Cambridge Multi-Family Zoning Reform

stick n move said:
If Cambridge were to do its proportional share it would need to build 1,050 new housing units. Unfortunately the Cambridge Community Development Department projects that the city is on track to build only 120 new housing units by 2030.

-This doesnt seem right, do they mean only 120 new houses as opposed to apartments?
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I think that number is the number of net new developable units in specific zones of the city as calculated by this slide times 0.25% (as it says on slide 10), which yeah seems to be a very narrow estimate of how much is getting built since there’s definitely over 120 net new units currently under construction in the city? They certainly need to be more clear about what they’re trying to say here.
 
A small update we published yesterday: A new proposal substituting by-right approval for 4-story buildings (instead of the 6 stories by right) is gaining support.

bankerandtradesman.com

Cambridge Weighs 4-Story Compromise on Upzoning

Backers of elimination of Cambridge’s remaining single-family zoning may have to compromise on building heights to realize their historic zoning reform.
bankerandtradesman.com bankerandtradesman.com

“You’ll see more 4-story buildings being built, which will make some folks happy who are concerned about six stories,” Vice Mayor Marc McGovern said. “That seems like a compromise to me.”
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We also published a much bigger dive into the affordable housing overlay:

bankerandtradesman.com

Despite Green Light, Cambridge Housing Proceeds with Caution

Affordable developers have been treading carefully despite theoretical zoning permission to build tall, including shrinking buildings to placate neighbors.
bankerandtradesman.com bankerandtradesman.com

TL;DR -- the AHO looks powerful on paper, but in practice there are a number of things (least of all, access to funding from the Cambridge Affordable Housing Trust) that are keeping affordable developers focused on making sure they have neighborhood buy-in, to the point of shrinking designs.
 
There are various alternatives being discussed. The 4 story plus 2 if inclusionary proposal is the least bad of those alternatives, because IZ kicks in at 10 units and not too many buildings will be 5+ stories and have fewer than 10 units.
On the other hand there is also an alternative to limit the upzoning to only buildings subject to IZ, which would preclude develoment of any buildings under 10 units.

In addition to creating affordable housing, which hopefully it can do more of in the future, the AHO is somewhat useful as a political tool to demonstrate that NIMBY concerns about affordability are disingenuous.
 
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ritchiew said:
There's a vote on these zoning changes today at 5.

2025/01/08 05:00 PM Ordinance Committee Committee Meeting - Web Outline - Cambridge City, MA

cambridgema.iqm2.com cambridgema.iqm2.com

If you live in Cambridge, you can sign up to speak, or send emails to council@cambridgema.gov (and cc clerk@cambridgma.gov ).

Does anyone have a summary the bill as it is now?
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From A Better Cambridge’s newsletter:
This is the current compromise amendment package:
  • Four-story multifamily could be built citywide “as of right.”
  • Six-story multifamily could be built citywide “as of right” if 1 in 5 homes (out of 10+) are affordable homes and the lot is at least 5,000 square feet (around 30% of residential lots).
  • Setback minimums of 5 feet at the rear and sides of lots are required (along with 10 feet front setbacks).
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These amendments are the “least bad” 4+2 option but unfortunately along with a 5000 sf minimum for 6 stories and increased setbacks. With stair requirements it’s not viable to build 5 or 6 stories on less than 5000 sq ft right now but it may be limiting in the future — but of course it can always be changed.

If you live in Cambridge, you can email those addresses up to Jan 16 to be considered before the vote on finalizing amendments (today was just public comment). This is the Ordinance Committee (which is just the same council under a different name) writing the proposal so it determines what amendments go into what the council votes on. The council votes are Jan 27 and Feb 10, and both (especially the last one) are good times to email in and speak!

Here’s ABC’s website with some more info, FAQ, and talking points https://www.abettercambridge.org/mu...ium=email&utm_source=abettercambridge#anchor1
 
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Just a follow-up on the public comments last night:

Lots of people showed up to speak, in person or virtually. They had to limit speaking time to one minute each, and it still went about two and half hours. I checked in on the live stream just time to time, and the Fors and Againsts seemed about even (but I checked a small sample size).

From what I saw, there was a pretty stark age divide at about 40. Everyone younger was in favor, with common messages ("We need more housing," "it's just supply and demand, and we need more supply," "I want to keep living here, but probably can't afford it," "This bill is already a compromise. Just do it as a step one," "The housing crisis is dire now"). Everyone I saw that was older was against ("Worried about the city's character," "There hasn't been enough community input," "New buildings would be out of scale in Cambridge," "New buildings would all be luxury, and that only helps the rich," "We need to postpone, because this is going too fast").

Also, I heard a few people pushing for an alternative "3-3-3" plan. Anyone know what the deal with that is?
 

In landmark zoning reform, Cambridge votes to legalize four-story multifamily homes citywide​

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“In a landmark zoning reform, the Cambridge City Council voted Monday to allow for four-story buildings to be built as-of-right in all residential areas, with an additional two-story bonus for buildings with inclusionary units on lots of more than 5,000 square feet, among other zoning changes.

