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NEW: Today, alongside @SunriseBoston, we're excited to announce the Missing Middle Housing Zoning Petition - to build neighborhoods for all by legalizing car-free, three-story, multifamily housing citywide. SIGN THE PETITION NOW! http://CambridgeMMH.org (1/)
Many don't know this, but on over a third of Cambridge's residential land, building new apartments is currently banned. This redlining-era "exclusionary zoning" is a product of and a contributor to Cambridge's racial and economic segregation. (2/)
And it's not just apartment bans that keep out multifamily housing; it's also dimensional standards and parking requirements. On the left is what's currently built on a lot in West Cambridge; on the right is the maximum you'd be allowed to build on that lot today. (3/)
What do developers do with all of this land they're not allowed to build housing on? They build parking! In fact, they're REQUIRED to build at least 1 space per unit! Parking minimums ensure that what could be trees or yard space instead is asphalt or concrete. (4/)
These rules create a forced scarcity for housing, driving rents and prices up, and driving people out to the suburbs. This is exactly the opposite of what we need in a housing crisis, and totally unsustainable if we want to fight climate change. (5/)
Procedurally, it's also a mess for Cambridge to have over two-thirds of its housing stock be out of compliance with zoning. Homeowners have to get variances for even the slightest modifications, and when they renovate, they often REMOVE units in order to comply. (7/)
So it's clear that the zoning code for Cambridge's residential neighborhoods needs a fresh start. The Missing Middle Housing Zoning Petition is pretty simple: it proposes allowing 3 stories to take up 40% of the lot, with parking optional. (8/)
In addition to @SunriseBoston, we've discussed this petition with a number of groups around Cambridge, but this is far from the end of the process - it's just the start. We're bringing it to Council next week, and hopefully it will be amended and passed by the end of June. (9/)
We'll be having an info session at 6pm on Thursday, January 28th to kick off the public conversation, go in more detail about what we're proposing, and answer any questions. Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAlf--rqz4uHNW1BWTJmlKbI_YqNPmSLaLt (10/)
In the coming months, there will be many questions about this petition. We know that Cambridge has many experts on these issues, and we look forward to collaborating with them - if you're interested, please get in touch! (11/)
Legalizing missing middle housing is an equity issue, a sustainability issue, and an affordability issue. We'll have signature sheets available around the city this weekend, so SIGN THE PETITION TODAY online to get involved! And spread the word! http://CambridgeMMH.org (12/12)
