Contributing writer
Laurel M. Shugart
Latest Content
Cambridge Planning Board Appears Sympathetic to Upzoning But Punts Vote
The Cambridge Planning Board punted a vote on their official recommendation for a proposal to eliminate single-family zoning in Cambridge on Tuesday.
Structural Issues Prompt Evacuation of High-End Cambridge Condo
A little slice of serenity along the Charles River was disrupted last week as the residents of 66 units in the high-end Riverview Apartments were told to evacuate the building for at least a year owing to issues in the building’s concrete and steel structure.
Proposed Affordable Wendell Street Development Draws Backlash at Tense Meeting
Tensions ran high in the Baldwin School cafeteria Thursday night as more than 40 Cambridge residents sparred over a proposed eight-story affordable housing development set to be built in the Baldwin neighborhood.
‘Radical and Irresponsible’: Residents Blast Zoning Upheaval at Planning Board Hearing
A Cambridge Planning Board hearing Tuesday became an eruption of frustration as more than 35 residents raised objections to a city proposal to eliminate single-family zoning city-wide.
Massachusetts Voters Weighed in on 5 Ballot Questions. Here’s What They Chose.
Voters approved a ballot measure to eliminate the MCAS exam as a high school graduation requirement but rejected pushes to legalize psychedelics and raise the minimum wage for tipped workers. The election also saw votes in favor of expanding the state auditor’s power to investigate the state legislature and allowing rideshare drivers to unionize.
Cambridge, Allston Voters Send Uncontested State Representatives Back to Beacon Hill
Cambridge and Allston voters sent nine uncontested Democratic incumbents back to Beacon Hill, according to the Associated Press — including State Rep. Marjorie C. Decker, who narrowly won re-election in the 25th Democratic Party against her progressive challenger Evan C. MacKay ’19.
Bay Cove Staff Accused of Mistreatment at Public Hearing
A City Council meeting intended to focus on how Cambridge could better support homeless residents turned into something of a public reckoning as resident after resident accused staff at shelters operated by Bay Cove Human Services of abuse and mistreatment.
‘Up at Night’: Tipped Workers Fearful About Mass. Ballot Question to Hike Minimum Wage
Tipped workers in Massachusetts might see their minimum wage increase by more than $8 an hour if voters approve Ballot Question 5 during the Nov. 5 elections. They’re not thrilled.
Cambridge Officials Present Proposal for City-Funded Housing Vouchers
Cambridge’s Community Development Department proposed a new model for city-funded housing vouchers that would aid cost-burdened tenants, particularly those ineligible for federal assistance, during a City Council committee meeting Tuesday.
With ‘Soul-Sucking’ Housing Costs, Young Cambridge Residents Wonder if They Can Stay
In interviews, young Cambridge residents said they have watched as their home city has grown costlier and more gentrified, and they said there needs to be more housing — and affordable housing — to make the city a place where young people can forge a life of their own.
Residents Weighs in as Developers Propose Affordable Housing Development at Maximum Height
Capstone Communities and Hope Real Estate Enterprises — the firms behind two existing 100 percent affordable developments in Cambridge — offered residents preliminary details of their first project, 2072 Massachusetts Ave., developed under Cambridge’s Affordable Housing Overlay on Wednesday.
Cambridge Shelters Struggle With Tightening Budgets
More than 1,000 people are homeless in Cambridge, many of whom have not been able to secure a bed in a shelter. But staff at shelters in Cambridge and Boston said that the limiting factor isn’t space — it’s funding.
40 Thorndike Brings 20 Stories of Housing, Office, and Retail Space to Kendall
After more than a decade of renovation, private developers unveiled 40 Thorndike last Wednesday — introducing 20 stories of housing, office, and retail space that replaces the former Edward J. Sullivan Courthouse and jail in East Cambridge.
Cambridge to Purchase $3 Million Plot in Lexington, Ending Dispute With Developer
The Cambridge City Council unanimously authorized the $3 million purchase of a 31-acre plot of land near the city’s water supply reservoir in Lexington that was originally permitted for a solar panel farm.
Families in Cambridge Shelter Begin to Find Housing, Easing Bottleneck
The monthslong bottleneck in Massachussetts’ emergency shelter system is finally beginning to dissipate after state officials imposed a five-day limit on families’ stays in temporary respite centers.
