2026-09-28 - Regular City Council Meeting

02:18A quorum of the city council being

02:21present. I call tonight's September

02:2428th.

02:28September 28th meeting, regular meeting

02:31of the Cambridge City Council to order.

02:33The first order of business is a roll

02:35call of members present.

02:36>> Councelor El Zubie present. Vice Mayor

02:39Razim

02:40>> present. Council Flareity absent.

02:43Councelor McGovern absent. Councelor

02:45Nolan

02:46>> present. Councelor Simmons

02:48>> present.

02:48>> Present. Councelor Sabrino Wheeler

02:50>> present.

02:50>> Present. Councelor Zusi

02:53>> absent. Mayor Sadiki

02:54>> present.

02:55>> Present. You have six members recorded

02:56as present and three recorded as absent.

02:59>> Please join me in the pledge of

03:00allegiance and pause for a moment of

03:02silence.

03:03>> I pledge allegiance

03:14for all.

03:23>> Per chapter 2 of the acts of 2025

03:26adopted by master's general court and

03:28approved by the governor, the city is

03:30authorized to use remote participation

03:33at meetings of the Cambridge City

03:34Council. In addition to having members

03:36of the public of the council participate

03:38remotely, we've also set up Zoom

03:40teleconference for public comment. You

03:43can view the meeting via the city's open

03:45meeting portal or on the city's cable

03:47channel 22. Please note that the city of

03:50Cambridge audio and video records this

03:52meeting and makes it available to the

03:54public for future viewing. In addition,

03:57third parties may also be audio and

03:59video recording this meeting. Are there

04:02any announcements from the body?

04:05Councelor Zusi is present.

04:08>> And I know that uh councelor McGovern is

04:10on his way. So there's no announcements

04:13from the body.

04:14>> Wait, I have some announcements.

04:15>> Yes, councelor Zusy. Go ahead.

04:17>> Okay. So, uh,

04:19on Saturday, it's the opening of MIT's

04:23Met Warehouse, which is a really

04:26spectacular renovation. They'll be, it's

04:29part of the Future Fest at MIT, which

04:32starts on Wednesday, but the event on

04:35Saturday will be um, from 10 to 4. And

04:39also, isn't the Meow Fest on Saturday?

04:41I'll let you let you talk about that. I

04:44know there's a Thai market in the bow

04:46tie ride will be 10 to 12. So, there are

04:49all sorts of amazing things happening

04:51this coming weekend. Thank you, Council

04:54Zena Wheeler.

04:56>> Thanks, M. I was just going to mention

04:57Cambridge Disability Pride uh this

04:59Saturday morning and early afternoon at

05:01the Cambridge Public Library. Um and

05:03then I was also if you you perhaps you

05:06were going to mention the civic assembly

05:07lottery next Monday right before our

05:09council meeting. Uh that was the other

05:10other piece to flag.

05:12>> Thank you. Any other announcements? And

05:15yes, thank you, Councelor Zusi. Our cat

05:17tour and Meow Fest got postponed, but

05:19it'll be uh this Saturday at Dana Park

05:22starting at 2. So, no more

05:24announcements. Per city council rules of

05:27courtesy. I wanted to just remind folks

05:29today uh rule 374

05:31and there's been some notice outside.

05:34Any signs, posters, and uh placards must

05:36remain outside the Sullivan chamber. And

05:39then also if you can I know there's

05:40there's a lot of people for public

05:42comment. There's 154 people and Naomi

05:45will help us get through all of the uh

05:47all the public comment. Uh but just make

05:50sure we I know folks some like to clap

05:53but uh you know to just make everyone

05:55feel comfortable uh in the chamber. Um

05:57you know you can wave you can do hand

05:59the hand signals but uh please the the

06:02clapping is distracting so please

06:04refrain from that. Public comment is

06:06going to be made in accordance with

06:07Massachusetts General Laws chapter 30A

06:10section 20G and city council rules 23D

06:13and 37. And once you finish speaking,

06:16the next speaker will be called.

06:17Individuals are not permitted to

06:19allocate the remainder of their time to

06:20other speakers. I ask that you state

06:22your name and address of the record and

06:24the item on the agenda that you're

06:25speaking on. As I said, we have

06:29154 speakers so far and uh so each

06:33speaker per our rules will have one

06:34minute each and we'll go to Naomi to

06:37start calling the role. Tonight I want

06:39to remind folks also we will have a tax

06:42rate uh hearing that we will have to um

06:45at 6:30 go into uh and so we'll have to

06:48have that hearing and then we'll move

06:50back into public comment. So, uh, it's

06:54per our kind of rules. We always do this

06:57tax, uh, rating hearing at this time.

07:00And so, I just want to tell folks we'll

07:03be h kind of going into public comment

07:06comment and then having this meeting and

07:08then going back to public comment. So,

07:10with that, we will start with our public

07:14comment.

07:17Our first speaker is Amy Flax, followed

07:21by Jessica Vanmir, then Alicia Prit.

07:24Amy, you have one minute. Please go

07:26ahead.

07:31>> Hello. Okay. Can you hear me now?

07:35>> We can. Please go ahead.

07:37>> So, Amy Flax, Normandy AB in the

07:39Cambridge Highlands. I'm commenting on

07:42the outer hiron

07:44um

07:45bike path um to delay it for for 5

07:50years. I'm 71 years old. I'm a biker and

07:54I don't have that kind of time perhaps.

07:58I think I am one of the vulnerable

08:00populations and the other being

08:02children. Um, this stretch, although

08:05it's small, has been in the bike plan

08:08since 200 2015. It's been designed.

08:12There have been one year of meetings

08:15and a public process in person and

08:18virtual, and it's a very important

08:21safety feature. I don't have much time,

08:24but I will say that I frequently use

08:27this. Uh people drive very fast and it

08:31connects to where I live in the

08:33Cambridge Highlands from that area.

08:35Thank you.

08:36>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Jessica

08:38Vanmir followed by Alicia Prit. Then

08:40Suzanne Bier. Jessica, please go ahead.

08:43>> Hi, my name is Jessica Vanmir. I've been

08:45living working and studying in Cambridge

08:47on and off for the past five years. I'm

08:50a PhD candidate in public policy at the

08:52Harvard Kennedy School of Government

08:54where I research sex work policy in

08:56Latin America. I'm uh here to speak

08:58strongly in favor of policy order number

09:0010 to implement the recommendations from

09:03the last city council meeting on sex

09:05work uh and to support the full

09:06decriminalization of sex work. I have

09:09interviewed over 280 sex workers and sex

09:11trafficking survivors across five

09:13countries and I'm currently the policy

09:15chair of the Boston Sex Workers and

09:17Allies Collective uh which grew out of a

09:19support group at the Cambridge Women's

09:20Center. One of the biggest problems we

09:23see for sex workers in Cambridge is the

09:24inability to report crimes or medical

09:26emergencies due to the state's

09:28criminalization of sex work. Uh in

09:30countries that have decriminalized sex

09:32work, like New Zealand, we've seen sex

09:34workers win damages against abusive

09:36brothel owners. Um including in 2014, a

09:39sex worker won $25,000 in damages. In

09:422020, a sex worker won a six-f figure

09:44settlement. You

09:45>> Jessica, your time has expired. For

09:47anyone whose time is expired, please

09:50email the remainder of your comments to

09:52city [email protected].

09:54We will move on to speaker number three,

09:56Alicia Wit, followed by Suzanne Bier,

09:58then Maryanne McKin, Mary Carol

10:01McKinnon. Alicia,

10:03>> hi, my name is Alicia Prit and I'm

10:04speaking on the multif family housing

10:06ordinance. I lived in Cambridge for 12

10:08years and I've been a tenant here for

10:09all 12 of them. I'm also a small

10:11business owner and Cambridge is where I

10:13work, live, and have built my life. I

10:15understand that the goal of the zoning

10:17changes was to create more housing,

10:18including more affordable housing. But

10:20what I'm watching happening across the

10:21city is a rush to redevelopment.

10:23Existing homes are being bought up

10:24because the new zoning has made them

10:26more valuable as development

10:27opportunities. And while developers

10:29capitalize on that opportunity, tenants

10:30are losing their homes. Council needs to

10:33confront whether all of this

10:34redevelopment is actually addressing the

10:35housing problem we are trying to solve.

10:37Are we creating housing that more people

10:39can afford? What is happening to the

10:40people being displaced along the way?

10:42Housing production cannot be measured

10:44only by the number of units created.

10:46Displacement should matter to this

10:47council and it should be a metric of

10:49whether this policy is working. How many

10:51tenants are being displaced? What were

10:53they paying? Can they afford the housing

10:55replacing their homes? If we aren't

10:56measuring those things, then counting

10:58new units alone doesn't tell us whether

10:59these zoning changes are actually

11:01helping to solve Cambridge's housing

11:02crisis. Thank you.

11:04>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Suzanne

11:06Bleier. Suzanne,

11:10Suzanne has not joined us. We will move

11:12to Mary Carol McKinnon followed by CL

11:15Claudia Veronica Torres Patino. Mary

11:18Carol.

11:27>> Thank you. Hi, I'm Mary, a longtime sex

11:30worker and co-chair of Bwock.

11:32Criminalization of sex work, not the

11:34worker but the work itself is the

11:36greatest harm source of harm that sex

11:38workers face. We are harmed by

11:40criminalization in myriad ways whether

11:42we ever interact with law enforcement or

11:44not. Local sex workers report harm

11:47pertaining to education, child custody,

11:50eviction, health care, discrimination

11:52and other work, social media bans,

11:54losing bank accounts and websites, and

11:56obstacles to conducting business safely,

11:58just to name a few of the insidious ways

12:00that criminalization itself reres havoc

12:03in our daily lives. Today, I took a

12:06first step toward reporting my own

12:07abuser from over 20 years ago, a report

12:10I had not made because I fear law

12:12enforcement due to my labor. I became

12:15vulnerable to that abuser when my

12:17domestic partner blackmailed me by

12:19threatening to out me to the police and

12:20to my family. I know that she did the

12:23latter. I know well how the tendrils of

12:26criminalization harm sex workers far

12:28beyond the matter of arrest.

12:30>> Mary Carol, your time is expired. Thank

12:33you for the remainder. Thank you.

12:36Claudia Veronica Torres Patinho followed

12:38by Ashley Pitman, then Young Kim.

12:41>> Claudia,

12:42>> thank you. Good evening, counselors. My

12:43name is Claudia Torres. I am a Cambridge

12:45resident and an employment law attorney

12:47at Justice at Work. I have studied the

12:49relationship between law and sex work

12:50for nearly 15 years, including two years

12:52of eographic research with approximately

12:5440 40 sex workers and trafficking

12:56survivors in Mexico City. After Mexico

12:59City decriminalizes streetbased

13:00solicitation in 2019, I found that

13:02workers were better able to use the law

13:04to address workplace problems. Police

13:06harassment, demands for bribes, and

13:08interpersonal violence also decline

13:10while workers gain access to previously

13:12unavailable public benefits. My research

13:14is consistent with international

13:16evidence that the criminalization can

13:17reduce vulnerability to violence,

13:18extortion, and physical and mental

13:20health risks. As an employment attorney,

13:22I see this in other industries. We

13:24address trafficking and forced labor

13:25through organizing, world police

13:27protections, safety standards, and

13:28enforcement against coercion. The same

13:30approach can and should apply to sex

13:32work. Yet, all these strategies are made

13:34harder when the industry and its

13:35participants are criminalized. I urge

13:37you to consider the evidence in

13:38evaluating policy order number 10. Thank

13:40you.

13:42>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Ashley

13:44Pitman.

13:47Ashley, if you can unmute yourself, you

13:49have one minute. Please go ahead.

13:53[snorts]

13:54in support of policy order number eight

13:56tonight and would ask the members of the

13:58board to vote in favor of it. Um policy

14:03order number eight sets forth 12 reasons

14:06why it should be supported. Each one is

14:08cogently explained. I believe it is a

14:11thoughtful, practical and reasonable

14:15balancing of competing interests. Uh,

14:18one of the most imp impressive aspects

14:21of policy number eight is that it

14:24follows the hypocratic oath. First, it

14:26does no harm. It looks at a bad

14:29situation, uh, scarce parking around the

14:32Fresh Pond Reservation and Strawberry

14:34Hill, and the steps it proposes should

14:37help the situation rather than make it

14:40worse. That's commendable, constructive,

14:43and reasonable. Um, I can't read the

14:46rest of my notes right now, so I will

14:48submit something to the council uh via

14:51email once I've deciphered these. Thank

14:54you.

14:54>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Young

14:57Kim, followed by Paula Cortez, then

14:59Emily Alice Lipold Cheney. Young, one

15:03minute.

15:04>> Young Kim, 17 Norris Street. The

15:06negative impact of multif family housing

15:09zoning ordinance continues as I speak.

15:12Protect residents while you get the

15:14amendments right by not adopting P 20261

15:18173 tonight. Instead, advance a narrowly

15:22scoped moratorum on s of right MFH

15:26development. Demand CDD full response to

15:31PO 2026123

15:34and the housing modeling. require

15:36planning board review of CDD's

15:38recommendations and we convene the joint

15:40committee to review all this evidence

15:43with public comment. My chronology

15:46submitted this afternoon underscores the

15:48need for substantive review and

15:51community engagement. I have sent you

15:54several uh uh communications including

15:58uh survey uh response by nine residents.

16:02I think they represent seven

16:05neighborhoods. Please take a look at it.

16:08Uh I had

16:09>> Thank you for your public comment. Thank

16:10you, Young. Our next speaker is Paula

16:13Cortez, followed by Emily Alice Lipold

16:16Cheney. Paula, one minute.

16:19>> Thank you. I live at 25 New Street.

16:22You've heard many reasons to say yes to

16:24policy order 181. Postpone Outer Hiron

16:28Avenue. They're quite clear and

16:30reasonable. It's a matter of equity and

16:33inclusion. Consider this analogy. The

16:36division between birthday cake lovers

16:39and birthday pie lovers. I'm a pie

16:43lover, but occasionally I like cake

16:45also, but not always, not all the time,

16:48and not at all occasions. It is not

16:50reasonable to force me to eat cake all

16:52the time just because you might like

16:55cake all the time. And likewise with pie

16:58lovers. Right now, a 100% of Cambridge

17:01residents are being forced to eat cake.

17:02Oh, I guess I mean forced to accept

17:05separated bike lanes, even when the

17:07inconvenience is severe to their

17:09everyday lives and to their businesses.

17:12We have over 1,500 signitories to our

17:16petitions. Do all these people not

17:18count?

17:19>> Thank you, Paul. Time has expired.

17:22Please email the remainder. Our next

17:24speaker is Emily Alice Libold Cheney.

17:27Emily, you have one minute.

17:33[snorts]

17:33>> Hello. I have experienced doing

17:35in-person escorting for a decade, and I

17:37am speaking in favor of sex work

17:38decriminalization.

17:40First and foremost, we are here because

17:42people get murdered for doing this work.

17:44They go to jail, they lose their kids.

17:46I'm retired from sex work at this point

17:48in my life, which is in large part why

17:50I, as a single mother, can stand up here

17:52and speak publicly. Despite that, not

17:55two weeks ago, a stranger threatened to

17:58out or dox me as a sex worker in order

18:00to do me harm.

18:03Even though I'm not currently doing sex

18:05work, it was deeply upsetting because

18:07she could still do me and my child harm

18:09if she chose to call child protective

18:11services. People get their children

18:13taken away for doing this work because

18:15it is criminalized even when their

18:17children have never been exposed to the

18:18work nor any harm. They could even take

18:21my child away for having done this work

18:23in the past. Those are the stakes. Does

18:27providing sexual labor and care make me

18:28an unfit mother? Do I deserve to have my

18:30child get taken away from me? I'm

18:32actually a better mother because I was a

18:34sex worker because of the patience,

18:35compassion, and resilience it developed

18:37in me.

18:38>> Thank you. Please email us the remainder

18:40of your comment. Our next speaker is Liz

18:42Loya, followed by Joe Edleta, then Simon

18:46Williams. Liz, one minute. Please go

18:48ahead.

18:50In response to the multifamily housing

18:53ordinance, I'm going to read a quote

18:54from the selling agent of 16 Field

18:56Street, one of the many affordable

18:59rentals being demolished.

19:01Sell as premium condominiums, or hold as

19:05high-end rental units, take advantage of

19:08Cambridge's generous zoning laws and

19:10strong demand for upscale housing." End

19:14quote. This home was a two family. A

19:17family lived there under section 8 and

19:18another family lived there as an

19:20affordable rental. Section 8 family was

19:21displaced and the other family was

19:23forced to leave Cambridge because quote

19:25all the rentals at this price range are

19:27being demolished. End quote. The new

19:30building is nine units, not 10 because

19:32none of them are affordable. The

19:33displaced families can't afford to buy

19:35or rent one of the new units. This home

19:37also would have happily been bought by

19:39families looking to buy part of a two

19:41family. But because of the MFHO,

19:42developers are outbidding the renters

19:44who want to buy. The proposed amendments

19:46are weak, create loopholes to avoid

19:48enacting the amendments, and overlook

19:50tree protection, parking requirements,

19:52and more. Please read and reply to my

19:54email.

19:55>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Joe. So,

19:58folks, you some of you may have missed

20:00me saying it in the beginning, but I

20:02asked that you not clap per decorum

20:04rules. You're welcome to do some air

20:06hands, but um the clapping is Thank you.

20:10uh cop coping is distracting and we have

20:13143 speakers. So um again I said that in

20:17the beginning I'll repeat it now. Thank

20:19you.

20:20>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Joe

20:22Adalleta followed by Simon Williams then

20:25Jenna Odette. Joe please go ahead. You

20:27have one minute.

20:30>> Hi. Thank you. Uh Joe Adleta 68 Walker

20:32Street. Um at some point we have to draw

20:35the line. Council's made expansion of

20:38budget a priority over the last 5 years.

20:40Close to a 50% increase nearing a

20:43billion dollars. Similarly, taxes are

20:46up. Water bills are up. You are

20:48promoting unaffordability.

20:51Seemingly in attempt to do something

20:53about that anything, you've enacted

20:55zoning reform pandering to the masses

20:57with no expectation of relief and

20:59grievous consequences throughout the

21:02city. I'm sure you hear you'll hear from

21:05many people tonight talking about the

21:07consequences of the implementation

21:09throughout the city. As you just heard,

21:11it's time to draw the line. Draw the

21:13line on the budget. Draw the line on

21:15zoning. Thank you.

21:18>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Simon

21:20Williams.

21:24>> Welcome back,

21:26>> Simon. If you can unmute yourself, you

21:27have the floor. Please go ahead. One

21:29minute.

21:32Hi, this is Simon Williams. I live at 23

21:36Orin Street. I'm speaking tonight

21:38regarding the severe unintended impacts

21:40of the multif family housing ordinance.

21:43While the goal of expanding density was

21:45noble, granting broad by development has

21:48effectively turned every residential lot

21:50in Cambridge into a developer commodity.

21:53Raw land values for development sites

21:56have surged by 30 to 50%. Because

21:59commercial developers can now monetize a

22:01single lot across four to six luxury

22:03units, they are consistently outbidding

22:06traditional buyers and workingclass

22:07families. This model is producing two

22:10dangerous outcomes. One, it destroys

22:12home ownership pathways by pushing the

22:15financial entry point for firsttime

22:17buyers completely out of reach. Two, it

22:19will drive rents higher as developers

22:22pass inflated site acquisition costs

22:24directly onto future tenants. Unchecked

22:27land inflation under this current zoning

22:29framework is achieving the exact

22:31opposite of accessibility.

22:33Thank you.

22:34>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Jenna

22:37Odet. Jana, you have one minute. Please

22:39go ahead.

22:42>> Hi, can you hear me?

22:44>> Yes, we can. Please go ahead.

22:46>> Great. My name is Jana Odet. I live at

22:48176 Larch Road in Cambridge. Um, I would

22:51like to say that I agree with the

22:53speaker that just spoke that the

22:56unintended effects of the multif family

22:58housing ordinance are ridiculous. They

23:00are turning literally uh a person who

23:04spoke outside of city hall last Monday

23:06said that what we voted for is

23:09effectively uh gentrification because

23:11that is what we are getting. In other

23:13words, people developers are paying top

23:16dollar. They have to make their money

23:19back and then they do so as Liz Lyo said

23:23um by selling these things at a huge

23:26premium. And the idea of having a

23:29neutral or net increase in housing units

23:31associated with inclusionary ones is

23:34ridiculous because as so many people

23:37have said, displacing families and

23:40making these out of reach is ridiculous.

23:42Thank you and bless you.

23:44>> Thank you.

23:46My mic's not working. Our next speaker

23:49is Rosalind Walton, followed by Zion

23:53Shearan, then Steven Marks. We are at

23:55speaker number 15. Rosalind, please go

23:58ahead. You have one minute.

24:05Rosalind, you need to unmute yourself.

24:07You have the floor.

24:14Yes, I'm calling about the outer Hon

24:16Avenue bike lane. I live on at Parkside

24:18Place on Heron A and it's and it's very

24:20close to the Russell Center, the golf

24:22course, the tennis court, the VFW, the

24:24Glacenfield, and the Glacken playground.

24:27We do not agree with you putting the

24:30bike lanes on our street. We are all for

24:32bike safety, but this is an unreasonable

24:35burden on the people who already live

24:37here. We are not happy at Parkside Place

24:39about the bike lanes. The golfers are

24:42not happy and the residents on Heron

24:44Avenue and Cushing do not agree with

24:46your plans and we like our parking

24:49spaces as they are and we cannot use our

24:52expensive gas looking for a place to

24:55park. Not today and not tomorrow.

24:59Please do not put the bike lanes on our

25:01street. We do not have the room.

25:05Thank you.

25:07Thank you. Our next speaker is Zion

25:11Sharon.

25:14Zion has not joined us. We're going to

25:15move to Stephen Marx, followed by Chris

25:18Monttero, then Patrica Jani.

25:23>> Hello, I'm Steve Marx. I live at 36

25:25Brookford Street. My wife and I have

25:27lived here for 35 years. Um I um am

25:32speaking to amend the MFH

25:36pursuant to policy order PR po

25:4020026-173.

25:43I think that as many people have said

25:45already the ordinance is having exactly

25:48the opposite of what it was intended to

25:50do. It's not on our street. Someone is

25:54knocking down a multif family dwelling

25:57to build five units, all of which will

26:00be market rate. The other building on

26:04our street, which only has 12 or 14

26:06houses, depending on how you count the

26:08houses that are on Massav, um will have

26:11two of these units. And the other unit

26:13is this builder says, "We are building

26:16high-end residential projects with the

26:19most prime locations in Massachusetts

26:22and North Cyprus. Hardly affordable

26:24housing.

26:28>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Chris

26:30Montero followed by Patric Patricia

26:33Janice or Janice. Chris,

26:41>> hello. Good evening. My name is Chris

26:43Montterero and I am the president of the

26:44Cambridge Education Association. Uh, as

26:47you have been hearing, we'll be hearing

26:49educators, caregivers, and community

26:50leaders agree that our schools couldn't

26:52run and student success is tied to the

26:55hard work of our subs, our clerks, and

26:57our paras. The best way you as the city

26:59council can show that same appreciation

27:01is with the adoption of motion 179. We

27:05are well aware that our bargaining is

27:06with the school committee, but we also

27:09know that the school committee members

27:10want to know that the agreement they

27:12reach will be funded and supported by

27:14this body. What we are asking for is a

27:17sign of support for living wages for all

27:19educators, more affordable health

27:21insurance, a paraprofessional in every

27:23prek to 5 classroom with the last one

27:26being something that we used to have and

27:28that neighboring districts currently

27:29have. The cost of these proposals would

27:32amount to less than a 5% increase to the

27:35school budget or a 2% increase to the

27:38city budget. What we are asking for is

27:40not small for the educators who would

27:43see their wages go up, but it is

27:45absolutely doable.

27:46>> Your time is expired. Please email the

27:48remainder. Our next speaker is Patricia

27:51Janice, followed by Andrew Sabald, then

27:54Piper Winkler. Patricia,

27:58Patricia is not with us. We will go to

28:00Andrew Seabald.

28:04Andrew, you have one minute.

28:08>> Hi, I'm speaking on behalf of someone uh

28:10named F. Waters who couldn't be here and

28:13in order to protect their identity. Uh,

28:16dear Cambridge City Council, I have been

28:18living in Cambridge Cambridge since 2019

28:21and I'm in my 40s. I'm part of the

28:23creative class and like many art artists

28:25now and throughout history, I rely on

28:28sex work to afford the high cost of

28:29living in this city, especially but not

28:31limited to housing. Earning income via

28:34sex work meets my needs and allows me

28:35the flexibility and time off required by

28:37my disability and chronic health issues.

28:39I do my work privately and discreetly

28:41indoors, and I report my income to the

28:43IRS like any other freelance worker. I

28:46work only for myself, not a pimp or a

28:48manager. And I like it this way. Working

28:50independently means I can choose my own

28:52services, clients, and rates.

28:55Unfortunately, I live in fear of arrest

28:57and eviction because I know my work is

28:58criminalized even though it's fully

29:00consensual with no victim and no impact

29:02on public order. The stress of this has

29:04worsened my health. I urge the council

29:06to pass policy order number 10. Thank

29:08you, F. Waters.

29:10>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Piper

29:12Winkler, followed by Sarah Blout, then

29:15Judy Mintz. Piper.

29:18>> Hi. Um, I'm Piper. I live at uh 214

29:21Chestnut and I'm speaking in support of

29:23179. Um, I'm a community member here

29:26tonight in support of a living wage and

29:28necessary benefits for public educators.

29:30I love living in a city that prides

29:31itself on offering excellent educational

29:34opportunities. But right now, Cambridge

29:36isn't even playing catch-up with nearby

29:38school districts providing better wages

29:39and benefits. Nobody's hands are tied

29:42when it comes to increasing the budget.

29:44This isn't about restrictions making it

29:45impossible for our city to allocate

29:47funds to the school department budget

29:49because we've all seen time and again

29:50that Cambridge can pay for expenses it

29:52considers necessary. It's a question of

29:54political will and I have seen city

29:57council exercise the political will to

29:58improve the lives of its residents for

30:00the better. That is a history for all of

30:02you to be proud of. I believe that now

30:05is another critical moment for the city

30:06council to do so with the understanding

30:08that everyone in our community will

30:10benefit. The school committee, city

30:12council, and city manager must decide to

30:14put money the city already has into the

30:15school department budget to make

30:17teaching in Cambridge a sustainable

30:18career.

30:20>> Thank you. Our next speaker is

30:23Sarah Blout, followed by Judy Mintz,

30:26then Paul Chanel. Sarah,

30:29>> good evening everybody. My name is Sarah

30:30Blout Rosenberg. I live at 167 Putnham

30:33Math. I'm speaking in favor of policy

30:35order 179. I'm a lifelong Cambridge

30:38resident and I have been teaching in the

30:40elementary schools for 15 years. Since

30:432001, Cambridge's salary ordinance have

30:46has given you all city councilors and

30:48school committee members an automatic

30:50raise every July, 3.1% I think tied to

30:54the greater Boston price index. The city

30:56decided in law that pay should be kept

30:59up with the cost of living here. And

31:00that's the right principle.

31:03[clears throat]

31:04As educators of CPS, we have to fight

31:06for it. As you know, the workforce is

31:10overwhelmingly women. We're doing the

31:12work our society has undervalued for

31:14generations because it was seen as

31:16women's work. Cambridge budgets show the

31:19values. If educating our children

31:21matters, then the people doing that work

31:23should have a living wage. One job

31:25should be enough.

31:28>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Judy

31:30Mintz, followed by Paul Chano, then

31:34Michael Rogov. Judy, you have the floor.

31:37You have one minute. Please go ahead.

31:41>> Hi, my name is Judy Mintz. I live at 469

31:44Hiron Avenue and I'm here to ask the

31:47city council to um consider making

31:50amendments to the multif family housing

31:53ordinance. Like many other people who

31:56have spoken, I am concerned that the

31:58intention of the MFH

32:01and the actual um implementation are not

32:06in alignment. Um I live on a multif

32:10family housing block there. I live in a

32:12triple decker. I'm surrounded by triple

32:14deckers and two families. Um right

32:18behind us on Larch uh excuse me on

32:20Groer. I live between uh Groer and

32:22Larch. Um but right behind me on Groer

32:28is um a building that's going to be

32:31demolished and they're going to put up

32:3311 units in what was a two family lot.

32:36Um some of my neighbors are very

32:38concerned and didn't know the

32:39communication process about how this is

32:41being implemented has been virtually

32:44non-existent. We've had

32:46>> Thanks Judy. Please email us the

32:48remainder. Apologies that was your time.

32:50Our next speaker is Paul Shano followed

32:54by Michael Rogo then Christopher Casa.

32:57Paul, one minute.

32:58>> Hi Paul Sheno from Three Field Street.

33:00First of all, I say thanks for what you

33:02guys are doing in the biking. I bike to

33:04work every day and it it's valuable. But

33:06the problem is is when I'm not I've got

33:08kids. I've got a family like much people

33:10in this community and I need to get to

33:12soccer that's out in Bedford. So I need

33:14a vehicle. So that's why I have an issue

33:15with where you have a two family home

33:17and developers coming in and stuffing

33:19nine units into that space with no

33:21concern for parking whatsoever. Suddenly

33:23you got eight more cars that need to fit

33:25on the street. Who is that benefiting?

33:27These are million-dollar homes. Nine out

33:29of 10 people with million-dollar homes

33:31in Cambridge have a car. That's that's a

33:33lot of cars we need to put places. So

33:35who is it benefiting? It's not the

33:37senior across the street from me that

33:39needs to get to the doctor's

33:40appointment. It's not my neighbor that

33:42has a foster kid that needs to get to

33:44school. It's not the other neighbor that

33:45needs to drive to work and can. It's a

33:48developer that's driving. They're

33:49maximizing their profits as much as they

33:51can. We need to consider what's really

33:54happening to community with the zoning.

33:56Thank you.

33:58>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Michael

34:00Rogo followed by Christopher Casa then

34:02Andrew King. Michael.

34:05>> Hi. Thank you. Michael Rogo 65 Spark

34:07Street. speaking on behalf of the 10 and

34:09a half people who live in my building

34:11but between childcare and work

34:12responsibilities uh they're not here and

34:15we support the completion of the outer

34:16here on bike lane speaking for myself

34:18soon I will have a kid and I won't be

34:21able to come to these for a while and

34:22that influence is who you hear from here

34:25a story my elderly neighbors lived on an

34:28adjacent floor with difficult stairs and

34:30thank god they were able to move into a

34:32different rare dense multif family

34:34apartment building without parking in

34:35West Cambridge which has been illegal to

34:37build for most of its life. West

34:40Cambridge is the wealthiest and least

34:42dense part of the city. It has 1.4%

34:44affordable housing, and I believe it has

34:46less homes today than it did in 1996.

34:48Please do not support amendments that

34:50make inclusionary units harder or

34:52downsizing harder for the aging and

34:54those who might want to downsize and

34:56stay in our community. Thank you.

34:57There's like 10 meetings in this meeting

34:59tonight, so please stay hydrated.

35:03>> Thank you, Michael. We missed you. Our

35:05next speaker is Christopher Cassa

35:08followed by Andrew King and then Itamar

35:11Turner Charing. Christopher Cassa, you

35:14have the floor. You have one minute.

35:16Please go ahead.

35:19Good evening. I'm asking the council to

35:21let the outer Euron safety project move

35:23forward. It's only a quarter mile, but

35:25it closes the last major gap between the

35:27lanes that we've installed for millions

35:29of dollars along Glacken Field from

35:31Fresh Pond all the way over to the golf

35:34course and all the way to uh lanes that

35:37are planned separated bike lanes that

35:39are planned in Belmont specifically

35:42because we are making this regional

35:44connection. So, this is the way it

35:45works. If we are building to the border,

35:47people are building from it. We've seen

35:49that with Somerville. We've seen that

35:50with Boston. And this is the same thing

35:52is happening with Belmont. This

35:54segment's been in the bike plan since

35:552015 on a street where the average

35:57driver is going over 30 miles an hour.

35:59It's not safe or comfortable for people

36:01to bike alongside that. I understand the

36:03concerns about parking, but there are

36:05solutions. We should be prioritizing

36:07access for Cambridge residents. That

36:09means requiring residential permits so

36:11anyone with a sticker on their car can

36:13go golf in the golf course or can park

36:16if they live in Parkside Place or they

36:18can go to Glacken Field. Thanks so much

36:21for your time.

36:22>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Andrew

36:24King, followed by S.

36:27>> Good evening. Andrew King, 36 Park A.

36:30I'm a longtime community member, uh,

36:32Cambridge public school graduate, uh,

36:34and now a new parent, uh, I'm here

36:36representing our revolution Cambridge.

36:38Um, in support of the CA's fight for

36:39living wages for all educators, our

36:41power professionals and education

36:43support staff are among our most diverse

36:45educators. As we know, many have deep

36:47roots in our community. They do

36:48incredibly important work building that

36:50relational trust with families and

36:52students on the front lines. They

36:53support our students academic, social,

36:55and emotional needs every day. A

36:57starting parrot in Cambridge earns only

36:59$32,000 a year. We know that's simply

37:02not enough uh to make a life in or

37:04around Cambridge. Somerville has shown

37:06us that when a community decides to

37:08truly value its power professionals, it

37:10can put that commitment into a contract.

37:13Cambridge can do the same. Paying ESPs

37:15fairly is both a racial and economic

37:17justice issue. [snorts] One job should

37:19be enough. Our revolution Cambridge

37:21supports the CA's call for at least a 6%

37:23increase in the school budget to fully

37:25fund the high-quality schools our

37:27students and families deserve. Thank

37:29you.

37:30>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Turner

37:32Troing followed by Carl Schmeckper then

37:36Jonathan Haber. Itar you have the floor.

37:39One minute. Please go ahead.

37:43>> Hi. Uh my name is Mar Turner Chering. I

37:45live in 139 Oxford Street. I'm speaking

37:48in against policy order 8 in support of

37:51building the heron of bike lanes. I've

37:54biked in those lanes and they're frankly

37:56awful. They're not safe. Uh and so one

38:00thing about transportation is that uh in

38:04order for it to be useful, it has to be

38:06a connected network. if I can't get

38:08somewhere uh then like the fact that

38:10there's maybe a half bike lane on the in

38:12the middle doesn't help. And so if we

38:14want less people driving in Cambridge,

38:16less competition for parking, one of the

38:19ways we can do that is ensuring people

38:21from neighboring towns who come here to

38:22work don't have to drive here. Uh I get

38:25all this traffic in front of my house

38:27every weekday evening because of

38:29commuters. And so if we have safe bike

38:31infrastructure that connects the

38:32neighboring towns, more people will

38:34bike. And we're actually seeing

38:35increases in biking from Belmont which

38:37means fewer which given like the area

38:40some of those people have chosen uh not

38:43to drive into Cambridge and we can

38:44improve that by building these bike

38:45lanes that connect to their

38:46infrastructure. Thank you.

38:48>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Carl

38:51Schmeckper followed by Jonathan Haver

38:54then Janie Catz Chrissy.

38:57Carl

39:01Carl has not joined. We will go to

39:03Jonathan Haber.

39:07Jonathan, you have the floor. Please

39:09unmute yourself. One minute.

39:12Hey there. I live next to Downey Park

39:15and bike to Fresh Pond frequently with

39:16my toddler. And since the Watertown

39:19Cambridge Greenway opened, I bike to

39:20Watertown and Arsenal Yards all the

39:23time. Uh just another example of

39:24regional connections that that Chris

39:26mentioned a minute ago. Uh please

39:28complete the ready approved Hiron A bike

39:30lane. uh that will complete the

39:31connection to Belmont. And please do it

39:33without a five-year delay. A small gap

39:35in a bike network has a huge impact.

39:38Imagine a quarter mile stretch of Massav

39:40without a sidewalk and the impact that

39:42would have on pedestrian safety and how

39:44comfortable it is to walk there and how

39:45many pedestrians would choose to walk

39:47along Massav if that was the case. The

39:49exact same thing applies to cyclists

39:51trying to get around our city safely.

39:53And separately, please don't amend our

39:54zoning to housing production

39:56again. Thanks.

39:58>> Thank you. Our next speaker, we're going

40:01to go back to Carl Schmeckper. Then

40:03we'll go to speaker number 31, Janie

40:06Catz Christie, followed by Jeffrey Oshi.

40:10Carl, you have the floor.

40:16Carl, if you can unmute yourself, you

40:19have the floor. One minute.

40:23>> Uh, hello. Can you hear me?

40:25>> Yes, I can.

40:27>> Uh, wonderful. Um yeah, so please don't

40:30delay the uh out of here on bike lanes.

40:33Um this summer one of my friends got a

40:35new job in Belmont and the two of us

40:39tried to find a route that would make it

40:41so she could safely get to her new job

40:45um from where she lives in uh Cambridge.

40:49Unfortunately, we were unable to find a

40:51safe route there um because the bike

40:54infrastructure in Cambridge stops before

40:56it gets to the border and the bike

40:57infrastructure in Belmont has not yet

40:59been built. So instead, she takes an

41:01Uber to work. That's another car on the

41:04road both to pick her up and to take her

41:07to work. Fixing these bike lanes, making

41:10it so Belmont's projects actually built

41:13is going to take these cars off the

41:14road. It's going to make traffic better

41:15for everybody. Going to make it all of

41:17us can drive more. can get to where

41:19we're going safer. Thank you.

41:21>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Janie

41:24Catz Christie. Janie, you have one

41:27minute. Please go ahead.

41:32>> Hi, my name is Jamie Cats Christie and I

41:35live 166A Elm Street. Um, and I'm I'm

41:41also calling if

41:44um to uh ask you to

41:48not vote uh to delay the implementation

41:53of bike and others around

41:56um area. I um

42:00I'm tired of

42:03coming to these meetings to

42:06ask Cambridge, ask you um to not delay

42:10on certain parts of this and that part

42:12of um the network that was would have

42:16been built out. Um and it's not a minor

42:21it's not a minor thing um to like find

42:25other

42:27there's been so much work that has gone

42:29into these um the network and it's very

42:34frustrating to have to come to all these

42:36meetings.

42:37>> Thanks Janie. Please email us the

42:39remainder of your comment. Our next

42:41speaker is Jeffrey Oshi followed by

42:44Terres Mallister then Michael Mallister.

42:48Jeffrey

42:54Jeffrey has not joined us. We will go to

42:56Teres or Theres Mallister followed by

42:59Michael Mallister.

43:01>> Hello, my name is Theres McAllister. I

43:03live at 121 Appleton Street in

43:05Cambridge. The house next door to me

43:08sold. The developer is coming in and

43:10putting in nine units just under the

43:13amount that he doesn't have to have

43:14affordable units. The family has been

43:17displaced and now the neighbors are

43:19going to have to deal with the

43:20demolition of the property. I want to

43:22remind the people here tonight that once

43:25a hundred-year-old house is demolished

43:27and the mature trees are cut down and

43:29the open space will be completely paved

43:32over because he's taking over every inch

43:34of the lot. You cannot vote that back.

43:37The house is getting demolished and the

43:40neighbors all around of it will have to

43:43deal with the pile driving on a small

43:45lot. Our plaster will crack. Our windows

43:48and foundations will get damaged. will

43:51have less sunlight. Children can't live

43:54in the sardine cans being developed in

43:57Cambridge by these developers. You gave

44:01a green light to the developers,

44:03>> but you forgot to ask protecting the

44:06neighborhood.

44:07>> Please email us the remainder.

44:09>> Our next Michael Mallister, followed by

44:14Fabian Nona, then Benjamin Barski.

