Cambridge Day does not endorse candidates or positions. Views expressed in this column are those of the writer.
It takes chutzpah to run for Cambridge City Council, going through a dozen candidate forums, interviews, community events and meetings and canvasing. Twelve residents invested time from their work, study and family lives to challenge City Council incumbents because each saw unmet needs and growing controversy over housing policies that have roiled neighborhoods and failed to achieve construction of the thousands of needed housing units.
My conversations with voters confirmed that housing policy may no longer be defined by the ideological divide between A Better Cambridge and Cambridge Citizens Coalition. Housing construction has stalled while serious concerns about reining in market-driven housing development will require a more nuanced approach to vetting projects. Unmitigated market-driven housing incentives will build housing dictated by profit margins, not meeting our housing needs.
Seven of the eight incumbents won reelection relying on a solid base of supporters developed over decades and endorsement by political action committees. Yet voters eagerly responded to new voices calling for accountability, not just insiders defending the status quo.
Ayah Al-Zubi brings youthful passion and experience working for those facing eviction, inadequate health services, and low incomes. Tim Flaherty is an attorney with business experience who understands that polarization is weakening the city’s ability to deliver housing, childcare and support for the most vulnerable while living within budget constraints. They join a Council dominated by professional public servants who may not understand the struggles of residents who are paid hourly, running their own businesses or facing housing and food insecurity.
Let’s hope the new councillors will elect a Mayor with experience that reflects the lives of a broader variety of residents, and who will seek common ground to achieve results and balance the budget as tax revenues and federal support drop.
The writer ran for Cambridge City Council in 2025.
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To put this as civilly as possible, my personal opinion is that Ayah Al-Zubi does not have sufficient functional experience to run the $1B organization that is Cambridge. This is informed by the fact that she graduated from college 2 years ago and has not had any clear work experience since. We shall see.
hcr7, that comment is blatantly ageist.
Dismissing Ayah’s qualifications based on how recently she graduated, rather than on her ideas, judgment, or ability to represent constituents is inappropriate. City councilors are different than the city manager, they do not “run” a $1B organization. Their role is to set priorities and represent community perspectives.
Ayah received a broad range of support from very different groups such as the Cambridge Residents Alliance and the DSA. She also got a lot of support from younger people who live in Cambridge. If you have concerns about policy or decision-making, those should be discussed directly and respectfully, without resorting to discriminatory attacks.