As Lee suggests, write, sign up to speak, but please cc: PSNA <portersquare@googlegroups.com> I particularly fear the loss of open space, trees, any setbacks and the historic character of some of our neighborhoods. Not to mention our climate goals. Thanks, Ruth Ruth Ryals raryals@gmail.com ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Lee Farris <Lee@leefarris.net> Date: Mon, Nov 11, 2024 at 5:53 PM Subject: [ACN] Alert: Tues. 11/12- Contact Planning Board on Multifamily zoning. Dear neighbors, The Planning Board will hold a hearing on Tues. 11/12, at 6:30pm to discuss the proposed citywide residential upzoning. PLEASE EMAIL THE PLANNING BOARD: *planningboardcomment@cambridgema.gov* <planningboardcomment@cambridgema.gov> Please BCC your comments to Be Please use your own words. PLEASE SIGN UP TO SPEAK: Register for Zoom Webinar to participate in real time (before or during the meeting): https://cambridgema.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4s8FK24VTkK3P5CHPDA6YA What has been proposed: Cambridge is considering zoning to allow 6 floors or 75’ of market-rate housing in all parts of the city, as well as greatly decreasing the amount of project review of new buildings; buildings with more than 9 units would have 20% Inclusionary housing. The city estimates that *40% of the projects would not have Inclusionary units.* The Cambridge Housing Justice Coalition has raised concerns that the zoning proposal makes it much easier for developers to build substantially more market-rate housing in Cambridge with no associated inclusionary units. The likely result of this zoning will be more teardowns of naturally occurring affordable housing and its replacement with higher cost market housing. The proposed zoning also doesn’t provide adequate benefits to 100% affordable housing developers to allow them to compete with market rate projects, so the zoning may result in fewer 100% affordable units. The core of Cambridge’s zoning changes and housing policy must address housing affordability and protect those most vulnerable to displacement. The original charge of the Housing Committee included “a goal of having viable housing for everyone, especially lower-income residents.” (Charter Right #2, 3/25/24). Lower-income residents, including many residents of color, are being displaced by high housing costs now and cannot find affordable housing in Cambridge. To meet that goal and develop zoning that helps and does not harm lower-income residents, CHJC asks for the *zoning to be amended so that it only applies to* buildings larger than 10,000 square feet or more than 9 units. This ensures that any new building would be required to have at least 2 Inclusionary units. This amendment would reduce the acceleration of displacement because completely market-rate projects would not get more incentives and opportunities to destroy naturally occurring affordable housing and displace residents. It would assure that the city would gain inclusionary housing in buildings built under the new zoning. This amendment would strongly incentivize developers to focus on projects that contribute Inclusionary Housing units. Please ask Cambridge’s Community Development Dept. (CDD) to provide findings on the zoning's impact on households earning below 50% AMI. Specifically, please ask CDD to respond to CHJC's list of questions <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M6G6j-Gwt2cyHe137Hytpd9g5QupZ7vp/view?usp=sharing> about the zoning. Please share this email with friends and neighbors. Thanks for taking action, The Cambridge Housing Justice Coalition cambridgehousingjustice.com