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Issues · Cambridge, MA

Issues we're tracking

Ongoing debates and upcoming votes in Cambridge, summarized from the public meetings where they were discussed.

8
Active issues
3
Resolved
Active
Active-Use Zoning Requirements on Mass Ave and Cambridge Street
Proposed mandates for ground-floor retail and active uses on new developments along major corridors pit street vitality goals against housing feasibility and development costs.
4 meetings active useMass AveCambridge Streetground-floor retail
Active
Cambridge Preschool Program Expansion and Means Testing
Expansion to three-year-olds and potential income-based fees affect access, funding, and middle-income families.
2 meetings Cambridge Preschool ProgramCPPmeans testingthree-year-olds
Active
Collective Bargaining Strategy for CEA Units
Negotiations with multiple CEA labor units affect district staffing, wages, budget allocations, and working conditions across the school system.
3 meetings collective bargainingCEA unitslabor negotiationsexecutive session
Active
158 Spring Street Building Future Use
Decision on relocating or repurposing the building affects family planning, October lottery enrollment, programming stability, and multiple schools.
2 meetings 158 Spring Streetschool relocation
Active
Controlled Choice Policy and Equity
Policy creates tension between district-wide equity goals and high demand for specific schools, risking socioeconomic stratification and unequal access to programs.
2 meetings controlled choiceschool assignmentequitydual-language immersion
Active
Screen Time Policy and Chromebook Model
Rising student device usage (up to 71 minutes in high school) sparks debate over instructional quality, mental health, equity, data privacy, and the sustainability of the one-to-one model.
2 meetings screen timeChromebooksdevice usage
Active
Ahern Field Turf vs Natural Grass
Replacement of natural grass with artificial turf raises concerns over heat, microplastics, usage hours, safety, and community preference amid petitions with thousands of signatures.
2 meetings Ahern Fieldsynthetic turfartificial turf
Active
ShotSpotter Surveillance Technology Use
Continued use of gunshot detection technology faces opposition over high false positive rates, privacy risks, racial disparities in placement, and conflicts with sanctuary city policies.
3 meetings ShotSpottergunshot detectionsurveillancefalse positives
Active
Resolved
Settled issues, kept as a historical record.
i-Ready Diagnostic Contract Approval
Significant spending on diagnostic tools raises questions on screen time, data privacy, and value amid budget pressures.
Resolved 2026-06-02
Garden Street One-Way vs Two-Way Traffic Configuration
Residents are split over whether to retain the protected-bike-lane one-way design or restore two-way vehicle traffic, affecting safety, cut-through traffic, and neighborhood access.
Resolved
FY 2027 School Budget and Staffing
The $293.5 million budget includes potential cuts to interventionists, social workers, and paraprofessionals that directly affect student support services.
Resolved