Cambridge Planning Board Receives First Annual Housing Report Under Multifamily Zoning

CAMBRIDGE — March 31, 2026 — Cambridge Planning Board reviews first annual housing data under landmark multifamily zoning. The board unanimously approved a two-year building permit extension for Planning Board Case PB-402 at 815 Summer Street, extending the deadline to April 25, 2028, before spending the bulk of the March 31 session on the city's first Annual Housing Report, required under the 2025 multifamily zoning overhaul. Jeff Roberts, Director of Zoning and Development at the Community Development Department, reported that roughly 50 housing building permits were issued in 2025, with a notable compositional shift: alteration projects that reduced unit counts fell from 17 in 2024 to five in 2025, while projects that increased units rose from one to 19. Board Zoning appeal variance applications dropped approximately 70 percent year over year, attributed primarily to the housing regulatory changes. No inclusionary projects received building permits in 2025, a gap that prompted Member Carolyn Zurn to ask for context and Chair Tom Sanaviich to suggest the City Council may need to revisit the required inclusionary percentage. Resident Heather Hoffman, speaking during public comment, said the report should have disclosed a pending lawsuit challenging the inclusionary zoning ordinance.