City Council Meeting – February 9th, 2026

Meeting Link

Correction: Previously, charter right #2 was incorrect

City Manager’s Agenda

Reports and Communications

• #1 (CMA 2026-20) A federal update
• #2 (CMA 2026-32) A report from Police Commissioner, Christine Elow, regarding a Federal immigration enforcement tracker
• #5 (CMA 2026-21) Proposed regulations to further restrict the use of tobacco including disallowing sale to people born after a certain year and eliminating the indoor use ban exception for adult-only tobacco establishments (tobacconists)
• #6 (CMA 2026-26) The Violence Prevention Recommendations Report from the Community Safety Department.
• #7 (CMA 2026-24) A, “plan to align all housing and homeless services and programs into a unified Housing Department”
• #11 (CMA 2026-30) Planning Board recommendations on the Institutional Use Zoning Petition
• #12 (CMA 2026-28) The final research report on Rise Up Cambridge, the City’s citywide cash assistance program

Appropriations and Grants

• #3 (CMA 2026-22) $17,000 from the Cultural Investment Portfolio Program Grant to, “support efforts to process collections, research historic structures and the history of Cambridge; training opportunities; as well as support the annual Preservation Awards, and public events that honor the city’s history”
• #4 (CMA 2026-23) $72,500 transfer to cover costs related to Public Works personnel injured in the course of their job
• #8 (CMA 2026-25) $648,119.56 from the US HUD HOME Grant Program to support the, “acquisition, rehabilitation, rehabilitation and new construction of housing units,” to be used for affordable housing
• #9 (CMA 2026-27) $1,723,735.89 from the Community Development Block Grant to, “three core program areas: affordable housing, economic development, and public services”
• #10 (CMA 2026-25) $2,395,799 from the US HUD Opportunities for People with Aids (HOPWA) Grant to support the housing needs of people living with HIV/AIDS and their families

Policy Orders

Requests that the city…

• #1 (POR 2026-28) see if the CPD can be prevented from hiring sworn officer who was hired on or after January 20, 2025 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, or Customs and Border Patrol
• #3 (POR 2026-30) examine the feasibility of allowing thirdparty guarantors or co-signers for applicants to Inclusionary Housing
• #4 (POR 2026-31) “draft ordinance language restricting the use of City-owned or City-controlled property, facilities, resources, and personnel for the purposes of federal civil immigration enforcement”
• #5 (POR 2026-32) raise the parking permit fee to $75 with exemptions for income qualifying residents, remove the senior exemption, and lower the number of cars that individuals are allowed to permit for from four to two
• #6 (POR 2026-34) investigate, “[expanding] free early child care offerings, including models for means-tested programming, and exploration of non-City funding sources, from the state or foundations.”
• #7 (POR 2026-35) discuss with MIT, CASPAR, and the Human Services and Veterans Committee, “to develop a plan to renovate and expand 240 Albany Street in order to provide additional low threshold shelter, housing and day time services”

That the council…

• #2 (POR 2026-29) “[support] institutions of higher education to resist federal government overreach and condemns the Trump Administration’s attacks on higher education”

Charter Rights

• #1 (CMA 2024-14) “A review of the previous home rule petition and prepare a new petition that would allow Cambridge to enact a Real Estate Transfer Fee”
• #2 (POR 2026-08) “review the city’s digital equity work to date”