Horowitz Flashes a Fresh Face

Jacob Horowitz is a new man in an old city.

Horowitz, 24, is the youngest Cambridge City Council hopeful in a field crammed with veterans of the local political scene. He hopes to capitalize on a fresh face to come from behind and win one of the coveted spots.

Energetic and optimistic, Horowitz has racked up several important endorsements—from the local activist party, the Cambridge Civic Association (CCA), gubernatorial candidate Warren Tolman, and even from the Youth Action Coalition, a group of high school students known for its efforts to lower the voting age in Cambridge.

“I’m at the disadvantage of not being an insider, but on the other hand, it’s an advantage,” Horowitz says.

From Florida to Cambridge

A native of South Florida, Horowitz came to the area to attend Northeastern and moved to Central Square after college. After graduation, he joined the staff of the Jewish Advocate, a Boston-based weekly newspaper, which he currently edits.

He hopes to be a new voice on the council—but many people are wondering what attracts the young newspaper editor to join the crowd of activists, politicians and pundits who frequent the Sullivan Chamber.

“[Why] is a question I’ve been asked a lot about,” Horowitz says. “I’ve been watching the city for some time. I watched with a lot of pride and admiration, but also frustration.”

The council, he says, needs to have less political infighting and more working on the issues.

“There’s lots of things I admire about the council and the politicians,” Horowitz says. “[But] lots of people are losing sight of things.”

On the Issues

Horowitz wants to take a new look at one of the city’s oldest issues—how the city can make housing more affordable.

One of his campaign’s key goals is “to ensure that people who live here can afford to,” he says.

Rent control, which once defined Cambridge politics, was ended by a statewide referendum in 1994.

While Horowitz doesn’t think it is pragmatic to talk about reinstating rent control, he says the issue needs reexamination.

“[Rent control] is not coming back, so the quesion now is, how do we move on?” Horowitz says.

But there are options to deal with Cambridge’s housing problems, Horowitz says.

“Some form of rent stabilization is necessary,” Horowitz says. “A tax incentive perhaps—there are different options. So far, nothing has been pursued. Concrete progress needs to occur.”

And Horowitz says he thinks that the city should aggressively pursue real estate for affordable housing. He cites the sale of the Necco building to a biotech firm as “a missed opportunity.”

“We need to make sure all the space is utilized,” he says.

Horowitz is reluctant to criticize Cambridge’s universities, though he says City Hall should be watching out for residents.

“Economically, they put a lot back into the community,” Horowitz says. “At the same time, I often question their role in long-range planning. I don’t always see Harvard and MIT keeping the city’s best interests in mind.’

And on the controversial issue of Cambridge’s schools—which are among the best-funded and worst-scoring in the state—Horowitz advocates financial accountability.

“My only question is where is that money going,” he says. “I support the high level of funding, but want to know why children aren’t benefiting more.”

Old-Time Campaigning

Horowitz has taken up the oldest method in the how-young-candidates succeed book:: canvassing neighborhoods, going door-to-door and trying to establish personal ties with potential constituents. Two years ago, an extensive door-to-door campaign by first-time candidate Marjorie C. Decker led to a surprisingly strong finish on Election Day.

“I don’t have the luxury of being a full-time candidate,” Horowitz says.

“For the next two weeks it will be getting the word out.”

He’s focusing on those who might not have found a home in the Cambridge political system in the past.

“As I’ve gone door to door, I’ve seen apathy,” Horowitz says. “These are the people I’m hoping to attract. I’m a new candidate, I’m a young candidate, and I’m hoping to get people involved.”

But Horowitz isn’t standing alone.

“I have some helpful political connections” he says.

Those connections include Tolman, a gubernatorial candidate and the member of a powerful local political family.

“I think he’s an excellent candidate, and he says the same about me,” Horowitz says with a smile.

Horowitz is a candidate with a chance—even in a field of seven incumbents, 12 challengers and only nine seats—says local political pundit Glenn S. Koocher ’71.

“He’s a serious candidate because he’s discussing issues and he’s trying to raise focus,” Koocher says. “The challenge for him is attracting votes at a time when the competition is fierce for those two open seats.”

But winning is not Horowitz’s only goal.

“If nothing else, I want to set an example for younger people who are not very interested [in politics],” Horowitz says.

—Staff writer Lauren R. Dorgan can be reached at dorgan@fas.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer David H. Gellis can be reached at gellis@fas.harvard.edu.