City Council Responds To Rent Control Issue

Faced with rising living costs in the wake of the end of rent control, some Cambridge residents expressed frustration at last night's City Council meeting with what they consider an inadequate response by local officials.

Cantabrigian William B. Cunningham told the council he believes that the city must deal with the housing problem by returning to rent control, using subsidies or both.

The city is downplaying the housing problem by only dealing with individual groups of discontented tenants, rather than addressing the housing problem in the city as a whole, Cunningham said.

"The housing crisis is getting bigger and is not going to diminish over the next two years," he said.

William L. Marcotte, a resident who identified himself as a member of the Campaign to Save 2,000 Cambridge Homes, said his organization has heard complaints from people who are concerned with continuing rent increases.

The complaints focus on an anticipated increase that will be the third in a series of substantial rent hikes, he said.

City resident Gerald Bergman said the council should consider the impact that federal funding cuts will have on legal immigrants who are also affected by rising rents in the city.

Bergman said he was concerned this group may lose food stamps. He suggested this issue "could be part of the discussion before we spend all we've got on housing subsidies."

In response to residents' requests, City Councillor Francis H. Duehay '55 said the council will make plans to have its next meeting on the housing issue televised. That meeting is scheduled for Monday night.

In light of the housing problem, Vice-mayor Kathleen L. Born and City Manager Robert W. Healy entered into debate over the future of the city's Kendall Square fire station property.

The city is in the process of putting the property up for sale, Healy said.

Born said she questioned the wisdom of selling the property for cash when the city is in need of land to build affordable housing or other public works.

The fire station, adjacent to MIT property, had attracted the interest of that university. But MIT was unwilling to accept the requirements which the city laid out in the bid, Healy said.

But "the value of the property is greater to MIT than to anyone else," he said.

Born said that given MIT's interest in the property, the city should move to arrange a swap with the university. She suggested that the city should trade the fire station for some other MIT holding.

Born said that during the earlier negotiations, the city should have tried to get 1008 Mass. Ave., a property currently owned by MIT but recently placed under agreement with a developer.

City Councillor Kenneth E. Reeves '72 echoed Born, saying that "certain parcels like 1008 Mass. Ave. should belong to the city.

Bergman said he was concerned this group may lose food stamps. He suggested this issue "could be part of the discussion before we spend all we've got on housing subsidies."

In response to residents' requests, City Councillor Francis H. Duehay '55 said the council will make plans to have its next meeting on the housing issue televised. That meeting is scheduled for Monday night.

In light of the housing problem, Vice-mayor Kathleen L. Born and City Manager Robert W. Healy entered into debate over the future of the city's Kendall Square fire station property.

The city is in the process of putting the property up for sale, Healy said.

Born said she questioned the wisdom of selling the property for cash when the city is in need of land to build affordable housing or other public works.

The fire station, adjacent to MIT property, had attracted the interest of that university. But MIT was unwilling to accept the requirements which the city laid out in the bid, Healy said.

But "the value of the property is greater to MIT than to anyone else," he said.

Born said that given MIT's interest in the property, the city should move to arrange a swap with the university. She suggested that the city should trade the fire station for some other MIT holding.

Born said that during the earlier negotiations, the city should have tried to get 1008 Mass. Ave., a property currently owned by MIT but recently placed under agreement with a developer.

City Councillor Kenneth E. Reeves '72 echoed Born, saying that "certain parcels like 1008 Mass. Ave. should belong to the city.