Cambridge committee hears owners, staff on causes and limits to tackling long-term vacant storefronts

At a June meeting of the Cambridge City Council's Economic Development and University Relations Committee, city staff, property owners and residents discussed why dozens of commercial storefronts remain vacant for years and what the city can and cannot do to speed re-occupancy.

The meeting focused on a list of 23 long-term vacant properties the council asked staff to track under Policy Order 2025-49. City staff said they will soon send certified letters under a newly adopted vacant-storefront policy and described existing programs intended to help tenants and property owners bring spaces up to code.

"We are actually in the process of updating all our vacant storefront database," said Parecis Safari, Economic Development staff, and added the goal is "within the next month or so to actually start sending those certified letters with a new policy to vacant storefront property owners." Allison Allen, Senior Manager of Economic Development, said staff also runs outreach and technical-assistance programs and has hosted workshops on leasing and preparation for entrepreneurs.

Property owners and residents described a mix of obstacles. A property owner who identified herself as Tan (who said she owns 1906 Massachusetts Avenue with family) told the committee the building has been vacant since April 2019 and that COVID, construction delays and required fire-system upgrades have slowed efforts to secure a new tenant. "We also struggle with the unexpected cost for the construction. We have to add all the sprinkler system and the new fire alarm system," Tan said.

At 86 Kirkland Street, owner Patricia Bertram said she recently divided a former cleaner into two storefronts and leased one to Jamie's Ice Cream, which opened in October, and the other to a cannabis dispensary that has signed a lease and will begin renovations Aug. 1. "They are doing incredible," Bertram said of Jamie's Ice Cream.

A representative of Urban Spaces reported that a 1,100-square-foot retail bay at 117 First Street remains empty but that brokers are working two leads. "We are actively trying to lease it," the representative said. He also described interim uses for empty space, including short-term storage for Cambridge Public Schools and temporary community distribution during the pandemic.

Several public commenters urged stronger measures. Al May cited New England examples and urged the city to consider eminent domain for persistently vacant properties; May said other towns gave property owners six months to find tenants or the municipality would act. Vice Mayor Al McGovern and other council members cautioned that eminent domain is legally complex and costly. McGovern noted the city must pay market compensation and can face lengthy litigation, and the committee's solicitor said enforcement options under state law are limited.

"The state law limit on what the fine can be is $300 a day," the City Solicitor said, explaining that most municipal enforcement of an ordinance would rely on criminal complaints or tickets capped by state statute. The solicitor also said eminent domain is a legislative power of the council but can lead to expensive, protracted litigation over fair market value.

City staff and councilors described patterns staff have observed: family trusts or owners who are hard to contact; REITs or LLCs that obscure ultimate ownership; property owners holding out for a preferred tenant; the rising cost of construction and difficulty securing contractors; and reduced access to financing, especially for women- and minority-owned businesses since some Small Business Administration supports have declined. "For most of our vacancies, it is not for a lack of trying on the property owners," Allison Allen said, while acknowledging that financing and build-out costs often stall deals.

Staff reviewed programs intended to help: a storefront improvement program for exterior work, a retail-interior-accessibility grant that helps tenants with ADA compliance, technical assistance for licensing and permitting, and efforts to place temporary art or pop-ups to keep windows active while spaces are vacant. Safari said some of the city's grants are federally funded and typically tied to tenants rather than to large capital repairs of buildings.

Owners also raised location-specific problems. Tan asked the city to coordinate with the MBTA about a failing retaining wall and to increase outreach and patrols because of trespassing and drug-related activity that, she said, has occurred in a parking area behind her building. "We are not here to criminalize homelessness," Tan said, but she asked the city for help "to find a balanced, human solution." Committee members and staff said they would share the concern with the police and relevant agencies and seek contact points at MBTA.

Councilors and staff discussed steps the city can take short of legal enforcement: more active outreach to owners, using leasing agents and business-assistance programs to connect small and diverse entrepreneurs with spaces, continuing pop-ups and artwork, and examining permit and inspection timelines to reduce avoidable delays. Staff said they have held "vacant storefront" workshops and a leased-space tour to introduce entrepreneurs to available sites and landlords.

The committee concluded without adopting new legal measures at the meeting. Councilors noted that other nearby municipalities have used registration ordinances and fines as a lever to force engagement by owners, but staff and the solicitor said any local ordinance must be applied uniformly and would still face state statutory limits on penalties and enforcement pathways.

Votes at a glance: The committee voted to adjourn at the close of the meeting. The roll call recorded three yes votes and no recorded no or abstain votes.