44:17Michael,

44:18>> good evening. I always follow Teresa. Uh

44:21119 Appleton Street, DND Homes has

44:24acquired at least 20 two and three

44:26family buildings in our area in recent

44:28months with the intention of demolishing

44:30them and replacing them with nine at

44:32least nine unit buildings um throughout

44:35the area. Although this developer has

44:37been active in northern Cypress, I'm

44:38unaware of any multi-unit projects that

44:40he's actually started, let alone

44:42completed in the US. The current zoning

44:45regulations contain virtually no

44:46guardrails to asssure that developments

44:48are good multi-unit developments that

44:50enhance their environment in which they

44:52are situated and minimize negative

44:54impacts on existing tenants and

44:55homeowners. The plans we've seen don't

44:58even pay lip service to the city's own

45:00guidelines for good multi-unit building

45:02design. And frankly, that's not his job.

45:04It's the city's job to make sure that

45:06what's left behind in enhances the

45:10community long term. The plans we've

45:12seen may be fine for northern Cypress,

45:14but I think that Cambridge can and

45:15should do better. We respectfully

45:18request the council pause the issuance

45:19of any new demolition and building

45:21permits. Your time is expired. Please

45:24email us the remainder. Our next speaker

45:26is Fabian Nona, followed by Benjamin

45:29Barski, then Charles Franklin.

45:34>> Good evening. My name is Fabiano and I

45:36live at one Leighton Street, apartment

45:38807 here in Cambridge. I am a third and

45:40fourth grade Portuguese version teacher

45:42at a King Open School and I'm here in

45:44support of our educators. I want to

45:47speak specially about why having a pair

45:49professional in every elementary

45:51classroom matters. Every day when I give

45:54my students an assignment, I need to

45:56make a choice. For example, I may need

45:59to sit beside a student with a

46:01disability or an academic challenge who

46:03needs my im immediate support. But while

46:07I am there, another child is raising a

46:09hand. Another one is struggling to

46:12understand the directions. And another

46:14one is ready to soar, but needs someone

46:17to listen. And I cannot be in all of

46:21those places at once. Even the most

46:24skilled surgeon cannot perform an

46:26operation alone. And even the most

46:28dedicated teacher cannot meet the needs

46:31of every child alone. I should not have

46:33to choose which students receive my

46:35attention. Thank you.

46:39>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Benjamin

46:41Barski. Benjamin, you have one minute.

46:44Please go ahead.

46:46>> Thank you very much. My name is Ben

46:47Burski. I'm at 15 Ellsworth. Uh I'm

46:49speaking against delaying the bike lanes

46:52and outer uron policy order 8. Uh I want

46:54to first say thanks to the city for

46:57moving forward in Broadway. Broadway has

46:59basically changed my life and my commute

47:00on a day-to-day basis. I would love to

47:02have that same feeling when I'm biking

47:04near Fresh Pond. In general, Fresh Pond

47:06is just a great place for walking,

47:08running, biking, all that stuff. It

47:09seems like accessibility is key here and

47:11this seems like a minor tweak that we

47:13could make. Um, I'd also like to make a

47:15small comment on the multif family

47:17discussion. I'm really surprised to see

47:18hear so much opposition. I think

47:20Cambridge is basically a city cosplaying

47:22as a small town and that affordability

47:24is essential. I really don't know what

47:26we would get from protecting

47:28multi-million dollar mansions, but it's

47:29it's surprising to hear um all that. Uh

47:32also, please pay the teachers. Thank you

47:34very much.

47:35>> Thank you. Our next speaker, we're at

47:38speaker number 37, Charles Franklin,

47:41who'll be followed by Lisa Galuchio,

47:43then Jennifer Woodfin. Charles

47:47>> 162 Hampshire Street, Charles Franklin.

47:52That is the sound of my bike breaks

47:55followed by the sounds of a car hitting

47:57me while trying to park in an

47:59unprotected bike lane. That's me trying

48:01to get to work. And some people say, you

48:03know, Charles, why don't you buy a car?

48:05Stop being a scrub and drive to work.

48:07Well, last month when I drove to work, a

48:10person ran a red light and hit me.

48:12Insurance totaled it. If you're unhappy

48:14about bike lanes, perhaps you can move

48:15to Boston, where a city staffer on a

48:17bike was killed by a truck and the mayor

48:20still made excuses for cancelling safety

48:22projects and bike lanes. Shame on her.

48:25How many more people have to die before

48:27we stop having this debate? One, two,

48:30200. That's how many cyclists have been

48:33struck and killed in Massachusetts since

48:342002. I We have a right to get from

48:38point A to point B without being run

48:40down and killed by a driver. and my

48:42right to live is more important than

48:44your privilege to park. This is shameful

48:46and my sympathy has run out. Withdraw

48:49this policy order.

48:52Thank you. Our next speaker is Lisa

48:54Galuchio followed by Jennifer Woodin,

48:57then Mark Boswell.

49:03>> Hi, Lisa Galuchio, 34 High Street. I'm

49:06here to talk about the policy order to

49:08vote in support of of um pausing the

49:11outer Honav bike lane. It's not about

49:14bike safety. There's a beautiful bike

49:16safe separated bike lane on Huronav that

49:19almost every single Cambridge resident

49:21on Huronav could access. This is about

49:24um the residents that live right there.

49:26Over 70 residents at 700 Honav have

49:29signed a petition to pause this project

49:31because it'll enormously impact their

49:33lives. it that represents one of

49:35Strawberry Hill's largest affordable

49:37housing populations. Eliminating over 40

49:40spaces directly across from this large

49:42building while competing with parking at

49:44Russell Youth Center, the golf course,

49:45and Glacins recreational fields is not

49:48only going to greatly diminish their

49:49ability to get into their homes, but

49:52diminish the use of our beautiful

49:53recreational facilities by other

49:55residents in our city. Parking is also

49:57now becoming more is going to be more

49:59and more competitive with the large

50:00number of developments being built in

50:02the neighborhood. It's a big unknown. We

50:05often talk about our values and the

50:06importance we place on increasing

50:08affordable housing.

50:09>> Tell us the remainder of your comment.

50:10Your time has expired. Thank you. Our

50:12next speaker is Jennifer Woodin,

50:14followed by Mark Boswell, then Merrily

50:17Meyer. Jennifer, please go ahead. You

50:19have one minute.

50:22>> Hi, my name is Jennifer Woodin. I live

50:24at 34 Brookford Street. I um am here to

50:28speak about the multifamily housing

50:29ordinance. Um, I would like to call for

50:31a pause and a re-evaluation of the

50:35incentives that are being given to

50:38developers as part of this ordinance. I

50:41um live on Brookford Street where we

50:43have already two buildings that have

50:46been purchased by developers, including

50:47my next door neighbors. Um, my neighbor

50:50told me that she would never sell to a

50:52developer, but I guess they made her an

50:54offer that she couldn't refuse. And I am

50:57concerned about the environmental

50:59impact. um the trees, the plants, the

51:02beautiful garden that she has built

51:04there with many mature trees that you

51:07know I don't know if that's going to

51:09survive. How will this affect my quality

51:11of life? Um as well as our entire

51:14community. Um so I'd like to call for

51:16examining the incentives and

51:19re-evaluating the terms of the

51:21ordinance.

51:23>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Mark

51:26Boswell, followed by Marily Meyer, then

51:29Abigail Star. Mark, you have the floor.

51:32You have one minute. Please go ahead.

51:38>> Hello. My name is Mark Boswell. I live

51:40at 105 Walden Street, Cambridge.

51:43Speaking about policy order number

51:44eight, you're on you're on bike lanes.

51:48Uh, as a Cambridge resident and cycling

51:50instructor for Cambridge public school

51:52sixth graders, I urge you to vote no on

51:54this policy order and allow the project

51:56to move forward as scheduled. There's

51:58already been a public process for the

52:00project. Feedback was collected by the

52:02Department of Transportation and designs

52:03have been advanced to the point of being

52:05ready for installation in the coming

52:06weeks. This is also meaningful regional

52:09connection to the neighboring town of

52:11Belmont. As a city seeking to provide

52:14sustainable transportation alternatives,

52:16we should be building safe, comfortable

52:17routes in the bicycle network defined by

52:20the 2020 bicycle plan instead of

52:22providing unlimited unregula unregulated

52:25free parking at the cost of having an

52:26incomplete network. This is at odds with

52:29the uh spirit and the language of the

52:31cycling safety ordinance. Please vote

52:32no.

52:34>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Marily

52:36Meyer followed by Abigail Star then

52:39Walter Wlette. We are at speaker number

52:4141. Maril Lee, you have the floor. You

52:44have one minute. Please go ahead.

52:48>> Hi, Marily Meyer. 10 Dana Street. While

52:50CDD amendments for multifamily zoning

52:53are positive, amendments by

52:55pro-developer counselor seem shallow and

52:57obstructionist. How were amendments

52:59evaluated to begin with? Some units are

53:02better than none. Amendment one and 1A

53:06have been rolled together into a policy

53:08order not allowing separate

53:10deliberation.

53:12No reduction in inclusionary housing

53:15units can be made. Inclusionary is based

53:18on square footage, not number of units.

53:21If city departments um see um seek to

53:24accommodate code violations, storm

53:26water, etc. in a large building, can one

53:29to three units be dropped to comply?

53:32Will remainder units be rejected?

53:35Um extensive um demolition needs

53:38clarification. land values um escalate

53:41causing lease termination. Um will

53:43zoning language brush aside practical

53:46evaluations for council expediency?

53:49Count the yard signs.

53:52Our next speaker is Abigail Star,

53:54followed by Walter Wlette, then Thomas

53:57Guo. Abigail, one minute.

54:02>> Hi, my name is Abigail Star. I live at

54:0516 Richard A. Um, I'm speaking against

54:07cancelling the outer here on bike safety

54:09project policy order number eight. I've

54:12gone from primarily relying on my car

54:14for local transit to primarily relying

54:16on my bike over the last 10 years. And

54:18that's because of the bike safety

54:20infrastructure that Cambridge and

54:22surrounding communities have installed

54:23in that time. But there are still

54:26important gaps in the network that make

54:28some trips feel unsafe. Like the outer

54:30section of Hiron A. Even a short gap

54:33like that between safe infrastructure

54:35can make an entire trip feel undoable by

54:38bicycle. It's a short but important

54:41piece of infrastructure and I urge the

54:44council to vote against delays to the

54:46project. Thank you.

54:47>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Walter

54:49Wlette followed by Thomas Go then Sarah

54:53Block. Walter, you have the floor. You

54:55have one minute. Please go ahead.

54:59Thank you. Uh, and I really appreciate

55:02all the council has done to improve

55:04bicycle transportation in Cambridge. I

55:06do want to speak uh to in favor of

55:09saying no to cancellation. These

55:11additional lanes are very important and

55:14I speak as a physician, a parent, a

55:17grandparent and safety is extremely

55:20important. People are still being

55:22seriously injured and dying because of

55:25collisions between automobiles, trucks,

55:29and pedestrians and bicycle riders. Uh

55:32just in the sake of a healthy Cambridge,

55:36uh please do vote no on this delay. And

55:39I do want to just one add a quick note

55:42that I do support pausing the uh the the

55:46regulations on uh housing. do this. I

55:50think we're moving too fast in

55:51demolishing affordable housing in

55:53Cambridge. Thank you.

55:55>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Thomas

55:58Goau, followed by Sarah Block. Thomas.

56:02>> Yes, thank you. Um I live at 37 Pleasant

56:04Street. Um the house two houses behind

56:08my house are due to be destroyed. These

56:11are Victorian houses and replaced by a

56:1360 to 70 unit tower that will prevent me

56:17my being able to put solar panels on my

56:19roof. It'll kill my garden full of rare

56:22Amazonian hot peppers and my

56:25granddaughter won't be able to play

56:27there. Um, where is all that sewage

56:30going to go of the extra 58 families

56:32where there used to be two? It's going

56:34to back up into my basement down Western

56:37Avenue and then into the Charles River.

56:39We already have sewage backing up every

56:42time it rains. We should be pausing

56:45putting a moratorum on any new housing

56:48development and we clean up our existing

56:50act first before we build new houses.

56:52Just extremely responsible.

56:57>> Thank you. Our next speaker

57:00I everyone was doing so well. Uh I

57:04really I don't want to say it multiple

57:07times folks

57:10and particularly people may have

57:12different opinions so clapping and and

57:15doing that you know affects their

57:18ability right they may not want to u be

57:22here so please no clapping.

57:26Uh we'll do one or two more and then we

57:30have to break for the tax rate. Our next

57:32speaker is Sarah Block.

57:36Sarah has not joined us. We're going to

57:37go to Rachel Frighten followed by Arjun

57:40Jaikumar. Rachel

57:56[sighs]

58:05Okay, can I get the time? Okay, thank

58:07you. All right, my name is Rachel

58:09Frerieden. I'm reading the anonymous

58:11testimony of a sex worker within

58:13Cambridge. Uh, it says to the Cambridge

58:16City Council, my name is Reckless and

58:19I'm a fullervice sex worker and resident

58:22of Cambridge. I am reaching out for your

58:25support as a community member and fellow

58:27Cambridge resident to ask you to pass

58:29policy order number 10. Even now, I'm

58:32afraid to be present and share my own

58:34experience because of the backlash I

58:37might face for the work I do. But I know

58:39how important this is for me and my

58:41fellow sex workers. as a black, queer,

58:44and disabled person, not myself,

58:46[laughter]

58:47uh, who often struggles in a

58:49conventional work setting due to racism,

58:52homophobia, and abbleism. Sex work has

58:54been the way I can consistently meet my

58:57financial needs, my family's needs, and

58:59the way I am able to offer support to

59:01community members who are struggling.

59:03Also, it's incredibly vital that

59:06Cambridge decriminalized sex work as I

59:08want to be able to keep myself safe

59:10while I'm your time is expired. Our next

59:14speaker and then we will break for the

59:16tax rate hearing is Arjun Jaikumar.

59:19Arjun, one minute, please.

59:22>> Thank you. Good evening. Argentumar, 175

59:25Richdale Avenue. Agenda item number six.

59:27I'm here to tell you a little bit about

59:29the people behind the CA contract. Pair

59:31professionals, clerks, and substitutes

59:34are essential to our schools. Some of

59:36them assist with toileting for our

59:37youngest kids or children with

59:38disabilities. Some work one-on-one with

59:41kids with the most acute special needs.

59:43Some serve as a teacher's right hand or

59:45a child's most trusted adult. They are

59:48also some of the mo paid union employees

59:50in the city. Others include library

59:53clerks, early education employees,

59:55school cafeteria workers, and school

59:57custodial staff.

59:58It won't be lost on any of us that these

1:00:01are fields that largely work with kids

1:00:03and are disproportionately women, people

1:00:06of color, or both. These are tough times

1:00:10economically for the city. They fall

1:00:12toughest on those who earn the least. We

1:00:15are putting the people entrusted with

1:00:16the care of our kids and really an

1:00:18impossible situation. And we do not have

1:00:21to do this.

1:00:24Naomi, can you allow one more person

1:00:27just so that we're not Yes. Uh we will

1:00:30go to Laura Clawson.

1:00:37Laura, you have the floor. You have one

1:00:39minute. Please go ahead.

1:00:43>> Um hi. Can you hear me?

1:00:45>> We can.

1:00:46>> Thank you. My name is Laura Clawson. I

1:00:48live at 175 Richdale Avenue and I'm the

1:00:51parent of a Cambridge public school

1:00:53student who has benefited enormously

1:00:55from the work of union staff at Graman

1:00:58Parks including paraprofessionals and

1:01:00other ESPs.

1:01:02I'm asking this body to follow a few

1:01:04basic principles. Public money should

1:01:06fulfill our values and our values should

1:01:08include the importance of a living wage.

1:01:11When work is historically devalued

1:01:13because it's primarily done by women and

1:01:14people of color. That's something we

1:01:16should change. The work of corraling 20

1:01:19plus students and getting them to learn

1:01:20to read and do math and also be kind to

1:01:23each other is deserving of a raise at

1:01:24least as big as the work of sitting in

1:01:26this.

1:01:28From where I stand, if you won't ensure

1:01:30that the school district's workers are

1:01:32getting a living wage, then either you

1:01:34have failed at your values or you simply

1:01:36have bad values. I hope that you will do

1:01:38the right thing by our school work.

1:01:39Thank you.

1:01:41>> Thank you. The time is 6:30. Having

1:01:44arrived, the council will recess the

1:01:47regular city council meeting and move to

1:01:48the public meeting on the tax rate

1:01:51classification and then resume the

1:01:53regular city council meeting immediately

1:01:56following. On a voice vote, we'll go

1:01:58ahead. All those in favor to recess say

1:02:01I. I. Those against say no. The eyes

1:02:04have it. We are recessed and we're

1:02:06moving into the

1:02:086:30 public meeting.

1:02:11So, this Cambridge City Council will

1:02:14conduct a public meeting on Monday,

1:02:16September 28th. The purpose of this

1:02:18meeting is to discuss the property tax

1:02:20rate classification. The first order of

1:02:22business is a roll call of members

1:02:24present.

1:02:25>> Councelor El Zubie present. Vice Mayor

1:02:28present. Council of Flareity.

1:02:32>> Council of Flareity,

1:02:33>> you stepped out.

1:02:34>> Present.

1:02:36>> Oh, here here you are.

1:02:37>> McGovern.

1:02:38Council McGovern is absent. Councelor

1:02:41Nolan,

1:02:42>> present. Councelor Simmons,

1:02:44>> present.

1:02:45>> Present. Councelor Sabrina Wheeler,

1:02:47>> present.

1:02:47>> Present. Councelor Zusi,

1:02:49>> present.

1:02:50>> Present. Mayor Sadiki,

1:02:51>> present.

1:02:51>> Present. You have eight members recorded

1:02:53as present and one recorded as absent.

1:02:55>> Per chapter 2 of the acts of 2025

1:02:58adopted by Massachusetts General Court

1:03:01approved by the governor, the city is

1:03:03authorized to use remote participation

1:03:04at meetings of the Cambridge City

1:03:06Council. In addition to having members

1:03:08of the council participate remotely,

1:03:10we've set up Zoom teleconference for

1:03:11public comment. You can also view the

1:03:13meeting via the city's open meeting

1:03:16portal or on the city's cable channel

1:03:1822. Please note that the city of

1:03:21Cambridge audio and video records this

1:03:23meeting and makes it available to the

1:03:24public for future viewing. In addition,

1:03:27third parties may also be audio and

1:03:29video recording this meeting. We'll move

1:03:31into public comment. Public comment may

1:03:34be made in accordance with Massachusetts

1:03:35General Laws chapter 30A section section

1:03:3920G and the city council rules 23D and

1:03:4237. Once you finish speaking, the next

1:03:44speaker will be called. Individuals are

1:03:47not permitted to allocate the remainder

1:03:48of their time to other speakers. I ask

1:03:50that you state your name and address for

1:03:52the record and the item you're speaking

1:03:55on, which is the tax rate. We have a few

1:03:58speakers. We'll go ahead and go to

1:04:02public comment for the speakers and then

1:04:04we'll move to the agenda items.

1:04:08>> Our first speaker is Briana Pearson

1:04:11followed by Kurill Alexandrov then Dan

1:04:14Totten.

1:04:18I don't think we have Briana. Briana has

1:04:20it. Briana has not joined. We will go to

1:04:23Kira Alexandro.

1:04:27And if someone could close the doors

1:04:28because it's getting noisy.

1:04:38>> You have two minutes.

1:04:39>> Well, in speech class, they always told

1:04:41me to be either first or last. So, here

1:04:44we go. I'm new to this topic, but I want

1:04:47to raise a few questions here that I

1:04:50hope we get some answers, release

1:04:52discussion around. First of all, I'm

1:04:54baffled why the annual city budget is

1:04:57over $1 billion, especially in relation

1:04:59to Boston's $4 billion budget given that

1:05:02we are a fraction of boss of Boston's uh

1:05:06population in geographic size. Why why

1:05:10does so much need to be spent given our

1:05:12smaller uh than Boston size in terms of

1:05:16slope? I'm baffled why there is so much

1:05:18spending growth in the city budget. Why

1:05:21aren't there cutbacks

1:05:23instead given uh cutbacks instead uh

1:05:26given the circumstances? Why do we

1:05:28residents and businesses have to bear

1:05:30the brunt of this property tax raise? We

1:05:33didn't ask for this massive budget. We

1:05:36didn't ask for these cost overruns. Who

1:05:38is responsible and accountable for this?

1:05:41Many of these costs seem to be overruns

1:05:43like the firehouse rehab, the Tobin

1:05:46school overbudget, the Harvard Square

1:05:48kiosk and pit overbudget. Why hasn't

1:05:51anyone been fired for these massive cost

1:05:54overruns? Are these the kind of cost

1:05:57overruns and excess budget spending

1:06:00going to be the precedent for future

1:06:01projects? Aren't our taxes going to

1:06:04continue to increase every year at

1:06:06infinitum?

1:06:08What is the plan for reigning in costs

1:06:11and spending less?

1:06:13And finally, we are all concerned with

1:06:15fairness. Why are there why are mixeduse

1:06:19buildings, those that are commercial and

1:06:21residential, being taxed entirely at the

1:06:25higher commercial rates rather than

1:06:27taxing each part of the building fairly

1:06:29and appropriately?

1:06:31And I'll leave you with one quick

1:06:33anecdote that I just found out about two

1:06:35days ago. Kendall Square landlords. A

1:06:39fellow entrepreneur tried to rent lab

1:06:41space for his small but growing fast 35

1:06:44person company in Kendall Square. He

1:06:46tried for six months but couldn't get

1:06:48anywhere, even agreeing to market rate

1:06:51prices with any of the locations in K.

1:06:54>> Mr. Alexander, if your time has expired,

1:06:56please email us the remainder of your

1:06:57comment. Our next speaker is Dan Totten,

1:07:00followed by Justin Safe, then Heather

1:07:02Hoffman. Dan, you have two minutes. Our

1:07:04on-screen timer isn't working, but I

1:07:06will be keeping time. Thank you. Uh my

1:07:09name is Dan Tot and I live on Bishop

1:07:10Allen Drive. I'm going to present a

1:07:12little bit of a counterpoint as a market

1:07:13renter. Um I just one thing I just want

1:07:16to say is, you know, I don't think

1:07:17Cambridge's budget is in a crisis. And

1:07:20so I think it's really important to

1:07:21distinguish between the national moment

1:07:24where we are all in a crisis

1:07:25economically and Cambridge's budget

1:07:28which uh I believe remains fiscally

1:07:31strong with AAA bond ratings. Um, and

1:07:34the same people who say we're in a

1:07:36crisis love to point out how awesome the

1:07:38financial creditors also say we are. So,

1:07:41people talk out of both sides of their

1:07:42mouth. Um, in speaking of talking out of

1:07:45both sides of their mouth, three

1:07:46counselors tonight are citing a

1:07:48financial crisis to delay half a mile of

1:07:49bike lane, but we have a AAA bond

1:07:52rating. So, we'll talk about that more

1:07:54later. The restraint here is saving

1:07:57individual home homeowners very little,

1:08:00but it's costing the most vulnerable

1:08:01people in our city a lot. Okay? So, if

1:08:04we're just some back of the envelope

1:08:06math, and feel free to correct me. Um,

1:08:08if we're each if if each household is

1:08:12saving, say, $100, we're leaving $7

1:08:14million on the table, and that's the

1:08:16reason we had to close the homeless

1:08:17shelter. And that's the reason we can't

1:08:20get the things that the most vulnerable

1:08:22people in the city need. And the worst

1:08:23part about it is that you guys come up

1:08:25here and talk about how awesome we how

1:08:27much we need to upzone every city so we

1:08:28can get all the affordable housing in

1:08:30the world and then you don't support the

1:08:32people who live in those low-inccome

1:08:33units.

1:08:35You don't stand with the people who live

1:08:38in those low-income units. You want them

1:08:39to be a statistic on your Yimi chart,

1:08:42but you don't you don't come back and

1:08:44say they need preschool. They need after

1:08:46school. 60 families shouldn't be getting

1:08:48turned away from preschool in Cambridge

1:08:50or sorry from after school in Cambridge.

1:08:52It is shameful. It's so shameful that I

1:08:54mixed up the two. Um, and so I it's it's

1:08:57really helpful to have a timer, but my

1:08:58point is just that I want all of you

1:09:01people elected by the people

1:09:02>> time is expired. Please give us the

1:09:04remainder of your people actually want.

1:09:06>> Our next speaker is Justin safe. Justin,

1:09:09you have two minutes. Please go ahead.

1:09:12Apologies, our timer on screen is not

1:09:14working, but I will be keeping time.

1:09:17Justin, please unmute yourself.

1:09:22Hi Justin safe uh 72 Thornick as you

1:09:25know commercial property valuations are

1:09:27dropping particularly office buildings

1:09:30but also lab buildings we will soon be

1:09:32in the same position as Boston unable to

1:09:35shift tax burden to commercial property

1:09:36and facing even more significant than

1:09:39recent residential property tax

1:09:43increases

1:09:44while the city has relayed the

1:09:46likelihood of this dynamic coming to

1:09:48pass um I don't I think the city has

1:09:52provided these alerts with a sufficient

1:09:54level of urgency to either residential

1:09:58property taxpayers or to renters who

1:10:01also feel the consequences of increased

1:10:04residential property taxes as it's

1:10:06passed through to them by their

1:10:08landlords in the form of increased rents

1:10:11about this known and imminent future

1:10:15significant impact.

1:10:17Moreover, the city and the council are

1:10:20tonight considering permanently

1:10:22decreasing future property tax revenue

1:10:24by blocking housing through a series of

1:10:28amendments to the month of family

1:10:29housing ordinance. How much future

1:10:31property tax revenue will be lost due to

1:10:33these amendments? Does anyone know? Has

1:10:35anyone calculated it? That question has

1:10:37been on the table for many months now

1:10:40and there does not appear to have been

1:10:42any effort to calculate it. Cambridge

1:10:44residents deserve an answer to this

1:10:45question prior to any further work on

1:10:47those amendments moving forward. I want

1:10:50to see Cambridge public school pair of

1:10:52professionals paid a living wage, not a

1:10:55future of budget cuts and teacher

1:10:56layoffs like in Boston. To do that, we

1:10:59need to know what we're doing to

1:11:01property tax revenue if we block housing

1:11:04tonight. Thank you.

1:11:06>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Heather

1:11:08Hoffman, followed by James Williamson,

1:11:11then Louisa Depala Santos.

1:11:18>> Heather, you have the floor. You have

1:11:21two minutes. Please go ahead.

1:11:29>> Hello, Heather Hoffman, 213 Hurley

1:11:32Street.

1:11:33The thing that I have not heard anyone

1:11:37say, although I know that um city staff

1:11:41certainly know this, is that

1:11:45the tax rate isn't something that

1:11:48actually gets set as some um amazing

1:11:51thing. It is in fact

1:11:55determined by the budget that already

1:11:58got passed

1:12:00some time ago

1:12:02because the budget says we're going to

1:12:05spend this much and the tax rate is

1:12:08determined by taking what we have to tax

1:12:12and figuring out how much the tax rate

1:12:15needs to be in order to raise that much

1:12:17money.

1:12:19This is just one symptom of how much

1:12:23people don't know about how all of this

1:12:26works.

1:12:28I have said many things that are very

1:12:31auditory and deservingly

1:12:34auditory about the significantly better

1:12:39communication that has been happening

1:12:42recently over how all of this works.

1:12:47but it doesn't seem to be getting

1:12:50through.

1:12:51And I wish that we could have

1:12:54discussions about

1:12:57real stuff where people actually know

1:12:59what's going on instead of

1:13:03people coming and saying, "How can you

1:13:06dare tax this high?" or whatever because

1:13:10this is already baked into the cake.

1:13:14Um, so I would love to see the city

1:13:18figure out how to educate the citizens

1:13:20better about where the money comes from,

1:13:25who pays it, and how you figure it out

1:13:28because it's not all that complicated.

1:13:36>> Thank you, Heather. Please email the

1:13:38remainder. Our next speaker is James

1:13:40Williamson followed by Louisa Depal

1:13:43Santos and then Suzanne Bier.

1:13:50I do not see James Williamson in the

1:13:52Zoom. We'll go to Louisa Depal Santos.

1:14:02Actually, we're going to go to James

1:14:03Williamson. James, you have the floor.

1:14:06>> Sorry, I'm here. Louisa, if you can give

1:14:08us just one second. He's on the Zoom

1:14:09now.

1:14:10>> Oh,

1:14:11>> James, you have the floor.

1:14:14You need to unmute yourself.

1:14:24James seems to be having trouble

1:14:25unmuting. We are going to go to Louisa

1:14:27Depalo Santos.

1:14:32>> Hi there. I'm Louisa Deal Santos. I live

1:14:34at 60 Homer Avenue. Um I'm a school

1:14:38committee member uh and also previously

1:14:41worked in the Cambridge public schools

1:14:42as an educator. Um, one of the ways that

1:14:46we as a city can pay for the proposals

1:14:48educators are making at the bargaining

1:14:50table, which includes a living wage for

1:14:53all ESPs, paras and all elementary

1:14:56classrooms, 12 weeks paid parental

1:14:58leave, the district paying 85% of

1:15:01healthcare premiums for all members,

1:15:03creating a student to educator pipeline

1:15:06for BIPO, among others, is by raising

1:15:08taxes and protecting renters from the

1:15:10offsetting of those costs. Increasing

1:15:13property tax by only $600 per year for $

1:15:171.5 million homes would pay for all the

1:15:20proposals educators are making that

1:15:21would support the education of our

1:15:23students. Thank you.

1:15:26>> Thank you. We're going to try James

1:15:28Williamson again. James, if you can

1:15:30unmute yourself, you have the floor.

1:15:37>> Um, can you hear me?

1:15:39>> We can. Please go ahead.

1:15:40>> Thank you. Appreciate it. Um, so on the

1:15:44uh taxes, um, I live in North Cambridge.

1:15:48I've been trying and I know a lot of

1:15:49other people have been trying to get

1:15:51potholes fixed along North Massav for at

1:15:54least over a year. I've even spoken to

1:15:57the personally to the head of streets

1:15:59and sewers. I've I I've played the game

1:16:02of see, click, don't fix um, repeatedly,

1:16:06as have others. Uh there are potholes

1:16:10uh all the way from Porter Square to the

1:16:13Arlington line that haven't been

1:16:15touched. If anyone can identify any any

1:16:17any pothole that has been repaired in

1:16:20the last year along North Massad, please

1:16:22do. Um where is this money going if we

1:16:25can't fix potholes in this city? Uh I'm

1:16:29mindful of what Mum Donnie has done in

1:16:32New York City. He's even put out

1:16:34wonderful uh you know Instagram showing

1:16:38him out with a team of people. They they

1:16:40fixed 100,000 potholes in New York City.

1:16:43Okay, if they can do it in New York

1:16:44City, uh Cambridge with the the enormous

1:16:47amount of money that you all have should

1:16:50be able to fix potholes. Please, would

1:16:52you fix potholes from Porter Square to

1:16:57uh the Arlington line? If you want to

1:17:00extol the virtue of public

1:17:01transportation, try riding a bus across

1:17:04these potholes every night as I do and

1:17:07experiencing what it's like to go boom

1:17:09boom boom. Um, so that's the first

1:17:12thing. And and and the second thing is

1:17:15we you know what do we deserve to know

1:17:17as citizens? We deserve to know how much

1:17:19money has been spent over the last 15,

1:17:2220 years on the bike infrastructure,

1:17:26which is obviously very controversial,

1:17:29at least certainly in its

1:17:30implementation. And of course, a major

1:17:33problem with the bicycle infrastructure,

1:17:36is that nothing is being done to enforce

1:17:38rules for bicyclists, which I submit

1:17:41would lead to a tremendous elevation in

1:17:44safety for bicyclists if they would

1:17:46start. Thank you, James. Please email us

1:17:49the remainder. Your time expired. Our

1:17:51final speaker is Suzanne Bleier.

1:17:54Suzanne, you have two minutes. Please go

1:17:56ahead.

1:18:02Suzanne Bier, please go ahead.

1:18:10Suzanne, I see you in the Zoom, but you

1:18:12need to un unmute on your end. You have

1:18:14the floor.

1:18:22Madame Mayor, it seems Suzanne is unable

1:18:24to unmute herself.

1:18:26Okay. And there's no one else signed up.

1:18:30>> Let me do one final check.

1:18:38We have one more speaker. Tal Levy.

1:18:47Tal, you have the floor. You have two

1:18:49minutes. Please go ahead.

1:18:57Tal Levy.

1:19:06Tal is also unable to unmute themsself.

1:19:09For folks who are in the Zoom raising

1:19:11your hand, if you are signed up for the

1:19:14previous portion of the meeting, the

1:19:15regular city council meeting, we're

1:19:17going to complete this tax hearing and

1:19:19then go back to the public comment list

1:19:21where we left off at speaker number 49.

1:19:24So, you don't need to raise your hand.

1:19:26After this portion of the meeting

1:19:27concludes, we'll go back to our

1:19:30regularly scheduled public comment.

1:19:35>> Okay. So public comment closed uh for

1:19:38the tax reading at 6:30 on a motion by

1:19:40councelor Nolan to close public comment.

1:19:42All those in favor say I. I. Those

1:19:45against say no. The eyes have it. Public

1:19:47comment is now closed. We'll now go to

1:19:51the item on the agenda that we have,

1:19:53which is a communication transmitted

1:19:55from Ian Wong, city manager, relative to

1:19:57votes necessary to seek approval from

1:20:00the Massachusetts Department of Revenue

1:20:02of the tax rate for FY 2027. So before

1:20:06we'll open it up to questions from the

1:20:11body, um I ask that you ask your

1:20:14questions. We'll start with two and then

1:20:16we can go around uh if there's more uh

1:20:20just for the order of operations there's

1:20:23uh two we'll have to take two um roll

1:20:26call votes and so uh but before we get

1:20:29to that we'll uh have a discussion. Does

1:20:33the city want to start with saying

1:20:35anything before we hear from counselors

1:20:37on other questions or will you yield?

1:20:41city manager.

1:20:44>> Um, happy for us to just move into

1:20:46questions.

1:20:47>> Okay. Councelor Nolan.

1:20:50>> Thank you, Mayor Sadik. Yes. I just

1:20:52wanted to, as one of the finance

1:20:54co-chairs, just remind us all of where

1:20:57we're at with this um because it's

1:20:59really confusing for people. Here we

1:21:01are, end of September, and we're setting

1:21:03a tax rate for last year. And then next

1:21:06month, we're going to start the finance

1:21:08committee process for next year's

1:21:10budget. So, I just want to remind us all

1:21:12about why we are here and just briefly

1:21:14address a couple of the questions that

1:21:16we've all heard. Um, there is a really

1:21:19extensive memo of uh that explains the

1:21:22the tax rate. There's also an

1:21:25accompanying PowerPoint that explains

1:21:26the process by which we got here. So, I

1:21:29very much encourage people who are

1:21:31curious about this. We have done a

1:21:32stellar job of trying to be more

1:21:34transparent, open, and userfriendly. But

1:21:37it can get very confusing because

1:21:39there's the tax levy and then our taxes

1:21:40are going up 4% but the rates are going

1:21:42up also 4 percent but the tax levy is

1:21:44going up 6.9%. It can be very confusing.

1:21:47So that's because it municipal finance

1:21:50is a complex um area and I do encourage

1:21:52people to read through this. Um just a

1:21:55couple points that we have been and may

1:21:58need even more belt tightening. So to

1:22:00let people know, we have gone through a

1:22:02process the last two years. This is the

1:22:03second in a row where it has been a far

1:22:06lower rate of increase in our operating

1:22:09budget than the prior years when we were

1:22:11frankly pretty flush with a lot of

1:22:13development dollars. So to let people

1:22:15know, we do hear you that this is not

1:22:17just an open-ended. We're flinging money

1:22:20as much as we can. We really have belt

1:22:21tightened in an era of of challenging

1:22:24times. um the staff and the council

1:22:27worked together and really stepped up to

1:22:29have this lower rate. That being said,

1:22:31we've actually continued and managed to

1:22:33be incredibly generous. We have funded

1:22:35key priorities of housing, community

1:22:38safety, environmental justice, universal

1:22:40prek. Despite the fact that so many

1:22:42municipalities around us have not been

1:22:45able to do that, they have been cutting

1:22:46positions. We haven't and we have

1:22:48managed to bring that together in in

1:22:50what I think is a thoughtful way. Yes.

1:22:52Have there been some times when we've

1:22:54gone over budget which we are all hoping

1:22:56to learn from? Yes, we I think should

1:22:57acknowledge that and yet we are reigning

1:23:00it in. We are looking very carefully at

1:23:02all of our projects to make sure that we

1:23:05are doing the safety needs and the

1:23:07must-have as opposed to the nice to have

1:23:10because we are not in an era when we can

1:23:12frankly afford that. So I just wanted to

1:23:14make sure we all know that just for the

1:23:16timeline to remind us all we start in

1:23:18the fiscal year in October and November

1:23:21with meetings of uh joint roundts with

1:23:24the school committee finance committee

1:23:26hearings. We start that process then the

1:23:28city reaches out to all department heads

1:23:30that happens over the course of

1:23:32beginning it will begin again in

1:23:34December January of this year and then

1:23:36we have council um hearings on this. we

1:23:38will have them next spring. And then

1:23:40what's and again what's very confusing

1:23:42to people is well you've already set the

1:23:44budget so isn't this tax rate hearing

1:23:46how come it's coming after that budget.

1:23:47It has to do with the um assessment by

1:23:50the at the state level of the property

1:23:53values that have to be set in order for

1:23:55us to understand how it is that we can

1:23:56set the tax rate. So I'm sure city staff

1:23:58can explain that maybe a a little bit

1:24:00more um clearly. But that is why we are

1:24:03having this here. The budget we passed

1:24:06and we all we agreed to the earlier this

1:24:09year is predicated on the idea that hey,

1:24:11we need the tax money to pay for that.

1:24:13Well, how are we going to get that? We

1:24:15need the certified uh statement from the

1:24:18state about our property values and only

1:24:20then can we set the tax rate. So, I'm

1:24:23I'm I'm I just want to remind us all

1:24:25that that that's the the time frame for

1:24:27this and I don't have to talk more about

1:24:29this. I'm not sure if there's other

1:24:30specific questions on it, but we also

1:24:32recognize, I think, as a body, the tax

1:24:34rates are going up. Most people in this

1:24:36city, other than condo owners,

1:24:38residential property, will see an

1:24:40increase in the actual dollars they pay

1:24:42of, you know, from 8 to 12%.

1:24:45Most small property owners will see a

1:24:47few percent increase and some will see a

1:24:50larger percent increase. That being

1:24:52said, we are doing everything we can to

1:24:54make sure we continue to provide the

1:24:55services that we've relied on and to be

1:24:57thoughtful and responsible to responsive

1:25:00to the changing economic times we have.

1:25:05>> Thank you, Councelor Nolan. We have

1:25:09Councelor Zusi next.

1:25:11>> Thank you, Mayor Sadiki. I will, of

1:25:13course, be um uh voting for the city's

1:25:18recommendations.

1:25:20uh this is fully baked. We we voted on a

1:25:23budget in June and we've got to pay for

1:25:26the budget. But I'll but I'll say I I

1:25:29guess I have two major points. One, you

1:25:32know, I'm I'm the child of older

1:25:33parents. Um both of them grew up during

1:25:35the depression and they taught me that

1:25:39when there's less money, you do with

1:25:41less. And I think it's very important

1:25:43that Cambridge does the same thing. Um

1:25:47we've got to reduce spending. Uh going

1:25:49forward, I'm aware that it will be

1:25:52painful, but it will be more

1:25:54uncomfortable later. Uh we can't

1:25:57continue to spend as though we remain

1:25:59flush when our commercial re tax

1:26:01revenues are down. And it looks as

1:26:04though they're going to stay down for

1:26:06the next few years

1:26:08um until bio the biotech industry sort

1:26:11of sorts itself out and until we have a

1:26:13new administration in Washington that

1:26:15isn't continually punishing us. Um my my

1:26:20other point is and so we need to be um

1:26:24united as a council about that we're

1:26:25going to be continuing to increase taxes

1:26:28and residential taxes and commercial

1:26:30taxes if we don't lower our budgets. So

1:26:36I I hope the council will be really

1:26:38thoughtful about that as we uh move into

1:26:41finance discussions for fiscal year 28.

