Harvard in the City
Tech Experts See Artificial Intelligence as a Key Resource Ahead of Local Elections
Schneier and Sanders, a Harvard Kennedy School lecturer, co-authored the book “Rewiring Democracy” that was released on Oct. 21. The two appeared at a Cambridge Public Library panel to share more about how citizens can use AI to get involved in politics on Wednesday evening.
Lilly Havstad Wants to ‘Flip the Script’ in Run for School Committee
In a crowded field of eighteen candidates for Cambridge’s School Committee, six are educators and ten currently have kids in the district. Lilly Havstad is both — and thinks that her perspective is exactly what the School Committee needs to rebuild parents’ and educators’ trust.
Head of the Charles Boats Bring Bank for Harvard Square Businesses
The Head of the Charles Regatta brings hundreds of thousands of spectators and more than 11,000 athletes to the banks of the Charles River. But they don’t stay there — many venture into Harvard Square for food, shopping, and entertainment, bringing an annual explosion of consumer activity to local businesses.
Cambridge Historical Commission Allows Harriet Jacobs House Remodel to Continue
The Cambridge Historical Commission hesitantly voted to allow the redevelopment of the Harriet Jacobs House on Thursday, on the condition that developers continue to meet with the CHC to address “clear concerns” from neighbors over the proposed height and size.
Amid Uncertainties for Boston PILOT, Harvard Fails To Fulfill Payment for 13th Year
Harvard failed to fully make its requested Payment in Lieu of Taxes payment for the 13th year in a row last year, according to City of Boston data released last week.
With Harvard’s Funding Under Threat, City Manager Says Cambridge Is Ready To Wait Out the Storm
For nearly a century, Cambridge has asked Harvard to increase its Payment in Lieu of Taxes — never questioning whether its most powerful tenant would be able to pay. But as the Trump administration threatens the University’s federal funding, Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 said the city recognizes that times are changing.
Cambridge Joins 250th Celebrations of Lexington and Concord on Patriots’ Day
The City of Cambridge celebrated Patriots’ Day with a reenactment of William Dawes’s 1775 horseback ride on its 250th anniversary, celebrating the nation’s founding while reflecting on current turmoil in Washington.
‘A Nice Send-Off Concert:’ HRO Performs For Students, Teachers At K-Lo
This year, the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra has performed orchestral masterpieces, from Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11 to excerpts from Gustav Holst’s “The Planets.” Now, the ensemble can add the viral Russian meme song “Sigma Sigma Boy” to their repertoire.
City Leaders Increase Pressure on Harvard To Reject Trump With New Petition
Harvard’s leadership is used to handling demands from its faculty and students. But with the Trump administration’s latest threats, the University is feeling pressure from its hometown, too.
Allston Residents, Elected Officials Ask for More Benefits from Harvard’s 10-Year Plan
As Harvard finalizes its Institutional Master Plan in Allston, residents and elected officials called on the University to fulfill its previous promises and increase contributions to the Boston neighborhood.
Advocates Raise Concerns As Boston PILOT Report Remains Unreleased
While property taxes comprise nearly three quarters of Boston’s revenue, nonprofits are exempt from paying this tax. Instead, the PILOT program asks large non-profits to voluntarily pay a portion of what they would have otherwise paid in property taxes. The 2024 report on contributions has yet to be released.
Harvard Nears Construction Milestones in Allston Amid Development Boom
Harvard is soon to bring hundreds of new housing units online in Allston as the University approaches several major construction milestones in its long-running expansion across the river.
‘A Complicated Marriage’: Cambridge Calls on Harvard to Increase Optional PILOT Payments
The city of Cambridge called on Harvard to increase their optional municipal payments at a city council meeting Monday night — after failing to reach a new agreement with the University by the end-of-year deadline.
Harvard, Cambridge Fail To Reach New PILOT Agreement by End-of-Year Deadline
Harvard and the city of Cambridge have missed their end-of-year deadline for renegotiating Harvard’s Payment in Lieu of Taxes program, which replaces a portion of the property taxes that the University is otherwise exempt from paying.
Harvard Files 10-Year Master Plan for Allston, Kicking Off Next Phase of Negotiations
Harvard filed its 2025-2035 Institutional Master Plan for its Allston campus on Tuesday, officially marking the next phase of negotiations with Boston officials over the University’s planned decade of development.
