Crimson staff writer
Summer E. Rose
Latest Content
After Federal Ruling Saves SNAP Benefits, Cambridge Will Still Allocate $500,000 to Assist Food Insecurity
The City of Cambridge and the Cambridge Community Foundation will allocate $500,000 to support food pantries and SNAP recipients, even after a judge required the Trump administration to allocate emergency funds to the program.
‘It’s Heartbreaking’: Cambridge Nonprofits Brace for Loss of SNAP Benefits
More than 6,500 Cambridge residents could lose assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on November 1 as the federal government refuses to fund the program amid an ongoing shutdown.
Cambridge Planning Board Approves Recommendation to Raise Height Limits for Mass. Ave. Residential Buildings
The Cambridge Planning Board unanimously voted in a Tuesday meeting to recommend two petitions to increase height limitations for residential buildings along Massachusetts Avenue and Cambridge Street to the City Council.
‘Education Based on Income’: Cambridge’s Child Care Puzzle
Cambridge’s universal preschool program was a historic investment in early childhood education. But some families are still falling through cracks in the city’s child care landscape — creating a culture of intense strategization around preschool enrollment.
Affordability Top of Mind as Ayah Al-Zubi ’23 Launches Second Run for City Council
Ayah Al-Zubi ’23 first launched her bid for a seat on the Cambridge City Council back in 2023, as a fresh-faced Harvard College graduate. Two years later, she’s back on the ballot and ready to “co-govern.”
Cambridge To Consider Setting Up More Mixed-Income Housing
The Council voted unanimously to initiate the process of increasing social housing — publicly owned, mixed-income properties — during their Monday meeting. They referred the resolution to the housing committee, directing city staff to iron out logistics and deliver a report by March.
Wave of New Businesses to End Spell of Vacancies in Central Square
A wave of at least 10 new businesses is set to arrive in Central Square over the coming year, ending a prolonged period of vacancies that have dotted many prominent storefronts in Cambridge’s main downtown area since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cambridge Reports Demolition Permit Surge After New Zoning Rule
Cambridge demolition permit applications rose by 44 percent in the past six months year-over-year, City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 told the City Council in a Monday meeting.
Cambridge Day Taps Former Nieman Fellow Michael Fitzgerald as Editor-in-Chief
The Cambridge Day announced it is hiring former Nieman Fellow Michael F. Fitzgerald as the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, the first leadership shake-up since the paper was acquired by a nonprofit last year.
City Council Candidates Are Embracing the Cambridge Community Land Trust. It’s a Work in Progress.
Challengers seeking seats on the Cambridge City Council are lining up behind a new proposal to address the city’s intractable affordable housing crisis: supporting a nonprofit that plans to buy up land and use it to protect and create low-cost housing.
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.
As Healey Moves To Close Hotel Shelters Early, Cambridge Housing Advocates Worry About Impact
Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey ’92 announced on Monday that the state will close all 32 remaining hotel shelters six months ahead of schedule — leading Cambridge housing advocates to worry about increased strain on the city’s resources.
City Council Asks State Legislature To Let Cambridge Ban Tenant-Paid Broker Fees
The Cambridge City Council voted unanimously to file a home rule petition requesting state approval to eliminate tenant-paid broker fees in a meeting last week, following similar petitions in Boston and Somerville.
Cambridge Housing Authority to Install Solar Panels on Affordable Housing Buildings, Despite Questions Over Federal Funding
The Cambridge Housing Authority will finance a $4.9 million investment to add solar panels to eight CHA properties despite funding uncertainty caused by the federal government.
New Emergency Assistance Family Shelter To Open In Cambridgeport
Massachusetts will open a new “Rapid Track” shelter for up to 70 Emergency Assistance eligible families in Cambridgeport beginning at the end of April.
