Burhan Azeem for City Council, 2021
Challenger running for City Council for the second time
The candidate’s website | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Medium
Background: Software engineer | Focuses: Housing, transportation, climate change
Q&A
From A Better Cambridge, Sept. 19: What’s the No. 1 strategy or policy you want the next City Council to pursue on housing?
The time has come to an end exclusionary zoning in Cambridge. Exclusionary zoning has a racist history; it’s bad for the environment; and with California the most recent to end exclusionary zoning, I think there’s momentum on our side to legalize duplexes and triplexes Across Cambridge. And as a quick second, I would say we can expand the AHO to include projects such as 2072 Massachusetts Ave. so we don’t need to rely on Board of Zoning Appeal approval.
From the Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition: How would you increase the diversity of voices on city projects and as members of Cambridge boards and committees?
The time commitments members of city boards and committees incur are significant, and for those who have other substantial obligations – work, caring for family members and so on – to take this work on with no financial compensation is simply not workable. Paying board and committee members is a vital first step for ensuring a representative and engaged membership on those entities. We also need to make sure that openings on boards and committees are adequately advertised, setting clear standards for announcing vacancies well ahead of application deadlines and in multiple languages.
From the Cambridge Citizens Coalition, Sept 26: Cambridge is about to hire a city manager. Describe your ideal city manager for this time and their qualities.
The most important quality is accountability. We need a city manager who will respond to the needs to residents, even if they disagree, and not ignore them and brush them under the table.
