Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Jane Petersen
Poll shows support for multifamily housing ordinance
A recent survey of Cambridge voters conducted by pro-housing groups found broad general support for the Multifamily Housing Ordinance, the sweeping “upzoning” measures passed by Cambridge City Council nearly two years ago. The ordinance lowered restrictions on heights and setbacks for developers in an attempt to spur new construction to meet the city’s housing needs. It has not met that hope, at least yet, in part because of market conditions.
The blue wave hit Mass. long ago. This election was about the ballot wave
Election Day resulted in a blue wave that turned into a tsunami, giving much of the country a taste of business as usual in the Bay State. All the intrigue locally came down to nine ballot initiatives posed to voters on issues from taxes to transparency to guns to cannabis.
‘Blue wave’ makes Clark likely majority leader in House
During Tuesday’s much-anticipated midterm elections, West Coast polls were just starting to close when media outlets like CNN and NBC began to project control of the U.S. House of Representatives would flip to Democrats. While final counts are still pending, eyes have already begun to turn to January’s leadership elections within the party, in which current House Minority Whip Katherine Clark is poised to become the first woman to serve as House majority leader.
Election Day 2026 in Massachusetts
It’s Election Day 2026. While national pollsters are expecting a blue wave of Democratic wins, that is simply status quo on the sapphire shores of the Bay State. Still, a bevy of ballot questions could see current laws overturned. Below are the list of all the candidates at the state and federal level on the ballot in Cambridge and Somerville, as well as the nine questions posed to voters. Winners are in bold. Results will be updated as they are called by the Associated Press.
Election 2026 Archives
A stronger Cambridge Day Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day. We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible. Please consider a recurring contribution.
MWRA tank won’t permanently close Magazine Beach, but…
During Monday night’s city council meeting, comments from Deputy City Manager Kathy Watkins indicated that the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority will be backing off on some elements of its plan to place a 10 million-gallon tank below Magazine Beach Park. The original idea, a part of the agency’s draft plan to address combined sewer overflows, would have involved permanently fencing off 2.3 acres of the park. Construction fencing surrounds a portion of Magazine Beach in Cambridge on Oct.
Winter warming drive aims to help Cambridge homeless
Twelve years ago, newly elected Cambridge City Councillor Marc McGovern held some big ideas about how to help Cambridge’s homeless population when he was speaking to a group of unhoused people at First Parish Church on a day in early December. “I was talking to them about what the city could be doing to support unhoused people in a better way. I was talking to people about job training … raising the minimum wage, and all these kinds of bigger issues,” McGovern said.
Council passes divestment order, won’t call for boycott
In a special meeting of Cambridge City Council on Wednesday afternoon, councillors voted 5-4 in favor of calling on the city’s pension fund and other post-retirement benefits fund to divest from “companies with severe and consistent involvement directly contributing to genocide, apartheid, and occupation of Palestinians.” The policy order also requested that the city develop its own divestment list, starting with companies that contract with the Israeli military like Palantir, Lockheed Martin...
‘Moderate’ times coming, as higher taxes may still see service cuts
“Moderation” was mentioned repeatedly during Monday’s joint roundtable meeting of the Cambridge City Council and School Committee, as city administrators presented their preliminary plan for FY 2028’s budget. Citing the economic headwinds that have defined the city’s last two budget cycles, the city’s financial team said it plans to limit tax levy and budget increases to 5.5 percent. The bulk of tax increases may come out of homeowner pockets.
Drivers’ unions rally against Waymo
Transportation unions gathered at City Hall on Thursday to urge members of the Transportation Committee to prevent autonomous vehicle (AV) companies like Waymo, a driverless taxi service popular in cities like San Francisco and Austin, from coming to Cambridge.
Cambridge unveils housing development dashboard
Cambridge unveiled its new development dashboard at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. The dashboard was builtin response to a policy order sponsored by Councillor Cathie Zusy to make more information available about housing development, and is now available to the public. Development plans have become a kind of sport for some residents since the Multifamily Housing Ordinance passed in February 2025.
Residential Development Archives
Posted inGovernment Automated dashboard responds to intense community interest in residential development. Posted inEconomy Posted inCity Administration, Residential Development Posted inEconomy, Residential Development Posted inCity Council, Residential Development A stronger Cambridge Day Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day. We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible. Please consider a recurring contribution.
