Trans Sanctuary Working Group Meeting

Description

Cambridge LGBTQ+ Commission

Trans Sanctuary Working Group Agenda



Date: 05/12/2026, 5:30pm

Location: Cambridge Public Library Rindge Room and Zoom

Agenda (to be updated 48 hours or more before meeting)

Meeting Chair: Finley Foster



Call to order

Welcome

Assign minute taker

Review and Approve Previous Minutes (March 17, 2026)

Recap of previous Working Group proceedings (in case of new members)

Updates on Previous Action Items

Old Business

Gender Inclusion Ordinance – assigned for review in the law department – no update yet

Reading group – waiting on library capacity

New Business

Housing Applications – Review recommendations (Appendix I) and process for updates with Phoebe West, Alexis Buckley and Anna Dolmatch

Consider sharing/promoting the Fair Play for All playbook

Summer pool party

Next Meeting Date and Time: Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 5:30pm

Adjournment





Appendix I

HomeBridge



2024 recommendation from LGBTQ+ Commission: Share information up-front about how partnerships with more than two people are handled.

Application language: “Unit size eligibility is based on having at least one occupant per bedroom, with the exception of married persons or domestic partners, who are expected to share a bedroom.” (page 3)

Concern 1: The application does not appear to provide information about how partnerships with more than two people are handled.

Concern 2: What about domestic partnerships that do not involve a marriage-like relationship?

Cambridge domestic partnerships require partners to be in a relationship of mutual support, caring, and commitment and consider themselves to be family, not to have a sexual or romantic relationship.

For example, a 20-year-old woman could have a domestic partnership with a 60-year-old man whom she views like a grandparent and wants to share a household with but whom she would not be comfortable sharing a bedroom with.

I am an aromantic and asexual person in a domestic partnership, and I would personally be uncomfortable sharing a bedroom with a domestic partner.

Current Recommendation: Do not assume that all domestic partnerships involve only two people or that domestic partners are in a relationship where room-sharing is suitable. Provide guidance for the full range of domestic partnerships, and/or focus on criteria other than domestic partnership.



2024 recommendation from LGBTQ+ Commission: When describing who is eligible for a housing program, state explicitly that household members do not need to be legally related.

Concern: The application does not appear to clarify who is eligible to apply together.

Do applicants need to be related in any way?

Do applicants need to be living together at the time they apply?

Current Recommendation: If there are no restrictions on who can apply together, state that explicitly.



2024 recommendation from LGBTQ+ Commission: Ask for information about the relationships between household members only when required. If/when information about the relationships between household members is required, state explicitly what the information will be used for.

Application language: The application asks for marital status on page 6. The application also asks for each household member’s relationship to the “head of household” on page 7.

Concern: It is not clear which household member the marital status question applies to. It is not clear what the information about household members’ relationships will be used for. The information requested is more detailed than what seems to be needed to determine unit size.

Current Recommendation: Limit collection of information about household members’ relationships to only what is needed and state why the information is being collected.



2024 recommendation from LGBTQ+ Commission: Use “head of household” terminology only when required. If/when “head of household” terminology is required, explain in the application why this information is collected and what it is used for. Let households know what options they have when choosing to designate a household member as “head of household.”

Application language: The application requires head of household to be listed on page 7.

Current Recommendation: Replace head of household language if possible or clarify what it means if it cannot be replaced.



2024 recommendation from LGBTQ+ Commission: Only collect gender information when necessary. On each form that requires or requests gender information, clearly describe what this

information will be used for. Unless explicitly required by a law or regulation, don’t restrict a person’s self-identification to what is on government documents. Clearly specify whether and what type of documentation is required. For example, “The gender identities of all household members must be provided to meet federal government requirements. Gender identity is self-identified and does not need to match a household member’s gender as specified on government IDs or other documents.”

Application language: The application asks for the gender of each household member on page 7.

Concern: It is not clear why the gender of each household member is needed and what this information will be used for. It is also not explicitly stated that household members can self-identify

Current Recommendation: Remove the requirement to provide gender information if feasible or clarify what it will be used for and whether self-identification of gender is acceptable.



2024 recommendation from LGBTQ+ Commission: Share information up-front about how partnerships with more than two people are handled.

Application language: The application only provides space for two people to be listed on the deed (page 10).

Current Recommendation: Provide clear instructions for the case when more than two people will be included on the deed.



Homeownership Resale Pool

2024 recommendation from LGBTQ+ Commission: Ask for information about the relationships between household members only when required. If/when information about the relationships between household members is required, state explicitly what the information will be used for.

Application language: The application asks for marital status on page 6. The application also asks for each household member’s relationship to the “head of household” on page 7.