1:26:45Um I also feel as though we cannot

1:26:48continue to punish the commercial sector

1:26:50with higher tax rates. So last year I

1:26:53think we gave we they had a 22% rate.

1:26:56This year we have a 21% rate. They are

1:27:00our bread and butter and if we make

1:27:02Cambridge inhospitable

1:27:04they're going to go elsewhere. Um they

1:27:08are why we can afford to deliver so many

1:27:11amazing programs. Investing over about

1:27:14$40,000 per pupil in our schools.

1:27:17Uh subsidizing home ownership, investing

1:27:21more than 48 million into affordable

1:27:24housing just last year. And [snorts]

1:27:27offering universal prek, another very

1:27:29very expensive program. So we um so we

1:27:33we shouldn't be continuing to increase

1:27:36the commercial taxes and we can't

1:27:38continue to increase the residential

1:27:40ones either. Everything [snorts] is

1:27:42costing more so we've got to be spending

1:27:46less and I'm I'm very aware it's it's a

1:27:49very challenging puzzle and I really

1:27:51respect our finance staff. You know

1:27:53health care costs went up 9% this last

1:27:56year. They're going to go up another 9%

1:27:58this year. you know, they and staff

1:28:01costs um eat up a lot of our budget, but

1:28:05we've got to cut back and and I don't

1:28:07know that it needs to be across the

1:28:09board. I feel as though departments that

1:28:11are producing um revenue like ISD with

1:28:17development like they need more

1:28:18inspectors. We have a lot more

1:28:20development going on now with multif

1:28:21family housing projects. We need to make

1:28:23sure they've got the inspectors so that

1:28:25projects aren't delayed.

1:28:27um and other departments that are making

1:28:30money for the city should have the

1:28:32resources. But even though I I I know

1:28:34everyone in the council has a big big

1:28:36big heart and uh but I think what we've

1:28:39really got to focus on is evaluating

1:28:42existing programs

1:28:44and then um throwing money around and

1:28:47and spending more doesn't always get you

1:28:49better results. We need to do more with

1:28:52less. Um and uh we're we're lucky that

1:28:56we are where we are. Um as the report

1:29:00shows, 57 of Massachusetts Massachusetts

1:29:04351 municipalities

1:29:07placed Proposition 2 and a half o

1:29:09override on their local ballots because

1:29:12of serious budget gaps and uh costs and

1:29:16they couldn't pay their operational

1:29:18costs. 70 school districts had to face

1:29:22uh severe deficits and had to fire

1:29:24teachers. So we are in a lucky place.

1:29:27But again um things are going to be

1:29:29getting you know I I am an optimist but

1:29:31things are going to be tough for the

1:29:33next couple of years and we need to um

1:29:37reflect and respond and lower our

1:29:41spending going forward as a result.

1:29:44Thank you. I yield.

1:29:47>> We have a few hands. I'll go to

1:29:49councelor McGovern and then councelor

1:29:50Sabrina Wheeler.

1:29:51>> Uh thank you madam mayor through you.

1:29:53Just really quickly just to follow up on

1:29:54what uh councelor Zuzi just said. I mean

1:29:56I think the we have I think the thing we

1:29:59really have to be mindful of and I think

1:30:02you're trying to do that is getting

1:30:04close to the prop two and a half. you

1:30:08know that we don't want to be one of

1:30:09those communities that um you know you

1:30:12have to go to for an override and a

1:30:14ballot question every time you want to

1:30:15invest in a library or a school or a

1:30:18park. And so um this is going to be very

1:30:23it is going to be very tricky for the

1:30:25next few years. And I think um I do

1:30:28agree that I think we need to look at um

1:30:31spending. Obviously you can't keep

1:30:33spending at high levels if you have less

1:30:35money. Um

1:30:39but at the same time, you know, I I I

1:30:41think things are going to have to

1:30:42increase and and

1:30:44because we do offer great services and

1:30:46we don't want to cut back on a lot of

1:30:47those things, right? And and so um you

1:30:51know, how we balance that's going to be

1:30:53really important. I I I will I'm will

1:30:56support this. Um I I trust in our budget

1:30:59team. I know it's it's it's not uh it's

1:31:02not easy and nobody would wants to be in

1:31:04this situation and and um but you know

1:31:07the days of building $300 million

1:31:09schools are not going to happen for a

1:31:11long time, right? And and we have to be

1:31:13more mindful of that. So um I appreciate

1:31:15your work. Um I know it's tough. Um but

1:31:19we have to find a way to get through

1:31:21these next, you know, several years. I'm

1:31:23confident that we'll bounce back. Um,

1:31:25this is a great city and and there are

1:31:27great opportunities here and we've

1:31:29reinvented our our industry several

1:31:31times in our lifetime. Um, and I'm sure

1:31:34we'll do that again, but for now it's um

1:31:37it's a little more tricky. So, thank you

1:31:38for your for your work.

1:31:40>> Councelor Sabrina Willer.

1:31:42>> Thanks, Madame Mayor. Through you, two

1:31:44[clears throat] uh quick questions. One

1:31:45is sort of a public education question,

1:31:47but we're we're not voting on any actual

1:31:49spending decisions tonight, correct?

1:31:51We're those that vote has been made

1:31:53today. We're just voting on how to set

1:31:55the tax rate and how to split that

1:31:57between residential and commercial and

1:31:58the residential exemption. We're just

1:32:00voting on the tax rate. I see my head's

1:32:02nodding. Yes. Great. Um

1:32:05>> you can speak. You can say

1:32:06>> is there anything you want to add? I

1:32:08Yeah. Or yes is also great. I I'll say

1:32:10I'll say yes that tonight this the city

1:32:12council will vote on how to distribute

1:32:14the tax levy between commercial and

1:32:16residential and on the residential

1:32:18exemption and then that will allow us to

1:32:21actually do that final calculation that

1:32:23that actually comes up with the tax

1:32:25rate.

1:32:26>> Thank you. That's super helpful. And

1:32:28then the second question was on the tax

1:32:29rate. I think it's always important to

1:32:31compare us to other municipalities and

1:32:33our neighbors in terms of how we are and

1:32:35if Cambridge this year we're we're

1:32:37having much higher tax rates than any of

1:32:39our neighbors that would be important to

1:32:40recognize. I don't think that's the

1:32:42case. I think uh you know in previous

1:32:44years we the city mailer goes out and it

1:32:47says we have the lowest tax rate of any

1:32:50of our neighbors. We have the lowest tax

1:32:52rate of any city in Massachusetts. Has

1:32:55that changed this year? Do we still have

1:32:57the lowest tax rate in of any city in

1:32:59Meet Slucks County? Lowest tax rate in

1:33:01of cities in Massachusetts.

1:33:06>> Director Willlet.

1:33:07>> Uh thank you.

1:33:09>> Um I would say you know the PowerPoint

1:33:11that uh is part of the city manager

1:33:14letter does have a page that looks at

1:33:17other municipalities. Typically we're

1:33:19only looking at municipalities that are

1:33:20near us and uh you know so yes, we do

1:33:24still have the lowest tax rates. Um, I

1:33:26think the other thing I would say is

1:33:28that we're setting fiscal year 27 right

1:33:30now. Uh, we're comparing ourselves to

1:33:33other municipalities for fiscal year 26.

1:33:36So, we are comparing our current tax

1:33:38rate to their last year's tax rate. So,

1:33:41it'll be a few months before we'll be

1:33:43able to see where they are compared to

1:33:45us in the same fiscal year.

1:33:48>> Thank you. That's helpful. And I think

1:33:49that is a credit to this city,

1:33:51especially to the city staff as well as

1:33:53the council that we have these robust

1:33:55programs. We have great schools, we have

1:33:56great parks, and we have the lowest tax

1:33:58rate of any city in Massachusetts. Um,

1:34:00so just wanted to highlight that. I yel

1:34:01back.

1:34:02>> We will go to council fl and then

1:34:04councelor.

1:34:06>> So thank you uh through you madam chair.

1:34:09And just briefly, am I correct that if

1:34:11we vote and adopt the uh recommendations

1:34:14by the city that that means that we're

1:34:17still remaining that the residential

1:34:20uh tax rate is still at the lowest

1:34:24allowable

1:34:26uh pursuant to state law plus the

1:34:29residential exception. If we exemption,

1:34:31if we vote for that, that's adopted as

1:34:33well. Correct. We're still at the same

1:34:35place.

1:34:37Um I I think I understand what you're

1:34:40asking. Um I would say you know what if

1:34:43we vote we we are at the historical

1:34:46minimum for the residential uh tax rate.

1:34:51And if we vote for that that's one of

1:34:53the votes you're doing tonight. Then we

1:34:54would be looking at a $6.95

1:34:57residential tax rate. The second vote

1:35:00that you're taking is to uh vote for the

1:35:02residential exemption being 30% for

1:35:05eligible properties.

1:35:07>> Great. And then the commercial tax rate,

1:35:12we're allowed to go to 175% of the

1:35:15residential, but we're currently

1:35:16somewhere around 165 and we maintain a

1:35:20little bit of wiggle room in our tax

1:35:21levy, which allows us of our AAA bond

1:35:24rating. And as we go in the the future

1:35:28to 27 and 28 uh with the

1:35:33um expected and projected decline in

1:35:37Kendall Square, which is the economic

1:35:38engine which has allowed us to do

1:35:40everything we've been able to do in the

1:35:42last decade or so, while that continues,

1:35:45until we cycle out of that, the only way

1:35:48that the city will be able to avoid um

1:35:51entering into that area of Prop uh 2 two

1:35:55and a half overrides is to curtail

1:35:58overall budget spending. Is that is that

1:36:01correct?

1:36:03>> Well, I think I would say that the one

1:36:05thing that we can control is the budget.

1:36:08What we don't control is the market.

1:36:10What we don't control is the vacancy in

1:36:12the market. What we don't control are

1:36:13the rents in the market. And so the one

1:36:16thing that we can control is how much we

1:36:18spend in the budget. And so that's very

1:36:21impactful on the tax rate. So this year

1:36:24with the levy going up 6.9% that's the

1:36:28base starting point for everyone's

1:36:30bills. Everyone needs to go up 6.9% to

1:36:33collect that additional money and then

1:36:35it just depends on how it's distributed

1:36:38between and within the classes. Um I

1:36:41think one more point of clarification is

1:36:44yes we are at 165% for the shift. Now we

1:36:48at a maximum we could shift 175% of the

1:36:52commercial but it is 175% of what we

1:36:55could shift if we only had one rate

1:36:58>> right

1:36:59>> 30. So, my final question, and I think I

1:37:03know the answer to this, uh, we can't

1:37:06spend money we don't have, right?

1:37:09>> I think we have to be careful. I think

1:37:11we're at a moment of reflection. Um, and

1:37:15I think that it's useful uh to reflect

1:37:18and look at how the programs are being

1:37:20managed, who are they serving, if we set

1:37:22them up 15 or 20 years ago, are they

1:37:25doing what we thought that they would?

1:37:29>> Thank you.

1:37:30Um through you mayor Sadiki I think in

1:37:34this discussion um we're holding many

1:37:37truths all at the same time uh in

1:37:39Cambridge uh we remain one of the lowest

1:37:42tax rates both on the residential and

1:37:44commercial side compared to other

1:37:45municipalities we also have some of the

1:37:47highest property values and so tax bills

1:37:50are pretty high. Uh we also have some of

1:37:53the highest budgets and so in terms of

1:37:55the size of the city budget um we are

1:37:58providing broader and deeper services

1:38:01across both residents and in support of

1:38:04our most vulnerable community members.

1:38:07Uh and so we've been able to use those

1:38:10resources in ways that the council and

1:38:11the community and the city staff um have

1:38:15seen very deep needs. And I think that's

1:38:18kind of the environment that we're

1:38:20continuing to face. um we are balancing

1:38:22the fact that we do have and and I think

1:38:25councelor flare I wouldn't say that we

1:38:28we don't have money we have flexibility

1:38:31that many other municipalities at this

1:38:33point don't have our ambitions also

1:38:35continue to exceed our resources there

1:38:38are so many things that we want to do

1:38:40and we are facing a really significant

1:38:42economic slowdown um that if we don't

1:38:46have some level of moderation um I think

1:38:49we've looked at a couple of different

1:38:50projections where we could run into that

1:38:532 and a half% um uh state state um state

1:38:57limit. And so I think ultimately this is

1:39:00the conversation that we have been in

1:39:02over the last two years and will

1:39:03continue to be in for very significantly

1:39:06FY28 but probably for a couple of cycles

1:39:09uh where we need to find some balance in

1:39:11moderation. We're going to have

1:39:13flexibility to invest, but we'll also

1:39:15need to recognize that that we need to

1:39:17act within some level of constraint and

1:39:20priorities.

1:39:21>> We'll go to council Zubie and then vice

1:39:23mayor Zim.

1:39:25>> Thank you through you, Madame Mayor. Uh

1:39:27so I want to first start off with a

1:39:28question for the assessing department. I

1:39:31had looked at some of the numbers from

1:39:33the packet that you guys had shared and

1:39:34saw that we're seeing some of the bills

1:39:36go up in lower income neighborhoods more

1:39:38than wealthier parts of the city. So for

1:39:41example, last year's median value of

1:39:43fiscal year 26 of district 13, which is

1:39:46Cambridgeport,

1:39:48after doing the math with the median

1:39:50value, the exemption, and the tax rate,

1:39:53and comparing that with the fiscal year

1:39:5627, it increased about 17%. And that

1:40:00same math around Brattle Street comes

1:40:02out to be about 5.6%.

1:40:05And I know that the flat exemption

1:40:08percentage makes that gap bigger for

1:40:11less expensive homes um because that

1:40:14same 520k comes off of a smaller number.

1:40:17So I I could be doing the math wrong.

1:40:20I'd just be curious to better understand

1:40:22how we get to that and yeah, how is that

1:40:24assessed?

1:40:29>> So I I haven't looked at last year to

1:40:31this year in these specific districts. I

1:40:34think what I would say in general is

1:40:36that what we're doing is we're following

1:40:38the market. So, we're looking back to

1:40:40calendar year 25. We're looking at arms

1:40:43length sales and we're determining what

1:40:46has uh occurred in the market to be able

1:40:48to determine how values gone up, have

1:40:50values gone down, what is what is

1:40:52happening in these different districts.

1:40:54And so, we're not we're not determining

1:40:58this. We're just following the market.

1:41:00And so the market is telling us where

1:41:02the increases are or where decreases

1:41:04are, where things are more flat or where

1:41:07uh values have gone up.

1:41:08>> Yeah, it's definitely helpful to know

1:41:10and I think speaks to just like the

1:41:12broader situation of having a flat

1:41:14exemption fee. And I know part of this

1:41:16work as I've spoken with you all before

1:41:18is is that it's restricted by state law,

1:41:20which isn't the most fun thing um

1:41:22because we can't set things by home

1:41:24value or income. And so in that way, we

1:41:27can't really focus on where we should

1:41:30put the burdens of our revenue sources.

1:41:33I know at the end of the day, I'm going

1:41:34to support both of these votes tonight.

1:41:36I do also just want to acknowledge and

1:41:38highlight that I don't want us to lose

1:41:40sight of the fact that we do need more

1:41:42resources so that we're able to provide

1:41:44more dignified support uh to our

1:41:47community, especially, you know, um

1:41:49where in the past we've been told that

1:41:51we can't fund certain things like a

1:41:52homeless shelter. I I really do think we

1:41:54have to be creative and just about how

1:41:56we get those resources and that includes

1:41:59how we spend them. Um that is part of

1:42:02why I am very staunchly um an advocate

1:42:05for Harvard and MIT doing a better job

1:42:08through their pilot negotiations in that

1:42:10process. um exploring home rule

1:42:12petitions to tax the rich and backing

1:42:15even one of our own state

1:42:16representatives, Mike Connelly, who has

1:42:18a local option transfer fee bill on

1:42:20high-end sales to fund affordable

1:42:22housing, which is currently sitting on a

1:42:24joint committee.

1:42:26Ideally, raising taxes on working

1:42:28families and our small businesses should

1:42:29be one of the last things we're turning

1:42:31to, but and that's because we need to be

1:42:33mindful of the impacts um especially

1:42:35when we have residents who might own

1:42:38property but can't afford to keep up

1:42:40otherwise or small businesses that can't

1:42:42keep up with larger corporate

1:42:44corporations. Those are just uh some

1:42:47food for thought as we think about this

1:42:49moving forward. I'll yield.

1:42:51>> We'll go to Vice Mayor Zim.

1:42:54Uh thank you, Madame Mayor. Um I just

1:42:57wanted to make uh uh points about some

1:42:59interesting findings I saw. Um as you

1:43:02all know, I'm very interested in

1:43:03housing. And so in FY2024,

1:43:06you know, we have tax levies um and Prop

1:43:092 and a half, which doesn't apply to us

1:43:11as much, but like in general moderates

1:43:13growth, but new growth in general is

1:43:14exempt from these. And in 2024, we had

1:43:17$3 million worth of new growth in

1:43:20housing. in 2025, $3.7 million. And then

1:43:24last year was our smallest increase in

1:43:26housing uh in recent times, $2 million.

1:43:30And then this year is even smaller than

1:43:32that. And so I think it just goes to

1:43:34show that some part of our financial

1:43:36difficulty like this position this rate

1:43:39would be normal to other years if we had

1:43:41as much growth, new growth as we did in

1:43:43the past. And even though we're seeing a

1:43:45lot of small developments because of

1:43:46multif family housing, we're actually

1:43:47not seeing a lot of the larger

1:43:49developments that bring in the tax

1:43:50revenue. I think that, you know, for

1:43:52example, getting health peak unstuck

1:43:54would solve a huge part of this, you

1:43:56know, uh difficulty. Um and you know, of

1:43:58course, that doesn't include commercial,

1:44:00which also brings in uh tax. Um I had a

1:44:03question about um the levy limit. Um

1:44:07there was some mentions about that. Um,

1:44:09and last year you guys had also

1:44:11projected out like a uh better, worse,

1:44:13or as expected tax increase. I was just

1:44:16wondering if this matched, you know,

1:44:18your expected tax increase from last

1:44:20year or if it was lower or, uh, higher.

1:44:24>> Uh, through you, Mayor Sadiki. Um, thank

1:44:27you for those questions. Uh, Vice Mayor

1:44:29Azim. So, you know, we had set uh

1:44:32targets both for our budget growth as

1:44:34well as our tax levy growth and um we uh

1:44:39met and exceeded both of those. So, our

1:44:42our I think our our target for budget

1:44:44growth was under 5% and our budget grew

1:44:47at 4.1%.

1:44:49and our uh tax levy increase target was

1:44:527% and and with this we are projecting

1:44:56the you know an increase of 6.9% to our

1:44:59tax levy. So we did, you know, through

1:45:02that budget moderation uh be a uh did

1:45:05meet those um requirements. Um our we

1:45:09are not at our tax levy um limit. Um but

1:45:14I'm sorry.

1:45:14>> Oh, apologies. Did you say our goal was

1:45:167% last year?

1:45:18>> We we 7% or less as an increase for our

1:45:21tax levy and we are this with this vote

1:45:24we are increasing our tax levy to 700 to

1:45:276.9%. So, uh, from like I'm glad from

1:45:31the city's perspective that you guys met

1:45:32your goal, but what I'm hearing is

1:45:34actually we set a goal for 7% increase

1:45:37and that would be paired with a 5%

1:45:39budget increase, but with that same 7%

1:45:41tax increase, we actually were only able

1:45:42to get to a 4% budget increase. So, it

1:45:46was actually, you know, like 20% worse

1:45:48than we expected in terms of incoming

1:45:49revenue growth.

1:45:51>> Correct. So, so the reason why our

1:45:53budget growth was less, you're right, is

1:45:56because we also had um revenue uh

1:46:00declines that impacted our ability to

1:46:02grow on the budget side. So, as we tried

1:46:05to maintain our commitment to a less

1:46:07than 7% levy increase, we had to

1:46:11actually use the leverage of bud budget

1:46:13moderation in order to meet that that

1:46:15goal.

1:46:16>> Vice Mayor,

1:46:17>> uh thank you. Um so that was my u

1:46:19biggest question and I just wanted to um

1:46:22then just like say that um you know I

1:46:25have talked a lot about um you know we

1:46:28could have new growth especially in uh

1:46:31you know housing but also that you know

1:46:33if we just filled up a lot of our empty

1:46:34vacant space um that would be a huge

1:46:37boon and I went from like maybe the city

1:46:40staff should be pushing harder on that

1:46:42to still thinking that but actually the

1:46:44more that I talk to people in biotech

1:46:46the more I'm worried that it will not

1:46:48come back in that a lot of the new

1:46:50biotech companies you know we've always

1:46:51been the most innovative place but

1:46:53because we've gone from you know needing

1:46:55the best researchers to needing the best

1:46:58robotics uh a lot of the best companies

1:47:00in biotech are now starting in

1:47:02California and not here and so I do

1:47:05think that there is some question of uh

1:47:08will those companies like you know I'm

1:47:09sure biotech will have a comeback but

1:47:11will it have a comeback here and I think

1:47:13perhaps like a topic to explore um in

1:47:15another committee hearing or in

1:47:17different discussions. Thank you.

1:47:19>> Thank you, Vice Mayor. Any other

1:47:22questions,

1:47:23comments from the body? Go ahead,

1:47:25Councelor Nolan.

1:47:26>> Yes, this will be uh very short.

1:47:28Following up on councelor Flity's

1:47:30question about the commercial tax rate

1:47:31levy, it was just we're now at 165. The

1:47:36max we can do is 175 to let people know

1:47:38that's basically the shifting onto the

1:47:40commercial, which we do far greater than

1:47:42other towns. Was it just 140% um a

1:47:45couple years ago?

1:47:50I I believe that it was I know we

1:47:53shifted 13% this year when we shifted

1:47:5612% last year. So I think I think right

1:47:59about there. Yeah.

1:48:01>> Councor just wanted to remind us that

1:48:04we've already done that shifting and we

1:48:06will then be approaching something that

1:48:07will be more challenging or require some

1:48:09different changes which is what we're

1:48:11trying to avoid of putting it all on

1:48:13residential because that's our only

1:48:14choice. lower the budget or put it more

1:48:16on residential. Okay. Thank

1:48:20>> I want to just uh say

1:48:24thank you to my colleagues for their

1:48:25questions. Uh I think they mostly I

1:48:28think you all asked um great questions.

1:48:31I I want to just say I appreciated there

1:48:34was a lot more conversation this year

1:48:36with our businesses. Um and so I want to

1:48:40thank you all for doing that. I think as

1:48:42the city manager said, I think we're,

1:48:43you know, moving through um various

1:48:45constraints and we're balancing a lot of

1:48:47things. I think um there is flexibility

1:48:49and I think um

1:48:52from many folks and from many of my

1:48:55colleagues here, we do uh talk about how

1:48:58we can help the most vulnerable and I

1:49:00think um figuring out how we keep doing

1:49:02that uh even as we have these

1:49:05constraints I think for me is the most

1:49:07important thing we can do um moving

1:49:09forward. So, uh, with that, the two

1:49:12votes we have before us, I'll read them.

1:49:14The first one is, um, the order 1A,

1:49:20it states as follows that the city

1:49:23council classifies property within the

1:49:25city of Cambridge into five property

1:49:26classes, allow allowed for the purpose

1:49:29of allocating the property tax levy.

1:49:31Additionally, that the city council

1:49:33hereby adopts a residential factor of

1:49:350.564988

1:49:37for the purpose of distributing the

1:49:39property tax levy. So on that, we'll

1:49:42have to do a roll call.

1:49:45>> Councelor Alzubie,

1:49:46>> yes.

1:49:46>> Yes. Vice Mayor Zim,

1:49:48>> yes.

1:49:48>> Yes. Councelor Flareity,

1:49:50>> yes.

1:49:50>> Yes. Councelor McGovern,

1:49:52>> yes.

1:49:52>> Yes. Councelor Nolan,

1:49:54>> yes.

1:49:54>> Yes. Councelor Simmons,

1:49:56>> absent. Councelor Sabrina Wheeler,

1:49:58>> yes.

1:49:59>> Yes. Councelor Zusi,

1:50:00>> yes. Yes. Mayor Sadiki.

1:50:02>> Yes.

1:50:02>> Yes. And you have eight members recorded

1:50:04in the affirmative and one recorded as

1:50:05absent.

1:50:06>> The second order we have is order 1B

1:50:09that the city council approves a 30%

1:50:11residential exemption for owner occupied

1:50:13homes. Do roll call. Oh discussion and

1:50:17then do a roll call. Councelor Nolan.

1:50:18>> Yeah. My only discussion is to remind

1:50:20people what this means because it

1:50:22doesn't mean that whatever your tax bill

1:50:24is, you're getting 30% off the tax bill,

1:50:26which could be confusing. What it means

1:50:28is is that we do an analysis and of the

1:50:32average residential property citywide

1:50:36is x amount and then we take 30% of that

1:50:40and apply it to every single property.

1:50:42So that means that's why if you're a

1:50:45condo, if a condo is worth $600,000, you

1:50:48get a $500,000

1:50:51um residential exemption. So you're only

1:50:53paying tax effectively on $100,000.

1:50:56Whereas, if you have a $5 million home,

1:50:59you still only get the $500,000

1:51:02exemption. So, you're paying taxes on

1:51:04$4.5 million. I think it's important for

1:51:07people to know it. It it it does end up

1:51:09having some equity implications for

1:51:11people who have property that's lower.

1:51:13They get a much much higher it ends up

1:51:15being much more valuable to them as a

1:51:17percent. So, I just wanted to make sure

1:51:19we understood that because I think it

1:51:20can be very confusing to people.

1:51:22>> Thank you, Council Nolan. I don't see

1:51:24anyone else. So we can go continue that

1:51:27roll call.

1:51:28>> Councelor El Zubie.

1:51:30>> Yes.

1:51:30>> Yes. Vice Mayor Zim.

1:51:32>> Yes.

1:51:32>> Yes. Council Flareity.

1:51:33>> Yes.

1:51:34>> Yes. Councelor McGovern.

1:51:36>> Yes. Councelor Nolan.

1:51:37>> Yes.

1:51:37>> Yes. Councelor Simmons.

1:51:39>> Yes.

1:51:40>> Yes. Councelor Sabrina Wheeler.

1:51:42>> Yes.

1:51:42>> Yes. Councelor Zusi.

1:51:44>> Yes.

1:51:44>> Yes. Mayor Sadiki.

1:51:46>> Yes.

1:51:46>> Yes. And you have nine members recorded

1:51:47in the affirmative.

1:51:49>> Those two orders are adopted. will place

1:51:51the CMA

1:51:53on file and do all those in favor say I.

1:51:57>> I.

1:51:58>> I. Those against say no. The eyes have

1:52:00it. The CMA has been post placed on

1:52:02file.

1:52:04>> Yes. Could I um I'd like to move

1:52:06reconsideration for the purposes of

1:52:09>> suspension,

1:52:10>> making sure that these votes are final.

1:52:11>> Yes. So, we'll have suspension first and

1:52:14then we'll do the Yes. Then we'll do the

1:52:17uh roll call. Yes.

1:52:18>> Excuse me.

1:52:23Oh, I didn't know that she was remote.

1:52:25>> Yes.

1:52:26>> So,

1:52:27>> so let's take another vote.

1:52:28>> We'll do the place on file at the voice

1:52:30vote.

1:52:30>> We're going to do a revote for the place

1:52:32on file as council Simmons is remote.

1:52:36>> Council Elubie,

1:52:38>> yes.

1:52:39>> Yes. Vice Mayor Zim,

1:52:40>> yes.

1:52:40>> Yes. Council Flareity,

1:52:42>> yes.

1:52:42>> Yes. Council McGovern.

1:52:44>> Yes.

1:52:44>> Yes. Councelor Nolan,

1:52:45>> yes. Councelor Simmons,

1:52:47>> yes.

1:52:48>> Yes. Yes. Councelor Sabrino Wheeler.

1:52:49>> Yes.

1:52:50>> Yes. Councelor Zusi.

1:52:51>> Yes.

1:52:52>> Yes. Mayor Sadiki.

1:52:53>> Yes.

1:52:53>> Yes. And you have nine members recording

1:52:55the affirmative.

1:52:56>> That's placed on file. We'll go to

1:52:59the suspension and then we'll go to the

1:53:01reconsideration and those will be roll

1:53:03calls.

1:53:04>> Councelor Alzie.

1:53:05>> Yes.

1:53:06>> Yes. Vice Mayor Zim.

1:53:08>> Yes. Council Flareity.

1:53:09>> Yes.

1:53:09>> Yes. Councelor McGovern.

1:53:11>> Yes.

1:53:11>> Yes. Councelor Nolan.

1:53:13>> Yes. Councelor Simmons.

1:53:14>> Yes. Councelor Sabrina Wheeler.

1:53:16>> Yes.

1:53:16>> Yes. Councelor Zusy. Yes.

1:53:18>> Yes. Mayor Sadiki.

1:53:19>> Yes.

1:53:20>> Yes. And you have nine members recorded

1:53:21in the affirmative.

1:53:24>> So we're in suspension. So we'll move to

1:53:26the reconsideration vote.

1:53:28>> Councelor El Zubie.

1:53:30>> No.

1:53:31>> No. Vice Mayor Zim.

1:53:32>> No. Councelor Flareity.

1:53:34>> No.

1:53:34>> No. Councelor McGovern.

1:53:36>> No. Councelor Nolan.

1:53:38>> No. Councelor Simmons. No. Councelor

1:53:40Sabrina Wheeler.

1:53:41>> No.

1:53:41>> No. Councelor Zusi.

1:53:43>> No.

1:53:43>> No. Mayor Sadiki?

1:53:45>> No. And you have nine members recorded

1:53:46in the negative.

1:53:47>> Reconsideration fails. We are done with

1:53:50the tax rate hearing on a motion by

1:53:53councelor Nolan to adjurnn. We'll do a

1:53:54roll call.

1:53:56>> Councelor Alzubi.

1:53:57>> Yes.

1:53:57>> Yes. Vice Mayor Zim.

1:54:00>> Yes. Council Flareity.

1:54:02>> Yes.

1:54:02>> Yes. Councelor McGovern.

1:54:04>> Yes. Councelor Nolan.

1:54:05>> Yes. Councelor Simmons.

1:54:07>> Yes. Councelor Sabrina Wheeler.

1:54:08>> Yes.

1:54:09>> Yes. Councelor Zusi.

1:54:10>> Yes.

1:54:11>> Yes. Mayor Sadiki.

1:54:12>> Yes.

1:54:13>> Yes. and you have nine members recorded

1:54:14in the affirmative.

1:54:15>> We're adjourned from the tax rate

1:54:17reading. We will go back to uh the

1:54:19regularly scheduled regular meeting and

1:54:22do a roll call of members present.

1:54:32>> Councelor Elub

1:54:33>> present.

1:54:34>> Present. Desme

1:54:36>> present. Council Flareity

1:54:38>> present.

1:54:38>> Present. Council McGovern

1:54:39>> present.

1:54:40>> Present. Councelor Nolan.

1:54:42>> Present. Councelor Simmons

1:54:43>> present.

1:54:44>> Present. Councelor Sabrina Wheeler

1:54:45>> present.

1:54:46>> Present. Councelor Zusi

1:54:47>> present.

1:54:48>> Present. Mayor Sadiki

1:54:49>> present.

1:54:50>> Present. You have nine members recorded

1:54:51as present.

1:54:52>> So before we move back to public

1:54:54comment, I would like to entertain a

1:54:57motion to suspend the rules to bring

1:54:59forward the city matters agenda. Just to

1:55:02pull anything that we want to be pulled.

1:55:04I'm looking at the time. We have many

1:55:06public speaker comment speakers ahead.

1:55:09So, I wanted to just pull what we were

1:55:11going to pull and then do a roll call on

1:55:14the balance so that um whoever uh can go

1:55:17home can go home. So, on a motion by

1:55:20councelor McGovern on suspension, we'll

1:55:22do a roll call.

1:55:23>> Councelor Elubie,

1:55:24>> yes.

1:55:25>> Yes. Vice Mayor Razim,

1:55:26>> yes. Council Flity,

1:55:28>> yes.

1:55:28>> Yes. Council McGovern,

1:55:30>> yes.

1:55:30>> Yes. Councelor Nolan,

1:55:32>> yes. Councelor Simmons, yes. Councelor

1:55:34Sabrina Wheeler,

1:55:35>> yes.

1:55:35>> Yes. Councelor Zusi,

1:55:37>> yes.

1:55:37>> Yes. Mayor Sadiki.

1:55:38>> Yes.

1:55:39>> Yes. And you have nine members recorded

1:55:40in the affirmative.

1:55:41>> We're in suspension. There are eight

1:55:44city manager agenda items. Were there

1:55:45items that my colleagues wanted to pull

1:55:48and discuss?

1:55:54Hearing none, we'll go ahead and do a

1:55:57roll call on all the city manager agenda

1:56:00items.

1:56:01>> And that's for approval. Adoption.

1:56:03>> Adoption. approving all the Cas and

1:56:06adopting uh and approving uh any orders

1:56:10associated

1:56:11>> and appointments in the eight city

1:56:14manager agenda items. Councelor Elzubie,

1:56:16>> yes.

1:56:16>> Yes. Vice Mayor Zim,

1:56:18>> yes.

1:56:18>> Yes. Council Flity.

1:56:20>> Yes.

1:56:20>> Yes. Council McGovern.

1:56:21>> Yes.

1:56:22>> Yes. Councelor Nolan.

1:56:23>> Yes.

1:56:23>> Yes. Councelor Simmons.

1:56:25>> Yes.

1:56:25>> Yes. Councelor Sabrino Wheeler.

1:56:27>> Yes.

1:56:27>> Yes. Councelor Zusi.

1:56:28>> Yes.

1:56:29>> Yes. Mayor Sadiki.

1:56:30>> Yes.

1:56:30>> Yes. And you have nine members recorded

1:56:32in the affirmative. We're done with the

1:56:33city managers agenda. We'll go to back

1:56:36to public comment. Naomi. Yes. Thank

1:56:40you, madame mayor. We will go back to

1:56:42public comment beginning at speaker or

1:56:45restarting at speaker number 49, Andrew

1:56:48Rueb, followed by Carlos Loya, then

1:56:50James Zal. Andrew, you have one minute.

1:56:54Please go ahead.

1:56:55>> Press the button. Just press the button.

1:56:59>> It's on. Uh,

1:57:00>> my name is Andrew Rube. I live on

1:57:01Appleton Street. Speaking about the

1:57:03pausing or excuse [clears throat] me,

1:57:05modifying the multi- family housing

1:57:07ordinance. I'm a local Cambridge

1:57:09resident. I'm not I'm a college sports

1:57:11coach and not a fancy developer and hope

1:57:13my voice will be heard. I support

1:57:15affordable housing. Yet, the new zoning

1:57:17makes Cambridge a high-end luxury

1:57:19developer paradise. Um, I know that was

1:57:22not the intention. We neglected basic

1:57:24zoning guard rails and allowed huge

1:57:26develop huge developments on postage

1:57:28size stamp family lots. Just look at

1:57:30nine Wyman as a cautionary tale. It is

1:57:33clearly not creating affordable housing

1:57:36as was intended. Please look at the

1:57:38Cambridge redevelopment tracker and

1:57:40educate yourself. Note how little

1:57:42affordable housing this is creating at a

1:57:44huge cost to our neighborhoods. As

1:57:46someone mentioned, count the yard signs.

1:57:48The movement is growing. I read Ezra

1:57:51Klein in abundance like everybody else.

1:57:53This is not what's what's happening

1:57:55here. So, um I hope there's a pause.

1:57:57Thank you.

1:57:58>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Carlos

1:58:00Loya, followed by James Zaul, then Carol

1:58:04Alexander. Carlos, you have the floor.

1:58:06You have one minute. Please go ahead.

1:58:14Carlos Loya,

1:58:21we're going to move on to James Zal.

1:58:32James, you have the floor. If you can

1:58:34unmute yourself, please go ahead.

1:58:36>> Yes, this is James All 66 Sherman

1:58:39Street. The stated goal of the recent

1:58:42multifamily zoning is to allow and

1:58:44promote more housing in all

1:58:46neighborhoods. The law's success toward

1:58:48achieving that goal is evident in the

1:58:50increase in the number of planned and

1:58:52started units since it was passed.

1:58:55Opponents of that reform are now calling

1:58:57for denial of building permits until

1:58:59their personal objections to new homes

1:59:01are met. They say that they're just

1:59:03trying to protect their own street or

1:59:05neighborhood. But there's much more at

1:59:07stake all across the city. The

1:59:09amendments you're considering tonight

1:59:11will roll back some provisions of the

1:59:13six-year-old AHO, which has produced

1:59:15many new homes for the poorest among us

1:59:18in areas that were once effectively off

1:59:20limits. You've made noteworthy progress

1:59:23toward reducing the plague of

1:59:25exclusionary law that has weighed

1:59:27heavily on Cambridge for many decades.

1:59:30It would be a dreadful shame if you

1:59:32allowed that work to be reduced to a

1:59:34mere two-year intermission in the long

1:59:37run of inequity and injustice. Please

1:59:40stand strong.

1:59:42>> Thank you, James. Please email us the

1:59:43remainder. We're going to go back to an

1:59:45earlier skip speaker, Sarah Block,

1:59:48followed by Kira Alexandra, then Kate

1:59:51Zamperelli. Sarah, you have the floor.

1:59:54Please go ahead. You have one minute.

1:59:58>> Uh, good evening everyone. I am uh right

2:00:02speaking to um ask you um not to support

2:00:08a pause on Upper Heron to mitigate

2:00:10parking. Looking through extensive

2:00:12analysis the transportation department

2:00:14has done with public feedback. I'm

2:00:16certain that many of the concerns that

2:00:18the council have will be addressed in

2:00:19the final project plans. I am supportive

2:00:22of a study following the approximately

2:00:241,200 ft completion of the protected

2:00:27cycle lane on upper here onto Grove to

2:00:30determine if it actually creates a

2:00:32parking issue a shortage. I also want to

2:00:35note that the parking that will be

2:00:36eliminated is currently on the reservoir

2:00:38side against a fence with no sidewalk at

2:00:41all and is unregulated and is place

2:00:44people store RVs and boats. It's likely

2:00:47an unsafe situation to have people

2:00:49unloading their sports equipment and

2:00:51walking on the street to the clubhouse

2:00:52along a blind curve. The project's also

2:00:55adding two disabled spaces, overnight

2:00:58residential parking, and nine spaces

2:01:01near the BFW Youth Center.

2:01:04>> Thank you, Sarah. Please email us the

2:01:06remainder. Our next speaker is Carol

2:01:09Alexandra, followed by Kate Zamperelli,

2:01:11then James Lyman. Carol, one minute.

