WHEREAS:	Cambridge is experiencing a historic surge of residential construction, but the prices of the vast majority of these new ownership and rental units are beyond the reach of most average wage-earners; and
WHEREAS:	There is an urgent need to significantly increase the development of new housing consistent with neighborhood scale and character for both a range of incomes and family sizes, including our aging and disabled population; and
WHEREAS:	City-owned lot 5, located at the intersection of Norfolk Ave. and Bishop Allen Drive, and city-owned lot 6, located at the intersection of Columbia Street and Bishop Allen Drive, present a unique opportunity to build up to 100% low-, moderate- and middle-income housing units; and
WHEREAS:	These particular lots in Central Square are ripe for growth. The Central Square Final Report from the K2C2 Planning Study released by the Cambridge Community Development Department in 2013 revealed that the Committee discussed mixed-use development of city-owned lots with a strong residential component of larger units for families and significant components affordable to low, moderate, and middle-income households; and
WHEREAS:	That as we move forward with efforts to add to the stock of affordable housing in Central Square, input from abutters and other concerned residents is included as a vital part of the process; now therefore be it
ORDERED:	The City Manager be and hereby is requested to determine the feasibility of collaborating with partners like the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority (CRA), and/or companies in the private and public sector to achieve the desired development objectives in a manner most cost-effective to the City and that ensures the City will retain a high degree of control over the ultimate outcome of the lots; and be it further
ORDERED:	That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Community Development Department, the City Solicitor and any other appropriate City departments to determine how best to utilize of these city-owned lots and determine the feasibility of developing 100% affordable, middle-income, senior, and family housing units and report back to the City Council; and be it further
ORDERED:	That this matter be referred to the Housing Committee.