City council defers Israel divestment vote
After more than six hours of public comment during Monday’s city council meeting, the business part of the meeting convened at 9 a.m. Tuesday. After an hour working through the city manager’s agenda and a handful of other policy orders, councillors finally were able to publicly comment on a pair of policy orders filed by Councillor Ayah Al-Zubi calling for the city to divest its financial positions with companies contracted by the Israeli military. Discussion was brief.
Hundreds comment on policy orders calling for divestment from companies contracted by the Israeli military
A marathon City Council meeting ended after more than six hours of public comment, almost all of it directed to a pair of policy orders advocating for Cambridge to divest its two pension funds from and cancel contracts with companies that have contracts with the Israeli military.
Pressley takes EZRide trip to promote transit
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) led a group of city councillors, interest group members and private partners onto an EZRide shuttle alongside commuters in an effort to keep the service free and running throughout the day. Pressley said she took the shuttle “to demonstrate in real time and give visibility to what has been a very effective mode of transportation for people.” EZRide was started in 2001 to help Red and Green line commuters get to work faster during peak work hours.
Council passes policy order supporting sex workers
Cambridge City Council stopped short of calling to completely decriminalize sex work, but its policy order Monday night asked City Hall to act to create a safer environment for sex workers in Cambridge. The order directed the city to establish a crisis help line, anti-poverty measures, and support for LGBTQIA+ youth, who are disproportionately vulnerable to trafficking. Eight councillors voted in favor of the measure, with Councillor Timothy Flaherty voting present.
LGBTQ+ Archives
Posted inCity Council The order, which first appeared on the agenda last week, is a first step for providing more resources for area sex workers. It spurred debate over what should be considered a criminal act involving sex work. Posted inEducation A stronger Cambridge Day Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day. We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible. Please consider a recurring contribution.
Councillors send inclusionary zoning report to ordinance committee
During Monday night’s city council meeting, councillors signalled that they planned to act quickly on policy proposals from the Community Development Department (CDD) to spur residential development along major corridors. At issue is whether the city’s inclusionary zoning requirement is too large and has dampened construction. The zoning specifies that 20 percent of gross floor area in residential buildings of a certain size be used for affordable units.
Huron Avenue bike lanes to go forward
An attempt to delay plans that will add a bike lane to the upper portion of Huron Avenue failed during Monday night’s city council meeting, as a 6-3 majority of councillors opted to keep the project moving toward completion.
Community, developers have mixed response to new inclusionary options
Housing advocates and developers raised concerns about a memo from the Cambridge Community Development Department (CDD) in which city officials suggested multiple options for adjusting the city’s inclusionary zoning requirements in order to boost development. Under rules adopted in 2017, new residential developments of a certain size must set aside 20 percent of their gross floor area for affordable housing units.
City proposes reducing inclusionary zoning rules – for now
In a memo released Thursday by the Cambridge Community Development Department (CDD), city officials recommended adjusting Cambridge’s inclusionary zoning requirement, which mandates that new residential developments of a certain size set aside 20 percent of their gross floor area for affordable housing units.
City council recap: Policy orders on bike lanes, sex work return next week; MFHO amendments take baby step
In addition to passing a tax rate increase and declining to intercede in school-related contract negotiations, Cambridge City Council on Monday also saw policy orders recommending the decriminalization of sex work and a pause on Huron Street bike lanes charter righted, delaying a vote for a week. City staff also got the go-ahead to begin drafting recommended changes to the city’s major upzoning law. At its meeting Oct.
Cambridge educators rally for better pay, city council defers to school committee
A well-attended rally in front of city hall and dozens of public commenters speaking in support of higher wages for certain Cambridge Public Schools staff resulted in little actual policy change during Monday night’s city council meeting. The Cambridge Education Association organized the action amidst its ongoing negotiation with the Cambridge School Board to secure a contract — all six of CEA’s bargaining units are working with expired contracts.
Council approves tax increase, warns of difficult budget season ahead
During Monday night’s city council hearing, councillors voted unanimously in favor of the proposal put forward by City Manager Yi-An Huang to raise property tax rates by 6.9 percent for fiscal year 2027. The new rate is a smaller increase than in previous years, but with net combined property values decreasing for the second year in a row, will only increase the city’s revenue from the levy by four percent.