2:01:14>> Please halt the war on cars and parking,

2:01:17this time on Huron Avenue. Giving up 53

2:01:21street parking spots at the end of Hiron

2:01:23Avenue is too much of a trade-off this

2:01:25time. Hardly anyone bikes along this

2:01:27stretch of Hiron as most bikers on Hiron

2:01:30bike to the destinations from the

2:01:32Cambridge direction to Glackenfields and

2:01:34playground, the VFW, Russell Center, the

2:01:36golf course uh or the tall residential

2:01:39building. Beyond those destinations,

2:01:40there isn't much use for a bike path

2:01:42that will eliminate 53 parking spots

2:01:45used by the Dennisens of all those

2:01:47destinations. But let's look at the

2:01:49math. 133 average precipitation days in

2:01:53Cambridge. Uh I saw one biker today on

2:01:56Western Avenue where my office abuts and

2:01:58faces the bike path. There are five to

2:02:00six months of winter where hardly anyone

2:02:02bikes on the bike bike bike paths except

2:02:04often myself. That stretch to all

2:02:08followers of common sense is not even

2:02:10remotely worth getting rid of 53 parking

2:02:12spaces for. Thank you.

2:02:15>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Kate

2:02:17Zamperelli.

2:02:19Kate has not joined us. We will move on

2:02:21to James Lyman, followed by Kayla

2:02:24Goodale, then Alex Dickle. James.

2:02:27>> Yes. My name is James Lyman. I'm here to

2:02:29speak about the difficulty of actually

2:02:31building housing in Cambridge. I am the

2:02:33president of a company that owns three

2:02:35acres of land in West Cambridge next to

2:02:37the Tobin School in the Dan Park. This

2:02:40is a substantially large pit track of

2:02:42land and will extremely useful for

2:02:44housing. Since we passed the zoning in

2:02:46225, we have tried to find developers to

2:02:49build housing of this property. So far,

2:02:51we've been unable to find anyone willing

2:02:53to take on this project. The reality is

2:02:55that a developer has to look at all cost

2:02:57and risk to determine if a project is

2:02:59feasible. That's why I'm particularly

2:03:01concerned with efforts to repeal 20 the

2:03:042025 zoning changes that created housing

2:03:06opportunities in Cambridge. I strongly

2:03:09urge the council not to repeal the

2:03:10zoning. We need enough flexibility and

2:03:14to have development and projects to

2:03:15overcome these extraordinary costs.

2:03:18I believe that before the council we

2:03:20simply cannot allow ask how much housing

2:03:23can we allow. We need to ask how much

2:03:24housing we can create and can be

2:03:26actually built. This will also increase

2:03:28the tax base substantially. Thank you.

2:03:31>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Kayla

2:03:33Goodale, followed by Alex Dickled, then

2:03:36Josiah D. Kiara. Kayla.

2:03:40Hello. Uh, Kayla Goodale. I'm at 339

2:03:43Broadway. Um, and I'm here today in

2:03:45support of policy orders 1 3 4 5 6 7 9

2:03:51and 10. It's a big day. Thanks y'all for

2:03:54being patient with us. Um, I want to say

2:03:56I am the daughter of a proud

2:03:58Massachusetts Teachers Association

2:04:00member and today I'm here to encourage

2:04:02the council to vote yes in support of

2:04:05Unite Here Local 26, Teamsters 25 and

2:04:08the Cambridge Education Association. Um,

2:04:10it is not lost on me that the folks that

2:04:14we are asking to pay living wages to are

2:04:17primarily folks that provide service to

2:04:21us in our experience of living a good

2:04:24life. And so when we talk about

2:04:25Cambridge Education Association, we talk

2:04:27about the Paris, they need to be able to

2:04:30live locally. They need to not be a need

2:04:32to work three jobs. When we talk about

2:04:34the folks that work up at Encore, they

2:04:36need to be able to have a realistic

2:04:38commute to work. They need the ability

2:04:40to live a good life. And I ask that you

2:04:42support them today. Thank you.

2:04:44>> Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker

2:04:46is Alex Dickle, followed by Josiah

2:04:48Diara, then Hope Turner.

2:04:51>> Hi, Alex Dickle, 41 Sterns. Um, on the

2:04:54bike lanes, is there a single bike lane

2:04:56that we have planned that three

2:04:57counselors will not oppose? A

2:04:59pre-planned bike lane that connects

2:05:03two cities together? I biked here today.

2:05:05I bike every day. I don't bike on that

2:05:07road because who wants to bike on a road

2:05:09where 30 mph cars fly on the same lane

2:05:12as you? On housing,

2:05:16please don't count the yard signs. I

2:05:19live in a house with one of those yard

2:05:20signs. It's not mine. It's my landlords.

2:05:24I can't put a sign up unless it blocks

2:05:25the one window into the front of my

2:05:27house. This is a wellorganized, wealthy

2:05:31group of individuals fighting for their

2:05:33own desires. I can't paint my living

2:05:36room because I can't afford a house

2:05:37here. My wife and I combined make not

2:05:41enough to buy 1.5 millions. We barely

2:05:44make enough that in 5 years we could

2:05:45afford a million. But what we can't do

2:05:47is afford one of these homes and single

2:05:49families that are so worried about who's

2:05:52living next to them. It might be me. Oh

2:05:54no.

2:05:54>> Thank you, Alex. Our next speaker is

2:05:57Josiah Diara, followed by Hope Turner,

2:06:01Steven Saluchi, then Gai Vijaya Kumar.

2:06:06Josiah,

2:06:07>> good evening. My name is Josia Deier

2:06:09from Boston. As an educator at Darby

2:06:11Bassel Upper School, I call on you all

2:06:13to prioritize students in Cambridge

2:06:15public schools by passing policy order

2:06:17179. In a rich city like Cambridge, all

2:06:20educators deserve to earn a living wage.

2:06:22That means at least a 6% increase to the

2:06:24school department budget. My science

2:06:27classroom has students reading above

2:06:28grade level, students using assistive

2:06:30technology, students taking movement

2:06:32breaks to focus, students who haven't

2:06:34gotten breakfast yet, students who are

2:06:36worried about their families, and all of

2:06:37them are students who want to learn and

2:06:39succeed.

2:06:41I am lucky to work with brilliant and

2:06:42talented parrofessionals who work

2:06:44tirelessly to meet all of these needs

2:06:46despite the fact that many of them also

2:06:48work second and third jobs because

2:06:50Cambridge still pays poverty wages. Our

2:06:53students need our educators for support

2:06:55and our educators need you for support.

2:06:58Do that today by passing policy order

2:07:00179. Our students deserve fully funded

2:07:03schools. So use your power to allocate

2:07:05additional money to the school

2:07:06department and settle our contracts.

2:07:08>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Hope

2:07:10Turner followed by Steven Saluchi. Hope

2:07:14you have one minute. Please go ahead.

2:07:19>> Hi, my name is Hope Turner. I live at 32

2:07:22Vineyard Street. As a caregiver of a

2:07:25Hagerty school student, I'm urging you

2:07:27to find the money for a 6% increase in

2:07:29the budget so we can pay educators more.

2:07:32My son has had an amazing experience at

2:07:35Hagerty because of his teachers and

2:07:37educational support professionals. The

2:07:39PAR educators in my son's classrooms

2:07:42have provided important support for him

2:07:44around his sensory needs. For example,

2:07:46noticing when he seems uncomfortable

2:07:48after getting something sticky on his

2:07:50hand and helping him. This kind of

2:07:53individualized attention makes such a

2:07:55difference in how comfortable he feels

2:07:57at school and his readiness to learn.

2:08:00I've seen firsthand how much CPS

2:08:02educators care. And I also see so much

2:08:05potential for burnout. Paras shouldn't

2:08:08have to work additional jobs and all

2:08:10educators should earn enough to be able

2:08:12to live in Cambridge if they want. We

2:08:15don't value care work in this country,

2:08:17but Cambridge can be a leader in

2:08:19changing that. Thank you.

2:08:21>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Steven

2:08:24Saluchi. Stephen, you have one minute.

2:08:26Please go ahead. You have the floor.

2:08:35>> Stephen Saluchi, if you can unmute

2:08:37yourself.

2:08:41>> Sorry. Um, great. Steven Saluchi, 32

2:08:44Vineyard Street, same as Hope, who we

2:08:46just heard from. I second everything she

2:08:48said about our son's absolutely

2:08:50wonderful experience in Cambridge

2:08:52schools. I just want to add, I think we

2:08:54could pay the educators through a tax

2:08:56increase. I say this as someone

2:08:58privileged to be a homeowner in this

2:08:59city. Cambridge has a substantial excess

2:09:01tax levy capacity, the stated purpose of

2:09:03which is to provide the flexibility to

2:09:06raise taxes when we need to. I keep

2:09:09hearing that we're facing economic

2:09:10headwinds. Um, and maybe this is a

2:09:12reason we should be careful about

2:09:13spending, but I'd like to note that

2:09:15we're coming off some strong economic

2:09:16tailwinds that have allowed us to

2:09:18increase the excess living in recent

2:09:20years for an occasion just like this. I

2:09:22think paying our educators enough so

2:09:24that they can continue to do outstanding

2:09:25work and also afford to live here is a

2:09:27great reason to use some of that

2:09:28flexibility. I'd also argue that

2:09:30weathering any economic storms is an

2:09:32appropriate use for the over 200 million

2:09:34in savings that Cambridge has and that

2:09:36that would be preferable to asking our

2:09:38parent educators to somehow make up the

2:09:40gap themselves which is what's currently

2:09:41happening. Increase the budget. Thank

2:09:43you.

2:09:44>> Thank you.

2:09:46Our next speaker is Gry VJumar

2:09:49followed by Elizabeth Gambashi then

2:09:53Francis Donovan. Gyrie you have the

2:09:55floor. You have one minute. Please go

2:09:57ahead.

2:10:01My name is Gaudi Vajek and I live at 21

2:10:04High Street in Cambridge. Um, and I want

2:10:06to say I support the pair of

2:10:07professionals, but I'm here to speak

2:10:09about policy order 10 as an ally to sex

2:10:12workers and a professor of sociology.

2:10:14Through my research, I've interviewed

2:10:16nearly 200 sex workers, experts, and

2:10:18policy makers in India, Kenya, and the

2:10:20US. And I would be so proud for

2:10:22Cambridge to be a leader in

2:10:23decriminalizing sex work. Global public

2:10:26health organizations including the WHO,

2:10:28UN AIDS, UNDP and UNFPA all agree that

2:10:31decriminalization protects the safety

2:10:33and dignity of sex workers. As an

2:10:35educator who teaches about feminism and

2:10:37racial justice, I believe that

2:10:39decriminalizing sex work is a feminist

2:10:40and racial justice issue. It makes it

2:10:42possible for sex workers to protect one

2:10:44another from violence, exploitation, and

2:10:46trafficking. In India, sex workers have

2:10:48built organizations that take on

2:10:49traffickers through initiatives led by

2:10:52sex workers. This policy order will

2:10:54enable sex workers here in Cambridge to

2:10:56build a safer world for each other and

2:10:58many of us are happy to collaborate with

2:11:00the city council in talking further

2:11:02about this issue. Thank you.

2:11:03>> Thank you. Our next speaker is

2:11:08Elizabeth Gmbashy followed by Francis

2:11:10Donovan.

2:11:14Elizabeth and Francis had told us

2:11:15earlier that they weren't sure they were

2:11:17going to be able to stay for the second

2:11:18part of the meeting. We're going to go

2:11:19back to an earlier skip speaker, Kate

2:11:23Zamparelli. For those that are waiting,

2:11:25we are at speaker number. Can you hear

2:11:28me?

2:11:29>> Yes, Kate. Please go ahead.

2:11:30>> Hello.

2:11:32>> We can hear you. Please go ahead.

2:11:36>> Uh, can you hear me?

2:11:38>> Yes.

2:11:39>> Okay, good. Sorry, I was on the phone

2:11:40and it did not work despite star six. At

2:11:44any rate, I'm a 40-year resident of uh

2:11:47Emmon's Place. Thank you for listening

2:11:48to me and I'm questioning the reason for

2:11:51taking a significant number of parking

2:11:53spaces at out of here on. I am a 74

2:11:56yearear-old member of the Fresh Pawn

2:11:57Ladies Golf Association. Last Thursday,

2:12:00I arrived at the course on Thursday

2:12:02morning at 8:15 and there were

2:12:04absolutely no parking spaces. Luckily,

2:12:07as a Cambridge resident, I was able to

2:12:09find one on Heron Avenue. My 89year-old

2:12:12recently widowed partner was not as

2:12:16lucky. She could not locate a parking

2:12:18space and was unable to play in one of

2:12:20our final competitions.

2:12:23The manager uh management at Fresh Pawn,

2:12:25particularly the director, Joanna Koopa,

2:12:27is so accommodating to the aged, the

2:12:30disabled, and our veterans. In fact, we

2:12:32have handicapped flags on our car.

2:12:34>> Your time has expired. Apologies. Please

2:12:37email us the remainder of your comment.

2:12:39Anyone who we have to end their time,

2:12:42please email us at city

2:12:43[email protected].

2:12:45We're gonna move on to speaker number

2:12:4863, Jesse Bear, followed by Heather

2:12:51Pennoffer, then Sasha Cohen. Jesse,

2:12:59Jesse is not with us. We're going to go

2:13:01to Heather Pennoffer.

2:13:07Heather is not on the Zoom. We will go

2:13:09to Sasha Cohen.

2:13:12Sasha, if you can unmute yourself, you

2:13:13have one minute. Please go ahead.

2:13:16>> Can you hear me?

2:13:17>> We can.

2:13:18>> Great. I'm a longtime Cambridge resident

2:13:21and history professor speaking in

2:13:23support of policy order 10. Some here

2:13:26tonight will lead you to believe that

2:13:28reasonable and well-meaning people

2:13:30disagree on this issue that it is

2:13:32unsettled, complicated, and up for

2:13:34debate. I'm going to tell you two

2:13:36reasons why it's not. One, the scholarly

2:13:40data is unambiguous. All evidence proves

2:13:42that full decriminalization is the only

2:13:45policy that reduces violence. There is

2:13:48already a consensus among human rights

2:13:50and global health organizations in favor

2:13:53of this policy. Full stop. Number two,

2:13:57the local community of current sex

2:14:00workers here in Cambridge is telling you

2:14:03they unequivocally need full

2:14:05decriminalization to keep them safe.

2:14:08Your decision should be based entirely

2:14:11on their input as the stakes are highest

2:14:14for them and they will be the ones

2:14:15impacted. Thank you.

2:14:20Thank you. Our next speaker is Joseph

2:14:22Porier followed by Sarah Nelson then

2:14:25Aaron Homer.

2:14:30Joseph is not in the Zoom. We will go to

2:14:34Sarah Nelson.

2:14:42Thank you. Um, my name is Sarah Nelson.

2:14:44I'm from 17 Rockwell Street. The goal of

2:14:47the multif family housing ordinance was

2:14:48to meet Cambridge's housing needs and to

2:14:51do our part to address the regional

2:14:52housing crisis. The city of Cambridge

2:14:55has experts in urban planning. We have

2:14:58the finances and the will to get this

2:15:00done. So, how did we end up with zoning

2:15:03changes that are removing affordable

2:15:05rental properties and producing mainly

2:15:07housing 1.5 million and above that only

2:15:10the top 7% of households in Cambridge

2:15:12can afford. In February 2025, six

2:15:15members of this council voted to pass

2:15:17the literally groundbreaking multif

2:15:20family housing ordinance. I can't

2:15:23believe that they passed it thinking it

2:15:24was perfect, one and done. Our federal

2:15:28constitution has 27 amendments and I

2:15:30hope that at least half of the people in

2:15:32this room think the equal rights

2:15:33amendment should be certified. The

2:15:35amendments on the table are needed to

2:15:38protect Cambridge residents from the

2:15:40harm caused by developers whose primary

2:15:42motive is to maximize profits.

2:15:44>> Thank you Sarah. Your time is expired.

2:15:47Please email us the remainder of your

2:15:48comment. We're going to go back to Jesse

2:15:51Bear then Heather Penskoff.

2:15:54Jesse you have one minute. Please go

2:15:56ahead. Hi, thanks that caught me off

2:15:58guard. I was upstairs. Um, yeah, so

2:16:01Jessie Bear, 10 popular Road. Um, I grew

2:16:04up here in one of those apartments that

2:16:06I've heard is uh unfit for uh families.

2:16:08Um, but I actually uh it was a little it

2:16:11was, you know, it was it was cozy, but a

2:16:13family of four did well. Um, what was

2:16:15not easy though was going to high school

2:16:18and having um my parents be a teacher's

2:16:20aid and a substitute teacher. Um we were

2:16:24we that was a very stressful experience

2:16:26um living in procarity during my high

2:16:28school and I don't and I hope that we

2:16:32can make sure that people the people who

2:16:34serve our kids are served and are able

2:16:37to raise families here. Um and as we

2:16:40heard we have one of the lowest tax

2:16:42rates around if not the lowest and we

2:16:44can definitely afford it. Um, so I'm

2:16:47here to support our educators who uh

2:16:50made me who I am today. Uh, also yes to

2:16:54bike lanes and yes to decriminalizing

2:16:57sex work. Thank you. Thank you. Our next

2:17:00speaker is Heather Pennoffer. Then we

2:17:03will go to speaker number 68,

2:17:07Aaron Homer. Heather, you have the floor

2:17:09one minute.

2:17:10>> Okay. Thank you. I'm here with my son.

2:17:13>> Hello counselors. My name is Felix

2:17:15Pensker. My mom will read it for me.

2:17:19>> Um I'm uh so my son wrote this. He said,

2:17:21"I'm 9 years old and I ride on the back

2:17:23of a cargo bike with my mom almost every

2:17:25day. We rode 3,000 miles this year in

2:17:28the city. I know grown-ups have to make

2:17:30decisions about streets. So I want to

2:17:31tell you what it feels like as a kid.

2:17:34I'm speaking because the stretch of

2:17:35outer hereon without a protected bike

2:17:37lane is scary for me.

2:17:40Even from the back of the bike, I can

2:17:42tell when cars are too close to us. I

2:17:45feel better on a protected bike lane to

2:17:47get to Glacen playground. Please think

2:17:50of the kids riding with their families

2:17:53today as well as the kids who will ride

2:17:56when they grow up. Vote no on policy

2:17:59order 8 and complete the outer here on

2:18:01bike lanes. Thank you for listening.

2:18:05>> Thank you. Our next speaker is

2:18:08Aaron Homer, followed by Gordon Moore,

2:18:11then Morin Koger.

2:18:13Aaron, you have the floor. You have one

2:18:15minute. Please go ahead.

2:18:18>> Hello. I'm Aaron Homer, 90 Gio Road. Uh,

2:18:22I'd like to speak in favor of completing

2:18:23the bike lanes on. I get around

2:18:26primarily by bike, often with my

2:18:28daughter on the bike, and having

2:18:29consistent bike lanes is critical to my

2:18:31family's safety. I also urged council to

2:18:34keep the multif uh family housing

2:18:36ordinance as it is. Uh it's already

2:18:38building a lot of affordable housing and

2:18:40even more moade housing. And yes, market

2:18:42upgrade housing is expensive, but it's

2:18:43the only way we're going to solve the

2:18:45housing crisis here in Cambridge and

2:18:46around the state. Uh we need more

2:18:49housing. Nobody likes construction.

2:18:50Nobody likes change, but we need the

2:18:52housing. We need to prioritize that over

2:18:54the inconveniences of the changing

2:18:56process. Thank you.

2:18:58>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Gordon

2:19:00Moore.

2:19:02Gordon is not with us. We're going to

2:19:05move on to speaker number 70, Moren

2:19:08Koger.

2:19:14Moren is not also not with us. We're

2:19:17going to go to Bernard Lupian.

2:19:22>> Bernard, if you can unmute yourself, you

2:19:24have one minute. Please go ahead.

2:19:27>> Okay, unmuted. Good evening, council. I

2:19:29live in Riverside at 53J Street. I urge

2:19:32you to adopt the strongest multif family

2:19:34housing amendments and reject nullifying

2:19:37counter amendments on my small street

2:19:38alone. There are three projects, all

2:19:41three displaced people already living in

2:19:44multif family housing. These were

2:19:45affordable units. Now these people and

2:19:48their families are gone and their

2:19:50housing has been replaced with

2:19:51multi-million dollar luxury condos. One

2:19:54condo just listed on Compass. I saw that

2:19:56yesterday. For $2.35 million, that's not

2:19:59the whole building. That's just one

2:20:01unit. These tearowns displace the middle

2:20:04class to line the pockets of wealthy

2:20:06developers. Our children will look back

2:20:08at this with sadness, just like Boston's

2:20:10West End and the Boston Redevelopment

2:20:13Authority catastrophe. Please protect

2:20:15our middle class and vote for the

2:20:17strongest possible amendments. Thank

2:20:20you.

2:20:20>> Thank you. So, our next speaker is

2:20:22Siobhan Mcdana, followed by Sarah Egan,

2:20:25then Arena Eoskaya.

2:20:28Siobhan, please go ahead. You have one

2:20:29minute. Thank you. I'm Siobhan Mcdana. I

2:20:32live on Ellery Street. Um, I'd like to

2:20:34speak primarily about the Cambridge

2:20:36educators. um and in full support of

2:20:40them. um our one demand that they've

2:20:44made that I think hasn't maybe gotten

2:20:46enough attention is putting a parah in

2:20:48every elementary school and I think

2:20:51something that people really across

2:20:54education as I understand it agree on is

2:20:56that students attention spans are

2:20:58getting shorter and trying to keep

2:21:00students engaged is getting harder and

2:21:02harder and having paras in the classroom

2:21:03who are able to engage with students who

2:21:06might be checking out a little bit who

2:21:08might need a little bit of extra help is

2:21:09imperative to keep every student in that

2:21:12classroom able to focus and to learn.

2:21:15Briefly, I'd also like to say as a

2:21:16transwoman, as an attorney who

2:21:18represents trans people,

2:21:21please support decriminalization of sex

2:21:22work in Cambridge. This is something

2:21:24that disproportionately affects trans

2:21:26people who face employment and housing

2:21:27discrimination and who are forced out of

2:21:29their homes by unaccepting parents. This

2:21:31is a lifeline for many people. Please

2:21:33help them. Thank you.

2:21:34>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Sarah

2:21:37Egan.

2:21:39Sarah has not joined. We will go to

2:21:40Arena Isoskaya.

2:21:44Arena is not with us or on Zoom. Dean

2:21:48Gro Grodsens.

2:21:51Dean, you have one minute. Please go

2:21:53ahead.

2:21:55>> Thank you. Dean Grodson's 12 Parker

2:21:57Street, 30-year resident of Cambridge.

2:22:00I've

2:22:02wanted to just come up here and and

2:22:04support the proposal to increase the

2:22:07budget to allow for uh pair of

2:22:10professionals to be uh properly paid. I

2:22:14just want to say two things that I heard

2:22:17tonight. One was that this is not really

2:22:20our bailic as the city council. It's the

2:22:23school committee. I the school committee

2:22:25says our hands are tied because the

2:22:27budget is set. uh if they know from you

2:22:31that there isn't there is uh uh that

2:22:34there's flexibility they can do things

2:22:36with that. Um and then the second

2:22:39question is second point is priorities.

2:22:43If we all say that educating our kids

2:22:46intellectually, socially uh morally and

2:22:50civically is our highest priority. We

2:22:53should therefore put our money where our

2:22:54mouth is and have the best public

2:22:56schools and best paid paras. Thank you.

2:23:00>> Our next speaker is Adam Manisee,

2:23:04followed by Janice Pavello.

2:23:07Adam, please go ahead. You have one

2:23:09minute.

2:23:11>> Adam Maniker, uh, 48B Dana Street,

2:23:14MidCambridge neighborhood. I'm here

2:23:16regarding the policy order 2026 173.

2:23:20Although neighbors ask why I bother to

2:23:23be here, I thank you for the opportunity

2:23:25to speak and hopefully to be heard. I

2:23:28appreciate the community developments

2:23:29department's work on the zoning update,

2:23:32but I urge you to reconsider the

2:23:34proposed setback change on page 13 of

2:23:36the September 16th update. A sum of 25

2:23:40ft is misleading and is not an adequate

2:23:43substitute for defined minimum setbacks.

2:23:47As shown on page 8, we need specific

2:23:49minimums 10 to 15 feet in the rear and 7

2:23:52and 1/2 ft on the sides. Without those

2:23:55minimums, this proposal creates a

2:23:57loophole that threatens neighborhood

2:23:59livability and the city's ability to

2:24:01manage storm water, meet fire codes, and

2:24:04accommodate utilities. All concerns

2:24:07identified that by the department

2:24:08itself. Please leave us space to

2:24:12breathe, plant trees, and sustain a

2:24:15healthy environment.

2:24:16>> Work together.

2:24:17>> Your time is expired. Please email us to

2:24:20destroy the city we love. We're going to

2:24:21go to an earlier skipped speaker, Morin

2:24:24Koger, followed by Janice Pavllo, then

2:24:28Jean Garrison.

2:24:33>> Hi. Um, I'm Sarah Berer speaking on

2:24:36behalf of Moren Koger, who couldn't make

2:24:38it tonight. Moren is 93 years old and

2:24:42she has been dealing with noise in the

2:24:45back of her house for since August with

2:24:49construction going on. And next door

2:24:53they're going to be tearing down an old

2:24:57two family house and putting up who

2:24:59knows how much. Um, she is concerned

2:25:03about she puts solar panels on her roof

2:25:06and it looks like she's going to be in

2:25:08the shade. Uh, so she won't get the the

2:25:12value of the solar panels. She's very

2:25:15concerned as am I about this what's

2:25:19going on in the city with the upzoning

2:25:22petition and she the noise that she has

2:25:26to deal with is too much and uh a lot of

2:25:30her neighbors are upset about this too.

2:25:33Uh as someone who's lived in the city

2:25:36for decades, Moren and myself

2:25:39uh feel that this uh upzoning petition

2:25:42>> Thank you. Your time is expired. If you

2:25:44can please email us the remainder of

2:25:46your comments.

2:25:47>> City that we love.

2:25:48>> Our next speaker is Janice Pavlo

2:25:51followed by Jean Garrison then Lesie

2:25:53Swanson. Janice, you have one minute.

2:25:56Please go ahead.

2:26:00>> Good evening. My name is Jan Pubello. I

2:26:02live at 69 Brooklyn Street. I am

2:26:05speaking tonight in strong support of

2:26:07the amendments to the multifamily

2:26:09housing ordinance. Of the many concerns

2:26:12I have with the ordinance, I feel

2:26:15strongly that expanding housing options

2:26:17is critical and we must focus on density

2:26:21where it matters. The current ordinance

2:26:23allows unrestricted market rate

2:26:25development which does not include

2:26:28affordabil affordable units if the

2:26:30project as you know is has nine units or

2:26:33less.

2:26:34This displaces or eliminates the

2:26:36possibilities for the very residents

2:26:39that we [clears throat] want to protect.

2:26:41So these amendments provide the

2:26:43necessary some of the necessary guard

2:26:45rails to ensure our growth is

2:26:48sustainable and fair for all residents.

2:26:52We need smart growth for Cambridge, not

2:26:56growth at any cost. So please vote to

2:26:59approve these balanced amendments. Thank

2:27:01you.

2:27:02>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Jean

2:27:04Garrison, followed by Lesie Swanson.

2:27:06Then we will be at speaker number 80,

2:27:08Alan Peterson. Jean, you have one

2:27:11minute. Please go ahead. You have the

2:27:13floor.

2:27:16>> Hi. Um, 25 year resident of Pont Street.

2:27:21Um, Jean Garrison. I'm at number 71.

2:27:24When we moved in, my husband and I, a

2:27:27wonderful street of older residences,

2:27:29and they all had backyards. Now, most of

2:27:32those backyards are filled with condo

2:27:34boxes um with very narrow setbacks.

2:27:38Floor area ratios have uh restrictions

2:27:41have been have been ignored. Um bales

2:27:44now count as open space. And these are

2:27:47not affordable units or family units.

2:27:50These are multi-million dollar condos.

2:27:54Um too small for families and definitely

2:27:57not affordable. They're driving up real

2:28:00estate costs all over Cambridge, making

2:28:03it less, not more likely that there will

2:28:05be affordable housing. And the

2:28:09demographic, the diversity that we value

2:28:12here in Cambridge will change as the

2:28:15only people who can move in and buy

2:28:16these houses are not working families.

2:28:20Thank you.

2:28:20>> Thank you.

2:28:22We're going to go back to an earlier

2:28:23skip speaker, Carlos Loya, then we will

2:28:26go to Leslie Swanson. Carlos, you have

2:28:28the floor. One minute. Please go ahead.

2:28:33>> Thank you. Uh, and thank you everyone

2:28:35for their service. Uh, tonight I'm I am

2:28:39for developers in Cambridge making a

2:28:42profit. Um, unlike many people here, but

2:28:46when they build the homes that our

2:28:49people in our communities are actually

2:28:51looking for, and that's obviously not

2:28:54what's happening now. previously

2:28:56affordable rentals are being demolished

2:28:58and the middle class families who could

2:29:01once afford to live here and down the

2:29:04street where I live here in West

2:29:06Cambridge are being driven out. So,

2:29:10uh counselors um particularly McGovern

2:29:13Aim and Sabrina Wheeler likely had very

2:29:17good intentions when they believed that

2:29:18this multif family housing ordinance

2:29:20would deliver affordability. But now we

2:29:22have evidence that it is not doing the

2:29:25the intended effect. Actually, it's the

2:29:27opposite in making affordability worse,

2:29:29killing hundreds of trees, dis

2:29:31disincentivizing solar. So, I urge the

2:29:34city council to listen to the thousands

2:29:36of families who are asking to please

2:29:39stop it. The MFH had good intention to

2:29:42sol.

2:29:43>> Thanks, Carlos. Please email us the

2:29:45remainder. Your time expired. Our next

2:29:47speaker is Lesie Swanson, followed by

2:29:50Alan Peterson. Then Molly Brooks. Leslie

2:29:55Leslie is not with us. We're going to go

2:29:57to speaker number 80, Alan Peterson.

2:29:59Alan, you have one minute.

2:30:09Thank you. My [clears throat] name is

2:30:12Alan Peterson. I live at 19 Haskell

2:30:14Street in North Cambridge with my wife

2:30:17and our children. I'm here to ask you,

2:30:19the city council, to adopt these modest

2:30:23amendments to the current zoning policy.

2:30:27Although I have a number of issues with

2:30:29the current zoning policy, I will focus

2:30:31on just one. The city of Boston, as it

2:30:35turns out, currently is looking for ways

2:30:38to change their zoning to help increase

2:30:41the number of large canopy trees and

2:30:44permeable surfaces throughout the city

2:30:46and neighborhoods. I understand how they

2:30:50understand how vital the trees and

2:30:52permeable surfaces are in combating the

2:30:56forever increasing urban heat island

2:31:01effect global warming.

2:31:04Our current front, rear, and sideyard

2:31:06setbacks do not allow for the

2:31:09sustainable uh ability of full growth

2:31:13canopy trees.

2:31:15>> Alan, your time has expired. if you can

2:31:17please.

2:31:17>> Cambridge is the most dense city, second

2:31:19most dense city.

2:31:20>> Our next speaker is Maul Brooks,

2:31:22followed by Joy Chesna, then Marica

2:31:25Frerieded.

2:31:31>> Hi, Molly Brooks, 70 Matt on Road. I'm a

2:31:34member of the CEA and I speak in favor

2:31:36of policy item 179 for fully funded

2:31:38public schools because all my co-workers

2:31:40deserve dignity. I'm going to read a

2:31:43non-exhaustive list of the reality. Many

2:31:45of our ESPs who survive on or around

2:31:47poverty wages,

2:31:49they have second jobs, have third jobs,

2:31:53have fourth jobs, miss time with loved

2:31:55ones doing to have to doing due to

2:31:58having to work those jobs. Skipping

2:32:00meals, choosing how long they can go in

2:32:02the winter without turning on their

2:32:04heat, taping or gluing together worn out

2:32:06shoes. opening new credit cards to

2:32:09expense emergency bills because savings

2:32:11account isn't an option when you're

2:32:12scraping by despite working full-time

2:32:15acrew in debt from those credit cards.

2:32:16Cutting your own hair, choosing the

2:32:18groceries you can afford, not the ones

2:32:19you want to eat. Our ESPs deserve so

2:32:22much better than this. Vote in favor of

2:32:24policy item 179.

2:32:27Thank you. Our next speaker is Joy

2:32:29Chestna, followed by Marissa Freed, then

2:32:32Lauren Jacobe. Joy.

2:32:43Hi, my name is Joy Chzn. I live at 411

2:32:46Franklin Street. Uh, I moved to

2:32:48Cambridge after my house going on fire

2:32:51in Jamaica Plane. And Cambridge is so

2:32:55inviting uh to me because of the

2:32:58creative charm of the historic

2:33:00buildings, old growth trees, lovely

2:33:02gardens, and community. I ask you to

2:33:05consider a pause on the multif family

2:33:08ordin ordinance to consider more the

2:33:11impact on the environment, sewage,

2:33:14community, access to sunlight, trees,

2:33:17quality of life, parking and

2:33:21uh and how the ordinance actually

2:33:25affects affordable housing and the

2:33:28lovely Cambridge Gardens. Thank you.

2:33:32>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Marissa

2:33:34Frerieded

2:33:38followed by Lauren Jacobe. Marissa, one

2:33:42minute.

2:33:44Marissa Freed, shear, 50 Prospect

2:33:46Street, Somerville, speaking of policy

2:33:48order number 179. It's been discussed as

2:33:50a district initiative to ensure that

2:33:52every CPS stu student has a connection

2:33:55with a trusted educator who they know

2:33:57they can reach out to to share their

2:33:59joys, but also their struggles. For many

2:34:01of our students, this trusted adult is

2:34:03an education support professional, an

2:34:05ESP. Not only do we lift up the

2:34:08educational, social, emotional, and

2:34:09learning potential of our students, we

2:34:11also help prevent them from falling

2:34:13through the cracks. It is suicide

2:34:15prevention month. Keeping privacy in

2:34:17mind, there are several examples I can

2:34:19share of CPSD students who because of

2:34:21their trusted relationship with an ESP

2:34:24only opened up about their suicidal

2:34:26ideiation to us and we were there to be

2:34:28able to connect them to the help they

2:34:30needed. CPSD educators advocating for a

2:34:33par profession in every classroom as

2:34:35live well as living wages so that we

2:34:37could always be there for our students

2:34:39to of course celebrate their successes

2:34:41but to support them throughout their

2:34:43struggles as well. Thank you.

2:34:45>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Lauren

2:34:47Jacobe, followed by Nathan Sitarman,

2:34:51then Joel Patterson. Lauren, please go

2:34:54ahead. One minute.

2:35:02Lauren, if you can unmute on your end.

2:35:04You have the floor.

2:35:10We can't hear Lauren. We're going to

2:35:12move on to speaker number 85, Nathan

2:35:16Sitaraman, followed by Joel Patterson,

2:35:19then Robert O'Neal.

2:35:22Thanks. Yeah, Nathan Sudamean of 100

2:35:24Memorial Drive, also speaking on uh the

2:35:27Cambridge Teachers. I moved to Cambridge

2:35:29for a job at a tech startup. And knowing

2:35:32that I'm just one representative of this

2:35:34city's robust tech sector, it's

2:35:36appalling to know that we don't pay a

2:35:37living wage to public educators. Not a

2:35:40single tech worker or anyone in this

2:35:42room was born smart. Everyone here is a

2:35:45product of our education. And that's why

2:35:47it shocks the conscience that the money

2:35:49we bring into the local economy is not

2:35:52going towards the education of the next

2:35:53generation.

2:35:55It's shortsighted at a time when the

2:35:57cost of being shortsighted is going to

2:35:59be a lot more than 10 or 20 million.

2:36:02Pay the teachers. And for commercial

2:36:04properties in Cambridge, especially

2:36:06those that are home to lucrative tech

2:36:08businesses, assess them and tax them in

2:36:10a way that's commensurate with the

2:36:12profits being made. Because frankly,

2:36:14unless Harvard and MIT grow legs and

2:36:16walk away, tech is not leaving the city.

2:36:19Thank you. And also decriminalized sex

2:36:21work.

2:36:22>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Joel

2:36:25Patterson, followed by Robert O'Neal,

2:36:27then Sheila O'shanosy.

2:36:32>> Joel.

2:36:34Joel has not joined. We will go to

2:36:35Robert O'Neal.

2:36:37Robert, you have one minute. Please go

2:36:39ahead.

2:36:42Robert O'Neal, 175 Hallworthy Street,

2:36:45speaking on the multif family housing

2:36:47ordinance. Over the past months and

2:36:49again tonight, you've heard comments,

2:36:51concerns, facts, and opinions which

2:36:53provide rational justification for the

2:36:55need to substantially amend the multif

2:36:58family housing ordinance. They are not

2:37:00just the concerns of those who have met

2:37:01with you and city staff, not just those

2:37:04who were able to speak tonight, but are

2:37:06concerns echoed by thousands of

2:37:08Cambridge residents. Over 4,600 of your

2:37:12constituents have signed a petition

2:37:14requesting you to pause development

2:37:16under the ordinance and enact

2:37:17substantive amendments, and we're

2:37:19continuing to collect 40 additional

2:37:21signatures a day. The voices of the

2:37:24people who signed the petition warrant

2:37:26as much attention and weight in the

2:37:27city's decisions as those who made time

2:37:29to speak here tonight on any side of the

2:37:32issue. I urge you to follow through on

2:37:34your obligation to represent the

2:37:36interests of Cambridge residents who

2:37:38have invested their time, resources, and

2:37:40lives making Cambridge what it is today,

2:37:42not the interests of developers with no

2:37:45long-term vested interest in Cambridge.

2:37:47Thank you.

2:37:48>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Sheila

2:37:50O'shanosy, followed by Paula Mount, then

2:37:54Andrew Zoo. Sheila.

2:37:57>> Hi, my name is Sheila Oanessy. I'm uh um

2:38:00born and raised in Cambridge, grew up in

2:38:02a third floor. Seven of us lived there

2:38:06happily and Cambridge is not the

2:38:08Cambridge that I once knew. Um I'm

2:38:10asking to put a pause on the demolishing

2:38:13and destroying neighborhoods in

2:38:14Cambridge. I believe the council that

2:38:16supported the developers have deceived

2:38:18the residents of Cambridge, saying they

2:38:20will be affordable, but the loophole of

2:38:22keeping them under 10 units, therefore

2:38:24won't have any affordable units. Don't

2:38:26be fooled. These one-bedroom units will

2:38:29not be affordable. The developers say

2:38:31they will be environmentally green, but

2:38:33I see nothing green about tearing the

2:38:35old beautiful trees, the wisteria, and a

2:38:3875-year-old grapevine that's next door

2:38:41to me on 5052 Chilton Street in

2:38:43Cambridge, which is being knocked down

2:38:45October 5th. When I looked out the

2:38:48window the other day, I noticed um a van

2:38:51pull up. The people were putting their

2:38:53socks over their pant legs with surgical

2:38:56masks and bandanas on going to remove

2:38:59asbestous. They had none of the

2:39:00paperwork. That was

2:39:01>> Sheila, your time is expired. Please

2:39:03email us the remainder of your comment.

2:39:05We'll go next to Paula Mount, followed

2:39:08by Andrew Zoo, then Joe Quest Newbert.

2:39:17Paula, if you can unmute yourself.

2:39:23Actually, not seeing Paula Mount on the

2:39:25Zoom. A different Paula. Um, we will go

2:39:28to Andrew Zoo.

2:39:34>> Good evening. My name is Andrew So

2:39:36living at 65 Briner Road and I'm here to

2:39:38speak in opposition to the proposed

2:39:39amendments to the multif family house

2:39:41zoning ordinance. Because I can't live

2:39:43here anymore. Not because I can't afford

2:39:45it, but because my girlfriend, who I've

2:39:47been long distance with for the last 5

2:39:48years and would really like to have move

2:39:50in with me, cannot live here. Because

2:39:53she's a wheelchair user. And the front

2:39:55door to my 126-y old apartment was up a

2:39:58set of stairs. And me being a renter

2:40:00could not just compel my landlord to

2:40:01reconfigure my entire building to make

2:40:03it accessible. So I had to choose

2:40:06Cambridge or my girlfriend.

