Burhan Azeem ’19 returns to the Institute to ask, “How do we legalize cities?”
Azeem’s recent efforts in the Cambridge City Council have helped to end single-family zoning
On March 17, Cambridge City Councilor Burhan Azeem ’19 returned to the Institute to give a talk on Cambridge’s recent historic change to end single-family zoning, which he led with Councilor Sumbul Siddiqui. The talk, labeled a “Lunch Conservation,” was hosted by the Department of Urban Studies and Planning and included a Q&A session from the audience.
Azeem began his talk by highlighting the stark need for housing in Cambridge. He stated that Massachusetts is one of the richest states in America by income, and that Cambridge is one of the richest cities in Massachusetts. In a statement to The Tech, Azeem clarified that he meant that Cambridge has the highest excess levy capacity in the state.
Area housing prices are correspondingly high. As Azeem noted, Boston is the second-most expensive city for renters ($3,060/month for a one-bedroom rental), surpassed only by New York City ($3,860) and comparable to San Francisco ($3,020). Similarly, in Cambridge, the median monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $2,900, according to ApartmentAdvisor. Observing that Cambridge’s population of 120,000 is the same as in 1950, Azeem stated that the city simply does not have enough space to accommodate population growth from current residents, much less a significant influx of newcomers. The city’s population decreased to 95,000 by 1990, but has increased since.
Azeem and Siddiqui’s legislation thus focuses on creating more housing units, especially more affordable ones. Owners and developers can now build multi-family housing in any former single-family-only neighborhood. Azeem noted that most Cambridge residents already live in multifamily homes, many of which were illegal under the previous zoning code. Accordingly, with the new zoning code, he wanted to address the question, “How do we legalize cities?” More broadly, on the city and state level, he hopes to promote “walkable, affordable” urbanism and disrupt traditional suburban visions of the American Dream.
Public transit reform and regional collaboration are of particular interest. Azeem hopes to greatly increase the number of MBTA subway stations, which he views as a “process” problem given Massachusetts state control of the MBTA. He has also advocated for the MBTA Communities Act, which would require multifamily zoning districts in Massachusetts municipalities with MBTA service.
Throughout his talk, Azeem described appealing to a wide range of interests while building a coalition in the Cambridge City Council and representing his constituents. He observed that people are more practical than values-driven on a municipal level, and that politicians should not confuse an ideologically liberal region for one that will embrace liberal zoning.
Although Azeem hedged after The Tech asked if he would consider running for state government, he expressed a strong fondness for Cambridge, as well as MIT. (Azeem obtained an S.B. in Materials Science and Engineering from the Institute in 2019.) Describing his immigration to the United States from Pakistan and his admission to MIT as his two “lottery tickets,” Azeem emphasized his belief in policy and his optimism for the future of local government. Sometimes, he said, one must “slide in through a crack in a basement window”: find the correct process, create a coalition, and make historic change.