Cambridge, MA City Council Promotes Affordable Housing

Cambridge, MA City Council July 2015

Does it matter that this consulting organization resides on the MIT campus? Is this another instance of for profit endeavors on tax exempt property? Who said the money is on Wall Street? Here's one more "consultant" giving city officials expensive advice. What do the politicians provide to taxpayers for the salaries (about $100,000 per year now) they get? Are they in the business of middle men hiring organizations to make decisions for them? If taxpayer funds spent on consultants were instead used to house persons without homes, or to create affordable housing would the quality of life improve in the city? What role does the Massachusetts legislature play in establishing guidelines for increasing affordable housing? Has the City Council ever defined what they mean when they use the word "diversity?" 

[From article]
Linkage Fees are the amount of money corporate developers pay the city to help preserve and create affordable housing. For over a decade, the fee has remained close to $4.80 per square foot. Following our recommendations, the fee will be raised to $12, with a $1 increase over the next three years, ultimately tripling the amount of money developers must pay the city toward affordable housing.
[. . .]
These recommendations were reached following a study completed by Karl F. Seidman Consulting Services, who recommended that fees be increased to $10-$12 per square foot.
[. . .]
Cambridge’s diversity is its strength. If we are going to maintain that diversity, we must do everything we can to create and protect as much affordable housing as possible.

http://cambridge.wickedlocal.com/article/20150715/NEWS/150718147

Guest column: Significant victory for affordable housing in Cambridge
By Denise Simmons, Dennis Benzan and Marc McGovern
Posted Jul. 15, 2015 at 9:54 AM
CAMBRIDGE Chronicle