2:40:09And I I left. I wouldn't have had to if

2:40:11my apartment was modern and ADA

2:40:12compliant to begin with or if I had any

2:40:14accessible alternatives that were even

2:40:16remotely affordable in the city. That's

2:40:18why I think it's important to preserve

2:40:20multif family zoning as is. Not just

2:40:22because it's already the best tool to

2:40:24make housing cheaper, but because newly

2:40:26built housing is the only chance that my

2:40:28girlfriend and I and many others like us

2:40:30could ever build a life here. Thank you.

2:40:33>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Joe Quest

2:40:36Newert. Joe, please go ahead. You have

2:40:38one minute.

2:40:44>> Yeah. Okay. Hi, I'm Joe Quest Nubert,

2:40:471222 Cambridge Street. I'm a career

2:40:50public school teacher and also a

2:40:51homeowner in Cambridge thanks to the

2:40:53Homebridge program. I'm speaking today

2:40:55in strong support of policy order six to

2:40:58urge you to work with the city manager

2:40:59and school committee to ensure a living

2:41:01wage for all Cambridge public schools

2:41:03employees. Even in a bad economy,

2:41:06Cambridge has incredible wealth. There

2:41:08is no reason that a city with a billion

2:41:10dollar budget and a stated commitment to

2:41:12economic opportunity should pay any of

2:41:15its employees poverty wages. Our city

2:41:18manager and school committee need your

2:41:20leadership to say yes, we can and must

2:41:22find the money to ensure that CPSD

2:41:25parrofessionals,

2:41:26clerks, and substitutes will all be paid

2:41:29a living wage. If that money needs to

2:41:31come from an increase in property taxes,

2:41:33then please increase our taxes. I would

2:41:36rather pay more in property taxes than

2:41:38know I am funding a system that does not

2:41:41fairly compensate its workers. Thank

2:41:43you.

2:41:44>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Ian

2:41:47McGoldendrick, followed by Sam Palmer,

2:41:50then Miriam Cohen.

2:41:54Ian, you have the floor. You have one

2:41:56minute. Please go ahead.

2:42:04Ian, if you can unmute yourself.

2:42:10>> Hi, good day. Um, I'm Ian McGorick, live

2:42:12at 18 Fenwood Circle, uh, Cambridge,

2:42:15Massachusetts. Uh, my wife and I, uh,

2:42:18bike around Cambridge. We have a new,

2:42:21uh, son who's about 20 months old. Uh

2:42:24we've been biking a ton around the city

2:42:26and uh you know the the value of the

2:42:29network is to have um routes on biking

2:42:33that are continuous and allow us to get

2:42:36to our friends in Arlington, Belmont and

2:42:38other uh other places. Uh it's our you

2:42:41know primary mode of travel when we're

2:42:42trying to uh move within the city. Um

2:42:45and uh I strongly encourage council to

2:42:49uh continue forward with this project.

2:42:51Um, we constantly hear this push back

2:42:54about parking. Uh, I live very close to

2:42:56Broadway. I can't thank the council

2:42:58enough and the city workers enough for

2:43:00the changes they've made for safety on

2:43:02Broadway. It's made a huge impact and on

2:43:04the life of my 20-month-old who gets to

2:43:06daycare by those bike lanes. I would

2:43:09expect there are similar people out on

2:43:10here in A and when we go out on here on

2:43:12AB to the park out there. Um, thank you.

2:43:16>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Sam

2:43:17Palmer followed by Miriam Cohen. and

2:43:20Jennifer Britain Cologne. Sam

2:43:25has not joined us. We're going to go to

2:43:26Miriam Cohen.

2:43:33Miriam is not Oh, Miriam is on Zoom.

2:43:37Miriam, you have the floor.

2:43:46Miriam, I believe you should be able to

2:43:50unmute yourself now. Yep. Please go

2:43:51ahead.

2:43:51>> Hi. Can you hear me?

2:43:52>> Yes.

2:43:53>> Sorry about that. My name is Miriam

2:43:55Cohen. I'm the associate director of the

2:43:57New England Jewish Labor Committee. Um

2:44:00I'm speaking in favor of policy order

2:44:03number 179 um in support of the

2:44:06Cambridge Educators Association. Um

2:44:09there is an incredible um vibrant Jewish

2:44:13community in Cambridge and um

2:44:18it relies like all communities here on

2:44:21um being able to somehow afford the city

2:44:23which is as we know is really hard. Um

2:44:25and that both includes um having a

2:44:28livable living wage for paras, teachers,

2:44:32staff. Um I know a lot of community

2:44:34members work in Cambridge public schools

2:44:36and um as parents um to be able to send

2:44:39their kids to schools that are fully

2:44:41funded. Um the Jewish labor committee

2:44:44has been fighting for um workers getting

2:44:47what they deserve for 90 years. Um and

2:44:50proud to continue that history forward.

2:44:52Hope you fund the Cambridge schools.

2:44:57>> Thank you. So our next speaker is

2:45:00Jennifer Britain Cologne.

2:45:03Jennifer has not joined us. We will go

2:45:06to speaker number

2:45:0996, Briana Pearson.

2:45:13Briana, you have one minute. Please go

2:45:15ahead.

2:45:17>> Hi. I think I was on the wrong list for

2:45:19the tax rate meeting, but I also feel

2:45:22like I'm kind of the trifecta here as a

2:45:24resident, a parent, and a business and a

2:45:28corporate or a commercial taxpayer. Um,

2:45:33I just came in support tonight of the

2:45:35Cambridge educators to learn a living

2:45:37wage. I feel like as a alumni of CRLS

2:45:41myself, I've seen the schools change

2:45:44over the course of the last

2:45:47My daughter's 26, my youngest is 11. Um

2:45:51there used to be amazing project-based

2:45:54learning in my ch my daughter's

2:45:56elementary school. Same elementary

2:45:58school. 16 years later, the support

2:46:01staff has been dropped entirely and

2:46:05we've lost a bunch of tenur teachers

2:46:07because of some terrible administration

2:46:09hires. I think we need to respect our

2:46:12educators, listen to what they need, and

2:46:14support them. Educators are an integral

2:46:16strength regarding our collective

2:46:17character in this city. Thank you.

2:46:20>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Audra

2:46:22Dudy, followed by Nancy Weissman, then

2:46:25Stacy Reid. Audra, one minute. Please go

2:46:28ahead.

2:46:35>> Hi, can you hear me?

2:46:36>> We can.

2:46:38>> Hi, thank you. Um, hi, my name is Audrey

2:46:40Dudy. I'm a Worester. I'm the co-CEO of

2:46:42Safe Exit Initiative. We provide support

2:46:45and resources for those impacted by the

2:46:46sex trade. I'm here tonight in full

2:46:49opposition to policy order 10. We

2:46:51already do not have enough willing

2:46:52participants to meet the demand and that

2:46:55is why I was trafficked into the sex

2:46:56trade by my pimp. Also in Massachusetts,

2:46:59we do not we do not currently arrest

2:47:02sellers of sex and and go after the

2:47:05demand the sex pers buyers and the

2:47:07traffickers. This city ordinance goes

2:47:09against everything the governor's office

2:47:11five-year plan to address human

2:47:13trafficking that was released last

2:47:14January. I want to remind everybody

2:47:16about the C Cambridge brothel bus that

2:47:18happened not that long ago. We had a

2:47:21city council member who claimed it was

2:47:22consensual adult se sex sex work, but

2:47:24when you look at the interactions

2:47:26between toner and the brothel owner, it

2:47:27was clear that the person selling the

2:47:29sex had no say in what happened. This is

2:47:31what happens in the sex street. You said

2:47:33agreements or terms and they are almost

2:47:35always broken. The buyers never ask how

2:47:38old you are or if you want to be there.

2:47:3987%

2:47:41>> Apologies Audra, your time expired.

2:47:43Please email us the remainder of your

2:47:45comment. We are moving on to Nancy

2:47:47Weissman followed by Stacy Reid, then

2:47:51Patricia Barger. Nancy, you have one

2:47:53minute. Please unmute yourself. You have

2:47:55the floor.

2:47:59>> This is Nancy Weissman. I live on

2:48:01Strawberry Hill. I have been a resident

2:48:03of Cambridge since 1995, which makes it

2:48:0631 years. I'm here today to ask you to

2:48:10change the affordable housing proposal

2:48:14so that it stops destroying our

2:48:15neighborhoods. It has unintended

2:48:18consequences. The buy right options are

2:48:22way too broad. I ask that you consider

2:48:25the email that I sent to the city

2:48:27councilors on June 1st because the

2:48:30developer up the road from me, Mark at

2:48:32number 95, wants to change a single

2:48:35family house with Lord and setbacks into

2:48:37an enormous six-unit luxury condo

2:48:40development. This is not creating

2:48:42affordable housing. Thank you.

2:48:45>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Stacy

2:48:48Reid.

2:48:54Stacy, I see Dr. Stacy Reed Barnes.

2:48:57Please go ahead. Yes, please. Hi. Hi.

2:48:58Can you hear me?

2:48:59>> We can.

2:49:00>> Hi, my name is Dr. Stacy Reed Barnes. I

2:49:02am an international survivor leader,

2:49:04advocate, and professional committed to

2:49:06ending human trafficking and

2:49:07exploitation. I am in opposition of

2:49:09policy order number 10, the

2:49:11decriminalization of sex work in

2:49:12Cambridge, Mass, because I do not

2:49:14believe it will make people safer. As a

2:49:16survivor, I know that trafficking is not

2:49:18just about what happens to someone. It's

2:49:20about what is taken from them. Their

2:49:22safety, their voice, their trust, and

2:49:24often their sense of self. Many

2:49:26individuals involved in the sex trade

2:49:27come from vulnerable backgrounds,

2:49:29including poverty, homelessness,

2:49:30addiction, and histories of abuse.

2:49:32Expanding the market for commercial sex

2:49:34can increase demand without addressing

2:49:36the underlying factors that place people

2:49:38at risk and reduce accountability for

2:49:40buyers and create opportunities for

2:49:42traffic to for traffickers to operate

2:49:43with less scrutiny or feel that they can

2:49:46or will turn Cambridge into a red light

2:49:48district. Safety does not come from

2:49:50providing housing. Safety comes from,

2:49:53excuse me, safety comes from providing

2:49:55housing, mental health services,

2:49:56education, employment opportunities, and

2:49:58support for those who want to leave the

2:50:00industry, not not normalizing our

2:50:02prostitution. We should focus on

2:50:04protecting vulnerable.

2:50:07>> Apologies for muting you. Please email

2:50:10us the remainder at city

2:50:12[email protected].

2:50:14Your time had expired. We are on to

2:50:17speaker number 100. We have about 54 to

2:50:2056 speakers to go. Speaker 100 is

2:50:24Patricia Barger.

2:50:26Patricia.

2:50:31Patricia may have left. We are going to

2:50:33move on to speaker number 101, Paola

2:50:37Rabusco.

2:50:40Paula, you have the floor. You have one

2:50:42minute.

2:50:45Hi PAusco 179 springs it parent at

2:50:49amigos and CRLS. I support policy order

2:50:51number six and prioritizing Cambridge

2:50:53public school in the budget so that all

2:50:55Cambridge educators can earn a living

2:50:57wage starting this year. There are

2:50:58larger questions about why despite our

2:51:00very high per student spending we still

2:51:02face challenges for student and staff.

2:51:05But right now we need to make sure that

2:51:06the people doing this work are paid

2:51:08fairly. I've seen firsthand how PAR

2:51:10professionals have supported my children

2:51:12emotionally, helped them navigate

2:51:13conflicts, and notice opportunities to

2:51:15inspire them. For example, by finding an

2:51:17extra book when they saw a particular

2:51:19interest. Every time I see this work,

2:51:21I'm impressed. Knowing that these

2:51:23educators are not earning a living wage

2:51:25makes me feel that we are undervaluing

2:51:27and taking advantage of their skills and

2:51:30generosity. Thank you.

2:51:32>> Thank you. We're going to go back to

2:51:35Jennifer Britain Colonise. Jennifer, you

2:51:38have the floor. One minute.

2:51:41>> Hi, good evening. Um, this is Jennifer

2:51:43Britain Colonies. I live at 209 Hurley

2:51:46Street. Um, um, speaking um, in support

2:51:49of order 179 um, to give pair

2:51:54professionals a living wage and um,

2:51:57really that we need to invest in our

2:52:00future, in our students, and the people

2:52:03who help them learn. Thank you so much.

2:52:06appreciate your time.

2:52:08>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Trish

2:52:10Euans, followed by Anthony Martin, then

2:52:13Suzanne Schindler. Trish,

2:52:20Trish is not with us. We're going to

2:52:21move on to Anthony Martin.

2:52:27Anthony is not on the Zoom. We will go

2:52:29to Suzanne Schindler.

2:52:36Suzanne is not here. We're gonna go to

2:52:38Janforte.

2:52:45Jen has also left. We will go to Jacob

2:52:48Silverson.

2:52:49Jacob, you have the floor. You have one

2:52:51minute. Please go ahead.

2:52:54>> Jacob Silverson, 103A1 Hill Street,

2:52:56Cambridge. I'm speaking uh in support of

2:52:59the proposed changes to the multif

2:53:00family housing ordinance. CDD's

2:53:03amendments are but a modest yet

2:53:05important step to modifying the existing

2:53:07ordinance. The Azim McGovern Sabrina

2:53:10Wheeler amendment nullifies the CDD

2:53:13proposal. A vote for the amendment

2:53:15repres

2:53:21thousands of Cambridge citizens that can

2:53:23see building more and more market rate

2:53:25housing no matter what will in short

2:53:28order make our city unlivable. It

2:53:31saddens me to say that we are going down

2:53:34the path of destruction at a pace far

2:53:36faster than any of us could have

2:53:38imagined. I implore you vote yes to CDD,

2:53:41no to council proposed uh amendments. I

2:53:45want to say this we we have many of us

2:53:48have gone to the council and pleaded

2:53:49with you to look at what what we

2:53:51predicted would have happened and it now

2:53:52is happening. Please pay attention and

2:53:55take this into account. Stop it now.

2:53:57Every day is more destruction. Thank

2:53:59you. Thank you. Our next speaker is

2:54:01Kathleen Kelly followed by Jay Hothling,

2:54:05then Nahit Travy. Kathleen, you have the

2:54:08floor. You have one minute. Please go

2:54:10ahead.

2:54:14I have to say the problem that upzoning

2:54:18might cause folks who want to add solar

2:54:20panels is new and concerning to me.

2:54:24Policy order 173 is only only a first

2:54:28step. We need a full review of the

2:54:31upzoning scheme and that should include

2:54:34robust public comment. In addition, the

2:54:3845

2:54:40billion Cambridge point project which

2:54:42promises 415 to 460 affordable housing

2:54:47units should be factored into any

2:54:50discussion on zoning and affordability

2:54:53going forward. Thank you.

2:54:56>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Jay

2:54:58Hodddling followed by Nahit Travy. Jay,

2:55:02you have the floor. You have one minute.

2:55:05Please go ahead,

2:55:12Jay. You have to unmute on your end.

2:55:19>> There we go. I'm sorry about that. You

2:55:22can hear me now.

2:55:22>> We can. Please go ahead.

2:55:25>> Perfect. J hoteling 541 Green Street and

2:55:28I'm here to plead with the Cambridge

2:55:30residents and of course um our governing

2:55:32bodies here to remember that Cambridge

2:55:34started as a forest swamps and it was a

2:55:36village as a village surrounded by

2:55:38fields and if you asked our our

2:55:41ancestors back in the 16 or 1700s they

2:55:43wouldn't recognize the city today and

2:55:45the city continues to densify. We have a

2:55:48heavy rail subway line right through the

2:55:50center and it's become a major part of

2:55:53the fabric of the Boston metro. I agree

2:55:55with many of the residents concerns

2:55:57about ugly ugly development and I think

2:55:59there are some ways to make it better.

2:56:01However, our lots are tiny. The multif

2:56:04family amendments have huge setbacks and

2:56:07sideyard requirements that are simply

2:56:09not going to work with the buildings and

2:56:11the the goals of making it come

2:56:12together. And today's market rate

2:56:15apartments and market rate buildings are

2:56:17expensive, yes, but they are tomorrow's

2:56:19affordable housing. They're energy

2:56:21efficient, safer, and all around better.

2:56:23Please don't change the things. It's

2:56:25tough to go through the initial parts of

2:56:27a boom.

2:56:28>> Thank you, Jay. Please email us the

2:56:30remainder. Our next speaker is Nihit

2:56:33Travy, followed by David Halperin, then

2:56:35Ryan Black. Nahit, you have the floor.

2:56:38You have one minute. Please go ahead.

2:56:43Naomi,

2:56:44>> can you hear me?

2:56:46>> We can hear we can hear you.

2:56:47>> Can you hear me?

2:56:48>> We can. Please go ahead.

2:56:50>> Okay. Thank you.

2:56:50>> Hey Naomi, sorry we don't have quorum,

2:56:52so we have to stop. Apologies if you can

2:56:55just hold on for one second.

2:56:57>> Okay.

2:56:59>> Okay. Vice Mayor's here, but we need

2:57:02someone here. Continue. Nah, please go

2:57:06ahead. You have the floor. We reset the

2:57:07timer. One minute.

2:57:10>> Okay. Thank you.

2:57:13>> Uh uh city council, first of all, I

2:57:16commend you all for moving forward last

2:57:18year with the multif family housing

2:57:19overlay. Massachusetts and Cambridge are

2:57:22in the midst of an existential crisis

2:57:24with people and families leaving the

2:57:26state, leaving our city, uh ultimately

2:57:29which could result in poorer finances

2:57:31for our city, less students in our

2:57:32schools, and less representation in

2:57:34Washington DC. So, I ask the council to

2:57:37stay the course and reject changes that

2:57:39could result in many fewer homes being

2:57:42built. Second, please continue the

2:57:45expansion of Hiron Avenue bike lanes. I

2:57:47suffered multiple bike accidents a

2:57:49decade ago, and since the establishment

2:57:51of these lanes, the city is much safer

2:57:53for both me and my children who ride

2:57:55with me. Lastly, I hope the city will

2:57:57support the health and safety of sex

2:57:58workers, including depp prioritizing

2:58:00arrests for consensual adult sex work.

2:58:03Thank you.

2:58:04>> Thank you. Our next speaker is David

2:58:06Halperin, followed by Ryan Black, then

2:58:09Patrick Barton. We're at speaker 111.

2:58:13David, you have the floor. Please go

2:58:15ahead.

2:58:20>> David Halpern, 14 Valentine Street, Unit

2:58:223. Um, I'd like to express my strong

2:58:25opposition to um on the multif family

2:58:28housing zoning with increased setback

2:58:31requirements. um opponents of the zoning

2:58:34will talk about how it's producing very

2:58:36little affordable housing in one breath

2:58:38and then you know give their example of

2:58:40nine lyman road which is you know one of

2:58:42the few projects that is producing you

2:58:45know restricted inclusionary units that

2:58:49you know as was extensively discussed

2:58:52during the when this was initially

2:58:54proposed that scale and density is

2:58:56needed to financially support those

2:58:58affordable units. Um these projects are

2:59:01you know all on the edge of being viable

2:59:04and like anything that you do that to

2:59:06pair them back is going to make it very

2:59:07difficult for them to move forward. Uh

2:59:09please do not uh reduce the please do

2:59:13not uh please do not pair back the

2:59:15zoning. Thank you so much.

2:59:18>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Ryan

2:59:20Black followed by Patrick Barton then

2:59:23Scott Pullman.

2:59:26>> Hello counselors. My name is Ryan Black.

2:59:27I am a Cambridge letter carrier. Uh I

2:59:31speak in support of councelor Elzub's

2:59:32policy order 179. Uh Cambridge educators

2:59:36deserve a living wage and students

2:59:37deserve fully funded schools. So there

2:59:40needs to be at least a 6% increase to

2:59:42the budget. Uh branch 34 of the National

2:59:44Association of Letter Carriers. My

2:59:46union, we voted to endorse the Cambridge

2:59:48educators in their contract fight. So,

2:59:50please meet their request for a fair

2:59:52settlement to the contract and vote for

2:59:54uh councelor Elzubie's uh proposal um

2:59:56separately in just in my individual

2:59:58capacity just you know you know not not

3:00:01in my union's capacity. I also support

3:00:03policy order 10 and encourage you to

3:00:04vote accordingly. Thank you.

3:00:06>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Patrick

3:00:08Barton. Patrick.

3:00:12Patrick has left us. We will go to Scott

3:00:14Pullman, followed by Abigail Ransmeer,

3:00:17then Shelley Peacock.

3:00:26Scott, you have the floor. Please go

3:00:28ahead. You have one minute.

3:00:32Hi, my name is Scott Pullman. I live at

3:00:33467 Heron Avenue and I'm speaking in

3:00:36support of policy order 173. The multif

3:00:38family ordinance was passed with the

3:00:40goal of improving affordability. What it

3:00:42seems to have done instead is encourage

3:00:44tearowns of modest multif family houses

3:00:47and replacing them with whatever

3:00:48maximizes investor profits, regardless

3:00:50of how this may affect the local

3:00:52neighborhood or affordability. According

3:00:54to the census, the city's added 10,000

3:00:56housing units since 2010. That's a 21%

3:01:00increase when the Boston metro

3:01:02population has grown by only 10%. Yet, I

3:01:04don't think anyone would say that more

3:01:06units alone has solved our affordability

3:01:08issue. Carelessly accelerating that pace

3:01:11will not solve it either. When setting

3:01:13rules for developers, I encourage the

3:01:15city to more carefully consider the

3:01:17impact on current residents, especially

3:01:19those in need of true affordable

3:01:21housing. The proposed amendments are a

3:01:23step in this direction. Thank you very

3:01:25much.

3:01:26>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Abigail

3:01:28Ransmeer.

3:01:30Abigail is not here. We will go to

3:01:33Shelley Heock followed by Steve Marx

3:01:36then

3:01:38Karen Brashette.

3:01:46Shelley is not here. We will go to Steve

3:01:48Marks.

3:01:52Steve is also not here. Um we are going

3:01:55to go to Karen Bashett.

3:01:57Karen, you have one minute. Please go

3:01:59ahead.

3:02:05Karen Brushett or Brushette.

3:02:08>> Hi, Karen Brushett here at 51 Cushing

3:02:11Street. I'm here to support the proposed

3:02:13zoning amendments. Please listen to your

3:02:16experts. City department experts told me

3:02:18that they are quote not taken seriously.

3:02:21They're telling you why these amendments

3:02:23are needed. Storm water, fire safety,

3:02:26trees, egress, green factor are all

3:02:30competing for limited space. We're

3:02:33funneling six lanes of requirements

3:02:35through a one-lane road. We've created a

3:02:385-ft traffic jam. CDD put it simply,

3:02:41more space equals fewer conflicts. Yet,

3:02:44some of you are still seeking to weaken

3:02:47the proposed amendments. Councelor

3:02:49Sabrina Wheeler proposed an exclus an

3:02:51inclusionary exception which raises an

3:02:54important question. Why should

3:02:55affordable housing get less room for

3:02:57flood protection, safety, trees, fire

3:03:00access? That's not equity. CDD already

3:03:03knew this space was needed, accounted

3:03:05for it in its housing projections, and

3:03:07confirmed it will not adversely impact

3:03:09our housing forecast. Please listen to

3:03:11your experts and support policy order

3:03:13173.

3:03:14>> Thank you, Tal Seberg. I believe was a

3:03:17repeat. We are gonna go to Jeff Singer

3:03:20followed by Chrissy Bates then Lindseay

3:03:23Kasa Grand. Jeff,

3:03:32>> good evening. My partner and I live at

3:03:3429 Buckingham Street. We've been there

3:03:3629 20 years. And I'm speaking about the

3:03:40urgency to amend the MFHO. Counselors,

3:03:43you got very loud messages from

3:03:46constituents tonight. They were

3:03:47thoughtful, they were informed, and they

3:03:49were personal. And I've been keeping

3:03:51score.

3:03:54The comments to reverse, slow down, do

3:03:57something with this ordinance. It's a

3:03:59windfall for developers is about 33 to8.

3:04:03So, I challenge each of you to be

3:04:06transparent.

3:04:08This was actually my wife's idea. NASCAR

3:04:10drivers, tour to France cyclists, all

3:04:13wear colorful jackets with logos of

3:04:16their sponsors. Any or all of you who

3:04:19accept money from developers or realtors

3:04:23should be required to wear their

3:04:24corporate logos on your shirts to let

3:04:27constituents know who is really

3:04:30influencing decision-making. Thank you.

3:04:33>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Chrissy

3:04:35Bates followed by Lindseay Kasag then

3:04:38Valerie Bonds. Chrissy.

3:04:44>> Good evening Cambridge counselors. My

3:04:46name is Chrissy Bates and I'm an active

3:04:49member of the Governor's Council on

3:04:51Trafficking, a young Democrat of

3:04:54Massachusetts, an independent public

3:04:56policy consultant, and a previous

3:04:59commissioner on the Massachusetts

3:05:00Special Commission on Unaccompanied

3:05:02Homeless Youth. But before any of these

3:05:04titles, I was a 16-year-old trying to

3:05:08survive. My mom was a single mom

3:05:10survivor working tons of hours. Love

3:05:14wasn't the problem. Money was. As a

3:05:16minor, I started

3:05:18selling sexual images on Facebook to men

3:05:21that would buy it, then trading sex for

3:05:24what I needed. Based on my ex boots on

3:05:27the ground work as a youth homelessness

3:05:29street outreach case worker for over six

3:05:31years, here's what I learned. The

3:05:33current status quo doesn't keep anyone

3:05:35safe. You can't arrest people out of

3:05:37poverty. You can't prosecute people into

3:05:39safety. But you can protect and invest

3:05:42in us and tell the police to leave

3:05:44people who exchange sex to meet their

3:05:46needs alone. The AL ACLU supports us.

3:05:51And is that my time?

3:05:53>> Your time is expired. Thank you. We're

3:05:56going to back to our earliest skip

3:05:59speaker, Suzanne Bier. Suzanne, you have

3:06:01the floor. You have one minute. Please

3:06:04go ahead.

3:06:05>> Thank you so much, Suzanne Bier. Five

3:06:07fuller place. Please support CDD's

3:06:10modest amendments and don't support the

3:06:13the poison pill. Um these are very

3:06:16modest. They they will at least begin us

3:06:19to think about what we can do. We're

3:06:20seeing more demolitions and what's going

3:06:23in their place are far from affordable.

3:06:26They're 1.5 to2 million and um we we

3:06:30just need to be smarter about this. uh

3:06:33on Hiron Street. I would ask you to

3:06:35think about what you voted on for Garden

3:06:37Street. We could have had two-way uh

3:06:40traffic and kept the bike lanes, but you

3:06:43refuse that because of the question of

3:06:45losing parking. Well, we have to be um

3:06:48the same whether we're talking about

3:06:49Huron or other places. Parking is

3:06:51critical on the taxes. Um we should have

3:06:55cut back. I mean, like Harvard, etc.,

3:06:57our housing needs are less than they

3:06:59were before. Harvard's cut back 25% in

3:07:02some cases. We need to have a holistic

3:07:05approach to what we are doing in the

3:07:07city. Thanks so much.

3:07:08>> Thank you. We're going to go back to Tal

3:07:10Seabourg.

3:07:12Tal, you have one minute, please.

3:07:19Tal, we have to unmute you and then you

3:07:21unmute yourself. Let's try this one more

3:07:23time.

3:07:26Please unmute yourself. Tal, you have

3:07:27the floor. One minute.

3:07:29Thank you. Hi, my name is Tally Cyberg.

3:07:32I'm a homeowner, resident, and voter in

3:07:34Cambridge. I'm against cancelling the

3:07:37bike safety project number eight. Uh the

3:07:40more I bike in this town, the more I

3:07:42spend in local businesses.

3:07:44Uh if that doesn't convince you, please

3:07:47safety. Uh I don't want more people to

3:07:50die here. I don't think I should have to

3:07:53beg a city to do basic safety

3:07:55improvements.

3:07:57Even a minor car injury that doesn't get

3:08:00reported to the city, it's a major

3:08:01life-changing event. I'm dealing with a

3:08:03major head trauma from what's very minor

3:08:07injury that doesn't get reported. Please

3:08:10put in more bike lines, save lives, save

3:08:13people. Uh if that doesn't convince

3:08:16either, please know this is how most of

3:08:18my community decides their vote. Thank

3:08:21you. Please continue uh building bike

3:08:23lanes as many as possible. The more it

3:08:25is a network, the safer people will be

3:08:28and the more they will be used rather

3:08:30than cars. Thank you.

3:08:32>> Thank you.

3:08:34Our next speaker is Lindsay Casa

3:08:36Grandondo. We're at speaker number 122

3:08:39followed by Valerie Bonds. Then Molly

3:08:41O'Brien. Lindsay.

3:08:46Lindsay is not with us. We will go to

3:08:48Valerie Bonds.

3:08:51Valerie, you have one minute. Please go

3:08:53ahead.

3:08:55>> Thank you. Thank you for staying with

3:08:57us. Legalize sex, legalize drugs, and

3:09:01legalize gambling. We need regulation,

3:09:04public safety, and public health.

3:09:08Congratulations [laughter] to MIT

3:09:09Welssley Upwardbound Program on its 60th

3:09:12anniversary. And can the council propose

3:09:15extending a similar model to elementary

3:09:17and middle school students to help close

3:09:19the public education achievement gap?

3:09:22The policy order care community

3:09:24assistance response engagement program

3:09:26to improve behavioral health and crisis

3:09:29intervention citing the violence and

3:09:31trauma from the Memorial Drive shooting

3:09:33as a case for better response on on

3:09:36zoning. Members pushed to align the

3:09:38multif family zoning amendments,

3:09:40flagging a surge of fourstory high-end

3:09:42developments seemingly built to dodge

3:09:45city requirements for moderate and low

3:09:47income

3:09:49uh development. The new election for the

3:09:52city council in 2027 will solve many of

3:09:55these problems. Thank you very much.

3:09:57>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Molly

3:10:00O'Brien, then Daniel Mascoop, followed

3:10:03by Edward Bidd. Molly, you have one

3:10:05minute. Please go ahead.

3:10:10>> Hi, can you hear me?

3:10:12>> We can.

3:10:14>> My name is Molly O'Brien, live at 103

3:10:16Pleasant Street and I'm speaking in

3:10:18favor of amending the MFH zoning

3:10:21ordinance. Um, I live in Cambridge and

3:10:23when I walk around my neighborhood these

3:10:25days, I see multiple small lots being

3:10:27redeveloped into luxury dwellings,

3:10:30mostly with three to six units. It would

3:10:33be great if my niece, who's a local

3:10:35teacher, could afford to live in any of

3:10:37these new units, but she cannot. This is

3:10:39not a victory for affordable housing.

3:10:42Smaller lot projects like these ones are

3:10:45the least likely to produce affordable

3:10:47housing. The CDD's own data shows that

3:10:50the projects generate substantial gener

3:10:53who the projects that generate

3:10:54substantial inclusionary housing are the

3:10:56larger developments. Um, this is not a

3:11:00debate between affordable housing and

3:11:01wealthy homeowners. It's just making

3:11:04targeted changes for better outcomes.

3:11:07Thank you.

3:11:09>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Daniel

3:11:11Mascoop. Daniel, you have one minute.

3:11:13Please go ahead.

3:11:16>> Daniel, one minute.

3:11:23>> Daniel, can you hear me?

3:11:25>> We can. Daniel Mascu 37 Sparadocus

3:11:29Terrace. The proposed amendments to

3:11:30multif family zoning are not about

3:11:32mitigating unintended consequences nor

3:11:34about protecting affordable housing or

3:11:36preventing gentrification or

3:11:37displacement. It is about returning to

3:11:39the previous zoning code to the greatest

3:11:41extent possible. What I hear is that the

3:11:43gentrification and displacement at the

3:11:45extreme scales that we've experienced

3:11:46for a generation before multif family

3:11:48zoning was adopted is okay, even much

3:11:50better than building more housing

3:11:52because we were ensuring that the city

3:11:53didn't physically change. and that's

3:11:55more important than people. This is

3:11:56backwards and wrong. Cambridge is a city

3:11:59and it should change physically,

3:12:00especially if it helps mitigate the

3:12:01housing crisis and helps residents to

3:12:03maintain their lives here. We passed

3:12:05meaningful zoning changes just a year

3:12:07ago. There is much more to do and to

3:12:09improve it. Restrict average apartment

3:12:11sizes, pay for inclusionary units, but

3:12:13the proposed amendments rather aim to

3:12:15undo the benefits of multif family

3:12:16zoning. We shouldn't move backwards.

3:12:18Please reject the amendments. Thank you.

3:12:20>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Edward

3:12:23Bidd.

3:12:27Edward, you have one minute. Please go

3:12:28ahead.

3:12:32>> Hi, this is Edward Bidd. I have a

3:12:34twostory home surrounded by three

3:12:37deckers at 428 Franklin Street and have

3:12:40very little sunlight on the first floor.

3:12:43Proposed four to sixtory structures will

3:12:46be horrendous. I have zero recourse and

3:12:48I'm paying taxes to a city that's

3:12:50destroying my home's value. Parking is

3:12:53nearly impossible and down the street is

3:12:56a is at 450 is a two family unit being

3:13:00torn down for a fourstory structure.

3:13:02These buildings are over a hundred years

3:13:05old. The 90-year-old neighbor Moren

3:13:08Kroger is sick with wary who's doing

3:13:11this. And who's doing this? An

3:13:13investment fund. This is literally

3:13:15ruining the city and development run a

3:13:18muck. Cambridge is one of the most

3:13:20densely postulated cities in the country

3:13:23already and this is destroying its

3:13:26fabric and its culture. Uh please stop

3:13:29this and pause this insane development.

3:13:34>> Thank you. Our next speaker is

3:13:38Aram Harrow followed by Prabul

3:13:40Shakraarti then Andrew Kim.

3:13:46Aram, you have one minute. Please go

3:13:48ahead.

3:13:51>> Hi everyone. Thank you for working on

3:13:53these important topics. My name is Aram

3:13:55Harrow. I live in 19 Ellsworth. First, I

3:13:57want to speak in favor of paying par

3:13:59profofessionals more. They do a very

3:14:01important job and the schools work

3:14:02better when there's less turnover, which

3:14:04we only get from higher pay. Also, there

3:14:06are many people doing jobs of similar

3:14:08importance in pay who don't work for the

3:14:10city, like teachers at private

3:14:11daycarees. If we want these people to be

3:14:13able to live in Cambridge, we need more

3:14:15housing of all types. So, if you tweak

3:14:17the housing code, please do not reduce

3:14:20density. I want to respond briefly to

3:14:22two misconceptions about housing. First,

3:14:24people sometimes say they want housing

3:14:26just subject to some conditions. But

3:14:27everyone wants different conditions and

3:14:29pretty soon it's impossible to build and

3:14:31then Cambridge housing dies by a

3:14:32thousand cuts, not only restrictive

3:14:34zoning. Second, some people worry that

3:14:37new housing is more expensive than old

3:14:39housing. But that's how new things work.

3:14:41When new cars stopped being built during

3:14:43COVID, used cars got very expensive. If

3:14:46you banned new cars, it would have only

3:14:48made used cars more expensive. The same

3:14:50logic applies to housing. You have to

3:14:51allow new housing of all types without

3:14:53restriction. Thank you.

3:14:55>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Prab

3:14:57Shakarbarti, followed by Andrew Kim,

3:14:59then Jacob Augen Stern. Prabel,

3:15:04Prabell's not here. We're going to go to

3:15:08Andrew Kim, then Jacob.

3:15:16Hello, I'm Andrew Kim. I'm a member of

3:15:18the Democratic Socialists of America and

3:15:20a deacon at Old Cambridge Baptist

3:15:22Church. I'm here to speak in support of

3:15:24policy orders 3, 5, 6, 9, and 10. The

3:15:28council has the option today to show

3:15:30broad support for Cambridge's working

3:15:32class. The passage of these policy

3:15:34orders would cement that Cambridge is a

3:15:36city that respects workers rights to

3:15:38safe, supported workplaces, access to

3:15:41the tools and support they need to do

3:15:42their jobs properly, and the ability to

3:15:45make a real living wage for their work.

3:15:47The workers of Cambridge deserve more.

3:15:49They deserve to be treated with the

3:15:51dignity that they are rightfully

3:15:52afforded by being laborers in our city.

3:15:55While all these policy orders are

3:15:56important, as the son of a public school

3:15:58teacher, I will say that it is

3:15:59personally important to me that the

3:16:01council move to find the money for our

3:16:03educators and urge the school committee

3:16:05to end their obstinency and come to the

3:16:07table honestly to meet the CEA's quite

3:16:09reasonable demands. The council has the

3:16:12chance today to show that while we are

3:16:13the richest city in the country, one of

3:16:15the richest cities in the country, that

3:16:17wealth is built off the back of our

3:16:18working class. Thank you for your time.

3:16:20Thank you, Andrew. Our next speakers, we

3:16:23are at speaker number 130, Jacob Augen

3:16:25Stern, followed by Alex Wells, then

3:16:28Esther Park. Jacob,

3:16:31Jacob is not here. We're going to go to

3:16:34Alex Wells.

3:16:40Hello,

3:16:42I'm Alex Wells, 26 Cambridge Terrace in

3:16:45Cambridge. I am here to speak in support

3:16:46of the Cambridge Citizens Coalition

3:16:48proposed 10 amendments to Cambridge

3:16:50multif family housing upzoning

3:16:51ordinance. I asked the chair and the

3:16:53council to reconsider and possibly

3:16:55revise downward what Cambridge truly

3:16:56needs in terms of the size and the

3:16:58quantity of new housing. Like most

3:17:01residents in this city, I want a city

3:17:03that is doing its best to provide

3:17:04housing that is affordable. But I fear

3:17:06that developers may have been given too

3:17:08much latitude and that they might abuse

3:17:10that freedom to overbuild, especially in

3:17:13traffic choke points. uh specifically

3:17:16the new six-story building about to go

3:17:18up at 1740 Massachusetts Avenue, the

3:17:20corner of Linean Street. This new

3:17:22mixeduse building seems to lack

3:17:24reasonable accommodation for parking

3:17:26cars, space for delivery vehicles, for

3:17:28our precious trees, vital to breathable

3:17:30air, and adequate sidewalks essential

3:17:33for pedestrian safety. Thank you for

3:17:36listening and for all the work you do

3:17:38for the city of Cambridge.

3:17:40>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Esther

3:17:42Park followed by Shan Hope then Rita

3:17:45Romero. Esther

3:17:48Esther is not here. We are going to go

3:17:50to Shan Hope.

3:17:56Shawn is not on the Zoom. We will move

3:17:59on to Rita Romero.

3:18:04>> My name is Rita Romero. I'm 40 years old

3:18:06and I've been a sex worker for over half

3:18:08my life. I was trafficked into this

3:18:10work. When I escaped my traffickers, I

3:18:14called the police and I told an officer

3:18:16I'd been locked in a house, my phone and

3:18:18computer taken. I was forced to have sex

3:18:21and beat up daily. I was frantic and I

3:18:24kept repeating, "They're pimps. They're

3:18:25pimps." The officer on the other line

3:18:28said, "Then what does that make you?"

3:18:32I've had many other jobs since then.

3:18:34I've been a tour manager for an

3:18:35internationally touring band. I've been

3:18:37a makeup artist for New York Fashion

3:18:38Week. I've been a welder, a roofer, a

3:18:41forklift operator, a yoga teacher, and I

3:18:43am a union stage hand. Sex work paid for

3:18:46the training for all of those jobs. I

3:18:48had plenty of other options. I keep

3:18:50coming back to sex work because I like

3:18:52sex and I like getting paid for sex.

