Cambridge Committee Opens Review of Petition to Allow Multifamily Housing Citywide

CAMBRIDGE — November 19, 2024 — Cambridge Ordinance Committee begins review of petition to allow multifamily housing citywide. The committee, co-chaired by Councilor Quinton Toner and Vice Mayor Marc McGovern, opened its first hearing November 19 on two zoning petitions that would eliminate Residence A and B districts and allow multifamily buildings of up to six stories throughout the city. Staff projected the proposal could produce 1,630 net new units by 2030 — 310 of them affordable — and 4,880 by 2040, compared with just 70 units under current residential zoning by 2040; additional rezoning of squares and corridors could yield more than 12,400 units by 2040 on top of those figures. Jeff Roberts, Director of Zoning and Development, noted that most existing Cambridge buildings already fail to meet current setback standards, and that removing minimum lot-size and density requirements is intended to make the city's older housing stock conforming. No votes on the substance were taken; public comment sessions are scheduled for December 4 and December 19, with a final City Council deadline of February 10, 2025.