanes require new parking options.
BioMed Realty Upzoning & their Development Mitigation Package
Despite the majority of the Council expressing support, the City Manager, City Solicitor, and Finance Dept. encouraged us to postpone a decision about the Biomed Realty zoning petition for 320 Charles Street and its community benefits package. The Council had discussed and twice voted approval. The benefits package had been publicly discussed for over eight months.
Other nonprofits became upset upon realizing that most of the developer’s contributions—$20m—would go to the venerable East End House, and advocated for the broader distribution of those millions. The role of the Community Benefits Advisory Committee in allocating the money was questioned. Curiously, it hadn’t been mentioned during the many months of public meetings.
I asked for a special meeting to settle the matter but was unsuccessful. I firmly believe that these development mitigation funds should benefit East Cambridge, the neighborhood impacted by the project. In the meantime, we need to figure out better support for our community service providing non-profits, many of which are housed in crumbling buildings and all lacking endowments to address maintenance needs. We also need to update our 2017 Community Needs Assessment.
The Demolition of Riverview Condos
I attended a meeting concerning the demolition of Riverview Condominiums at 221 Mt. Auburn Street. At the request of the condo association and pending final Council approval, the City will oversee and pay for razing the project. Over the coming year, the 80-unit Riverview condo association will be dissolved. After demolition, the trustees will sell the property for development and repay the City.
Because the vacant building was condemned due to concerns of imminent structural collapse, the City has taken the extra precaution of shutting down parts of Mt. Auburn and Sparks Streets until the demolition is complete. The residents of the neighboring and structurally sound Bradbury buildinghave also beenrelocated. The MFH Ordinance applies to this C-2 district.
Around Town
Over the past weeks I’ve attended celebrations for Deputy City Manager Owen O’Riordan (now retired) and Cambridge Historical Commission Executive Director Charles Sullivan (51 years and still at the helm!) I attended a Riverview Condo demolition community meeting, looked at the 44 Russell St. site with neighbors concerned about the proposed MFH project; met with CDD staff about the redesign of Raymond Park; strolled Danehy Park with CDD staff and tree and green space lovers; and attended an Affordable Housing Trust meeting and a presentation of Just a Start’s strategic plan.
Summer in Cambridge is so wonderful. I’m seeing our parks and pools filled with picnickers, swimmers and people of all ages at play. This past weekend, Cambridge also hosted its first Porchfest.
Check out Fairmont Ave, Cambridgeport’s newly painted Shared Street. It looks spectacular and is already seeing lots of use by families. More shared streets are being planned with neighbors in Mid-Cambridge. (Photo below.)
Again, please check out votezusy.org to learn more about my platform and how you support my campaign.
Thank you for believing in me!
Cathie Zusy
City Councillor