3:18:54What I hate is having nowhere to report

3:18:56someone who abuses me or refuses to pay

3:18:59me. I know the difference between being

3:19:01trafficked and choosing sex work. I've

3:19:03lived both. The only people who benefit

3:19:06from criminalizing us is people who wish

3:19:07to

3:19:08>> Thank you, Rita. If you can email us the

3:19:10remainder. Thank you. Our next speaker

3:19:13is Brenda Finn, followed by Jennifer

3:19:16Langren, then an MC.

3:19:24Brenda

3:19:27Brenda's not here. We're going to go to

3:19:29Jennifer Landren.

3:19:34Jennifer has left the Zoom. We'll try on

3:19:37McD

3:19:40is not here. We're going to go to Alex

3:19:44Klene. Alex, you have one minute. Please

3:19:47go ahead.

3:19:55Alex, you're unmuted. You have the

3:19:57floor.

3:20:04Alex, we can't hear you. We'll try

3:20:06again. We'll come back in a few. Um, our

3:20:09next speaker is Jude Soy, followed by

3:20:12Lauren Omali Singh. Jude.

3:20:17Jude is not on the Zoom. We're going to

3:20:19go to Lauren Ali Singh.

3:20:27Lauren is not on Zoom or present. We

3:20:30will go to Cornell Marshburn.

3:20:39We'll just give Cornell a moment to come

3:20:41to the mic.

3:20:49Good evening. My name is Corno Marsh

3:20:51Burn. I live at 165 Spring Street. I am

3:20:54employed by the city of Cambridge as a

3:20:58parah or correction a building sub for

3:21:00the CPSD. I am standing here before you

3:21:03to let you know there are building subs

3:21:06paras teachers we're all asking for the

3:21:08same thing a working livable wage.

3:21:13It's not hard. It's only 6%.

3:21:17You can do this. We supported you. We

3:21:20expect you to support us.

3:21:23It is not that hard. I own my house in

3:21:26Cambridge today, tomorrow, without a pay

3:21:30increase. It may not be there for me.

3:21:32I'm asking you, support me, support us,

3:21:36support everyone. Thank you.

3:21:40>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Alina

3:21:42Bluto.

3:21:51It appears Alina is not with us. We're

3:21:54going to go to Dean Eckles.

3:22:02Dean, you have the floor. You have one

3:22:03minute. Please go ahead.

3:22:08Hello, I'm Dean Eckles at One Gardener

3:22:11Road. I've lived in Cambridge for 11

3:22:13years until recently as a tenant. I want

3:22:15to urge the council to retain the

3:22:17multifamily housing ordinance rejecting

3:22:20the proposed amendments which would gut

3:22:22this important zoning liberalization.

3:22:25I'd remind the council that the last

3:22:27election occurred after this ordinance

3:22:29had already passed. I'd say it was

3:22:31arguably the number one issue in that

3:22:33election. I I imagine you all recall

3:22:35this. Voters selected a majority of

3:22:37counselors who supported it. I don't see

3:22:40any indication of a broad pattern of

3:22:42voters changing their minds. Tonight, on

3:22:44both sides of this issue, we're hearing

3:22:46from many of the same people as before

3:22:47it passed, including me. The last

3:22:49election provided a clear mandate for

3:22:51preserving and continuing zoning

3:22:53liberalization for housing. And you know

3:22:55what? The next one will, too. So, think

3:22:57about that. I voted for some experienced

3:23:00counselors because of their combination

3:23:01of experience and eventual support for

3:23:04this ordinance, even if it took some

3:23:05revision and compromise to get there. If

3:23:08they gut it now with these amendments, I

3:23:09would support new candidates, and other

3:23:11voters will, too. Please preserve the

3:23:13zoning liberalization that we had with

3:23:16this multif family housing ordinance.

3:23:18Thank you.

3:23:19>> Thank you. We're going to go back to

3:23:20Alex Klene followed by Heather

3:23:22Whiteitman. Alex, you have the floor.

3:23:26You can unmute yourself. One minute.

3:23:27Please go ahead.

3:23:31>> Hello. Um, I am a Cambridge public

3:23:34educator. Um, I've formerly worked as a

3:23:37par professional. I'm currently working

3:23:38as a uh full-time teacher and I'm uh

3:23:43speaking to ask for the funds to be

3:23:46allocated for Cambridge's uh support uh

3:23:50professionals. As someone who's worked

3:23:52as both a teacher and a prayer

3:23:54professional, I know exactly the work

3:23:55that these pe these people do, the very

3:23:58important work. um in that position uh

3:24:01for a full year every day I uh planned

3:24:04and taught lessons for multiple students

3:24:07at once to support uh IEP needs. Um in

3:24:11this in that position as a parah I was

3:24:13injured multiple times in the course of

3:24:15my duties in duties that were part of my

3:24:17regular rotation of duties. Um and in

3:24:21fact uh you may not be aware of this but

3:24:23pair professionals sometimes spend more

3:24:25time in the classroom than educators

3:24:27because of the need for educators to

3:24:28plan uh future assignments uh prepare

3:24:31their work and in that way paras can

3:24:34even spend more time with students than

3:24:36teachers in some cases.

3:24:37>> Thank you Alex. Please email us the

3:24:39remainder. We are going to go to Heather

3:24:41Whiteitman followed by

3:24:45Sher Ta then Katherine Alexander.

3:24:48Heather, you have the floor.

3:24:52Heather's not with us. We're gonna go to

3:24:54Sherry Tub.

3:24:58Sherry is not with us. We're going to

3:25:00try Katherine Alexander. Katherine, you

3:25:03have the floor. One minute.

3:25:07>> Oh, hello. Can you hear me? Yes,

3:25:09>> we can. Please go ahead.

3:25:11>> Hello. My name is Katherine Alexander. I

3:25:13live on Crawford Street, Mid Cambridge.

3:25:16I've lived here for over 30 years and I

3:25:20joined the other speakers in being very

3:25:22concerned about the um

3:25:26extreme building um um all this um

3:25:31fourth stories, six stories.

3:25:34It's just too much for Cambridge.

3:25:37uh losing trees, losing setbacks,

3:25:41and ruining wonderful old houses and and

3:25:45the neighborhood. And I, as far as I can

3:25:48tell, none of it is affordable. I've

3:25:51talked to a couple of developers just

3:25:53walking around the neighborhood and it's

3:25:56all luxury.

3:25:58It's not helping with the housing

3:26:00problem. It's making things worse.

3:26:03Thank you very much.

3:26:04>> Thank you. Our next speaker is James

3:26:06Williamson.

3:26:08James, you have one minute. Please go

3:26:10ahead. You have the floor.

3:26:18James Williamson, you have the floor.

3:26:23We'll come back to James. We're going to

3:26:25move on to Suzanne Graves, followed by

3:26:28Dan Totten.

3:26:30Suzanne.

3:26:35Suzanne Graves, you have the floor. You

3:26:37have one minute.

3:26:39>> Hi, my name is Suzanne Graves. I'm at 36

3:26:42Blakes Street. Uh we live in West

3:26:45Cambridge. It's a family neighborhood

3:26:47that's filled with multif family houses.

3:26:49Some are condos and some are two or

3:26:51three family homes. There trees and

3:26:53gardens, kid kids playing on the

3:26:55sidewalks. Uh we have a big Halloween

3:26:57party that's coming up shortly, I'm

3:26:59sure.

3:27:00Uh these are apartments uh and they are

3:27:03family apartments. What's being proposed

3:27:05are smaller apartments for one person or

3:27:08a couple. These will be expensive to

3:27:10purchase um or to rent at an entry price

3:27:14of 1.5 million. These are not designated

3:27:17to be affordable housings. Um the

3:27:19properties are being developed property

3:27:21lineto property line removing trees and

3:27:24green space. The compliance for green

3:27:26space is through building green space on

3:27:29the roof, not yards to play in. My

3:27:31husband, who grew up here, reminisces

3:27:33about the yards he played in. That will

3:27:35all be gone. These things cause heat

3:27:38sinks and uh without the trees. Once

3:27:42these properties are gone, they will

3:27:43>> Thank you, Suzanne. Your time is

3:27:44expired. Please email us the remainder

3:27:46of your comment. Dan, you have the

3:27:48floor. One minute.

3:27:49>> Hi. Uh Dan Totten, 54 Bishop Allen

3:27:52Drive. Uh, shout out to the Paris and

3:27:54the sex workers, but I'm here to talk

3:27:56about the policy order that proposes to

3:27:58delay the outer Hiron bike lane. Um,

3:28:01first of all, I it's not clear to me

3:28:03that the city manager is even allowed to

3:28:05use our new financial constraints as a

3:28:09justification for delaying this one

3:28:10because I'm pretty sure that was only

3:28:13meant to be the street and sidewalk um

3:28:16lanes. And this is a quick build lane

3:28:19meant to add up to the total number of

3:28:22miles. And so uh some someone asked

3:28:25asked the city solicitor, but I I'm not

3:28:27sure that piece of it is even uh allowed

3:28:31uh under the law. And then the second

3:28:33one that I just want to say is few

3:28:35people ride here. There's a large

3:28:37apartment building in a youth center

3:28:38right there. If you think people aren't

3:28:39reluctantly biking there every day, you

3:28:41aren't paying attention. And second, to

3:28:43the extent that there aren't more bikers

3:28:45there, that's because it isn't safe. The

3:28:47curve is not safe. Someone's gonna get

3:28:48hurt. Vote it down. Build the lane.

3:28:50Thank you.

3:28:51>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Kerianne

3:28:53Koulig, followed by Jessica Sheen, then

3:28:55Heather Hoffman. Kerianne, you have one

3:28:58minute. Please go ahead.

3:29:01>> Hi, good evening. Kerianne Koulig, 11

3:29:04Edgecliffe Road in East Wateram. A

3:29:07former Cambridge resident returning

3:29:09after years away. I can no longer afford

3:29:11to live where I work as a substitute

3:29:14teacher and rowing coach. I'm on the

3:29:16wait list for public housing and I've

3:29:17looked into the shelter system just in

3:29:20case as I don't make enough for

3:29:22lowincome housing. As a district sub, I

3:29:25support students in every program and

3:29:26step in to fill the gaps when needed.

3:29:28I'm wellversed in managing the social

3:29:30emotional needs of children. I have a

3:29:32master's degree in years of experience

3:29:34that is not reflected in my pay. And

3:29:37whilst I'm here to demand a living wage

3:29:39for educators, I'm also in support of

3:29:41decriminalizing sex work in Cambridge as

3:29:44I have considered this work, but fear I

3:29:46would be discriminated against if

3:29:47discovered at one of the schools I

3:29:49serve. I also ride my bike to work um

3:29:53around the city as I cannot afford a

3:29:54car, do not want a car, and I support

3:29:56cities with bicycle infrastructure. Bike

3:29:59lanes save lives. The world is becoming

3:30:01unbearable for many of us. I urge the

3:30:03city council to throw us a lifeline.

3:30:05Thank you. Thanks, Kianne. Our next

3:30:08speaker is Jessica Sheen, followed by

3:30:10Heather Hoffman, then Fan Wang. Jessica.

3:30:15Jessica's not with us. We're going to

3:30:17move to Heather Hoffman. Heather, you

3:30:19have the floor. You have one minute.

3:30:24Hello, Heather Hoffman, 213 Hurley

3:30:27Street.

3:30:29I think that there's been a whole lot of

3:30:32good stuff said about the shortcomings

3:30:34of the um multifamily zoning

3:30:40and I think those come from the fact

3:30:41that we didn't go about this in a

3:30:43sensible manner. We didn't start with

3:30:46deciding what problem we wanted to

3:30:48solve. We just decided that we wanted

3:30:50more housing. We didn't say do we need

3:30:55just more housing or do we need more

3:30:56affordable housing? and affordable to

3:30:58whom? None of that. So, we had no goals.

3:31:02We didn't think about the other things

3:31:04that influenced

3:31:07the housing being built. We You were

3:31:10warned.

3:31:12I deny that anything that has happened

3:31:16except for maybe the asbestous flying

3:31:18around and lead was unforeseen. You were

3:31:24warned. You decided to do this. And now

3:31:27we are reaping the benefits. If you want

3:31:31>> Thanks, Heather. Please email us the

3:31:32remainder. Our next speaker is Fan Wang.

3:31:36Fan, you have one minute. Please go

3:31:37ahead.

3:31:43>> Uh, good evening. My name is Fan Wang

3:31:45from Van Myrtle Avenue in support of the

3:31:48policy order 176 multif family zone. I'm

3:31:53graduating my f on a tiny corner lot in

3:31:57san zone. The current zoning trace both

3:31:59street facing sides at the front yard.

3:32:02For a year, I struggled to develop a

3:32:04reasonable design because the upper

3:32:06floors must step inwards from both

3:32:08streets. Creating a thin wedding cake

3:32:11look. My special permit application to

3:32:14use a contextual front setback to add

3:32:17one bedroom unit was denied by the BCA.

3:32:22The current corner lots treatment

3:32:24hinders a new housing production. About

3:32:27one in 10 houses in the can zone is on a

3:32:30corner lot. So roughly a 100,000

3:32:34roughly a thousand corner lots are

3:32:35meaningful to bring our goal to the 200

3:32:38to 300 new housing production. I

3:32:41appreciate this proposal. I hope the new

3:32:43ordinance amendment provides a clear and

3:32:45practical rule for choosing.

3:32:48>> Thank you fan. Your time expired. Please

3:32:50email us the remainder. Clive Lawrence

3:32:53followed by Justin Safe. Clive, one

3:32:56minute.

3:32:57>> Good evening, Cambridge City Council. My

3:32:58name is Clive Lawrence. Live at 26

3:32:59Flinton Street. I'm here to speak about

3:33:02policy order number eight. Um we've seen

3:33:04the consequences of continuing to delay

3:33:06safe and effective bicycle

3:33:07infrastructure. And so I urge you to

3:33:09oppose uh delays to con construction on

3:33:12here in A. It's deeply important to have

3:33:14a connected and safe bicycle network.

3:33:16We've seen how much progress we're able

3:33:17to have when we continue to ensure that

3:33:19everyone can move on our streets with

3:33:20dignity. And this policy order is really

3:33:23threatening connecting that progress to

3:33:24some of the regional investments that we

3:33:26can be able to make um in our bicycle

3:33:28infrastructure. Um this has been a plan

3:33:30that's been in the works for many years

3:33:32and is really a way of continuing to say

3:33:34that we as a city support safe and

3:33:36effective bike infrastructure alongside

3:33:38all the different ways people are able

3:33:39to move. And so I really urge you to uh

3:33:41support continuing that investment in

3:33:43building especially as the cycling

3:33:45safety ordinance um November deadline

3:33:47approaches. I also urge you to support

3:33:50uh Cambridge educators and ensure that

3:33:52they get the wage that they deserve.

3:33:53Thank you.

3:33:54>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Justin

3:33:56Safe. Justin, you have the floor. Please

3:33:58go ahead. One minute.

3:34:01>> Justin safe 72 Thorn Lake. I oppose the

3:34:04CDD setback and private rear yard

3:34:06amendments to the multifamily housing

3:34:08ordinance. None of the housing opponents

3:34:10tonight said a single word about the 158

3:34:13permanently affordable inclusionary

3:34:15homes that have been proposed and that

3:34:17these amendments will seriously harm and

3:34:19likely plot from ever being built.

3:34:22Claims about affordability thus ring

3:34:24hollow. These are simply not the

3:34:27amendments you proposed as if what you

3:34:29wanted to do was to increase housing

3:34:31affordability. CDD has met directly with

3:34:34homebuilders who have explained how

3:34:35these amendments will decrease housing.

3:34:37And the city has even improved storm

3:34:39water and other plans for proposals that

3:34:41would be shrunk by these amendments and

3:34:44reduce housing. We know these amendments

3:34:46will reduce housing. The policy order

3:34:49has several false claims that should be

3:34:50corrected, including that dimensional

3:34:52requirements will be more permissive

3:34:54before, which is not true. That the

3:34:56amendments will create clearer standards

3:34:58for green, storm water, and other

3:34:59requirements when nothing changes about

3:35:02those at all through these amendments.

3:35:05>> Madame Mayor, there's one speaker that I

3:35:08see on that I think we skipped earlier,

3:35:09which was Kate Zamperelli.

3:35:12Kate,

3:35:13>> I think we had heard from Kate.

3:35:15>> Did we?

3:35:15>> Yeah.

3:35:16>> All right. So that appears to be all

3:35:18that were signed up to speak. Thank you

3:35:20everyone who came to public comment on a

3:35:23motion by councelor Zusi to close public

3:35:27comment. All those in favor say I. I.

3:35:31Those against say no. The eyes have it.

3:35:33Public comment is now closed. We move on

3:35:35to the submission of the record. There

3:35:37are two sets of minutes. one from the

3:35:41meeting on June 1st, 2026

3:35:44and then one from June 22nd, 2026 on a

3:35:48motion by councelor Simmons to accept

3:35:50the reports and place them on file. All

3:35:52those in favor say I. I. Those against

3:35:55say no. The eyes have it. Those two

3:35:59minutes, those reports have been

3:36:00accepted and placed on file. We were

3:36:03able to complete the city manager's

3:36:05agenda. So, we'll move to policy orders

3:36:09and res resolutions. There are 10.

3:36:11Pleasure of the city council.

3:36:15Councelor Zusi.

3:36:17>> Uh, six and eight, please.

3:36:19>> Councelor Zusi pulls six and pulls

3:36:24eight. Councelor Nolan.

3:36:26>> Yes. I was going to number 10.

3:36:30>> Councelor Nolan polls number 10. Are

3:36:33there other policy orders that my

3:36:35colleagues would like to pull? Hearing

3:36:38none, we'll go ahead and adopt policy or

3:36:42numbers one, two, 3, 4, 5, 7,

3:36:509.

3:36:53And all those in favor of adoption say

3:36:56I.

3:36:56>> I. Those against say no. The eyes have

3:36:58it. Those policy orders are adopted.

3:37:03We will go to policy order number six.

3:37:06This is the policy order that the city

3:37:09manager is requested to report back to

3:37:11the city council within 30 days on the

3:37:13status of the negotiations between the

3:37:15Cambridge School Committee and the

3:37:16Cambridge Educational Association in

3:37:19executive session if the law department

3:37:21advises that a report in open session

3:37:23would disclose collective bargaining

3:37:25strategy.

3:37:27Uh, so this is filed by councelor Alzubi

3:37:31and councelor Sabrina Wheeler. I did

3:37:32talk to the solicister beforehand and I

3:37:36am a member of the school committee. She

3:37:38recommended that I recuse myself and not

3:37:40participate in the vote or the

3:37:42discussion. So I'm going to have Vice

3:37:46Mayor Zim chair this. So, councelor Zusi

3:37:49pulled this, but past practice we go to

3:37:52councelor Al Zubie, but I'll have vice

3:37:55mayor come and me go.

3:38:00>> Thank you. Through you, chair. U I want

3:38:03to thank councelor Sabrina Wheeler for

3:38:04co-sponsoring this with me. This is on

3:38:07the floor because I think that we need

3:38:09to have a more honest conversation about

3:38:11how we support our workers. We can't be

3:38:14a council that supports all other

3:38:16workers who fight for their dignity,

3:38:18including supporting local 26 and

3:38:20teamers local 25 tonight, and then turn

3:38:23a blind eye to our very own workers who

3:38:26are advocating for a living wage. I

3:38:28really hope we can extend the same to

3:38:30our own. Uh, at the end of the day,

3:38:32education is the core of any society.

3:38:34How we invest in our young and those who

3:38:36support them tells us where our values

3:38:38lie. And so, I heard the calls tonight

3:38:41for more funding. That is a budget

3:38:43conversation.

3:38:45But in this specific policy order, we

3:38:47are asking to be informed on the

3:38:49process. This gives an opportunity for

3:38:52the school committee to tell us what is

3:38:54needed. And I'd love to see a request

3:38:56from the school committee so that we're

3:38:57not interfering with your process. I'd

3:39:00like to be clear, this is not an

3:39:02appropriation. And this PO is also in

3:39:05response to productive feedback from our

3:39:07law department.

3:39:08If you say that our schools are

3:39:10important and our kids are important, I

3:39:12hope you can vote for this. I I really

3:39:14don't think we can keep doing these

3:39:15tennis matches where we're told that

3:39:17this is not in the council's authority

3:39:19even though we declare the budget and

3:39:21then the school committee says we don't

3:39:23have money and then it goes back and

3:39:25forth. So, this hopefully will give us

3:39:27an opportunity to do so authentically.

3:39:30And I mean, hey, at the end of the day,

3:39:32if you're not open to support, then I

3:39:33think we should consider lowering all of

3:39:35our salaries as counselors because if

3:39:37I'm being honest, at the end of the day,

3:39:38I could argue that it's much harder to

3:39:41work as an educator. So, I'll yield.

3:39:46>> Um, councelor Nolan,

3:39:49>> I I think you should go to councelor

3:39:51Zuzie first. She pulled it and then to

3:39:52me if that's or did you

3:39:54>> Thank you.

3:39:56>> Thank you. Um, Vice Mayor Azim,

3:40:00uh, I appreciate the role of the about

3:40:03300 paraprofessionals

3:40:05and obviously they're doing very

3:40:07important work in our schools and I was

3:40:11checking the pay ranges for

3:40:13paraprofessionals here in Cambridge and

3:40:15then in the greater Boston area and it's

3:40:18true that the pay range starts at

3:40:2231.6,000

3:40:23but it goes up to 45.4,000. 4,000 and

3:40:27but that is lower than what pair of

3:40:29professionals are paid in Brooklyn

3:40:31Newton in Boston. In Brooklyn it's like

3:40:3545 to 52 Newton 52 to 59 Boston 54 to

3:40:4058. So I agree that it seems like

3:40:44there's some uh like maybe we need to

3:40:48think about that. But I do believe it's

3:40:51very inappropriate for the city council

3:40:55to be voting on this because this is the

3:40:58business of the school committee. The

3:41:00school committee, their job is to come

3:41:03up with a budget for the schools and

3:41:06they came up with a budget for fiscal

3:41:08year 27 of $293

3:41:11million.

3:41:13Again, that's 39 to $40,000 per pupil.

3:41:16It's a very generous amount that we're

3:41:19investing in our students and I I I

3:41:24think it's the school committee that

3:41:26really needs to figure out how you know

3:41:30if if if we need to raise uh pair

3:41:35professional salaries like where are

3:41:38they going to cut? I've seen the number

3:41:40thrown about that [snorts] the union's

3:41:45uh proposal

3:41:47uh would add an 18% increase to the

3:41:51budget of at least $175

3:41:54million over three years. So that would

3:41:56be about 59 or $58 million per year.

3:42:01that would add another $ 58 million to

3:42:04the school budget if we supported the

3:42:08unions um what the unions are proposing.

3:42:11So again, I just think um we're already

3:42:15paying 39 to $40,000 per pupil. I think

3:42:20um this is the work of the school

3:42:21committee to manage their budget. So I I

3:42:25will be voting no tonight. Not because I

3:42:28am not sympathetic to the pair of

3:42:30professionals, but because this is we

3:42:33don't have the authority to be making a

3:42:36decision uh about our our teachers and

3:42:40our staff's salaries. This is uh this is

3:42:43the work of the school committee. Thank

3:42:45you and I yield.

3:42:48>> Thank you, Councelor Zusi. Councelor

3:42:49Nolan.

3:42:51>> Thank [clears throat] you, Vice Mayor.

3:42:52And thanks to everyone who came and

3:42:55talked um tonight and really pointed out

3:42:58about how important it is to ensure that

3:43:01we're treating people fairly and have a

3:43:03living wage. I also uh believe this is

3:43:06under the authority of the school

3:43:07committee quite squarely. And as someone

3:43:10who served on the school committee for a

3:43:11long time, I would have completely

3:43:13resented the council as a council

3:43:16stepping into our operations and

3:43:17contract negotiations. While technically

3:43:20this policy order is not directly about

3:43:22negotiations, I it undermines the school

3:43:25district negotiations. And it was also

3:43:27while technically it's not about an

3:43:29appropriation, it was made exceedingly

3:43:31clear that the intent is to express

3:43:33support for additional funding for CPS

3:43:36and that passing this policy order means

3:43:38the CPS budget would go up by it could

3:43:41go up and it could be we would be seen

3:43:43as supporting at least a $15 million or

3:43:45more increase in the budget. And all the

3:43:49talk about getting information is aimed

3:43:50at getting information about how much

3:43:52money it will cost to fund uh

3:43:54[clears throat] various demands. Again,

3:43:56that undermines the negotiation process.

3:43:59I believe in fair wages and the district

3:44:01has already proposed based on public

3:44:04communication and documents that anyone

3:44:06in the city can see almost a 60%

3:44:10increase over two years to the lowest

3:44:12paid pair of professionals. that would

3:44:14raise the lowest paid par professionals

3:44:16up to the level of other uh districts.

3:44:19So I this and that's that's public. I

3:44:22don't know you know what other

3:44:24negotiations are going on but I think

3:44:26that is astonishingly generous and I

3:44:28think it's um something we should all

3:44:30know. I believe strongly also that CPS

3:44:33can provide an excellent education with

3:44:35the resources already granted. I expect

3:44:37the school committee and the district

3:44:39and the CA to work collaboratively

3:44:41within the existing school budget to

3:44:43adequately provide for salaries and

3:44:45better outcomes. It's a $290 million

3:44:48budget from the city plus additional

3:44:50funding which totals $40,000 a student.

3:44:55And I support that current funding of

3:44:56CPS. I voted for it and I believe there

3:44:59could be a better allocation of those

3:45:01funds in CPS. I don't believe more money

3:45:04alone will solve the achievement dilemma

3:45:05we face and we have all decrieded in

3:45:08this chamber and across the city. For

3:45:10example, I recognize MCCAST is a flawed

3:45:13measure, but it is a measure and it

3:45:15allows comparisons. The recent MCCAST

3:45:18scores for our 3 to 8 show only 30% 26%

3:45:2213% of our black and our lowincome

3:45:25students are proficient. That compares

3:45:27to the Benjamin Banaker, which is a

3:45:29Cambridge school where more than

3:45:31threequarters of black students are

3:45:33proficient in all three areas. And they

3:45:35manage those results with $22,000 a

3:45:38student, almost half of what we have.

3:45:40So, I will continue to advocate for our

3:45:42school district, our staff, and our

3:45:44accountability, and I will support the

3:45:47district, but and I won't be supporting

3:45:48this policy order.

3:45:51>> I have councelor Sabrina Wheeler, then

3:45:52councelor Flareity, and councelor

3:45:54Simmons.

3:45:55>> Thanks. No, not councelor Simmons. Thank

3:45:57you.

3:45:57>> Thanks, Mr. Vice Mayor. Uh, we've done a

3:45:59number of resol other resolutions like

3:46:02this one this term in support of unions

3:46:05uh including at our council meeting

3:46:06tonight uh for encore workers. We have

3:46:08done them for custodians, for grad

3:46:10students, for hotel workers, for nurses

3:46:12and their union fights. And this policy

3:46:14order is in line with those and uh with

3:46:15the council support for unions and

3:46:17working people. If we support unions uh

3:46:19when they represent other workers and

3:46:22other employers, we can and should

3:46:24support unions when they represent city

3:46:26workers. Uh I want to make clear that

3:46:28because this is a public sector union,

3:46:29councelor Alzubi and I worked with the

3:46:31law department to find language that was

3:46:33in line with the city council's actual

3:46:34legal authority. That was important and

3:46:36the language that we're introducing

3:46:38reflects that. Uh the city council does

3:46:40not negotiate union contacts directly.

3:46:42So this policy order doesn't say

3:46:43anything about specific demands that

3:46:45would preempt those negotiations. In

3:46:47fact, it says, quote, that nothing in

3:46:49this order is intended to request

3:46:51information concerning the bargaining

3:46:52positions of either party or to

3:46:54interfere in any way with the conduct of

3:46:56those negotiations. So, this is clearly

3:46:59not intended to overstep the authority

3:47:01of the school committee. And while we

3:47:02can't take binding action, we can make a

3:47:04statement of support and that's

3:47:05completely within our right. I think one

3:47:06of the things that uh motivated me

3:47:08around thinking around this is, you

3:47:10know, if you our state leg legislative

3:47:12delegation already weighed in on this,

3:47:13most of our I think all of our state

3:47:15reps and state senators, if you go on

3:47:16Instagram, you can can see them holding

3:47:18up uh signs that say, you know, they

3:47:20support the Cambridge Educators

3:47:22Association and the teachers in their

3:47:23contract, right? Our state legislators

3:47:25have already weighed in on this. All of

3:47:26our state reps, all of our state

3:47:28senators, uh they've done it. It wasn't,

3:47:30you know, conflicting with the school

3:47:31committee's authority. If our state

3:47:33legislative delegation, all our state

3:47:35reps and state senators can make

3:47:36statements on this, the city council can

3:47:37as well and I think it makes sense to

3:47:39move forward with this name. I yield

3:47:41back.

3:47:42>> Thank you, Council Nuler. Council Flity.

3:47:44>> Thank you. Uh I don't think the issue is

3:47:47whether or not all of us in this body

3:47:49support labor unions. I think we do. Uh

3:47:52I know I do and from what I've heard

3:47:54from everyone here, I think everyone

3:47:56here supports labor unions. Uh, and I

3:48:00personally think the paraprofessionals

3:48:03uh should make more money. Uh, I I

3:48:06support a living wage and I support the

3:48:08work that they do. Um, but I'm not part

3:48:10of the collective bargaining team. Uh,

3:48:13and I think passing this policy order

3:48:15would create a bad uh precedent. Um,

3:48:21and I think it's very good that we have

3:48:24passed policy orders in the past that

3:48:27have supported other unions, but this

3:48:30one creates either a real conflict of

3:48:34interest or at the minimum an appearance

3:48:36of a conflict of interest because we

3:48:38vote on the budget. uh we don't vote on

3:48:41the budget and we don't have any uh

3:48:43involvement when we support you know the

3:48:47teamsters over at Encore and we issue a

3:48:51uh

3:48:53some sort of statement of public support

3:48:55but here um we're one step removed and

3:49:00we do vote on the budget. So this

3:49:02creates at a minimum an appearance of

3:49:05conflict of interest and it can be

3:49:07arguably

3:49:09um suggested that we're interfering with

3:49:13what it looks like is um upcoming and

3:49:17additional um after 17 formal bargaining

3:49:20sessions as of September 4th, 2026. As a

3:49:24second paragraph says, um it looks like

3:49:27it's ongoing. So I I don't think that we

3:49:29should take any position now. Um but I

3:49:33certainly personally support the parap

3:49:36par professionals and I certainly

3:49:38support um finding money to pay them a

3:49:41living wage. But I think it's

3:49:43inappropriate for the city council to

3:49:46involve itself or create an appearance

3:49:48of a conflict of interest uh by voting

3:49:51on this policy order in a uh in an

3:49:53affirmative way. So I yield.

3:49:56>> All right. Thank you, Council Authority.

3:49:58Councelor McGovern.

3:50:00>> Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, vice

3:50:02chair. Um, before Oh, I'll do it after.

3:50:05I want to be ask unanimous consent to be

3:50:08recorded in the affirmative and previous

3:50:11uh the previous votes taken. Um

3:50:14yeah, I I think this is a um this is a

3:50:19tough one because I think as as you've

3:50:21heard um I think we all support

3:50:26uh our school staff, all our staff. I

3:50:29mean I look I got four kids who went

3:50:31through the Cambridge public schools. I

3:50:32have tremend I went through the schools.

3:50:34I have tremendous tremendous respect for

3:50:37the people who work for the Cambridge

3:50:38public schools. Um,

3:50:41I think where this gets complicated is

3:50:44what is the role of the city council in

3:50:46a situation like this. And I think it's

3:50:48important to remember that the city

3:50:50council does not have any line item

3:50:52authority with the school department.

3:50:55And so we could give them $5 million

3:50:58more, $20 million more, $100 million

3:51:00more, and we have no say in how that is

3:51:04spent. So for me, if if the if the

3:51:09school department and the school

3:51:10committee was was coming to us and

3:51:12saying, "Hey, listen. We need another $5

3:51:13million to settle this contract and get,

3:51:16you know, put this to bed."

3:51:19That's a different conversation than

3:51:20than saying to the city to the school

3:51:23committee, here's here's a you know,

3:51:25here's a sum of money when what I'm

3:51:28hearing is that even if they got that

3:51:30money, they don't have the votes to

3:51:32support that on the school committee.

3:51:33So, um, you know, I think you've heard

3:51:37it from other other other counselors.

3:51:39They need, you know, this is a

3:51:41backhanded compliment to the school

3:51:42committee, but, you know, I want to

3:51:44respect their authority, what they were

3:51:46elected to do, but at the same time,

3:51:47they need to settle this and and that's

3:51:51their job. That's what they were elected

3:51:54to do. Um, I think in terms of the labor

3:51:58unions, look, I've either been the

3:52:00sponsor or co-sponsor on probably 99% of

3:52:02the the policy orders passed in this

3:52:05chamber since I got here in support of

3:52:07labor unions, and I will continue to be.

3:52:09I'm on some of them tonight. Um, but

3:52:12those unions don't have an elected a

3:52:15elected body elected by the people of

3:52:17Cambridge. So, it's a little different.

3:52:22Um, and so as far as the state

3:52:25delegation, I I I agree with Council

3:52:27Sabrina Wheeler. They all they all

3:52:28signed, you know, and said that they

3:52:30were in support. Maybe if they could get

3:52:32us a little bit more money for

3:52:34transportation and out of district

3:52:35school placements, which are, you know,

3:52:36crushing our our budget, um, we there'd

3:52:39be a little bit more money on the table.

3:52:41Um, so they can certainly play a role if

3:52:43they if they want to help us. Um,

3:52:47so this is, you know,

3:52:50if if folks are looking for a statement

3:52:52of support, I support our par

3:52:55profofessionals, our teachers, our

3:52:56substitutes, our cafeteria workers,

3:52:59everybody who works for the Cambridge

3:53:00public schools. And I want them to be

3:53:02paid fairly. I want them to have a

3:53:04living wage. And I call on the school

3:53:07committee and the school district to do

3:53:08everything that they can to make that

3:53:09happen. But it is not the council's role

3:53:12to interfere in contract negotiations

3:53:14with the school department. So, I'm

3:53:16going to vote present.

3:53:18Um, which I hardly ever do. Um, but I

3:53:23don't I'm not going to vote against a

3:53:26union. Um, but this there is a divide

3:53:30between what

3:53:32you know what we are responsible for and

3:53:34and what the school department is

3:53:36responsible

3:53:37for and this is their responsibility.

3:53:40They need to go and continue to

3:53:42negotiate and settle this. um they have

3:53:45a $300 million budget.

3:53:48This is this is for them to do. And um

3:53:51but don't misconrue that as being a lack

3:53:54of support. It is just the division of

3:53:57powers within our system. Thank you.

3:54:02>> Um thank you, Council McGovern. Um your

3:54:04motion will uh dispose of after we get

3:54:06through this policy order.

3:54:07>> Okay.

3:54:08>> Um that sounds good.

3:54:10>> Yeah. Great. Um I'll just make a few

3:54:12words and then continue. Um I would say

3:54:14that in general uh I tend to be a little

3:54:18bit more conservative about spending. I

3:54:19would say in this case I actually think

3:54:21that in my personal opinion it would be

3:54:23fine if we spent extra. I think that par

3:54:25profofessionals and other teaching staff

3:54:26really do deserve it. Um I think uh

3:54:30seeing how the vote is going tonight and

3:54:32also having had a few school committee

3:54:34members reach out to me before our

3:54:35meeting tonight. It looks like they

3:54:37would prefer that it stay with them at

3:54:39this specific moment. But I just want to

3:54:41say for the record that um I think that

3:54:43we should absolutely prioritize PARS and

3:54:46um our other workers and I would be fine

3:54:48with additional spending to make sure

3:54:49that they get what they need. Um Council

3:54:52Alubi.

3:54:53>> Yeah. Uh thank you, Chair. Uh just a few

3:54:55quick responses. I I definitely agree

3:54:57with all of my colleagues that we don't

3:54:59set salaries or negotiate contracts and

3:55:02this order says that in writing. It is

3:55:04appropriating nothing, asking for no

3:55:06cost and taking no position on anybody's

3:55:08proposal. Um, we revised this again

3:55:11based on the law department's advice and

3:55:14on the point of conflict of interest. I

3:55:17mean, at the end of the day, all nine of

3:55:19us vote the school's budget, so we all

3:55:22share that interest equally. So, being

3:55:24informed through a confidential report

3:55:26isn't necessarily considered acting for

3:55:28either party. Um, we've actually heard

3:55:31pieces of this negotiation on the floor

3:55:33tonight, something that this policy

3:55:34order didn't even uh point towards. And

3:55:37that's why having some sort of

3:55:39confidential channel through the manager

3:55:41who sits at that table by law is the

3:55:44better way. We need to hear from the

3:55:46school committee if they need more.

3:55:47There needs to be that communication

3:55:48channel to do so. Otherwise, we'll keep

3:55:51doing this tennis match and then the

3:55:53only people who suffer are those that

3:55:54don't have the living wages that they

3:55:56need. I'll yield.

3:55:59>> Um we'll go to councelor Simmons and

3:56:01then councelor Zusi.

3:56:02>> Uh thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh through you

3:56:04to my colleagues. Uh, I can certainly

3:56:06understand the argument, but I'm going

3:56:08to go and sort of lean in with my

3:56:11colleagues who've already spoken in this

3:56:13room. We have 30 years of service to the

3:56:15school committee, direct service, not as

3:56:18a mayor or any other thing, but as a

3:56:20direct member of the school committee.

3:56:21And I can speak personally for myself as

3:56:24how offended I would get when when the

3:56:27city council would want to lean in to

3:56:29our work. The school committee is a

3:56:31separate body. their jobs are to run the

3:56:34schools and the education system and

3:56:37that's what they do. Not for us to do

3:56:39it. It was it was annoying in a lot of

3:56:41ways. And I'm not saying it to say that

3:56:44what is on the floor is nefarious or

3:56:45evilminded or or wrong or um evil. I'm

3:56:49what I'm saying is the school committee

3:56:51is there to do the school committee's

3:56:53work and we should not be dabbling in

3:56:55it. How no matter how passionate we may

3:56:58feel about it. uh if we were to allocate

3:57:01a fund of money to the school committee

3:57:03doesn't mean they'd have to even use it

3:57:04that way. So for me and you know just

3:57:07kind of u put it in plain language I

3:57:09think we should stay in our own lane. I

3:57:11think we should allow the school

3:57:12committee to do its work. We do have a

3:57:14member of the school committee that sits

3:57:16on the bargaining committee and I think

3:57:18that's their role and that's what they

3:57:20should do. So, you know, if I would want

3:57:22to read the tea leaves, I would say this

3:57:23is probably going to go down in flames.

3:57:25But it's not because we're angry or not

3:57:29supportive of the CEA, I have my family

3:57:32is fourth generation Cambridge public

3:57:34schools. My family has worked in the

3:57:36school systems. I have teachers that are

3:57:38really committed to students.

3:57:42So, I it's not about not trying to

3:57:44support the Paris. It's about the school

3:57:47department through the school committee

3:57:48managing their money and if they want

3:57:51Paris be paid more, which they very

3:57:53likely may need to have be paid more,

3:57:56it's up the school committee to provide

3:57:57that. So, I will be uh I will not be

3:58:00supporting this uh policy

3:58:02recommendation. I yield. Councelor

3:58:04Zusie,

3:58:05>> I just wanted to share some new

3:58:07information because I um the information

3:58:11apparently I was sharing was

3:58:12inappropriate about par profofessional

3:58:15the pay range. Um apparently our average

3:58:18par profofessional salary is 52,000.

