Students Protest City Housing Plan

Harvard students have formed a group to protest the University's plan to convert Cambridge rental properties into housing for Harvard affiliates, saying that the plan is unfair to local residents.

The small undergraduate group, as yet unnamed, opposes a plan by Harvard discussed at last week's City Council meeting to raise the rents of 600 formerly rent-controlled apartments and to rent vacant units only to affiliates of Harvard.

Joshua D. Kirshner '96, the founder of the group, said students are aiming to shame the University with tactics like erecting a shanty-house in the Yard.

"Harvard is speculating in the real estate market and is trying to make a huge profit," Kirshner said. "[Low income people] can't afford these places at the market value."

Group members say Harvard should sell the units to the current tenants at below-market cost. "The plan of the city [provides] an opportunity to preserve the good parts of rent control," said Jennifer A. Fraulo '96.

Fraulo has written a letter to University officials asking them to consider the city's plan. "I don't think Harvard is a charity organization, but I do think it should cooperate with the city," she said.

Group members say they are working with local community organizations including the Eviction Free Zone and the Agassiz Tenants Organization, and hope to coordinate with campus groups including the Progressive Action Network (PAN) and the Progressive Undergraduate Council Coalition (PUCC).

"PAN is interested in becoming more involved with this issue," said PAN leader Adam D. Hefty '96. "My hope is that we can work on this with their group and with other groups."

Kirshner said his group plans to mobilize student support through tabling, letter-writing and distributing flyers.