Public meetings this week look at rat mitigation programs, water and sewer rate increases, changes to West Washington Street, city biosafety and more.

Caritas raises significant philanthropic support to sustain housing and services for very-low-income and formerly homeless people at Central House in Central Square, but more help is needed. We look forward to working with the city on this.

Maintenance crises at two Cambridge institutions that help prevent homelessness – big and small, old and new – converged in complaints to city officials.

Public meetings this week look at a new shelter for unhoused families, a geothermal energy test, the use of land in Wellington Harrington, the proposed city budget, building more triple-deckers and a two-mile roadwork project on Massachusetts Avenue.

Three students of Inbal Alon at the Graham & Parks School submitted letters for publication, all addressed “Dear people of Cambridge.”

Public meetings this week look at new affordable housing proposals, warming centers, developments on Broadway, keeping the arts thriving and more. 

The city is stepping in to keep a 35-bed homeless shelter open at the Salvation Army in Central Square and even improve it, but will not stop looking for funding from the state and other sources that could enable a step back, officials said Monday.

A homeless shelter’s final night was to be March 31 after opting out of state funding that risked removing control over who would be allowed in.

A tent set up Tuesday on the lawn at Cambridge’s City Hall holds an unhoused couple. A man inside said the plan is to stay “until they provide us with shelter.”

Public meetings this week look at financial aid for the 299 Broadway developer, civilian oversight of law enforcement, federal funds for housing stability and more.