3:58:23Uh apparently there are tons of add-ons

3:58:25and they're basically zero paras that

3:58:28don't get those add-ons. So our starting

3:58:31salary or or the this the average salary

3:58:33is more like $52,000 which is more in

3:58:37line with what other communities are

3:58:39offering. So again I remain um

3:58:44sympathetic

3:58:45uh you know Paris they're getting a

3:58:48pretty good salary and apparently our

3:58:50public schools salaries are among the

3:58:52highest in Massachusetts.

3:58:54The starting salary for teachers is

3:58:5671,000 and according to Google Gemini

3:59:00the top is $140,000.

3:59:02But apparently we we keep our salaries

3:59:04high because we want to compete with

3:59:06Boston and generally overall our

3:59:08salaries are higher than those in

3:59:10Brooklyn, Newton and Welssley. So, um,

3:59:14again, good luck to the school committee

3:59:17in working this out, um, and, uh, in

3:59:21figuring out how best to appropriate

3:59:25appropriate the funds we do for the the

3:59:30best results for our students. Thank

3:59:32you. I yield.

3:59:34>> Um, do we have a motion to adopt the

3:59:36order and just get to the vote? Would

3:59:39anyone like to make that motion? So

3:59:41moved from councelor Sabina Wheeler.

3:59:44>> Councelor El Zubie.

3:59:46>> Yes. Vice Mayor Zim.

3:59:47>> No.

3:59:48>> No. Council Flareity.

3:59:49>> No.

3:59:50>> No. Councelor McGovern.

3:59:51>> Present.

3:59:52>> Present. Councelor Nolan.

3:59:54>> No. Councelor Simmons.

3:59:56>> Present.

3:59:57>> Present.

3:59:58>> Councelor Sabrina Wheeler.

3:59:59>> Yes.

4:00:00>> Yes. Councelor Zusi.

4:00:02>> No.

4:00:02>> No. Mayor Sadiki is absent. So you have

4:00:05two members recorded in the affirmative.

4:00:07Four recorded in the negative. One

4:00:09recorded is absent and two recorded is

4:00:12present.

4:00:18>> So the motion fails.

4:00:23>> Madame Mayor.

4:00:24>> Yes. Councelor McGovern.

4:00:25>> Before you go on to the next um policy

4:00:29order, I'd just like to ask unanimous

4:00:31consent to be recorded in the

4:00:32affirmative in policy orders one through

4:00:34five.

4:00:37Clerk,

4:00:38>> you want to?

4:00:38>> Yep.

4:00:42>> And and the submission of the record.

4:00:44Council McGovern.

4:00:46>> Yes. And submission of the record.

4:00:48>> So, we'll do a roll call.

4:00:50>> We can do a voice vote. Yeah. All those

4:00:51in favor say I.

4:00:53>> I. Those against say no. The eyes have

4:00:55it.

4:00:57>> You were recorded as yes.

4:01:01So [sighs]

4:01:03now we will move on to policy order.

4:01:08Let me just get my

4:01:11information in order number eight.

4:01:14This is postponing the roll call roll

4:01:18out of the outer bike lanes from the

4:01:21bike bicycle safety ordinance until we

4:01:24solve the park parking problem. This was

4:01:27filed by councelor Zusi, councelor

4:01:28Simmons, and councelor Flity. It was

4:01:31pulled by councelor Zusi. Councelor

4:01:32Zusi, you have the floor.

4:01:34>> Thank you, Mayor Sadiki. Um, I just want

4:01:37to preface my remarks by saying, you

4:01:39know, I am a cyclist. My husband is a

4:01:42cyclist. We use the bike lanes. We

4:01:44appreciate them and I appreciate the

4:01:47importance of having a network.

4:01:51But um a lot of people talked about how

4:01:54important it is to be able to bike to

4:01:56all of those recreational amenities

4:01:58tonight. They talked about the

4:02:00importance of being able to bicycle to

4:02:03the youth center to Glacenfield to uh

4:02:07you know there the home of West

4:02:08Cambridge Little League. There's a tot

4:02:10lot, a water play area, basketball,

4:02:13tennis courts, the VFW hall um and the

4:02:17Fresh Pond Golf Course. um a lot of

4:02:21people can bicycle to those things.

4:02:24Presently, this last little quarter um

4:02:29mile of bike lane goes from the golf

4:02:33course to Belmont where it won't connect

4:02:37two bike lanes until the earliest will

4:02:41be um 2028 for so for not for another

4:02:46two years. Um for about eight months

4:02:49I've been working with the bicycle

4:02:52safety committee um city staff and with

4:02:55neighborhood advocates trying to solve

4:02:58this very difficult problem because

4:03:01there are there's such a concentration

4:03:04of city amenities in this area. And then

4:03:10there's also um Parkside Place which

4:03:15houses 7 I'm sorry houses 500 people.

4:03:17They have 250 units and 30% of the

4:03:21residents are low income and at least in

4:03:242021 22% of the vehicleowning residents

4:03:29were parking on the street. So there's

4:03:31great demand for parking for the

4:03:34low-income residents that live at

4:03:36Parkside Place. So, you've got sort of

4:03:39um you've got a tremendous demand for

4:03:42parking and it's not like other

4:03:44neighborhoods where you could have

4:03:46people go in to the neighborhoods to the

4:03:48right or to the left because you've got

4:03:50a cemetery on one side and then you've

4:03:52got a golf course on the other. Um,

4:03:55[snorts]

4:03:56so we've been trying to solve the

4:03:58problem like by some ideas are to allow

4:04:02the golf course the right to discourage

4:04:07um people from parking in their lot if

4:04:09they're not golfing. Apparently the golf

4:04:12course has been working with the

4:04:13Department of Transportation on that for

4:04:16all summer, but they still don't have

4:04:18signs. So apparently many places are

4:04:21currently taken at the golf course. um

4:04:25by non-golfers and the golf course

4:04:28should have the right to restrict their

4:04:30parking lot to golfers. That would

4:04:33really that would really help things uh

4:04:36if we were able to deliver them a sign

4:04:39and allow them to enforce the no parking

4:04:42golfers only or to not no parking to

4:04:45non-golfers during the golfing season.

4:04:48That would help. And then uh we need to

4:04:52negotiate with Belmont if we want Grove

4:04:55Street to become the overflow area for

4:04:58Cambridge residents to park on both

4:04:59sides of Grove Street. That's something

4:05:01that needs to be negotiated with

4:05:04Belmont. So, my wonderful aid contacted

4:05:08Belmont and was asking them about that

4:05:11and and and they said basically they

4:05:12they don't really they have a

4:05:14recreational area on one side of the

4:05:16street and we have the cemetery on the

4:05:17other side of the street. So, Belmont

4:05:21doesn't really want people parking on

4:05:24their rec next to their recreational

4:05:26area taking up all those places. They

4:05:28don't want Cambridge residents parking

4:05:30in their places. And then our cemetery

4:05:33needs to have a place for funeral

4:05:36funerals. So for parking for funerals.

4:05:38So that doesn't really work. So then we

4:05:41were trying to even my aid and I met

4:05:43with um the manager of Parkside Place to

4:05:47see whether there was some way the city

4:05:50or the golf course which is part of the

4:05:52city could rent places

4:05:56>> [snorts]

4:05:56>> uh maybe 20 places again to reduce the

4:06:00parking scarcity in the area which is

4:06:03only becoming worse because of all the

4:06:05development in Strawberry Hill. And then

4:06:08of course there's H the Hagerty School

4:06:10in Strawberry Hill and the parents

4:06:12nursery school. So there's just an

4:06:14extraordinary demand for parking in this

4:06:16area. But anyway, Parkview Place uh sent

4:06:20a letter to the city that they shared

4:06:23with me that says they're not interested

4:06:26in renting parking places to the city.

4:06:28So again, I realize this is a very

4:06:31difficult problem to solve, but it

4:06:33really must be solved. um which is why I

4:06:36introduced the policy.

4:06:37>> We can come back to you councelor Zusi.

4:06:41>> Others who would like to speak I have

4:06:42councelor flity

4:06:45>> through you madam chair. Um

4:06:49you know separated bike lanes are a good

4:06:52thing in the city of Cambridge. They

4:06:53really are and they're a good thing

4:06:55because safety is improved by them. Uh,

4:06:58and I'm when I say safety, I'm I'm most

4:07:02concerned about uh kids who ride bikes

4:07:05every day to school. And there's some

4:07:081,000 kids who ride their bikes uh to

4:07:11Cambridge and Latin every single day.

4:07:14And I'm primarily concerned about their

4:07:16safety when they travel from their home

4:07:18to the high school and ensuring that

4:07:21they can do that and they can get to

4:07:23practice and get home or get to a

4:07:24library after school in a safe manner.

4:07:28Um the impact

4:07:31um on here on a with this separated bike

4:07:36lane is severe to the people in that

4:07:39neighborhood, to the people who live at

4:07:41700 here on a uh and to the people who

4:07:45um use Glacenfield.

4:07:48Uh, and I know this because as some of

4:07:50you may have heard, uh, I coached little

4:07:53league at Glacken and when the bike

4:07:55lanes first were installed on Heronav up

4:07:58by Glack and Field, all of the parking

4:08:02was eliminated. And the impact of that

4:08:06was that parents and grandparents

4:08:08especially couldn't come and watch uh,

4:08:11the kids playing the games. and it and

4:08:12it had an impact not just on the league

4:08:15but on the players and the families and

4:08:18it detract it it it it took away from

4:08:21the experience. Um but more than that

4:08:25there was a collateral impact about

4:08:27safety and I'll tell you quickly a story

4:08:29that uh happened to me. I was standing

4:08:32at the lights right at Glacken uh in

4:08:35front of my grandmother's house my the

4:08:36old house that my grandmother lived in.

4:08:39And uh as I was there, a bus was coming

4:08:43in the direction from Belmont and a

4:08:46truck was going in the opposite

4:08:47direction towards Belmont. And even

4:08:50though the light was green, they

4:08:52realized because of the space of the

4:08:55bike lane, they couldn't pass at the

4:08:57same time. So they stopped and it was

4:08:59sort of a Mexican standoff. Um despite

4:09:03each of them having the light to

4:09:04continue traveling. At that moment, a

4:09:07young boy was standing next to me. He

4:09:09was probably seven years old. He dotted

4:09:11out across Hiron Aav because he was

4:09:14looking at his friends across the street

4:09:15in the dugout. And my heart sank and I

4:09:19thought, my god, that was an accident

4:09:21waiting to happen right there. And it

4:09:23was an unintended collateral

4:09:26consequences of all the congestion that

4:09:29had been caused by the installation of

4:09:32these separated bike lanes. uh with the

4:09:35hope that we're improving safety and

4:09:38there's these things that happened that

4:09:39nobody thought about. Um so I'm I'm

4:09:43concerned about this. I'm concerned

4:09:45about the loss of parking. I'm concerned

4:09:47about the kids at the Russ Russell Youth

4:09:49Center. I'm concerned about the people

4:09:51at 700 here on a their ability to park,

4:09:54the people using the golf course, the

4:09:56people using black and field and the

4:09:58people using the tennis courts. But I'm

4:10:00also concerned about the terms uh

4:10:04contained in the cycling safety

4:10:06ordinance. And if you read it and you

4:10:09see and you understand that the purpose

4:10:10is to provide connectivity throughout

4:10:13the city, connectivity is defined in the

4:10:16cycling safety ordinance as um

4:10:19connecting a place of origin to a place

4:10:22of destination within the city. This

4:10:25stretch of huron a doesn't meet that

4:10:27criteria. It just doesn't. And because

4:10:30it's outside really of the scope uh in

4:10:34the jurisdiction of the cycling safety

4:10:36ordinance, I wonder whether it's even um

4:10:39justified or lawful under the ordinance

4:10:41to do it. Um but setting that aside, I

4:10:46just think that it's it's probably a

4:10:48good idea that uh we

4:10:51um adopt this order because of all the

4:10:55negative impacts in that specific area.

4:10:59um with installing separated bike lanes

4:11:02on that section. I just it it the the

4:11:07it's clear that uh the purpose of that

4:11:10section of separated bike lanes is not

4:11:13met by the terms and the definitions of

4:11:16the cycling safety ordinance and the

4:11:19negative impacts are so severe uh that

4:11:22they outweigh even the dimminimous

4:11:25benefit if any by the installation of

4:11:27that. So I would ask all of us to really

4:11:30think about what we're trying to do

4:11:31here. Thank you. I yield.

4:11:36>> Councelor Simmons.

4:11:39>> Uh thank you through you, Madam Chair,

4:11:41to my colleagues. First of all, I want

4:11:43to just acknowledge councelor Zusie.

4:11:45She's put a lot of work into looking

4:11:47into this and the impact. She and I both

4:11:49met with some Butters neighbors from

4:11:52Euron Avenue and they've said all that

4:11:54you've heard here. First of all, it's

4:11:56important just to say out loud again

4:11:59that this council has been pro bicycle

4:12:01safety. You look at all the policy

4:12:04orders of which there are great many, no

4:12:06one has ever said we don't want cycling

4:12:08safety. And so I think that's always

4:12:11something that we should be remembered

4:12:12because I testimony that I hear almost

4:12:15makes it sound like we don't care about

4:12:18cycling safety and that could not be

4:12:20further further from the truth. But it

4:12:22does this particular piece and thank you

4:12:25councelor Flity for pointing out what's

4:12:27in the ordinance uh in our for those of

4:12:31us that have spent time looking at this

4:12:33have said let's just take a pause for a

4:12:36moment and and look at this I mean the

4:12:38impact on the youth center the VFW in

4:12:41particular and a lot of you weren't here

4:12:43when the VFW was just a VFW once it was

4:12:46renewed and made a community center and

4:12:49the VFW in part it was so that the VFW W

4:12:52could continue to have a proactive,

4:12:54productive social space. I I know all of

4:12:59us have gone to a number of the

4:13:00different events that happen at the VFW.

4:13:03There's no place to park now. There's

4:13:05absolutely no place to park at the VFW

4:13:07for social for social events. 10 spots

4:13:11and you're done. And their uh capacity

4:13:14is 200 people. So, I think it'd be

4:13:19important for us to adopt this policy

4:13:22order to to take a look at the impact

4:13:25again on the VFW, on the youth center,

4:13:27on 700 Euron, and on the golf course.

4:13:31So, I would hope my colleagues would

4:13:33consider the due diligence that we've

4:13:35all applied here to bring this order to

4:13:37the floor and support it. And let's look

4:13:39take a look back and look forward so how

4:13:42we can do what? stand up to the the

4:13:44letter and the spirit of the ordinance

4:13:46without what we call unintended

4:13:49consequences. I yield the floor.

4:13:51>> We will go to councelor Nolan and then

4:13:53vice mayor Zim.

4:13:55>> Thank you, Mayor Sadiki. Um I totally

4:13:58appreciate um the due diligence that

4:14:01went into this uh work. I think it's

4:14:03really great and I know I live in the

4:14:06neighborhood. There are many many many

4:14:07people I believe there's, you know, over

4:14:10a thousand people who have really

4:14:11expressed concern. And there's with um

4:14:13700 here on a there's many people who

4:14:15live there who are very concerned and I

4:14:17really appreciate the work of my

4:14:19colleagues to reach out. Um I've read

4:14:22the petition by the advocates. I

4:14:23understand the concern about parking

4:14:25impacts, loading zone impacts and I

4:14:27agree we should be doing everything we

4:14:29can to mitigate those concerns. I know

4:14:31the city has made some adjustments. Um

4:14:34we should see if there's more we can do

4:14:35to resolve the problems but without

4:14:38stalling the installation of the

4:14:40separated bike lanes. Now, honestly,

4:14:42full disclosure, which I have told

4:14:44people, I would not have chosen this

4:14:45particular stretch of road from

4:14:47Lamentation. Now, I ride it. I know

4:14:49there's not as many cyclists there. I

4:14:51also know we've seen a chart with the

4:14:53intersection study. There are far far

4:14:55more um numerous and dangerous sections

4:14:58of the city where there's far far more

4:14:59cyclists. Um I did encourage the staff

4:15:02to prioritize other important sections

4:15:04of bike lanes. However, this has been in

4:15:06the planning for a long time. I'm hoping

4:15:08we'll get to those other sections, but

4:15:11um right now it's already been in

4:15:13planning, it's ready to be implemented.

4:15:15Um so despite the fact that other

4:15:18streets in Mid Cambridge and West might

4:15:20provide might present right now greater

4:15:22safety hazards, I do think this part of

4:15:25heron does eventually deserve a

4:15:27separated bike lane. And while they

4:15:28won't be highly highly utilized at the

4:15:31start, there will be more cyclists once

4:15:32the lane is installed and and maybe

4:15:35Belmont will speed it up. So, I believe

4:15:37in the vision of the cycling safety

4:15:39ordinance and the need for a completed

4:15:41network. So, as much as I respect and I

4:15:43know that many of my neighbors are

4:15:46already quite upset with me for other

4:15:48things, but I have to do what I think is

4:15:50best for the city, which is I don't

4:15:52think um delaying this bike lane for 5

4:15:54years would be best for the city. So, I

4:15:55will not support it.

4:15:57>> I'll go to Vice Mayor Ze and then

4:15:59councelor Alzie.

4:16:01>> Um thank you. Um, well, I had a question

4:16:03for the commissioner. Um, if she's

4:16:06online,

4:16:08Commissioner McKenna

4:16:11or person. Oh,

4:16:15>> I don't think she's online, but we have

4:16:17>> Okay.

4:16:18>> the uh assistant city manager and our

4:16:21city manager.

4:16:22>> Yeah, I think we're happy to answer

4:16:24questions and I think um commissioner is

4:16:25also online.

4:16:27>> Um, so my questions are just very

4:16:29simple. When is the installation going

4:16:31to physically begin?

4:16:33>> Um, so I can I can start. Um, mayor, so

4:16:37um, construction would begin this fall.

4:16:40So there would be some, um, curb work

4:16:42that would begin and some construction

4:16:44that would begin this fall and then the

4:16:46paving would be in the spring.

4:16:48>> Um, so could you give us a little bit

4:16:50more detail about what would begin this

4:16:51fall?

4:16:52>> Sure. So it's my understanding and um,

4:16:54if Commissioner McKenna is online, she

4:16:56might have more details, but I think

4:16:58there is some spot is not online.

4:17:00Apologies.

4:17:01>> Sorry, what? Naomi,

4:17:02>> Commissioner McKenna is not online.

4:17:06>> Um, let me see. Should I I will text her

4:17:09in a second. Um, so it's my

4:17:11understanding there's some sections of

4:17:12curb work that have to be done. So, I

4:17:14don't know if it's on the um making some

4:17:16changes and they're trying to deal with

4:17:18some of the drainage issues on that side

4:17:20of the road. And so, um, DPW would start

4:17:23doing some curb work this summer, this

4:17:25fall.

4:17:26>> Um, Vice Mayor,

4:17:27>> thank you. Um, but the actual

4:17:29installation of like the bike lane, the

4:17:31changes to the parking, that would not

4:17:33begin until the spring. Is that correct?

4:17:35>> Yes, that is accurate. Um, so I think

4:17:38that that was very helpful in that, um,

4:17:40before I was actually personally unsure

4:17:42of whether we were going to have

4:17:43construction begin this fall in terms of

4:17:45like the loss of parking and other

4:17:46negative side effects. Um, you know, uh,

4:17:50my take on it is that this is going to

4:17:53begin in the spring, so we do have a few

4:17:55more months to figure it out. I think

4:17:57that councelor Zusi actually brought up

4:17:58a lot of good ideas and it makes me feel

4:18:01like we could uh explore those and I

4:18:05think that part of it could be that if

4:18:06some of those changes I know like

4:18:08metered parking was a suggestion or

4:18:10having a sign to uh for people who visit

4:18:12the golf course. If some of those things

4:18:14could be done faster so people could see

4:18:16the difference. Um so it's not just like

4:18:18one day you wake up and all the parking

4:18:20is gone but you can see a slow

4:18:21transition and we can see how people

4:18:23feel it out. I think that might make it

4:18:24for a smoother transition for folks and

4:18:26also just give us more feedback about

4:18:28how worried we need to be.

4:18:30>> Um through you, mayor. Uh the one thing

4:18:32I would say is we've had a and the um

4:18:35Department of Transportation has done a

4:18:37really thoughtful job thinking about

4:18:39what are the regulations and that really

4:18:41make sense for the parking spaces on

4:18:43Euron Avenue. Um so many people know

4:18:47that there is a lot of sort of long-term

4:18:49parking that happens there. There's not

4:18:51a lot of natural turnover. it's an easy

4:18:53place to sort of um sort of have

4:18:55long-term storage and so it's not the

4:18:56most effectively used parking. Um and so

4:18:59a number of the changes that they've

4:19:00talked about are about having

4:19:02regulations. I think in the first um

4:19:05community meeting they talked about

4:19:06having um parking meters. Um there was

4:19:09pretty strong response that people

4:19:10didn't think that would be the best

4:19:12solution and so um they're now proposing

4:19:14that overnight it'd be residential

4:19:16parking and then during the day it would

4:19:18be unrestricted. So a lot of that

4:19:20parking right now is completely

4:19:22unrestricted. And so they've really been

4:19:24thinking about what are the parking

4:19:26regulations that can make that the

4:19:28remaining parking really work better for

4:19:30the various users. Um we've also been

4:19:33having conversations with the golf

4:19:34course about how to make that lot more

4:19:37effective um both in terms of who's

4:19:39parking there, what are the signage, how

4:19:41do they manage that. And so that's a

4:19:43conversation that's also ongoing. Um and

4:19:46so I would say we can look at some of

4:19:47those changes. Um, but some of the the

4:19:51higher uses uses aren't over the winter.

4:19:54So, you'll see some benefits, but you

4:19:56wouldn't necessarily see the sort of the

4:19:58full picture. So, I just want to be sort

4:20:00of a little cautious on that. But, um,

4:20:02we have been looking at a number of

4:20:03different parking regulation changes to

4:20:06make that parking really support all the

4:20:07various users more effectively.

4:20:10>> Vice Mayor. Yeah, I think that uh at

4:20:12least a lot of the feedback I've gotten

4:20:14has been less about um people uh not

4:20:18believing the changes would being

4:20:19worked, but just being naturally

4:20:20skeptical that like like that the city

4:20:23has said they will do all this

4:20:24mitigation, what sort of impact will it

4:20:25make? And so I think hearing all the

4:20:28concerns about it winter also being more

4:20:30difficult for people to move back and

4:20:32forth and all that. I do think that

4:20:34making some of those changes earlier

4:20:35just so we can also if we decide that

4:20:37those are not working make more changes

4:20:38before we have the full loss of parking.

4:20:40I feel like would be a particularly high

4:20:42impact. Thank you,

4:20:44>> Vice Mayor Yields. And now we'll go to

4:20:46councelor Alzubi.

4:20:47>> Thank you. Through you, Madame Mayor. Uh

4:20:50to whoever to whoever is best to answer

4:20:52this. Is outer Hiron being built as a

4:20:55quick build lane towards the ordinance

4:20:57mileage or as a part of the five-year

4:21:00plan of reconstruction?

4:21:03>> Um through you, mayor. It is part of the

4:21:05quick build through the ordinance. So we

4:21:08over the last number of years we've been

4:21:10trying to do um paving when we're doing

4:21:12the quick builds, but they are still

4:21:14this quick builds. It's not a standalone

4:21:16sort of full reconstruction project.

4:21:19It's really just doing some minor

4:21:20paving, a minor curb work and then

4:21:23paving the street so it's in better

4:21:24condition before all the payment

4:21:26markings go in and the changes are

4:21:28implemented.

4:21:29>> Gotcha. And I mean either way, although

4:21:32now that we know that it's part of the

4:21:33quick build ordinance mileage, does the

4:21:36ordinance's financial constraints

4:21:38provision let the council reduce the

4:21:41mileage requirement by policy order as

4:21:44this order is asking this policy order?

4:21:46>> Not that I'm aware of. No, there's no

4:21:48sort of um framing for that. So the the

4:21:51only language that was in the um the

4:21:55ordinance about cost was about on the

4:21:57full build side. Um, and then again, the

4:22:00the actual construction costs are very

4:22:02limited in this type of situation.

4:22:05>> Gotcha. So, if I'm understanding

4:22:06correctly, the five-year plan track is

4:22:09the one that is open to that clause of

4:22:11financial constraints. Okay. Thank you.

4:22:15So, in that case, I think based on that,

4:22:17um, I I will be a no vote. Um, and

4:22:20there's also this other piece, too, that

4:22:21it's a last half mile of a network that

4:22:24the council committed to. Um, like

4:22:26councelor Zusi said, we do need to be

4:22:28doing a better job of exploring these

4:22:30ideas um, as it relates to parking. And

4:22:34I noticed that in a recent study, it

4:22:36showed that this stretch isn't full when

4:22:38it comes to parking. So, it would be

4:22:39good to explore what that means and

4:22:41looks like today. Um, and you know,

4:22:45Belmont is building towards us and we

4:22:47shouldn't be closing we we shouldn't

4:22:48postpone closing our gap. I've I've

4:22:50learned from councelor Flity that we

4:22:52need to talk about solving regional

4:22:54problems and this is a piece to a

4:22:56regional puzzle. So, um I hope this is a

4:22:58chance to do that. I'll yield.

4:23:00>> We will go to Council McGovern.

4:23:04>> Uh thank you, Madam Mayor through you.

4:23:06Um

4:23:07you know, it's interesting. I tonight I

4:23:09literally got off a plane before the

4:23:12meeting from being at a conference um in

4:23:16the Netherlands where I visited four

4:23:18cities looking at their multiple modes

4:23:21of transportation, not just cycling but

4:23:23public transportation,

4:23:25uh light rail, um pedestrian safety, uh

4:23:29driving. Um

4:23:32and I'm going to do a report on that so

4:23:35everybody can share it. I learned a lot

4:23:36of really cool things, a lot of

4:23:38interesting technology. But, you know,

4:23:40they did talk about the importance of

4:23:43connectivity

4:23:45and

4:23:47being able, you know, working with other

4:23:49communities to um create a network where

4:23:53people can not only get around their own

4:23:55city uh safely by cycling, but getting

4:24:00to other cities and and and

4:24:03uh connecting with them. So although

4:24:05Belmont has not um doesn't have that

4:24:08lane in place yet, they're going to

4:24:12um and so I think this would be a an it

4:24:16will become a more important piece of a

4:24:18network than maybe it appears uh at the

4:24:21moment. Um there was also a lot of talk

4:24:24of just the length of time it takes to

4:24:27sort of change people's behavior.

4:24:28Anyway, I only have three minutes, but

4:24:30really interesting stuff about what

4:24:32those cities in the Netherlands were

4:24:34like after World War II and and they had

4:24:37to rebuild and they rebuilt a very car-

4:24:39centric culture and then they started to

4:24:41make changes over time to become more

4:24:44multiple modes of transportation um to

4:24:46where they are today. Um, and it's

4:24:49really interesting because they have

4:24:50about 30 to 40% of their of their folks

4:24:53cycle. About another 30% take public

4:24:56transportation and about another 30%

4:24:57drive. So, they don't really have issues

4:25:01like they don't have traffic backups

4:25:02because so many people use other modes

4:25:04of transportation and it took them 30

4:25:06plus years to to get there. Um, and

4:25:09we're just at the infancy of that

4:25:10conversation. So, um, it's just a really

4:25:13interesting difference. Um I cannot vote

4:25:18to delay this for five years. Um

4:25:23and as I think as councelor uh Alzubi

4:25:26pointed out um you know we we would have

4:25:29to reopen the cycling safety ordinance

4:25:31to reduce the number of miles and I'm

4:25:33not I'm not willing to do that either.

4:25:35Um, but I am sympathetic especially to

4:25:40the folks in 700 here on AV about the

4:25:43loss of parking there and I know there's

4:25:45um been conversations and I do thank

4:25:47councelor Zuzie uh and councelor Simmons

4:25:49that you know had those conversations

4:25:51with those folks. So I I do worry about

4:25:54especially the lower income folks who

4:25:55maybe can't afford um you know to pay

4:25:59for parking at 700 a and use the street

4:26:02parking. So, um I will not vote for this

4:26:06as it's written. Uh Mayor Sadiki, you

4:26:08and I have a substitute

4:26:11um order that can be put on the screen

4:26:14that basically

4:26:16just encourages the city. It it does not

4:26:18call for a delay, but it encourages the

4:26:20city to continue

4:26:22um their conversations to look at ways

4:26:25to um address

4:26:29as best we can the the loss of parking

4:26:32uh for folks in in in in that

4:26:34neighborhood. I want to keep those

4:26:35conversations going. Um those

4:26:37conversations didn't even happen after

4:26:39the the installation of the uh of of

4:26:42this stretch. um once we see how it

4:26:45plays out and see what what what's

4:26:46working and what's not working. So

4:26:49um I think you can see it you can see it

4:26:52here. Um so if uh obviously I would

4:26:56support this I want those conversations

4:26:58to continue. I want to try to continue

4:27:00to find solutions if possible but I

4:27:03can't vote for the um the uh initial

4:27:07order.

4:27:09So, I'll just speak really quickly and

4:27:12add on to what council McGovern said. I

4:27:14think

4:27:15>> have a copy

4:27:16>> motion

4:27:18as written. I think

4:27:20>> copies are coming.

4:27:22>> The copies are coming. Um I think a lot

4:27:25of people brought up good points. I

4:27:27think there's also a trafficcoming

4:27:29element here in this design that um you

4:27:32know there are really um high speeds and

4:27:37uh so that is something that um is an

4:27:40added uh feature of this. It's not just

4:27:42the the bike lane. Um,

4:27:46I think the city's done some changes,

4:27:49whether that was the nine kind of

4:27:51parking spots, uh, that were added

4:27:54overnight on the kind of youth center

4:27:56park side or the 26 um, that were added.

4:28:01Uh, they're changed to overnight permit

4:28:05only. And then the city's mentioned the

4:28:0753 unregulated parking spots that were

4:28:10removed. But I I do think to vice

4:28:14mayor's point and then councelor

4:28:15McGovern's point, uh there is still

4:28:18time. I think there you all are still

4:28:20looking at things. Um we ask that you

4:28:23keep looking um thinking of other things

4:28:26that could happen. Yes, Parkside just

4:28:29said no. Um but I think we should still

4:28:34do everything we can to mitigate. I

4:28:35think that's always been a part of the

4:28:37process. Um, so that's kind of the

4:28:41spirit of where the substitute PO uh

4:28:45comes from.

4:28:48Anyone we haven't heard from before I go

4:28:50back to C counselor Zusie? Councelor

4:28:53Zusi.

4:28:55>> Yeah, I I wish we'd had this uh earlier

4:28:58so I could digest it.

4:29:00>> What?

4:29:01>> Charter.

4:29:01>> Okay. Why don't I charter write this? I

4:29:03think that's a a good idea so we can

4:29:06give it more thought. But my goal for

4:29:08this has always been, and maybe this

4:29:11will move us in that direction, to solve

4:29:14the problem. Because what I worry about

4:29:16is that we're going to put public

4:29:18amenities, their taxpayerf funded public

4:29:21amenities out of business. I mean, it

4:29:23would be very sad if um

4:29:26>> Councelor Zusi, just to say, you're

4:29:27charter writing the underlying order.

4:29:30>> Yes. I'll charter write this. Thank you.

4:29:33So councelor Zusi's exercise her charter

4:29:36right we'll move on to

4:29:45yes all of this will appear at our next

4:29:48meeting. So that was policy number

4:29:50eight. Now we move to policy order

4:29:53number 10. This is that the city manager

4:29:55is requested to confer with the relevant

4:29:57staff and departments to implement the

4:29:59recommendations following the May 2025

4:30:02human services and veterans committee

4:30:04meeting

4:30:06calling for strengthening anti-poverty

4:30:09measures establishing a dedicated care

4:30:11team call and referral line prioritizing

4:30:13commercial sexual exploitation and

4:30:15trafficking prevention efforts for

4:30:17LGBTQIA

4:30:19plus youth and reporting back to the

4:30:21city council on progress. This was filed

4:30:23by councelor Sero. Councelor McGovern,

4:30:25myself and councelor Nolan. Councelor

4:30:26Nolan pulled it, but I can go to

4:30:29councelor Sabrino first, unless he

4:30:31yields.

4:30:31>> Thanks, M. Um, I'll just kind of

4:30:33briefly, I still think we need a motion

4:30:34to extend the meeting. Maybe uh I can

4:30:36make a motion to extend by a half hour.

4:30:38>> On a motion by councelor Sabrina Wheeler

4:30:41to extend the meeting.

4:30:42>> Let's say an hour just to be safe

4:30:43>> for an hour. All those in favor say I.

4:30:46I. Those against say no. The eyes have

4:30:47it. We are ex. Councelor Simmons is a

4:30:51no, but everyone else is a yes. Uh the

4:30:54motion passes. We'll go back to you,

4:30:56Councelor Sabrina Wheeler.

4:30:58>> Thanks. I'll introduce this um just

4:30:59briefly, and I think there's going to be

4:31:00a charter, right? I say that public

4:31:02comment and G gave a good range of the

4:31:04personal experience and research that

4:31:05supports this policy order. Um so I'll

4:31:07just talk about, you know, my

4:31:09perspective, which is coming at this as

4:31:10a union member and someone who cares

4:31:12about workers rights. You know, whatever

4:31:13type of work you are in, you cannot have

4:31:15worker prot protections if your work is

4:31:18criminalized. Criminalizing sex work

4:31:20makes it less safe, not more safe. And

4:31:22we have seen this in other industries.

4:31:24Uh to give just one recent example

4:31:26because cannabis is no longer

4:31:27criminalized. There are worker

4:31:28protections and regulations and uni

4:31:31unions in the cannabis industry. This

4:31:32was not possible when cannabis was

4:31:34criminalized. Um we've worked with the

4:31:36law department about the language of

4:31:37this policy order. It does not change

4:31:39the law. That would have to be done at

4:31:41the state legislature. What it does do

4:31:42is send a message to our state and

4:31:44county elected officials, which the city

4:31:45council does often and is well within

4:31:47our responsibility as a city council. I

4:31:49yield back.

4:31:50>> Councelor Nolan,

4:31:52>> thank you. Yes. Um, this is a policy

4:31:55that's been in the works for many months

4:31:57because there's so many people very

4:31:58interested in it. I know we all have

4:32:00talked to a variety of people involved

4:32:02in um the sex work trade and I think the

4:32:06policy lays it out pretty well about the

4:32:09situation and I think we are all agreed

4:32:11that there is a real need for

4:32:13decriminalization which is already

4:32:15happening to a large extent with these

4:32:17sellers of sex. I do and we heard in

4:32:19public comment that there's a number of

4:32:22ways that the um crim full

4:32:24decriminalization which this calls for

4:32:26is problematic from a number of

4:32:28advocates. We've gotten uh very

4:32:30thoughtful emails from a number of

4:32:32people. So in order to work that out, I

4:32:33will exercise my charter right so that

4:32:35we can have time to absorb some of that.

4:32:37>> Councelor Nolan exercises our charter

4:32:38right on policy order number

4:32:4210. Yeah, that's what I was saying.

4:32:46So we'll move on to the calendar. We

4:32:49have one charter right. This is that the

4:32:51city manager is requested to confer with

4:32:53the Cambridge Police Department and

4:32:55other relevant departments to develop a

4:32:56coordinated July 4th response for Cherry

4:32:59Street, Harvard Street, and Fletcher

4:33:01Main Academy Area to ensure that this

4:33:03spot not be utilized for the illegal use

4:33:05of fireworks.

4:33:07The charter right was exercised by

4:33:09councelor Simmons in the our council

4:33:12meeting on September 14th. We'll go to

4:33:14councelor Simmons.

4:33:16Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, I just want

4:33:18to briefly clarify what my original

4:33:20policy order was attended to accomplish.

4:33:23God bless you. For sever several years

4:33:25came in residents around the FMA school,

4:33:28the port have had to deal with the same

4:33:31problem every fourth of July. And I'm

4:33:32not saying incidental firing of

4:33:36fireworks for maybe even half an hour.

4:33:38I'm talking about hours from 10 until

4:33:401:00 in the morning. uh significant

4:33:43noise and disruption and a response that

4:33:45has been preventing the the neighborhood

4:33:48to have peace and it only stops when uh

4:33:51the law enforcement comes and soon as

4:33:53they leave they resume. So my order does

4:33:56not presume to know the solution, but it

4:33:58is asking the police department that has

4:34:01has had an impact that the community

4:34:04feels engaged and safe with um that in

4:34:08the community safety department uh care

4:34:10and the other appropriate departments to

4:34:12sit down together, examine what has not

4:34:15worked and come back with a an approach.

4:34:18And I also it's not implied that the

4:34:20community be sit at the table as well.

4:34:23So it's not just done by city

4:34:25departments. That is why I have concerns

4:34:27about the amendment that would

4:34:28effectively remove the police department

4:34:30from the process and place an outside

4:34:32organization in a leading role. For me,

4:34:34this is fundamentally a question of good

4:34:36governance. If we were talking about

4:34:38redesigning a major intersection, I

4:34:40would not support writing the community

4:34:42development department out of the

4:34:43process and asking an outside advocacy

4:34:45organization to take its place. We might

4:34:48invite that organization to the table

4:34:50and it might have valuable ideas and

4:34:52perspective the city staff might want to

4:34:54hear but CDD has the institutional

4:34:57responsibilities, professional expertise

4:34:59and accountability to the city. We would

4:35:02expect it to participate. So I believe

4:35:04the principle applies here that

4:35:06Cambridge Police Department has been

4:35:08responding to situations for years. If

4:35:09that response has not worked well

4:35:11enough, then there is a that is

4:35:13precisely why the department needs to be

4:35:15part of figuring out what should change.

4:35:19Young people, neighborhood young uh

4:35:20organizations, community safety, human

4:35:22services, and others may all have

4:35:24something useful to bring to the table,

4:35:26but participation is different from

4:35:28substitution.

4:35:30Now, I'm I'm my first thinking was in

4:35:34response to the earlier amendment my

4:35:36colleagues brought forward. I have seen

4:35:38that they brought something that's takes

4:35:42still takes the Cambridge Police

4:35:44Department and other relevant

4:35:45departments and puts C community safety

4:35:47department as the lead. And the reason

4:35:49why I I I

4:35:51don't accept that is because community

4:35:53safety has not been involved in this at

4:35:56all. Uh and again they can if they want

4:35:59to give some ideas fine but to lead I I

4:36:02would not want to do that. They would

4:36:04have to just be brought up to speed and

4:36:06a whole bunch of other things. So the

4:36:07purpose of this order is not to choose

4:36:09one philosophy of public safety over

4:36:11another. It is to solve a recurring

4:36:13neighborhood problem. And I believe the

4:36:15best way to do that is to bring the

4:36:17appropriate city departments together.

4:36:19The ones that have the historical memory

4:36:20and the ones that have the relationship

4:36:22with the community and the ones the

4:36:24community respects and and and and

4:36:29favors the support that they receive

4:36:30from the that department, police

4:36:32department in particular at the table.

4:36:35the community voice along, you know,

4:36:36community voices and require them to

4:36:39work collaboratively toward a better

4:36:41plan uh for the next Fourth of July. And

4:36:44with that, so I'm I'm asking my

4:36:46colleagues to support the original

4:36:49order. Um I appreciate the hard work and

4:36:51the thoughtfulness. I did not see this

4:36:53amendment until just a five minutes ago.

4:36:55And so I would respectfully ask that we

4:36:58uh adopt the original order that my

4:37:01myself and my colleague has brought

4:37:02forward. Um and with that I will yield

4:37:06the floor.

