Cambridge Mayor Steve Rideout recently sat down for an interview with Dave Wheelan of the Spy Newspapers and Kevin Diaz of WHCP Community Radio to discuss a range of issues affecting the city.
One topic that was covered was the concept of land banking, which is a way for communities to bring together various parts of real estate in a jurisdiction to more effectively address issues such as dilapidated housing and finding available space for development. The city council has set aside a million dollars for land banking, and consultants have put together proposed legislation that would also address code enforcement and protections for both landlords and tenants. The city has bought a few properties for around $200,000 so far, but the plan is to put more money in and potentially go after a $4 million grant for housing issues with HUD.
The interview also touched on the challenges of enforcing code and dealing with landlords who do not maintain their properties or pay taxes. The city is looking at ways to address these issues, including potentially raising penalties or fees and implementing more rigorous inspections for landlords who have a history of maintaining their properties well. A deep dive study of rental properties has also been conducted by the Cambridge Association of Neighborhoods to determine where the city is spending money on housing costs.
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