City Hall – DR assigned this issue to Inspectional Services - RS (Admin)

Thank you for reporting your concern to City of Cambridge via Commonwealth Connect. We have reviewed the information you provided our staff and will be investigating this issue further.

Inspector has been there several times and unable to gain entry so a letter will be sent to the owner today.

Has the owner responded to the letter sent on 10-23-2016? Would it be possible to attach a copy of the letter or is there a copy available somewhere else? Thank you.

There are now 6 unrelated people living in the building in clear violation of Residential B zoning. These same people park all over the lot, also in violation. These are Lesley students. We would not expect innocent victims of greedy developers to have to move, but we would ask that they not be allowed to stay on past the lease, this would give them time to find a legal place.

Update. These are not Lesley students. Lesley students live in the other 54R property, also illegally.

United States Postal Service, a Federal agency, has confirmed today, 5-5-2017, that at least four unrelated people are receiving mail at both 56 Cedar Street (new three-story building) and 54R Cedar Street (in the back), both owned by the same developer. Four or more unrelated people living in one unit is in clear violation of Residential B zoning. Please see attached snapshot of five mailbox names on one unit.

When I lived in Watertown the town lawyer said he would never waste town money on trying to enforce Watertown's "unrelated adult" law as they have questionable constitutional validity. In Massachusetts, I've never heard of such a law, and there are many of them, being enforced. Cities and towns have better luck preventing overcrowding of units with "no overnight parking" bans. That would never happen in Cambridge.

Hi Michael--Zoning ordinance 4.31 for the city of Cambridge prevents rooming houses (lodging houses) in residential district B. That is four or more unrelated adults living in one unit. http://www.cambridgema.gov/~/media/Files/CDD/ZoningDevel/Ordinance/zo_article4_1382.ashx
It isn't just this violation. This is the culmination of many issues. The developer illegally built this three-story monstrosity a year ago in the front yard of the owners of the building next door. They now have no view, no sunlight, after living at the same address for six generations. He has harassed them repeatedly. Not only did he get three extra parking spaces to park tenants from another location (another violation), he lets the the illegal tenants park all over the place. It used to be a nice residential location. Now it looks like urban blight.

Someone doesn't like their neighbors.

Hey CambridgeDude, Yea, except he's not their neighbor. The developer lives in Winchester. I don't get it; these are some of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet and he does this to them.

It sounds like you don't like the tenants. Are they your neighbors?

I have nothing against the tenants.

This was last acknowledged a year ago on 9/23/2016. What is the resolution of this issue?

Owner will not grant access for an inspection

Problem is not resolved. What recourse does the City have to enforce its ordinace?

Thank you Concerned NC for reopening this. I didn't realize it had been closed. I want this to remain open until it is resolved. If not, I want this to be escalated to the city manager.

If you want this escalated to the city manager, why not make the call yourself? It's clear you have a long list of complaints and that may be the fastest way to prioritize them.

Hi Cambridgedude, We met with the city manager over a year ago when we promised that these issues would be addressed. They haven't been. Thanks for your reply.

This issue was escalated to the City Manager by an email on Dec. 19.
Registered User's referenced meeting with the city manager was actually held back on 9/23/2015 with then City Manager Rossi. Concerned neighbors met with City Manager Rossi and other City staff to discuss our concerns with the new building on 54R Cedar Street, built as of right after the Planning Board rejected the Special Permit. We voiced our concern back than that the new building could potentially be used as an illegal rooming house.
City Manager replied on 12/20 that "ISD has tried on multiple occasions to gain access to the property and has not been given permission by the owner or tenants to enter the property. We are currently exploring our legal options."

Please leave this open. The city is working on resolving it.

Thank you for reporting your concern to City of Cambridge via Commonwealth Connect. We have reviewed the information you provided our staff and will be investigating this issue further.

Thank you for reporting your concern to City of Cambridge via Commonwealth Connect. We have reviewed the information you provided our staff and will be investigating this issue further. Any further questions contact Inspectional Services Department 617 349-6100

I am frustrated to no end the way SeeClickFix issues are closed without any explanation of how the issue is resolved. The name of this system is SeeClickFix, which I assume means that if you See a problem, report it on-line by Clicking and then the issue will be Fixed by the City. Why are the issues being closed with just a promise that it will be FIXED?!

Thank you for reaching out to the City of Cambridge. If this issue persists, please open a new report or contact the responsible City Department directly via email or phone.

The situation is murkier by how the property is listed in the Property Database.
The address, 54 Cedar Street is incorrect. That is the single-family house on the north side,
54R Cedar Street is also incorrect as it is the old address the house in the rear before the new house was built on south side by Cedar Street.
The Property Database lists the rear building and the new building as 56 Cedar Street and refers them as Residential Building Number 1, Section 1 and Residential Building Number 2, Section 1. Each building is a one unit building with Occupancy classified as Mult-Res-1 Fam.
At the very list please update the Property Database as how many units are in each building.