As expected, eight out of nine councillors supported the change, with only Cathie Zusy voting against it.

With the vote, Cambridge joins cities such as Minneapolis and Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as a handful of states including Oregon, California and Maine in reforming long-standing single-family zoning laws.

The new zoning ordinance bans single- and two-family zones, dubbed “exclusionary zoning” by city officials and residents alike for preventing denser and cheaper housing, with the intent of addressing the city’s housing affordability crisis. This particular reform is the culmination of nearly 20 meetings starting in March, with discussions of multifamily zoning stretching back to at least 2021.………”

https://www.cambridgeday.com/2025/0...galize-four-story-multifamily-homes-citywide/
 
This document shared by the author of the bill, Councillor Burhan Azeem, is the clearest description of the final bill and its context that I've found:

docs.google.com

Primer on Cambridge's Multifamily Housing Zoning

Primer on Cambridge's Multifamily Housing Zoning Cambridge City Councillor, Burhan Azeem The City of Cambridge, home to about 118,000 residents as well as Harvard and MIT, has had one of the most complicated and restrictive zonings in America—so much so that in a city of 55,000 housing units, jus...
docs.google.com docs.google.com
 
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theSil said:
This document shared by the author of the bill, Councillor Burhan Azeem, is the clearest description of the final bill and it's context that I've found:

docs.google.com

Primer on Cambridge's Multifamily Housing Zoning

Primer on Cambridge's Multifamily Housing Zoning Cambridge City Councillor, Burhan Azeem The City of Cambridge, home to about 118,000 residents as well as Harvard and MIT, has had one of the most complicated and restrictive zonings in America—so much so that in a city of 55,000 housing units, jus...
docs.google.com docs.google.com
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-Theyre not done yet either.


“I (Cllr. Burhan Azeem), along with my housing co-chair (Cllr. Sumbul Siddiqui), and the rest of the Housing Committee set out to reimagine our zoning to match the moment. This culminated in a two-pronged approach: a citywide zoning effort to legalize six stories citywide, paired with another zoning reform to increase density in the corridors and squares, which we expect to begin later this year.”
 
Blackbird said:
Boston could never.

But hey, being able to legally move your mother-in-law into the tool shed out back is basically as big a housing win as by-right multifamily, no?
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At the level Cambridge did, probably not. But looking at Burhan Azeem's Primer, no other city in the US has gone this far either. Let's also not forget that the transportation access (and frequency high-paying local jobs) blow neighborhoods like West Roxbury and Hyde Park out of the water.

That being said, Boston's Planning Department is quietly proposing a significant loosening of zoning rules (short survey for anyone interested). While the primary stated purpose is to allow for easier ADU construction, it sure looks like they also intend to legalize as much of what already exists as possible. We could very well end up with many more lots zoned for triplexes or 6-plexes (or even higher) depending on how this turns out. It also appears that this hasn't be shared on AB at all (I could be missing it, who knows) and will put some more info down on the Boston Zoning thread.
 
Great link, thanks. Just uncorked a stemwinder for their consideration. Yet another reminder for folks active on this board to attend your neighborhood meetings and speak up about things that are important to you.
 
Is Cambrige still looking at upcoming its squares and main corridors further? I seem to recall that was independent of the city wide zoning reform. Wasn't there a plan for 10 or 12 stories in areas around Porter etc? Or am I just misremembering..
 

How Upzoning in Cambridge Broke the YIMBY Mold​



Central Square in Cambridge, where zoning restrictions on multi-story apartment buildings have been eased. 


“At first glance, the dramatic housing reform passed by Cambridge, Massachusetts, was a sudden about-face.

For years, the affluent Boston suburb has been one of the epicenters of the US affordable housing crisis. Home to Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the city of 118,000 offers a mix of grand historic homes, traditional New England “triple-deckers” and modest apartment buildings for students and locals. As gorgeous as it is, there just aren’t enough homes: The average rent in Cambridge runs to $3,375 a month, according to Zillow, 69% higher than the US average and outpacing rents in similar higher-ed enclaves such as Berkeley, California. Housing restrictions are so tight that over the next 15 years, the city had expected to build just 350 units. Cambridge added so few new homes in 2023 that you can count them on one hand — five units total.

So when the city council passed a new zoning reform in February that allows property owners and developers to build up to four stories, by right, citywide — with an option for an additional two stories on top — Cambridge leapfrogged other localities that have eased restrictions on apartment buildings.


Where progressive bids by other cities have made it possible to build six to 12 units on an average-sized lot, Cambridge just legalized buildings that will accommodate close to four dozen households.

“We’re really rezoning for six stories in the whole city,” says Cambridge City Council member Burhan Azeem, who describes it as “the most comprehensive citywide rezoning” in the entire US.

Developers can now construct apartment buildings up to 75 feet tall in neighborhoods that were previously restricted to single-family homes. The change is “monumental on a national scale,” according to Jesse Kanson-Benanav, executive director of the nonprofit Abundant Housing MA………”

 
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