Council asks for interim report on building, demolition and housing policy as developers urge temporary inclusionary relief

What happened On June 30 the Cambridge City Council asked city staff to return with an interim report on demolition requests and building permit applications since the February adoption of the new multifamily (MFH) zoning and requested an expedited RFP and timetable for updating the city’s inclusionary-housing nexus and feasibility study.

Why it matters The inclusionary zoning (IZ) requirement — currently set at 20% — is among Cambridge’s primary tools for creating below‑market housing tied to new development. Developers and some councilors said the higher IZ rate, together with elevated interest rates, tariffs on building materials and other market forces, has made some projects “unfinanceable.” Opponents of changing the IZ rate argued that lowering it would reduce the number of affordable units produced.

What the council asked staff to do - Prepare an interim memo on demolition and building-permit trends under the new MFH zoning for a fall update, and return in September–October with options for policy action; - Begin a full update of the inclusionary “nexus” and feasibility study in FY26, with…