We compromised on zoning reform because it was better for Cambridge

Julia Levine Cambridge city councillors Patty Nolan and Burhan Azeem in chambers Feb. 12, 2024.

Residents across Cambridge have had strong feelings about the citywide upzoning reform, the multifamily housing measure the City Council passed Feb. 10. There have been spirited conversations between neighbors, concerns about development and many op-eds written in Cambridge Day .

We had different takes on the original proposal and the final version. We each preferred different drafts of the legislation. Yet we both voted for a version that was not our first choice. Why? Because we cared more about addressing our city’s challenges and finding a compromise we could all live with. Sometimes leadership means compromise.

As a longtime housing advocate, councillor Burhan Azeem had long expre