Zoning for Multifamily Housing

The Cambridge City Council is discussing proposed changes to allow multifamily housing in all city neighborhoods.

The proposal has these main goals:

  • Allow multifamily housing (such as apartments and condos) in all neighborhoods of the city.

  • Promote more multi-family housing, including income-restricted affordable housing (through inclusionary program), throughout the city.

  • Remove other requirements that make it more difficult to build multifamily housing, such as minimum lot sizes, limits on the number of housing units and amount of floor area.

  • Continue to encourage the creation of permanently affordable housing through the inclusionary housing requirements and Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO).

Check this web page for information as the process continues. 

Sign up for updates on this proposal

Important Updates to the Proposal 

 

At the January 16, 2025 Ordinance Committee Meeting, the Council made amendments to the original zoning petitions, including: 

  • Reducing base zoning height limit in the Residence C-1 district from six stories (as originally proposed) to four stories, with up to six stories allowed only for inclusionary housing developments with a minimum lot size of 5,000 square feet 

  • Adding minimum five-foot side and rear yard setbacks in all residential districts, with some exceptions 

  • Reducing the height limit allowed under the Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) to nine stories in the Res. C-1 district 

The Ordinance Committee referred the amended petitions to the full Council with a favorable recommendation on January 16. The full City Council will consider passing the amended petitions to a second reading on January 27, 2025, which would lead to a possible final vote on February 10, 2025. At that time, the Council could vote to adopt the petitions. If no action is taken by that time, the petitions could be refiled for more hearings and consideration. See details of upcoming Council meetings below.  

 

Materials from January 16, 2025 Ordinance Committee Meeting:

Materials Before January 2025:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Thank you to everyone who has submitted questions and comments so far.

We have organized and responded to many of your questions in this FAQ document.

The questions were gathered from community meetings, public hearings, and comments emailed to City Councilors and the Community Development Department. We have attempted to organize the questions into categories, and questions that are similar have been consolidated to avoid repetition. 

Read the FAQ

Comments

Please send written comments to the City Council (via the City Clerk) at CityClerk@cambridgema.gov to be considered at the meetings listed below.

Upcoming Meetings

 Date and Description Public Participation Location

Monday, January 27, 5:30PM
City Council

 Public comment during the meeting: Yes
Sign up for public comment or email comments to CityClerk@cambridgema.gov
 Hybrid meeting Sullivan Chamber at Cambridge City Hall or virtual on the meeting portal

Monday, February 10, 5:30PM
City Council

 Public comment during the meeting: Yes
Sign up for public comment or email comments to CityClerk@cambridgema.gov		 Hybrid meeting Sullivan Chamber at Cambridge City Hall or virtual on the meeting portal

Past Meetings

January 2025

January 16: City Council, Ordinance Committee

January 8: City Council, Ordinance Committee

December 2024

 

December 19: City Council, Ordinance Committee

December 17: Planning Board
    December 4: City Council, Ordinance Committee
    December 3: Community Information Session

    November 2024

    November 19: Planning Board

    November 19: City Council, Ordinance Committee

    November 12: Planning Board

    October 2024

    October 31: City Council, Economic Development and University Relations Committee Meeting

    October 29: Community Open House

    October 24: Community Information Session

    August 2024

    August 21: Housing Committee Meeting

    June 2024

    June 27: Housing Committee Meeting

    May 2024

    May 8: Housing Committee Meeting

    March 2024

    In March 2024, the City Council passed Policy Order 2024 #37, which asked the Community Development Department “to work with the chairs of the Housing Committee to create zoning language that effectively promotes multifamily housing, including income-restricted affordable housing with the goal of having viable housing for everyone especially lower-income residents.”

    September 2022

    City Council Housing Committee on September 13, 2022.

    March 2022

    Planning Board on March 15, 2022.

    January 2022

    Planning Board on January 4, 2022. 

    Planning Board on January 18, 2022.

    February - August 2021

    In 2021, the City Council's Neighborhood and Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts and Celebrations Committee and Housing Committee held public hearings to discuss the elimination of single and two-family only zoning and restrictions on the type of housing that can be built city-wide.

    The City Council and Planning Board also considered this topic in the context of two zoning petitions that were proposed by groups of Cambridge residents:

    Neither of the above petitions was acted upon, but as a result of the latter petition, the City Council asked the Community Development Department to work with the Planning Board to develop concepts and principles to eliminate single family and two family only zones in the City of Cambridge. The Planning Board met in 2022 and delivered a report to the City Council, which was discussed by the Housing Committee,

     

     

     

     

     

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