Cantabrigians Hold Vigil

Nearly 50 Cambridge residents gathered last night in freezing temperatures to demand that Harvard divest itself from 700 formerly rent-controlled apartments.

"During the '80s, Harvard divested in South Africa and apartheid. Now, there is a growing class divide at home," said Jean Alonso '59, a member of Harvard and Radcliffe Alumni for Affordable Housing (HARAAH). The vigil, which was sponsored by a coalition of student, alumni and community groups, was the first of two demonstrations planned for December. A second vigil will be held at Holyoke Center next week.

Alonso, who addressed the crowd through a megaphone in front of the Holyoke Center, called on Harvard to forgo windfall profits and to sell the units below market price.

"Where is the richness of living in a community of rich people?" Shoshana L.H. Weiner '98, a representative from the Harvard Community for Affordable Housing (HCAH), asked last night. Weiner promised demonstrators the support of "the most important part of Harvard, the students."

Other demonstrators echoed Weiner's concerns.

"One thing I really value about Cambridge is diversity, and the loss of rent control threatens that diversity," said Steve Schnapp, a Cambridge resident of 18 years.

The University has announced plans to convert the units, which are currently occupied by tenants who pay below-market rent, to student and faculty housing.

Organizers fear that such plans would force low-income residents out of the community.

"So many times Harvard has pushed people out of the community," said Nancy Hall, a Riverside resident who has seen her neighbors replaced by Harvard development projects.

Before the speeches, Chris G. Robinson '77 recalled a history of building and expansion during which "Harvard has never been terribly good to the community."

"It should not want to make a profit at the expense of the community it lives in. Other non-profits limit their profit-margin...Harvard should be doing the same," said Robinson, a Cambridge resident.

In a community facing a "housing crisis from federal cuts, state cuts, loss of rent control and HUD deregulation," Cantabrigian Cheryl Pizza said. "Harvard has to do better."

According to the vigil's organizers, Harvard was the largest rent-control landlord in Cambridge until rent-control was eliminated in last year's state elections. Today it is the second biggest real-estate investor in Cambridge.

"[Harvard] is a big player with an opportunity to preserve affordable housing, but the way things are going a lot of folks are going to be evicted," Schnapp said.

"Most folks associated with Harvard have means, whereas [the tenants of formerly rent-controlled units] are at the hands of institutions like Harvard," Schnapp said. "Through organization [the tenants] have gained power. It is a nice thing to see."

Groups sponsoring the demonstrations include Cambridge Eviction Free Zone, Agassiz Tenants Association, Cambridge Tenant Senate, Stu-Lin Tenants Association, HCAH, Progressive Action Network, Committee on Housing Rights, Education 4 Action, HARAAH, the International Socialist Organization and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization

"[Harvard] is a big player with an opportunity to preserve affordable housing, but the way things are going a lot of folks are going to be evicted," Schnapp said.

"Most folks associated with Harvard have means, whereas [the tenants of formerly rent-controlled units] are at the hands of institutions like Harvard," Schnapp said. "Through organization [the tenants] have gained power. It is a nice thing to see."

Groups sponsoring the demonstrations include Cambridge Eviction Free Zone, Agassiz Tenants Association, Cambridge Tenant Senate, Stu-Lin Tenants Association, HCAH, Progressive Action Network, Committee on Housing Rights, Education 4 Action, HARAAH, the International Socialist Organization and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization