Focus on Neighborhoods

Most of us feel connected not only to Cambridge as a city, but to our own neighborhoods or streets as a unique community. I am committed to encouraging communities to organize and serving as an ally in communicating neighborhood concerns to the city.

Safety

The violence that Cambridge has witnessed in recent summers is a troubling trend in our community. Although there is no substitute for preventative strategies on the part of the City, something we can all agree on is the need to make apprehension of lawbreakers as easy as possible. The Text-a-Tip program was an innovative system that I saw being discussed in Boston and believed was a practical technology to use.

As we all know, there is another side to preventing violent crime within any community. Preventative strategies must also incorporate alternatives to crime for nonviolent offenders seeking employment. For far too long a flawed CORI system that among other deficiencies can lead to a situation where a prospective employee is rejected on the basis of a data entry error can occur. This is why I’ve advocated the City reforming its CORI ordinance to eliminate these deficiencies and to apply this improved policy to all who do business with the City. I also recently testified along with Mayor Thomas Menino before members of the state legislature on behalf of statewide CORI reform.

 

I organized a Cambridge Common Safety Walk that brought city police, residents, and public safety officials together to collectively seek out ways to make the neighborhood safer. It is essential that we continue these walks in neighborhoods all around Cambridge.

After years of unreliable service that left many neighborhoods feeling unsafe, we won the fight to buy back our street lights from NSTAR. This will improve the reliability of street lights and give the city the ability to make repairs quickly and efficiently.

Growth and Expansion It is absolutely critical that development in our city be environmentally responsible and align itself with the character of the neighborhoods it will join. To this end, I voted to require full compliance with "Green Building Standards" (LEED) for new or renovated city buildings, and in any construction requiring a variance or special permit (over 50,000 square feet).

In the past six years I have helped create and pass successful changes to the city’s zoning code that will provide more notice to neighbors of proposed new development-- and will expand parking requirements whenever existing developments undergo significant modification. In addition, I have and will continue to work with the community to develop new zoning for Mass Ave that will foster future development proposals that work with, not against, the neighborhood’s vision for the future. I have also introduced or proposed a zoning ordinance to increase side lot setbacks to protect residential structures from being placed to close to the lot line.

The Arts

I enabled The Dance Complex to finally gain full title to their building, ensuring their success for years to come. I’ve initiated a Poet Populist Program in Cambridge to highlight poetry and poets in the city. We kicked off the program at this year’s River Festival with poetry readings by five established local poets, and will have the people vote for our first poet populist this fall.

Traffic

We need to ensure safety for all our pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers, and children. I submitted testimony in support of the state Bicyclist’s Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, and I work with the city to encourage and implement bicycle and pedestrian safety initiatives. It is also our economic and environmental obligation to fight to keep MBTA fares reasonable and keep public transportation accessible to all. I’ve worked with Alternatives for Community and Environment (A.C.E.) to fight for T riders’ rights.

Dog Parks

I have been chairing community meetings on exploring options and sites for off-leash dog runs. I was able to successfully establish an off-leash dog run at the Pacific Street Park and to obtain funding for an expanded off-leash dog run which is being built at Danehy Park. I am committed to finding safe places for dogs to run free in Cambridge. Dog runs help make our city safer and a more cohesive community.

Community-based Small Business

Community-based small business is essential to the fabric of our neighborhoods. After years of advocacy, I am pleased we are bringing back a grocery store for Harvard Square. I am working with Cambridge Local First-- a group of locally owned businesses-- to promote and assist our local businesses ensuring that Cambridge is able to maintain its unique vibrancy.