Housing and Development
Housing is a universal human right. Despite our city’s relative prosperity, 13% of all Cambridge families with children live in poverty. One third of households headed by single mothers live in poverty. Our housing market increasingly forces many out of Cambridge. For families, it upsets the education and upbringing of their children. In 2015, only 4% of the available rental housing with two or more bedrooms was affordable to a family making $75,000 per year.
As your next City Councillor, I will work on:
Housing for All
Cambridge's recently-passed inclusionary housing requirement of 20% for all new housing developments of 10-or-more units must be enforced. I support the construction of more higher-density and transit-oriented housing and will work with the city's partners to develop more housing on city-owned and vacant land. Areas of specific focus for me include Alewife as well as Central, Kendall, and Porter Squares. I will fight to preserve and expand housing opportunities for residents of all incomes, especially low and middle-income/workforce. In addition to creating more rental units, we must create more homeownership units, building pathways to wealth and equity for Cambridge residents.
Expanding the "Housing First" Approach
I support greater investments in Cambridge's "Housing First" program so that we can provide more housing for our most vulnerable residents, including the homeless, disabled, seniors, and veterans. Permanent supportive housing is celebrated as a national best practice and I will work with local and regional partners to ensure that our city's Department of Human Service Programs remains a model for excellence.