The developers are using a Trojan horse to slip into the castle under the banner of “affordable housing.” Once they are inside the castle, they will forget about affordability and build luxury condos. I support increased housing, but this one-size-fits-all policy is not the right way to achieve that.
We need to increase the amount of truly affordable housing in Cambridge. Under the current Cambridge code, renters could qualify for “affordable” housing even if they earn $100,000 to $140,000. The council needs to change this policy so affordable housing will serve lower- and middle-income renters.
It is easy to get confused by this turbocharged real estate market. In ordinary markets, an increase in supply would reduce prices. But Cambridge defies the laws of gravity: No matter how many units we build, the prices will not go down. Whether we like it or not, Cambridge has grown into such an attractive place to live that people move here from New York, San Francisco and London.
Source: Cambridge zoning proposal is a Trojan horse – Cambridge Day
