Housing
Cambridge Council to Consider Lowering Inclusionary Housing Requirement
The Cambridge City Council is weighing loosening its inclusionary housing requirement as the city faces two lawsuits regarding the policy and a rising concern that the requirement is preventing large developments from moving forward.
Unfinished Construction, Unreliable Utilities: Residents Detail First Months Living in Luxury Apartments on Harvard’s ERC
Harvard Kennedy School student Oleksandr “Alexander” Kutovyi moved into a new apartment on Harvard’s Enterprise Research Campus a year ago. Upon arrival, he felt the apartment building had “overpromised and underdelivered.”
Homeless People Displaced as Harvard Restricts Overnight Smith Center Access
Harvard has begun restricting access to the plaza outside the Smith Campus Center outside of the building’s operating hours, displacing homeless residents who have regularly stayed there overnight.
Inside Harvard Chabad’s Path To Changing Cambridge’s Zoning
Emails and calendar records show Cambridge officials discussed a legislative path to help Harvard Chabad build its new Banks Street center months before a zoning amendment was publicly filed — and while the group’s legal fight with the city was still unfolding.
Mass. Ave. Zoning Plan Advances, Cambridge St. Proposal To Expire Amid Council Deadlock
The Cambridge City Council Ordinance Committee advanced a scaled-back zoning proposal for North Massachusetts Avenue while setting much of a parallel Cambridge Street proposal on course to expire during a meeting earlier this month.
Cambridge, Boston Expand HUD Lawsuit as Millions in Housing Funds Remain in Limbo
Cambridge and Boston joined a coalition of cities and nonprofits Monday in asking a federal court to block a new round of Trump administration restrictions on federal housing funding, expanding their ongoing lawsuit over the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care grant program.
Cambridge Launches Task Force to Explore Social Housing Model
The Cambridge City Council appointed 13 members Monday to a new task force charged with studying whether the city should build social housing, marking its next attempt to address a housing crisis that has dominated municipal politics for more than a decade.
Cambridge Tightens Affordable Homeownership Program as Demand Surges
Fewer residents will qualify for Cambridge’s affordable homeownership program after the city’s Affordable Housing Trust tightened eligibility rules last month, citing surging demand and limited capacity.
‘Through the Ranks’: Johnston Leaves Cambridge Housing Authority After 34 Years
After more than three decades shaping Cambridge’s affordable housing landscape, Michael J. “Mike” Johnston is stepping down — leaving behind a billion-dollar redevelopment legacy and a transformed housing authority that now serves as a national model.
Ellery Street Housing Proposals Spur Appeals, Zoning Debate
Ellery Street — a mid-Cambridge corridor facing an early wave of development under the city’s zoning overhaul — has become a flashpoint in the debate over boosting housing supply amid a growing shortage.
Massachusetts Attorney General Intervenes to Back Cambridge in Inclusionary Zoning Lawsuit
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea J. Campbell formally intervened Thursday in a lawsuit challenging Cambridge’s inclusionary zoning policy, warning the case could have sweeping implications for housing policy across the state.
Appeals Court Blocks Cuts to Millions in Housing Funding for Cambridge, Boston
The First Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling on Wednesday to block the Trump administration from restricting funding for homelessness services — siding with Cambridge, Boston, and a coalition of cities and nonprofits that sued to stop the changes.
‘Scarier Than College Admissions’: Freshmen Celebrate Annual Housing Day Tradition
Freshmen described a mix of anxiety, confusion, and elation during Housing Day as dorm-storming upperclassmen and pranks culminated in the reveal of their assigned Houses.
Cambridge Sees Early-Stage Developments One Year After Overhauling Its Zoning Code
A year after Cambridge overhauled its zoning laws to spur more housing development, city staff say the ordinance has begun pushing projects into the development pipeline — even if the results remain nascent.
Cambridge Housing Authority Names Clara Fraden as First Female CEO
The Cambridge Housing Authority has named Clara Fraden, its former director of planning, to lead the agency after its longtime director retires at the end of March.
As Costs Climb, Developers Turn to Cambridge’s Affordable Housing Trust, Report Finds
Cambridge's Affordable Housing Trust has become the financial backbone of nearly every large affordable development in the city, according to a report released last week evaluating the last five years of the program.
106-Unit Affordable Development To Open to Residents at 52 New Street
The first affordable housing project permitted under the city’s landmark Affordable Housing Overlay opened to residents last week, more than four years after its initial approval.
Cambridge Unifies Four Housing Programs Under New City Department
The Cambridge City Council voted unanimously Monday to consolidate the city’s four housing programs into a single department, aiming to better coordinate services for residents and streamline how the city administers housing policy.
As Life Sciences Development Slows, Allston Developers Turn Toward Housing
As life science development slows sharply, a different sector is gaining momentum in Allston: housing.
Corcoran Park Redevelopment Proposal Moves Forward After Completing AHO Review Process
A proposal to redevelop Corcoran Park, an affordable housing complex in West Cambridge managed by the Cambridge Housing Authority, cleared its final Planning Board hurdle Tuesday — allowing construction to move forward despite disagreement over a controversial expansion of on-site parking.
Cambridge Rolls Out Municipally-Funded Housing Voucher Program
Cambridge has awarded nearly 20 city-funded housing vouchers to support low-income residents after the city made a $1 million investment into the program last summer.
Inclusionary Zoning Was Meant to Create Affordable Housing. Now a Developer is Taking it to Court.
For nearly three decades, Cambridge has relied on its inclusionary zoning policy to require developers to build affordable housing. Now, a lawsuit filed by a longtime local developer threatens the legal basis of that policy.
Mill Creek Residential Begins Construction on 240-Unit Housing Development in Allston
Florida-based rental housing developer Mill Creek Residential broke ground on a six-story apartment complex that will bring 240 residential units to Allston, less than a mile from Harvard Business School and the Enterprise Research Campus.
Cambridge Council Moves to Explore Renovations at 240 Albany St. Shelter
The Cambridge City Council voted unanimously Monday to explore renovations to the shelter at 240 Albany St., one of the city’s largest low-threshold shelters, which allows residents to stay regardless of active substance use.
Housing and Transportation Take Top Priority, But Remain Least Satisfactory, Cambridge Survey Finds
A record number of Cambridge residents said they were highly satisfied with living in the city according to a 2025 resident satisfaction survey, but the city’s two most hot-button issues — housing affordability and transportation — continued to fall short of their expectations.
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