An overview message from the City Manager outlining the budget process, the City's financial stability and the importance of transparency on how we spend our money

Cambridge seeks to build a community where equity is the foundations and inclusion is represented in our intentional actions

The Rise Up Cambridge program empowers residents to decide how to best meet their basic needs and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Cambridge is utilizing the direct cash assistance approach to positively impact some of its most vulnerable families as they strive for economic stability, access to education and opportunity, and improved health.

It's easy to host block parties in Cambridge! There's no application fee and the City of Cambridge offers $200 awards and free Play Streets kits to support your celebration.

This new federal program helps low-income households offset monthly costs of a new or existing internet service.

Many programs and policies were created, supported, and expanded that promote and enhance Cambridge’s retail and arts environment.

Green Line Extension (GLX) opened the Green Line Extension Union Square Station in March 2022, dedicated bus lanes and separated bike facilities were implemented in multiple areas, new Bluebike stations were installed, an much more.

Housing affordability promotes stability for our residents and allows for building the social, economic, and cultural bonds that strengthen a community. Creating and preserving affordable housing remains the City’s highest priority. In FY22, the City appropriated more than $32 million to the Affordable Housing Trust, bringing the total of City funds committed to the Trust to more than $278 million (FY92-FY22) to invest in affordable housing initiatives.

The last two years have highlighted the importance of access to outdoor open space. In FY22, the City launched the Our Parks, Our Plan process to develop an action plan for the City’s open space network, applying an equity lens to criteria that include park access and climate resilience.

In FY22, the Community Development Department (CDD) established a Community Engagement Advisory Group for staff to share best practices and reflect on strategies to make engagement more inclusive and equitable. This Group developed a handbook on inclusive and equitable engagement best practices which will be published in September 2022. The handbook, which uses an anti-racism and equity lens to approach planning, implementation, and reflection of community engagement strategies, will be used to increase participation in public processes and programs.

The Birth to 3rd Grade Partnership (B3), continued its scholarship program for 3 and 4 year-olds from low-income families, adding two new programs to its menu of preschool options, and also increased its number of children accessing B3 scholarships by 13%.

The City Council approved a budget of $2.8 million for the creation of a Department of Community Safety (CDCS) that will coordinate community driven solutions to enhance safety and wellness through key services and programs targeted at our most vulnerable populations. CDCS will oversee the Cambridge Alternative Response Program and other efforts to supplement Cambridge Public Safety agencies in making the community a safer place to live, work, and experience for all.