Facing an unprecedented housing crisis, the Somerville City Council voted Thursday to draft a home rule petition that would enable rent stabilization, a form of rent control, in the city. Debate on the topic went down differently in Cambridge.

The forming of a 63-member Housing for All caucus in the state Legislature was announced Thursday by Rep. Mike Connolly and Sen. Lydia Edwards.

Former Cambridge city councillor, mayor and state representative Alice Wolf, whose political career began in 1974, died Thursday after a brief battle with leukemia.

In addition to helping choose a governor and the holders of other offices, voters in Cambridge have the opportunity Nov. 8 to weigh in on several ballot questions, several of which affect state laws.

While there’s no way to avoid many of the consequences of climate change, we can slow its progress by adopting some successful and mostly inexpensive “model laws.”

Bicyclists are calling urgently for Somerville to install more protected bike lanes since an Aug. 12 bike death, but there’s an instant driver solution that prevents some crashes.

Trump-era funding decisions have contributing to a dramatic drop in aid available through the Cambridge domestic violence shelter Transition House, the nonprofit said in an email Monday. The shelter had to cut back its services July 1.

As an electric vehicle driver and Massachusetts resident concerned about the state’s future, I want to see a strong, clean transportation bill get through the Legislature.

Public meetings this week look at hiring a next city clerk, auditor and city manager; improvements to buses and Danehy Park, and hiring diversity; adding bike lanes on Garden Street; remembering Robert’s Rules of Order; transportation zoning and housing atop the Crimson Galeria; and the state of mental health services in Cambridge.

Our need to comply with the MBTA Communities law requirements presents a perfect opportunity to set a fair and reasonable citywide standard, increase our MBTA-adjacent housing, and reestablish our progressive regional leadership in meeting our community’s housing needs.