Developers say they are willing to join forces with the city and search for a solution to the housing problem, but only on the condition that reforms in rent control also be put on the table. And anyone acquainted with Cambridge politics knows that is a tall order.

For the city's social progressive coalition rent control is the sacred cow, the cornerstone of their platform. Councilors like Sullivan are vehemently opposed to any changes which would weaken the current to any changes which would weaken the current policy. Sullivan resists the notion that rent control should benefit only lower and moderate income groups, saying it should protect everyone from the inflated rates that would otherwise be caused by Cambridge's excessive housing demand.

But there are those who would say that the CCA's interest in rent control has become less altruistic over the years and more blatantly political as every other November rent control beneficiaries back the endorsed CCA city council slate.

"It's no longer an issue of equity. It's politics pure and simple," says developer DiGiovanni. "Three or four councilors have the tenant vote locked up.

"The council is not prepared to make the hard political choices of targetting limited resources to those who truly need them," says Clem.

Although a defeat of the current proposals may be regarded by developers as a political victory it would leave unanswered the urgent question about what to do for those on the housing authority, waiting lists. And while both sides call for a joint city--developer effort to combat the problem, the sad result of the past two months' fighting may be that tempers are too heated and feelings too bruised for any such partnership to occur.

But not all hope is extinguished. Last week city planners proposed an alternative that may be a rallying point for both the city and developers. In a report to the city council, the agents recommended that the city change its density requirements to 80 percent of their current levels. If developers wanted to increase the density of their projects to what they have now they would have to contribute either money earmarked for housing or the actual units themselves. The firms would put up part of the money with the city kicking in the rest. All at once this statistics the legal requirements that the city offer developers incentives, calms neighborhood tears of overbuilding and lessens considerably the financial burden on builders.

Still, the business community will continue to insist that rent control be modified. And changes may be in the cards. Observers say that reforms could be one of the major focuses of councilor Saundra Graham's upcoming conference on housing.