October 16, 2023
On October 16, Cambridge City Council approved, by a vote of 6-3, amendments to the Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO).
These amendments relax height, density and other restrictions on “residential developments in which all units are permanently affordable to households earning up to 100% of average median income [AME].” Specifically, for these permanently affordable developments, the AHO amendments: allow for greater height limits near transit hubs; eliminate setback requirements for buildings exceeding four stories; and give developers the option to build taller structures without being required to increase density in exchange for open space.