4:37:07>> Councelor Simmons yield. I will just say

4:37:09to the folks in the audience um the

4:37:12charter I

4:37:14every the POS will be back next week. So

4:37:18there's no we'll be here for a while so

4:37:20there's no need to to stay um unless you

4:37:23want to. I know it's riveting. Uh so I

4:37:27have councelor Alzubi.

4:37:29>> Thank you madame mayor. um this new

4:37:32amendment in the spirit of

4:37:34collaboration. I I wanted to actually

4:37:36withdraw the amendment that was on the

4:37:39floor at the last council meeting and

4:37:42bring this new amendment that raises uh

4:37:46the piece that councelor Simmons and

4:37:48Flity had brought up. Um, again just

4:37:52clarifying that we, Councelor Sabrina

4:37:55Wheeler and I were never trying to

4:37:56explicitly remove CPD, but to have

4:37:58someone new to lead the conversation u

4:38:01to give us an opportunity to try

4:38:02exploring affecting behavioral change.

4:38:05So I will move a motion to withdraw the

4:38:08original amendment and then move a

4:38:10motion to uh to bring in the new

4:38:13amendment.

4:38:14>> So Council Alubi is moving to withdraw.

4:38:16We can do a voice vote on withdrawing

4:38:20that original

4:38:22uh amendment. All those in favor say I.

4:38:24I. Those against say no. The eyes have

4:38:26it. So that amendment has been been

4:38:29taken out. There is a new amendment.

4:38:31Councelor Alzubi.

4:38:34>> Yeah. Sorry I explained both of them at

4:38:36the same time. It's again just out of

4:38:39the spirit of collaboration to say we

4:38:41heard the points that you raised and

4:38:43want to make sure that it's clear that

4:38:44the Cambridge Police Department would be

4:38:46involved in these conversations and and

4:38:48they would not be excluded. I'll yield

4:38:52>> discussion. We have councelor Clarity.

4:38:55>> I appreciate the collaboration. I think

4:38:57it's excellent and it's thoughtful, but

4:39:00I I still don't understand the rationale

4:39:03behind

4:39:05not having the Cambridge Police

4:39:07Department as the lead. Um, you know,

4:39:10this is a a public nuisance issue.

4:39:14Police officers wear uniforms and have

4:39:17cruises with signs on them and blue

4:39:20lights for a reason. So when kids are

4:39:23shooting hot fireworks and the police

4:39:24show up, they're alerted to their

4:39:26presence and maybe they stop. Uh they're

4:39:29trained to deal with this type of thing.

4:39:31And and I appreciate the fact we should

4:39:34have the community safety department and

4:39:38um the emergencies communication

4:39:40department and other relevant

4:39:41departments involved in a um you know

4:39:46like a safety plan in advance of it. But

4:39:51I don't know why. I just don't

4:39:52understand the rationale of not having

4:39:55the Cambridge Police Department as the

4:39:57lead in response with responsibility for

4:40:01a public nuisance, criminal activity on

4:40:04the 4th of July that impacts that

4:40:07neighborhood. Uh I don't I don't see

4:40:09what's what's wrong with that. And uh so

4:40:15that's my question.

4:40:16>> I have a few folks on deck. I will go to

4:40:18councelor Sarina Wheeler then council

4:40:21McGovern.

4:40:22>> Thanks. I would just say briefly I think

4:40:23this new amendment is an attempt at a

4:40:25compromise to say the address of pieces.

4:40:28It mentions the Cambridge Police

4:40:29Department and the emergency

4:40:31communications department also includes

4:40:33the Cambridge the community safety

4:40:34department. It it has all those. It's an

4:40:37attempt at that. I think in reality our

4:40:39city staff are very collaborative and

4:40:42when there is a department that needs to

4:40:43be brought in. They aren't looking at

4:40:45the text of the policy order and saying,

4:40:47"Oh no, I'm the lead. You can't be part

4:40:49of this." Whoever staff needs to be

4:40:50involved, they will get that involved.

4:40:52I've seen that time and time again with

4:40:53the DBW and the transportation

4:40:54department and community development.

4:40:56Our city staff will work together really

4:40:58closely. This is attempt a part to to

4:41:00compromise. You know, there are policy

4:41:01orders that we do all the time that

4:41:03could or could not be a policy order.

4:41:05Could just be an email. This was a

4:41:07policy order that came in. This is an

4:41:08attempt to to say, "All right, seems

4:41:10like the current situation isn't

4:41:11working. Let's try to bring in the

4:41:13community safety department." Also, you

4:41:15know, we can work off the language, this

4:41:16language more, or we can pass this

4:41:18amendment and just be be done with it. I

4:41:19think this amendment is a good

4:41:20compromise and I'll I'll support it.

4:41:23>> Councelor McGovern and then councelor

4:41:25Zusi.

4:41:27>> Thank you, Madame Mayor, through you.

4:41:28Um, I sort of agree with councelor

4:41:30Sabrina Wheeler that I think there's

4:41:33collaboration that's going to happen. I

4:41:35I don't I I would have been fine with

4:41:37the original order. I mean, this is just

4:41:39saying that the police names the police

4:41:41department as a lead in having the

4:41:43discussion. It doesn't necessarily say

4:41:45that the police are going to be the ones

4:41:46who are going to take the lead in

4:41:49responding. So, I would have been I I'm

4:41:50fine with the original order because I

4:41:52think it gets to to that same thing. At

4:41:55the end of the day, it's going to these

4:41:57different groups are going to be sitting

4:41:58around the table and having a

4:41:59conversation about how to address this

4:42:01issue. And I agree with councelor

4:42:03Simmons that up until now anyway, it has

4:42:07the police department does have the

4:42:08experience um in handling these issues

4:42:12as they've come up. So again, I think

4:42:15whether we pass the amendment or the

4:42:17original order, we're getting to the

4:42:18same place. So I think this is a a lot

4:42:20of time that we should have just passed

4:42:22the original order to begin with. Um and

4:42:25so uh I was ready to vote it at that

4:42:28point. I'll I'll vote for the original

4:42:30order today.

4:42:32How's your Zusie?

4:42:33>> I'll be voting for the original order,

4:42:35too, because this is about following the

4:42:37rules. Um, thank God for Google. So,

4:42:40it's illegal to shoot fireworks in

4:42:42Massachusetts. Banned items according to

4:42:45Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 148,

4:42:47Section 39. All consumer fireworks are

4:42:50prohibited. Uh, this includes sparklers,

4:42:52fireworks, Roman candles, cherry bombs,

4:42:55and M80s. So, I think this is about

4:42:58enforcement, which is why uh this isn't

4:43:00about social services. And I think uh

4:43:04young kids that are firing fireworks and

4:43:08are providing a public nuisance are

4:43:11going to respond to the police and not

4:43:13to the care team. I think the care team

4:43:15does a lot of great work. I see their um

4:43:19their value, but I I I think it would be

4:43:22very awkward for them to be the front

4:43:24people, and I don't think anybody would

4:43:26pay attention. I think they will pay

4:43:29attention to the cruisers, to the

4:43:31uniforms, to the policemen who

4:43:34administer justice. Thank you. I yield.

4:43:38>> Anyone else?

4:43:42I would say [sighs]

4:43:45one thing I would maybe suggest because

4:43:49the original doesn't mention community

4:43:51safety. I would just take out I would do

4:43:54an amendment to the amendment and just

4:43:56take out as lead. So then it's just

4:43:59community safety department, Cambridge

4:44:01Police Department, emergency commun

4:44:03communications department and other

4:44:05relevant departments. So that's

4:44:09or or it doesn't look like there's

4:44:12interest in that, but

4:44:13>> I would Yeah, I would support it

4:44:15personally.

4:44:16>> So I would move the amendment to the

4:44:20amendment and just strike um

4:44:25strike as lead.

4:44:28Okay. So they'll they'll do it here.

4:44:31So that way I understand kind of this

4:44:34whole the original just mentioned one

4:44:37department we should mention other

4:44:39departments

4:44:40they did take out heart they there were

4:44:44changes made. So

4:44:46I think

4:44:48if you take out as lead then

4:44:52for me at least that tension evaporates.

4:44:55So, but again, we can we can move we can

4:45:00vote on the amendments, see where they

4:45:01land, and then vote accordingly.

4:45:05>> Yes. Council McGovern.

4:45:06>> Um, thank you, Madam May. Just a

4:45:08question. If if we don't

4:45:10say who's leading the discussion,

4:45:13who's leading the discussion?

4:45:18the it would be is requested to confer

4:45:20with these departments to develop a

4:45:23coordinated July 4th response plan.

4:45:25>> Okay.

4:45:28>> And then it's requested to work with

4:45:29these departments to consider consider a

4:45:31sustained viable present. That's what

4:45:33it's calling for.

4:45:34>> I'm sorry. Could you write Could that be

4:45:36on the screen please?

4:45:39>> Sorry. I'm opening the latest version

4:45:41now. One second.

4:46:10Vice Mayor,

4:46:13>> can I have the floor?

4:46:14>> Yeah.

4:46:14>> Yeah. Um, I just had a question for the

4:46:17city manager. Uh, now given that it has

4:46:20these amendments as you see before them

4:46:22and also the original. I was going to

4:46:24say, do these does it make a practical

4:46:26difference to you?

4:46:29>> Uh, through you, mayor. Um I think we'd

4:46:31be happy

4:46:33uh understanding that these departments

4:46:35work well together uh to take any of the

4:46:39prior mentioned versions.

4:46:43>> Okay. I just wanted to like clear the

4:46:45air a little bit in that I think whether

4:46:47this passes or not, we're going to end

4:46:48up at the same exact result. So it'll be

4:46:51okay.

4:46:52>> So first we'll do a roll call on these

4:46:54amendments before us. Discussion or can

4:46:56we go to the role? Let's go to the role,

4:46:58please. Council

4:47:01can wait. Can I

4:47:02>> We're already on the rodation.

4:47:05Can

4:47:06>> we're moving on to the role,

4:47:08>> so you can vote no if you'd like or yes.

4:47:10>> Council El Zubie, yes. Vice Mayor Zim.

4:47:14>> Present. Council Flareity,

4:47:17>> present.

4:47:17>> Present. Councelor McGovern.

4:47:20>> No.

4:47:21>> Councelor Nolan,

4:47:22>> yes.

4:47:22>> Yes. Councelor Simmons,

4:47:24>> no.

4:47:24>> No. Councelor Sabrina Wheeler,

4:47:27>> yes.

4:47:27>> Yes. Councelor Zusi,

4:47:30>> no.

4:47:31>> No. Mayor Sadiki,

4:47:32>> yes.

4:47:32>> Yes. And you have four members recorded

4:47:34in the affirmative, three recorded in

4:47:36the negative, and two recorded as

4:47:38present.

4:47:39>> So, the amendments fail. So, we can go

4:47:42ahead and adopt move on a motion by

4:47:44councelor Simmons to adopt the original

4:47:47order. Do a roll call.

4:47:51>> Council Zubie,

4:47:53>> present. Vice Mayor Zim.

4:47:55>> Yes. Yes, councelor Flarity.

4:47:58>> Yes.

4:47:59>> Yes. Councelor McGovern.

4:48:00>> Yes, Councelor Nolan.

4:48:02>> Yes.

4:48:02>> Yes. Councelor Simmons.

4:48:04>> Yes.

4:48:04>> Yes. Councelor Sabrina Wheeler.

4:48:06>> Present.

4:48:06>> Present. Councelor Zusi.

4:48:09>> Yes.

4:48:10>> Yes. Mayor Sadiki.

4:48:11>> Yes.

4:48:12>> Yes. And you have seven members recorded

4:48:13in the affirmative and two recorded as

4:48:16present.

4:48:17>> The policy order is adopted as amended.

4:48:19Councelor Simmons.

4:48:20>> Consideration.

4:48:30Councelor Simmons moves to suspend the

4:48:32rules

4:48:34and to rec do a reconsideration vote. On

4:48:38suspension, all those in favor say I.

4:48:40>> I. Those against say no. The eyes have

4:48:42it. We're in suspension. We can now move

4:48:44on to the reconsideration vote. We'll do

4:48:46a roll call.

4:48:52>> No. Vice Mayor Ze,

4:48:54>> no.

4:48:55>> No. Councelor Flareity,

4:48:56>> no.

4:48:57>> No. Councelor McGovern,

4:48:59>> no.

4:48:59>> No. Councelor Nolan,

4:49:01>> no. Councelor Simmons,

4:49:03>> no.

4:49:03>> No. Councelor Sabrina Wheeler,

4:49:05>> no. Councelor Zusi,

4:49:07>> no.

4:49:07>> No. Mayor Sadiki,

4:49:08>> no.

4:49:09>> No. And you have nine members recorded

4:49:10in the negative.

4:49:11>> All right. Reconsideration fails. We'll

4:49:13move on to unfinished business. This is

4:49:15the revolving fund ordinance to

4:49:17establish a new revolving fund for the

4:49:20renewable energy and greenhouse gas

4:49:22reduction to serve the city's municipal

4:49:23energy use. This was passed to a second

4:49:25reading on our council meeting in

4:49:27September. It's eligible to be ordained.

4:49:31It's not eligible to be and we have till

4:49:33October 5th. So, we'll move over. We'll

4:49:36go to applications.

4:49:38There's one on a motion by councelor

4:49:41Nolan to adopt the application.

4:49:45All those in favor say I. I. Those

4:49:48against say no. The eyes have it. The

4:49:49applications adopted. There are 25

4:49:52communications on a motion by Vice Mayor

4:49:54Azim to place all communications on

4:49:58file. All those in favor say I. I. Those

4:50:01against say no. The eyes have it. The 25

4:50:04communications are adopted. We now move

4:50:07on to consent agendas. I am going to

4:50:09pull number six. Any other

4:50:12>> number two, please?

4:50:14>> Number two.

4:50:16>> Number two and number six have been

4:50:18pulled.

4:50:19>> We'll go ahead and do a roll call. I'm

4:50:22um a voice vote on the balance by on a

4:50:24motion by councelor Simmons making them

4:50:26unanimous upon adoption. All those in

4:50:28favor say I. I. Those against say no.

4:50:31The eyes have it. The resolutions

4:50:35uh are adopted.

4:50:38The balance is adopted. We'll go to

4:50:40number two.

4:50:42We are going to congratulate this is a

4:50:44congratulations to him tumi as he is

4:50:47recognized and honored by amigos the

4:50:49turka as it celebrates its annual black

4:50:51tai dance fundraiser on sun on Saturday

4:50:55October 3rd 2026 at the holy ghost

4:50:57society in ll Massachusetts. Councelor

4:50:59Simmons you have the floor.

4:51:00>> Thank you madame mayor. Uh this is

4:51:02self-explanatory. Counselor and former

4:51:04state representative Timothy Tunisi is

4:51:06being recognized by Amigos Dersa.

4:51:10I wanted I pulled this more so to I

4:51:13could add my colleague uh Council Flity

4:51:16to this policy order. Um I it's sounds

4:51:19like a wonderful event. I'm sorry I'm

4:51:21not going to be able to uh uh personally

4:51:23go, but I will have an ambassador going

4:51:25in my place. I think councelor Tumi has

4:51:28done yman's work serving the the city

4:51:31and the commonwealth and I'm glad that

4:51:33this group is acknowledging him. So the

4:51:36amendment is just to add council

4:51:38flarity.

4:51:40>> We'll go ahead on a voice vote to add

4:51:42councelor flity. All those in favor say

4:51:44I.

4:51:44>> I. Those against say no. Councelor

4:51:46flarity is added.

4:51:49>> We will go ahead and adopt the

4:51:50resolution as amended. All those in in

4:51:53favor say I. I. Those against say no.

4:51:56The eyes have it. Resolution number two,

4:51:58as amended, is adopted. We're going to

4:52:01resolution

4:52:03number six, that the city council go on

4:52:05record honoring the life and legacy of

4:52:06Dr. Felt and Tony James Earls III and

4:52:09extending its deepest sympathy to his

4:52:11family as followed by me. Um, and I'll I

4:52:15know councelor Simmons I will add you. I

4:52:18wanted to just say and councelor

4:52:20McGovern

4:52:22I met I we called him called Tony Tony

4:52:26when I was probably end of 8th grade uh

4:52:30early 9th grade uh and uh you know he

4:52:34was always so supportive of having a

4:52:36youth council and really encouraged us

4:52:39uh to to do that and so um he was a big

4:52:43kind of influence um on many of us uh

4:52:47and you know I'll never forget kind of

4:52:48meeting him in Harvard Square. Um I

4:52:51think Kari was there too. Uh and many

4:52:55people were there and um but he was just

4:52:57a really um just a a really great leader

4:53:01and uh did a lot for children and um so

4:53:05did um

4:53:07his wife. Uh and so um it's a big loss

4:53:11to the community um and to many of the

4:53:14people who loved him. Uh so wanted to

4:53:18bring this forward uh and I will pass it

4:53:21to my colleagues. Councelor Simmons.

4:53:24>> Uh thank you, Madam Mayor. I remember uh

4:53:28Dr. Earls in his strong advocacy for

4:53:31youth, particularly youth of color. He

4:53:34was everywhere all the time giving his

4:53:36best to our city on top of everything

4:53:38else that he did. I was very sad to see

4:53:41that he had passed and was respectfully

4:53:43asking if I could be added as a

4:53:44co-sponsor. Absolutely. Council

4:53:46McGovern.

4:53:48>> Thank you, Madam Mayor. Through you.

4:53:49Yeah, just to echo, I I knew Dr. Earles

4:53:52um when we were on the well, now it's

4:53:54the Family Policy Council. It was the

4:53:56kids council back then. [clears throat]

4:53:59um and and like everyone else remember

4:54:01his his his advocacy and his his support

4:54:04for young people in the community. He um

4:54:07also uh is living lives in was living in

4:54:10the same building as my mom. So I I got

4:54:13to see him um actually I saw him as

4:54:15recently as just you know about a month

4:54:17ago. So um also would like to would like

4:54:20to be added for out of respect. Thank

4:54:22you.

4:54:23>> Absolutely. We'll go ahead on a voice

4:54:26vote add councelor Simmons and councelor

4:54:28McGovern. All those in favor say I.

4:54:31>> I. Those against say no. The eyes have

4:54:32it.

4:54:35>> Councelor Flity,

4:54:36>> may I ask? I know we've already um

4:54:38adopted it, but could we go back to

4:54:40number three by unanimous consent?

4:54:43>> Yeah, let me just finish this up.

4:54:45>> Oh, I'm sorry. So we've added um my

4:54:47colleagues will go ahead and adopt um

4:54:50the resolution at as amended making it

4:54:53unanimous upon adoption. This is

4:54:56resolution number six. All those in

4:54:57favor say I. I. Those against say no.

4:54:59The resolution as amended is adopted. Uh

4:55:04well councelor Flity has asked for

4:55:06unanimous consent to go back to number

4:55:10three. All those in favor say I.

4:55:12>> I.

4:55:12>> I. Those against say no. Other eyes have

4:55:15it. We are back at number three.

4:55:17Councelor Flity,

4:55:18>> sorry to do this. I'm sorry to

4:55:19interrupt, but I forgot to pull number

4:55:21three. Uh that's the resolution for

4:55:25Marvin Gilmore on his 102nd birthday. Um

4:55:29I spoke to him this afternoon. He's

4:55:32tremendous. And uh I'll bore you with a

4:55:35quick story. Before his hundth birthday,

4:55:37I was with him here in city hall. And

4:55:39after the meeting we attended, he asked

4:55:41if I would have a drink with him. And I

4:55:44said, "Sure, Marvin. I'd love to." So,

4:55:46we went across the street to the cantab

4:55:48on a Monday night. And we went into the

4:55:50can tab and had a couple of beers at the

4:55:52bar. And within, I'm going to say within

4:55:5510 minutes, Marvin was asked to dance by

4:55:58two women. And he was dancing with them.

4:56:00And now it approached the hour, maybe

4:56:03past where we are now. And I said,

4:56:05"Marvin, I've got to go." And I had

4:56:07driven him in his car, which is a

4:56:08souped-up Jag at the time with the

4:56:12license plate, the red reae. And I said,

4:56:14"Let's go." Uh, and he said, "Give me

4:56:17the keys. Take a cab." So I left him at

4:56:20the cantab at 11:00 at night when he was

4:56:2299 years old because I was tired and he

4:56:25had to go home.

4:56:26>> And I'd very much appreciate being uh

4:56:30added to this uh resolution in

4:56:32celebration of his 102nd birthday.

4:56:34Absolutely.

4:56:36>> Councelor Simmons.

4:56:38>> Uh thank you, Madam Chair. Have you

4:56:40yielded?

4:56:40>> I yield.

4:56:41>> Okay. Uh seeing that I was not going to

4:56:43bring it up because the hour is getting

4:56:46late, but I think it's a a huge

4:56:48accomplishment for anyone to be 102.

4:56:51102, still working, owns a cannabis

4:56:55dispensary,

4:56:56wheeling and dealing. I can barely get

4:56:58up in the morning and walk down the

4:57:00stairs. And this man is just doing so

4:57:01much more. He is really a inspiration to

4:57:04me. So he will be very soon having his

4:57:0710und well his birthday's already passed

4:57:09but he'll be havingund2 birthday coming

4:57:12up and I'll let everyone know and maybe

4:57:14you all can keep up with him. I yield

4:57:17the floor. Happy birthday to Marvin

4:57:21Gilmore. We'll go ahead on a the motion

4:57:24to add counselor flity to the

4:57:27resolution. All those in favor say I. I.

4:57:31Those against say no. The eyes have it.

4:57:33Thank you.

4:57:33>> Councelor Flity is added. We'll go ahead

4:57:36and adopt the resolution as amended

4:57:37making it unan unanimous upon adoption.

4:57:41All those in favor say I. I.

4:57:43>> I.

4:57:43>> Those against say no. Resolution number

4:57:45three as amended is adopted. We are done

4:57:49with the resolutions.

4:57:52Now we are going to committee reports.

4:57:55There's

4:57:55>> adopt the report and place on file.

4:57:57We're going to the committee report and

4:58:00councelor

4:58:02um Simmons has moved to accept the

4:58:04report and place it on file. Any

4:58:06discussion?

4:58:08>> We'll go ahead and do a roll call.

4:58:12>> Councelor Alzubi.

4:58:14>> Yes. Vice Mayor Zim.

4:58:15>> Yes.

4:58:16>> Yes. Councelor Flarity.

4:58:17>> Yes.

4:58:18>> Yes. Councelor McGovern.

4:58:19>> Yes. Councelor Nolan.

4:58:21>> Yes. Councelor Simmons.

4:58:23>> Yes.

4:58:23>> Yes. Councelor Sabrina Wheeler.

4:58:25>> Yes. Councelor Zusi.

4:58:27>> Yes.

4:58:27>> Yes. Mayor Sadiki.

4:58:28>> Yes.

4:58:29>> Yes. And you have nine members recorded

4:58:30in the affirmative.

4:58:32>> The report has been accepted and placed

4:58:35on file. We'll move on to communication

4:58:38reports.

4:58:39>> Oh, we still have 1A to dispose of.

4:58:41>> Excuse me.

4:58:42>> So, the actual order is before us. So

4:58:45that is that the city manager is

4:58:46requested to work with CDD and relevant

4:58:48city departments to prepare zoning

4:58:50language based on the recommendations in

4:58:52the September 16th, 2026 joint meeting,

4:58:56joint housing and neighborhood and

4:58:57long-term planning committees for

4:58:59consideration by the full city council.

4:59:01Councelor McGovern, you have the floor.

4:59:03>> I um I can yield to someone else. I was

4:59:06just going to um I didn't know we were

4:59:09doing a separate vote on this and I just

4:59:10wanted to make sure that I explained

4:59:12what the rest of the process was for

4:59:14folks um in terms of where this goes

4:59:17from here. So I I'll listen to others

4:59:19and come back in a minute.

4:59:21>> Okay, I'll go to councelor Nolan.

4:59:24>> Thank you. Um yes, this is the

4:59:25culmination of we're we're in the in a

4:59:28process of understanding how it is that

4:59:30we might uh choose to improve and

4:59:33propose some amendments and adjustments.

4:59:36I have a question through you uh Mayor

4:59:39Sadiki to the city manager since he

4:59:42continues to be here and I'm not sure if

4:59:44um AC [clears throat] Peters is in that

4:59:47in in the or in the first order we we

4:59:49went through a lot of process and our

4:59:50whole goal is are there amendments and

4:59:52adjustments that can be made that would

4:59:55make this a better ordinance and that

4:59:57would not as per the um uh amendments

5:00:01that we voted on not decrease the amount

5:00:04of housing that we can expect to

5:00:06My question is through you to the staff

5:00:09is I would hope and expect that that

5:00:11would include reviewing any past work

5:00:14not to create new work but past work of

5:00:16alternatives that might produce more

5:00:18housing or the same amount of housing.

5:00:20Is that something we would need to add

5:00:21to the order or is that understood that

5:00:23that might be part of it? And I'm just

5:00:24thinking of all the work that was done

5:00:26in a range of areas and they might

5:00:28benefit from using all that past work to

5:00:29see if they can unearth some ways that

5:00:32that we might be able to fulfill the

5:00:34goals of this which is again not to

5:00:36decrease the amount of housing and yet

5:00:38to come up with a an an ordinance that

5:00:40is more streamlined that's comprehensive

5:00:42and that better meets the needs of the

5:00:44city. It's not here.

5:00:47>> Uh through you, Mayor through you,

5:00:49[clears throat] Mayor Sadiki. Um

5:00:51>> Assistant City Manager

5:00:53>> Peters is still online. Um and so maybe

5:00:56if you

5:00:57>> She's just promoted.

5:00:58>> Great. So if you could just repeat your

5:01:00question. I think I was following most

5:01:02of it but

5:01:03>> yeah I mean we we did go over this in in

5:01:07the meeting so I don't think we need to

5:01:08re discuss it since all of us were there

5:01:11and and I appreciate the support from

5:01:14was a joint two committee meeting but

5:01:16one of the questions I had is in the

5:01:18ordered one of the thoughts I had was

5:01:19that I would hope and expect that it

5:01:21would be understood that in modeling the

5:01:24impact of proposed amendments that CDD

5:01:27would include reviewing all the past

5:01:29work that they did on a range range of

5:01:31ways that we could get to where we want

5:01:33which is more building in the city and

5:01:36more uh less disruption but not reduce

5:01:38the amount of housing including

5:01:40affordable housing that we might expect.

5:01:42So I'm not I I wanted to point that out

5:01:44and and make sure that we understand

5:01:45that's part of the charge here if if

5:01:48that's understood.

5:01:51>> Melissa,

5:01:53>> yeah thank you through you mayor. Um so

5:01:56we will be bringing back the development

5:01:59pro projections we did as part of last

5:02:02year's analysis. Um there were several

5:02:05different scenarios that we evaluated

5:02:08that gave council information to um

5:02:11decide how to move forward with their

5:02:13policy recommendation. Um it would be

5:02:16helpful if if there was a specific

5:02:18scenario that you wanted us to bring

5:02:20forward, we could do that as well. Um, I

5:02:22think it'd probably be best to kind of

5:02:23narrow it down so that we're not um

5:02:27discussing um previous scenarios that

5:02:29would no longer want to be considered,

5:02:31but happy to bring forward any past

5:02:33analysis we did.

5:02:34>> Council Nolan,

5:02:35>> thanks. Yeah, I mean I'm thinking of I

5:02:37know that the 3 plus 3 was one that we

5:02:39debated back and forth and there may be

5:02:40a way to have that be provide the same

5:02:43amount of housing or more housing, same

5:02:45amount or more affordable and if that is

5:02:48something that the department judges is

5:02:49is worth look but again not creating

5:02:51extra work but I know you did a ton of

5:02:52work modeling a lot of this. So not a

5:02:54gazillion different models but I do

5:02:56think that was something I remember

5:02:58might be some might be something worth

5:02:59exploring and including in the analysis.

5:03:04Yes, certainly. We can we can bring that

5:03:06forward for discussion.

5:03:08>> Councelor Nolan yields. We have a few

5:03:10other hands up. We'll go to I think it

5:03:13was councelor Zusi and then Vice Mayor.

5:03:16>> Um I will support this. I think I've

5:03:18made clear that I feel as though I I

5:03:22would want greater setbacks. I would

5:03:25want

5:03:27green roofs and balconies not to qualify

5:03:30as open space. uh cuz they're not really

5:03:33open space. Um, and I think there is a

5:03:37real problem with

5:03:40um saying that we're not going to

5:03:42require the larger setbacks

5:03:46uh that CDD has proposed for the larger

5:03:49projects because they're the very

5:03:51projects that really need more open

5:03:54space and and people in affordable

5:03:56units, those inclusionary units, they

5:03:59too like to be able to go outside and

5:04:01play. So I think it's a disservice to

5:04:05them

5:04:06um you know not to

5:04:09give them the larger setbacks and the

5:04:12requirement for less private open space.

5:04:15Um I think there's a problem there but I

5:04:17I realize that I'm in a minority on this

5:04:20council in believing that. So, and and

5:04:24and the amendment that I really wanted

5:04:26to see was that

5:04:28um six-story buildings were only allowed

5:04:31on lots larger than 5,000 square feet.

5:04:34Again, Patrick Barrett, a developer, he

5:04:37he also agrees that the lot should be

5:04:407500 or 10,000 square feet before you

5:04:43have a six-story building. Um again, I

5:04:46live on a 5,000 a little over 5,000 foot

5:04:48lot. It is too small for a six-story

5:04:50building. And I still think there's a

5:04:52problem with six-story buildings on

5:04:53one-way streets on narrow one-way

5:04:56streets. So, I hope eventually we get to

5:04:58that place, but I realize we probably

5:05:01don't have support for that today. I am

5:05:03eager for us to move forward on these

5:05:05amendments as soon as possible. So, um

5:05:09again, even though I have um some

5:05:12concerns about the amended policy order,

5:05:15I will be supporting it tonight. So, um,

5:05:18thank you. I yield.

5:05:20>> Vice Mayor Zim.

5:05:21>> Uh, thank you, Madame Mayor. Um, so, um,

5:05:25you know, I think that we'll have plenty

5:05:26of opportunity to discuss this and so I

5:05:28don't feel like the need to go in

5:05:30length. There's just one point that I

5:05:31wanted to explain and clarify from my

5:05:33perspective which is that there seems to

5:05:35be this dichotomy between CDA telling us

5:05:37that hey in the amount of housing that

5:05:40could fit under zoning that we think

5:05:41might happen this will not be a

5:05:43significant reduction versus other

5:05:46people believing that this is a

5:05:48significant reduction and why is that

5:05:49difference I think it's very simple

5:05:52which is that housing at inclusionary

5:05:55with all the other requirements was

5:05:56tuned at a point where we had

5:05:58historically low interest rates when we

5:06:00had no tariffs and when everything was

5:06:03cheaper and so 20% did work then and we

5:06:07have seen no traction with health peak

5:06:09Cambridge uh uh um uh uh near Leech the

5:06:14developments there that have been even

5:06:16grandfathered in at 10% no construction

5:06:19has begun we did not only pass the

5:06:21multif family housing last year we also

5:06:23passed new zoning in northern Mass that

5:06:26had much greater heights not one

5:06:28building has been proposed to take

5:06:30advantage of that higher zoning.

5:06:32My fear is not that we will have less

5:06:35zoned capacity. That is great. But that

5:06:38actually we are not going to get any of

5:06:40these larger developments in any of the

5:06:43places where people have said now that

5:06:44they do wish it will happen. And the

5:06:46small number of developments that are

5:06:48penciling will then have even more

5:06:50restrictions. And so not in theory will

5:06:53we have less housing in a significant

5:06:55version. But in practice, the housing

5:06:57that does pencil, we are limiting. And

5:06:59the housing that doesn't pencil,

5:07:01everyone has been telling me for my

5:07:02entire city council career, high

5:07:04interest rates are are transitionary.

5:07:06That actually, you know, tariffs are

5:07:08transitionary. But I think tariffs are

5:07:10here to stay. Even other Democrats have

5:07:12said that they want to keep the tariffs.

5:07:14The high interest rates just keep on

5:07:15getting higher. I think we just crossed

5:07:177% for a 30-year mortgage, which is a

5:07:19recent high. And I think the practical

5:07:22effects will be that we will push out

5:07:24market rate housing and then also the

5:07:27inclusionary housing we want is still

5:07:28not penciling. I think that there's

5:07:29other options, right? You can have these

5:07:31amendments but then do other stuff to

5:07:33make the inclusionary housing pencil and

5:07:35maybe that's in places where people want

5:07:37as well. I think that would be a great

5:07:38compromise actually, but you have to

5:07:40actually then make the other housing in

5:07:41the places where we do want it to

5:07:43pencil. So that was all I wanted to say

5:07:45for today. Thank you.

5:07:46>> Thank you, Vice Mayor. We will go to

5:07:48councelor flity

5:07:50>> and I'll be quick because I think I

5:07:52agree with councelor

5:07:54um that we'll have lots of opportunities

5:07:57to discuss this and I appreciate what he

5:08:00has to say um and you know while we

5:08:04support the amendments that have been

5:08:05presented to us I think um you know a

5:08:09lot of it is nibbling around the edges

5:08:11and doesn't substantively

5:08:14change the multif family housing zoning

5:08:16ordinance which we've heard from so many

5:08:19people and we've seen in our own lives

5:08:21the dramatic impact it's had. But to

5:08:24council regime's point um you know a lot

5:08:28of this as it has been explained to many

5:08:31of us about interest rates and tariffs

5:08:34are real obstacles to development but it

5:08:36they are transitory. They're not

5:08:38permanent. I know they've been here

5:08:41longer than we may think but they're

5:08:43transitory. What's not transitory is a

5:08:46zoning ordinance and maybe we should be

5:08:50considering maybe some sort of a sunset

5:08:52provision as well because I think health

5:08:55peak will go forward. North Point will

5:08:58go forward and the 12,500 unit uh

5:09:02projections that are in Cambridge

5:09:04Envision without any data supporting

5:09:06those projections, I'll add um will be

5:09:10met, I think, very quickly by some of

5:09:13the larger developments when um when

5:09:17those transitory interest rates and

5:09:20tariffs uh become uh less of an

5:09:23obstacle. And then if we're faced with

5:09:26that development plus what's happening

5:09:29with multif family, then we're biting

5:09:31off our nose to spite our face. And in

5:09:34the process, very quickly, uh, in one

5:09:37generation, as you've all heard me say,

5:09:40uh, we won't be the city of Cambridge.

5:09:41we've all come to love. The one that,

5:09:44you know, uh I live in now and I'm

5:09:46choosing to raise my family in and will

5:09:48be become a place that uh is not a place

5:09:51where middle class families live. So,

5:09:54we've got plenty of time to talk about

5:09:56it and uh and I look forward to the

5:09:59discussions. I yield.

5:10:01>> We'll go to Councelor McGovern.

5:10:03>> Uh thank you. Yeah, I'm not going to say

5:10:05too much about this. I mean, I I I will

5:10:07say that, you know, the history the this

5:10:10city has a long history of uh changing

5:10:14over time. We're 400 years old, and I

5:10:16would bet you dollars to donuts, as they

5:10:19used to say that every time there was a

5:10:21major change in the city, somebody said,

5:10:23"This is going to make Cambridge the

5:10:25city. We don't we have come, you know,

5:10:27different from the city, we've come to

5:10:28love." And yet, we still love it because

5:10:30it's new, you know, every generation is

5:10:32different. Um, I use my street as an

5:10:35example all the time because it's like

5:10:37why not use myself as an example? Grew

5:10:40up in the same house, lived there all my

5:10:42life.

5:10:44My street, just my block, forget my

5:10:46street. Looks really different than what

5:10:48I did when I was a kid. There's two

5:10:49six-story buildings and a sevenstory

5:10:51building just on my block that did not

5:10:53exist when I was growing up. And I can

5:10:55assure you that my neighborhood is

5:10:56wonderful, that my neighborhood is

5:10:58fantastic. It did not destroy my

5:11:01neighborhood because my neighborhood is

5:11:02a lot more than the height of a

5:11:04building. It's about the people who live

5:11:05in it. Um, and so, you know, this is the

5:11:08challenging part. How do we balance the

5:11:11concerns of the people who are here

5:11:12today while also thinking about where

5:11:15we're going to be in 20 or 30 years when

5:11:18my kids, those buildings have existed

5:11:20all their life. It's part of their

5:11:21neighborhood. They don't know any

5:11:22different. So, these are the complicated

5:11:25conversations. But I did want to just

5:11:27for people's, you know, I'm not sure

5:11:29anybody's still watching, but um this

5:11:32will now go back to uh CDD councelor

5:11:37Sabrina Wheeler and I who are co-chairs

5:11:39of the ordinance committee. We'll talk

5:11:40with them about how much time they need

5:11:43um to do the amendments and and and edit

5:11:46the the the ordinance. We will then have

5:11:50an ordinance committee meeting, at least

5:11:52one, probably more than one. Um I assume

5:11:56we'll have one that will do all public

5:11:58comment and then one where we'll

5:12:00actually do the you know the debate

5:12:03amongst ourselves. Um and then whenever

5:12:07that comes out of ordinance with

5:12:08whatever recommendation it comes out of

5:12:10it goes back to the council. We then

5:12:13have to vote to send it to a second

5:12:15reading. It has to sit on the agenda for

5:12:16two weeks. So we are at all of the

5:12:19through all of that the public can

5:12:21comment via email or at public you know

5:12:25public comment at the meetings. Um and

5:12:28amendments can come and go throughout

5:12:31that right up until the last second. So

5:12:34there's still a ways to go with this. Um

5:12:36I would like to move it as quickly as

5:12:38possible because I know it is causing

5:12:40folks a lot of uh anxiety. It's creating

5:12:43a lot of uh uh unpredictability in in in

5:12:48where things are going. So, we should we

5:12:50should move it quickly. So, hopefully um

5:12:52Assistant Manager Peters, what do you

5:12:54think you need? I I don't know if you

5:12:55can answer that now, but what do you

5:12:56what do you think you might need in

5:12:58terms of a time frame to bring something

5:13:01back to ordinance?

5:13:03>> Yeah, thank you for you, Mayor. We are

5:13:06committed to getting something back

5:13:07within six to eight weeks.

5:13:09>> Okay. Um and so we can go, you know, we

5:13:13can go ahead and and schedule something

5:13:14long before that um so that it's on the

5:13:17books uh as soon as possible. Uh thank

5:13:20you, Mador.

5:13:21>> Councelor McGovern yields. I think we've

5:13:23heard from everyone who would like to be

5:13:25heard. I think I suggest uh we go ahead

5:13:28and do a roll call on this order.

5:13:34>> Councelor Alzie,

5:13:36>> yes. Vice Mayor,

5:13:38>> yes. Councelor Flarity.

5:13:40>> Yes. Councelor McGovern.

5:13:41>> Yes.

5:13:42>> Yes. Councelor Nolan.

5:13:43>> Yes. Councelor Simmons.

5:13:45>> Yes.

5:13:45>> Yes. Councelor Sabrina Wheeler.

5:13:47>> Yes.

5:13:47>> Yes. Councelor Zusi.

5:13:49>> Yes.

5:13:49>> Yes. Mayor Sadiki.

5:13:50>> Yes.

5:13:51>> Yes. And you have nine members recording

5:13:52the affirmative.

5:13:53>> The order passes. We move on to

5:13:55communications and reports from other

5:13:57city officers. There are two on a motion

5:13:59by councelor Simmons to place both of

5:14:01these on file. All those in favor say I.

5:14:04I. Those against say no. The eyes have

5:14:06it. Those two communications reports are

5:14:09from other city officer placed on file.

5:14:12We don't have any late resolutions. We

5:14:14don't have any late policy orders. So on

5:14:17a motion by councelor Simmons to

5:14:18adjourn. All those in favor say I. I.

5:14:21Those against say no. The eyes have it.

5:14:23We are adjourned. Good night everyone.

5:14:32>> No. I thought