March 2025 - Neighbors - lists.buenavistasocialclub.org

Fwd: N9C Meeting Reminder: Wed. March 12, 6-8 pm
by raryals 10 Mar '25

10 Mar '25

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Neighborhood Nine Coalition <info(a)n9c.org> Date: Sun, Mar 9, 2025 at 1:33 PM Subject: N9C Meeting Reminder: Wed. March 12, 6-8 pm To: <raryals(a)gmail.com> Graham & Parks School Auditorium (Walker Street Entrance across from Radcliffe)‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ View in browser <https://fgcgr.r.ag.d.sendibm3.com/mk/mr/sh/6rqJ8GoudeITQLbCqmPBeBOtWie/IYvD…> [image: N9C Logo] *Neighborhood Nine Coalition* Neighbors, We look forward to seeing you at the following meeting sponsored by N9: - *Wednesday, March 12th* - *Graham & Parks School Auditorium * - (use the Walker Street side entrance across from Radcliffe). *From 6-7 there will be a Neighborhood Nine meeting, but Porter Square folks might be interested in attending the following:* *7:00-8:00 pm Just-a-Start / AHO in Lesley Parking Lots* - Carl Nagy-Koechlin, the Executive Director of Just-a-Start, will introduce his organization and share his thoughts on the AHO development of the two Lesley parking lots. - *NOTE: Our goal is establishing a good working relationship with JaS, so our discussion should remain friendly and courteous. JaS has not hired an architect yet, so there are no specific details to discuss. We cannot stop the AHO development on these lots, so we need to establish a collaborative relationship to influence future design details.* See you there! -- Ruth Ryals raryals(a)gmail.com

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Fwd: Tuesday 11:30 am "Squares" Hearing
by raryals 03 Mar '25

03 Mar '25

Neighbors, I am forwarding Lee Ferris' write up (slightly edited) re Central Square, but we will need to have our own discussions re Porter Square and Mass Ave. The discussions so far have suggested up to 18 stories in the square and 8-11 stories on the Ave, as well as push back on all of these heights in the context of what is there now. There have also been discussions about how to protect the many single story businesses which define our area. All very serious concerns, though this is a discussion about zoning; it may be years before many of these sites are developed. See you tomorrow to start the conversation about how big and where. Ruth ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Cambridge Residents Alliance <president(a)cambridgeresidentsalliance.org > Date: Mon, Mar 3, 2025 at 8:22 PM Subject: Tuesday 11:30 am "Squares" Hearing To: <raryals(a)gmail.com> ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Cambridge Residents Alliance <https://www.cambridgeresidentsalliance.org/?e=d403c5d06e95f3011d0912fbd8ae0…> Dear Friends: On *Tues. March 4, at 11:30am*, there will be a joint meeting of the Council’s Housing Committee and the Neighborhood and Longterm Planning Committee to begin to discuss upzoning the city’s squares and corridors. *Please share your thoughts with councilors before the meeting *to help set the tone for the meeting. Email council(a)cambridgema.gov and copy clerk(a)cambridgema.gov . You can sign up to speak in public comment and watch *here* <https://www.cambridgeresidentsalliance.org/r?u=nv_VmNXNT3wlUIveuHaspQ_00lZV…>. When the presentation is posted, it should be here <https://www.cambridgeresidentsalliance.org/r?u=zHo9wShdpBi3id8l1eg11YU7kc-R…>. You can use the following points in your own words to email councilors or speak in public comment. This upzoning discussion follows passage of the Multifamily upzoning in neighborhoods. City staff made clear in presentations that they expected many more housing units would result from upzoning the squares and corridors compared with the Multifamily upzoning. The city has been working on draft upzonings for several parts of the city, such as Cambridge St., Mass. Ave. and Central Sq. For example, city staff held a series of community meetings about Central Sq. and developed a concept of a zoning proposal that would allow *18 floor market-rate housing on Mass. Ave. and 8 floor market-rate housing at the neighborhood edges.* These buildings would contain 20% Inclusionary housing (affordable to people earning 50-80% of AMI). If a building contains cultural spaces, it could be even taller. The proposed zoning would also enlarge what is considered to be Central Sq. on all sides. A big concern is that 18 floors of market housing will outcompete 18 floors of 100% affordable housing. We need a Central Sq. zoning plan that preserves the advantage that 100% affordable housing gets by ensuring market buildings are shorter. The zoning plan also does not provide adequate incentives to expect that smaller cultural spaces like the Cantab or ManRay would be preserved in the Square. Over 100 people gathered in two community-run meetings to discuss the proposed upzoning for Central Sq. People opposed the proposed 18 story zoning and opposed concentrating the increased density in Central Sq. *Instead, density should be spread around the city; what Councilors should discuss is a reasonable increase in density along main roads that are single story with very low density, like north Mass. Ave.* Additional points you could make: - Require special permits for taller market housing - Require design review for taller market housing - A hotel should not count as housing; it should be considered commercial. This will be another months-long zoning process. It’s important to say what you do and do not want to see. We will keep you informed as it moves forward so you can participate. Thanks, Lee Farris, President Cambridge Residents Alliance: *Working for a Livable, Affordable and Diverse Cambridge* Cambridge Residents Alliance https://www.cambridgeresidentsalliance.org/ <https://www.cambridgeresidentsalliance.org/?e=d403c5d06e95f3011d0912fbd8ae0…> -- Ruth Ryals raryals(a)gmail.com

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1 bed 1 bath available?
by Jesse Cherayil 03 Mar '25

03 Mar '25

Hi all, Does anyone have a 1 bed 1 bath available for rent in the Neighborhood Nine / Porter Square area? Must have street parking or off-street parking nearby. My ideal move-in date would be 5/31/25, but open to 5/1 or 6/1 leases. I'm 28 years old, working in tech, and have lived in the neighborhood for a few years now. Feel free to contact me at jmcherayil(a)gmail.com if you know of anything! Happy to share more of what I'm looking for as well. Thanks! Jesse

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