Vail Court
On September 26, 2016, the Cambridge City Council approved an Order of Taking for the parcel at 139 Bishop Allen Drive, by eminent domain, for the purposes of affordable, senior, and/or transitional housing, as well as an appropriation of $3,700,000 from Free Cash related to the taking.
16-18 Wendell Street
Purchased in July 2024, the Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) converted16-18 Wendell Street, a dormitory previously owned by Lesley University, into 22 units of permanent supportive housing (PSH) to serve individuals and couples exiting homelessness in Cambridge. The 16-18 Wendell project was awarded annual funding for services from the Commonwealth through the Massachusetts Shelter and Housing Alliance’s (MHSA) Home and Healthy for Good program. There are four full-time service staff on site. In excellent and in near turn-key condition when purchased, the property began lease-up in Fall 2024, following the completion of some minor renovations to create new office space at the property.
Specialized Stretch Energy Code
On January 23, 2023, the City of Cambridge adopted the commonwealth of Massachusetts's new
Municipal Opt-in Specialized Stretch Energy Code, joining the communities of Brookline and
Watertown. The code, which goes into effect in Cambridge on July 1, 2023, is to support the City's
Net zero goals.
Cambridge Affordable Housing Trust
The Affordable Housing Trust will hold its monthly meeting in-person and via Zoom webinar. January's meeting will be held on January 23rd at 4 p.m. at City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave, in the Ackerman Room. Register to join the January 2025 Affordable Housing Trust meeting.
Free Finished Compost from Yard Waste Program Being Distributed Oct 29
The City of Cambridge will be distributing finished compost free of charge to Cambridge residents on Saturday, October 29, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., at Joan Lorentz Park, (in front of Cambridge Public Library), 449 Broadway, Cambridge. The rain date is October 30 at same time and location.
City Manager’s Message
Over the course of the last year plus, I have worked hard to balance the many voices in our diverse community, find consensus within the City Council and follow their direction, and bring forward the professional experience and expertise of City department leaders and staff.
The Cambridge Life - Fall-Winter 2025
This issue of Cambridge Life celebrates the transformation happening across our City and neighborhoods. Infrastructure projects—large and small—are reshaping how we move, learn, live, and work. They represent years of thoughtful planning, robust community engagement, and a collective commitment to equity and resilience.
Art Talks for Older Adults: Tulipmania and Dutch Flower Painting
Let’s take a look at the events of the 1630s when speculators drove up the prices of tulip bulbs to dizzying heights. The development of Dutch flower painting and the phenomenon known as “tulipmania” share the same root causes in 17th century Netherlands; that is, an interest in objects of great appeal and rarity, whether just for their beauty or their scientific notoriety. But what was really happening and has it been overblown in history? We will discover where the practice of flower painting began for the Dutch, in response to the value of live flowers; a practice of painting beautiful still lives that continues today.