Cambridge recommends raising property taxes by 6.9%
Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang released a memo on Thursday announcing the proposed property tax rates for FY 2027. If passed by City Council, commercial properties will be taxed $16.99 per thousand dollars of value, and residential properties will be taxed at $6.95 per thousand dollars of value. This marks a 21 percent increase in the commercial rate, and a four percent increase in residential rate compared to last year, for a total increase of a little less than seven percent.
Healthpeak gets ok from Planning Board, moves to next hurdle
Healthpeak project clears planning board – but still has a long way to go. Holdups include MBTA study and leases that run until 2040. Last week, executives from real estate developer Healthpeak Properties received approval from Cambridge’s Planning Board for a sprawling mixed-use project in Alewife that will include housing, retail, and lab space. The $4.6 billion project will move on to next steps – but not construction, yet.
Third man charged in killing of Xavier Bautista
A Boston man, 23-year-old Moises Pimentel, was charged Tuesday morning with the July 4 murder of Cambridge Public Works employee Xavier Bautista. He pled not guilty in Cambridge District Court this morning. Pimentel is the third person to be charged in connection with the crime, along with Giovani Arroyo, who was arraigned last Thursday, and Rayquon Brown, an accused “lookout” who was charged in July.
Second man charged in murder of Xavier Bautista
A second man has been charged in the murder of Xavier Bautista, a Cambridge Department of Public Works employee who was murdered near Sennott Park in the early hours of July 4th this year. Giovani Arroyo, a 22-year-old from Boston, was arrested Thursday and arraigned in Cambridge District Court. Arroyo pled not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, carrying a firearm without a license, and conspiracy to commit murder. He will be held without bail.
Cambridge braces for SNAP and MassHealth Cuts
During Monday night’s meeting, City Council unanimously authorized a request from City Manager Yi-An Huang to allocate $500,000 from the city’s Federal Stabilization Fund to help residents keep MassHealth and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits that are jeopardized by the enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
city council Archives
Posted inCity Council Eighteen months after the multifamily housing zoning ordinance was passed, two city council committees proposed increased setbacks and open-space requirements while discouraging certain types of redevelopments Posted inNews Posted inNews A stronger Cambridge Day Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day. We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible. Please consider a recurring contribution.
Cambridge police cite low ICE activity in report
The U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reduced activity in Cambridge, according to Cambridge Police Department’s (CPD) bi-annual report presented to City Council Monday night. Between February and August of this year, CPD logged six interactions or potential interactions with ICE agents, none of which were in-person, and received no detainer requests from immigration officials. This is less than half the activity recorded the six months prior.
City Council ties Mass Ave, Cambridge Street building heights to ground floor uses
In the end, a vote restricting residential development height seemed almost perfunctory, as Cambridge city councillors voted unanimously and without debate at Monday night’s meeting to allow maximum heights along two city corridors only for buildings with “active use” spaces on ground floors. “Given the hour and the amount of time we’ve spent on this, I don’t think there’s much more to say,” Ordinance Committee Chair and Councillor Marc McGovern said ahead of his motion to adopt.
Anthropic announces expansion in Cambridge after ex-employee critsizes AI companies
Anthropic, the AI research and development company that produces the popular chatbot Claude, is deepening its roots in Cambridge. The San Francisco-based corporation announced on Tuesday that it will lease 24,000 square feet of office space at the One Kendall Square office complex for long-term use, according to a statement first obtained by The Boston Globe.
Man arrested after Memorial Drive shooting pleads not guilty
Today, the man arrested after a brazen May 11 shooting on Memorial Drive that left two people injured and a community shaken was indicted on charges filed by the Middlesex District Attorney’s office. Tyler Brown pleaded not guilty to the 43 charges, which include six counts of armed assault to murder, 17 counts of various forms of assault and battery, and for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a prior felony.
Cambridge affordable housing projects to receive over $18 million in state and federal financing
Funding for affordable housing in Cambridge will get a boost, according to an announcement last week from Governor Maura Healey, whose administration released a list of grant recipients for $276 million in total financing for affordable projects statewide. According to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), $18.2 million of these funds will go to two Cambridge-based projects through a combination of state subsidies and state and federal tax credits.
Participatory budget Archives
Posted inCommunity The city has opened up its current budgeting cycle to community suggestions Posted inNews A stronger Cambridge Day Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day. We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible. Please consider a recurring contribution.