Concern: It is not clear which household member the marital status question applies to. It is not clear what the information about household members’ relationships will be used for. The information requested is more detailed than what seems to be needed to determine unit size.

Current Recommendation: Limit collection of information about household members’ relationships to only what is needed and state why the information is being collected.



2024 recommendation from LGBTQ+ Commission: Use “head of household” terminology only when required. If/when “head of household” terminology is required, explain in the application why this information is collected and what it is used for. Let households know what options they have when choosing to designate a household member as “head of household.”

Application language: The application asks for each household member’s relationship to the “head of household” on page 7.

Current Recommendation: Replace head of household language if possible or clarify what it means if it cannot be replaced.



2024 recommendation from LGBTQ+ Commission: Only collect gender information when necessary. On each form that requires or requests gender information, clearly describe what this

information will be used for. Unless explicitly required by a law or regulation, don’t restrict a person’s self-identification to what is on government documents. Clearly specify whether and what type of documentation is required. For example, “The gender identities of all household members must be provided to meet federal government requirements. Gender identity is self-identified and does not need to match a household member’s gender as specified on government IDs or other documents.”

Application language: The application asks for the gender of each household member on page 7.

Concern: It is not clear why the gender of each household member is needed and what this information will be used for. It is also not explicitly stated that household members can self-identify

Current Recommendation: Remove the requirement to provide gender information if feasible or clarify what it will be used for and whether self-identification of gender is acceptable.



2024 recommendation from LGBTQ+ Commission: Share information up-front about how partnerships with more than two people are handled.

Application language: “Couples or those in a similar living arrangement are required to share a bedroom” (page 5). Additionally, the application only provides space for two people to be listed on the deed (page 10).

Current Recommendation: Clarify how relationships with three or more people will be handled with respect to bedroom allocation. Provide clear instructions for the case when more than two people will be included on the deed.



Inclusionary Housing Rental Program



2024 recommendation from LGBTQ+ Commission: Use “head of household” terminology only when required. If/when “head of household” terminology is required, explain in the application why this information is collected and what it is used for. Let households know what options they have when choosing to designate a household member as “head of household.”

Application language: “The head of household needs to be at least 18 years old” (page 1). “

If you are a head of household” (page 7).

Current Recommendation: Replace head of household language if possible or clarify what it means if it cannot be replaced.





2024 recommendation from LGBTQ+ Commission: Share information up-front about how partnerships with more than two people are handled.

Application language: “Couples or those in a similar living arrangement are required to share a bedroom” (page 3).

Current Recommendation: Clarify how relationships with three or more people will be handled with respect to bedroom allocation.



2024 recommendation from LGBTQ+ Commission: Only collect gender information when necessary. On each form that requires or requests gender information, clearly describe what this

information will be used for. Unless explicitly required by a law or regulation, don’t restrict a person’s self-identification to what is on government documents. Clearly specify whether and what type of documentation is required. For example, “The gender identities of all household members must be provided to meet federal government requirements. Gender identity is self-identified and does not need to match a household member’s gender as specified on government IDs or other documents.”

Application language: The application asks for the gender identity of each household member on page 8.

Concern: Page 6 of the application says “We collect demographic information—like age, race, gender, and household makeup—to better understand who lives in and who wants to live in our community. [. . .] It’s important to know that sharing this information is always your choice. If you prefer not to answer certain questions, that’s perfectly okay.” However, because of the way the application is structured it’s not clear if this applies to gender information. The gender information (top of page 8) is not in the section of the application that says “This information is optional and has no impact on your application” (bottom of page 8).

Current Recommendation: If the gender information is truly optional, state that explicitly at the top of page 8. Clarify whether self-identification of gender is acceptable.



2024 recommendation from LGBTQ+ Commission: Ask for information about the relationships between household members only when required. If/when information about the relationships between household members is required, state explicitly what the information will be used for.

Application language: “To better understand your household composition, you must also include your relationship to the other household members: Domestic partner, spouse, parent, child, caregiver, legal guardian, grandparent, grandchild, ward.” (page 6)

Concern: Page 6 of the application also says “We collect demographic information—like age, race, gender, and household makeup—to better understand who lives in and who wants to live in our community. [. . .] It’s important to know that sharing this information is always your choice. If you prefer not to answer certain questions, that’s perfectly okay.” However, it’s not clear if this applies to the information about relationship between household members, since earlier in page 6 the application says “you must include” this information and since the information about relationship between household members (top of page 8) is not in the section of the application that says “This information is optional and has no impact on your application” (bottom of page 8).

Current Recommendation: If the relationship between household members is not required, update the application language to make that clearer. If it is required, state why the information is needed and what it will be used for. Currently it is not clear why the city needs to know the relationships between household members for them to participate in the program.