Minister at St. Augustine’s is ousted, barred from the building
Local nonprofit and religious leaders who have collaborated to restore St. Augustine’s African Orthodox Church in the heart of Cambridgeport have succeeded in reimagining it as a place for congregating not just around faith, but also “arts, community knowledge, and connection.” But now, they are dealing with shocking allegations about the man who has led St. Augustine’s as its minister for more than a decade.
Water Management Archives
Posted inNews Police are investigating. There is no impact on city water, officials say. Posted inCity Council A stronger Cambridge Day Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day. We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible. Please consider a recurring contribution. RECENT Police are investigating. There is no impact on city water, officials say.
Cambridge, champion at red tape, tries to cut through some of it
During an often heated city council meeting, housing actually provided some harmony, as Cambridge officials presented a long-anticipated report on how to streamline the city’s permitting process.
ShotSpotter returns, at least temporarily
On Monday Cambridge City Councillors voted 6-3 to temporarily re-activate ShotSpotter, an acoustic gunshot detection software that was used by the Cambridge Police Department for over a decade until its use was discontinued earlier this summer.
ballot question 6 Archives
Posted inBallot Questions Nature for Massachusetts – a coalition of nearly 70 nonprofits and a few private companies – is pushing for the Commonwealth to create a dedicated fund to purchase land for conservation, outdoor recreation, and water quality improvement. The group’s original goal was to pass this policy, which would be funded by the sales tax the state accrues from the sale of sporting goods, through the Legislature, but the House and Senate versions of the bills failed to gain traction.
Minister at St. Augustine’s is ousted, barred from the building
Local nonprofit and religious leaders who have collaborated to restore St. Augustine’s African Orthodox Church in the heart of Cambridgeport have succeeded in reimagining it as a place for congregating not just around faith, but also “arts, community knowledge, and connection.” But now, they are dealing with shocking allegations about the man who has led St. Augustine’s as its minister for more than a decade.
Planning Board, Ordinance Committee pan Brown petition
A controversial zoning petition proposed by Cambridge resident Doug Brown looks unlikely to stand after meetings of Planning Board and Ordinance Committees. On July 14, the Planning Board’s five members voted unanimously to submit a negative recommendation for the petition back to the city council. A week later, the Ordinance Committee, which includes all city councillors, voted 7-2 to pass along a negative recommendation as well, with only councillors Tim Flaherty and Cathie Zusy voting against.
Bike lanes Archives
Posted inTransportation In the densely-populated neighborhood, concerns about accessibility, safety remain. Posted inCity Council Posted inCity Council Posted inCommunity A stronger Cambridge Day Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day. We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible. Please consider a recurring contribution.
Black history Archives
Posted inCommunity Before the fireworks, a public reading of Frederick Douglass’s “What to a Slave is the Fourth of July?” Posted inCity Council A stronger Cambridge Day Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day. We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible. Please consider a recurring contribution. RECENT The setting is wondrous, including a local artist’s glass sculpture. And the food was just wow!
Extreme weather Archives
Posted inPublic Health With the heat index expected to reach 110, both cities have made resources available, including tips on how to stay hydrated and to counter heat-related illnesses. Posted inNews Posted inNews A stronger Cambridge Day Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day. We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible. Please consider a recurring contribution.
City recommends changes to multifamily housing ordinance
Feelings were mixed in city hall on Thursday, as the City of Cambridge Community Development Department proposed changes to Cambridge’s Multifamily Housing Ordinance (MFHO) that would increase the overall amount of setbacks, require more ground-level green space, and prohibit tall buildings with units that average more than 2,000 square feet.
Multifamily zoning Archives
Posted inCity Council Setbacks would be increased, smaller units encouraged. Public commenters were mixed in their response. A stronger Cambridge Day Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day. We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible. Please consider a recurring contribution. RECENT Setbacks would be increased, smaller units encouraged. Public commenters were mixed in their response.
City Council tries to ground AirBNB, rental algorithms
City Council on Monday took aim at two kinds of technology it thinks has caused upward pressure on rent, one being short-term rental platforms, the other pricing algorithms used by large residential property owners. The council accepted a new ordinance petition intended to crack down on unregistered short-term rentals advertised on booking companies like AirBnb and VRBO.
Council shields women’s shelters from federal funding cuts
During its meeting Monday June 22, Cambridge City Council unanimously approved $625,000 in funds for local nonprofits that provide emergency housing and services for victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Jane
Contact Jane, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack