Charles Franklin
2019 Candidate for Cambridge City Council
Home address:
162 Hampshire St. #1R
Cambridge, MA 02139
Contact information:
website: https://www.votecharlesfranklin.com/
Send contributions to:
Background
I have been involved in politics since my mother took me to the Million Mom March as a child in 2000. This inspired me to become active in politics, including volunteering for the Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton presidential campaigns, and most recently canvassing for Annie Kuster’s successful reelection bid for congressional district NH-2. I came to Cambridge to attend MIT and study electrical engineering and computer science. I now live in Inman Square and work in Kendall Square as a software engineer.
I started my political involvement in Cambridge when I helped co-founded Upgrade Cambridge. We have been pushing the city to further investigate municipal broadband for the past year and a half.
I joined the leadership team of the Inman Square Neighborhood Association last spring. We’ve focused on keeping our neighbors informed about what happens in the city.
Last October I joined the board of Green Cambridge, a non-profit that advocates for trees, urban sustainability, and environmental education.
Top Priorities
- Affordable housing and displacement
- Equal internet access to internet and closing the digital divide
- Mitigating and preparing for the inevitable climate change
Lack of equal internet access has created a digital divide where low income families are left behind in the new digital economy and school systems. Others and myself founded Upgrade Cambridge to advocate for municipal broadband, which would provide internet through a city run service.
Please see answers below for housing and the environment.
Land Use, Planning, Zoning, Density
The way we do our zoning is absurd. Our zoning laws are archaic and confusing, and the numerous overlays and indiscriminate upzoning only makes them more confusing. Look at Kendall Square. It may have been a barren waste land before, but now it's a barren office park. With good planning, the ground floors could've contained more than lunch places. Then maybe it wouldn't be dead at night.
Housing
Community members who have lived here for decades are having their homes sold out from under them because of unbridled land speculation and greed. Apartments are being converted to so-called luxury condos at prices many long-time Cambridge residents cannot afford. Remaining in your home should be a right, not a luxury. The state of Oregon has adopted strong tenant protections including rent increase caps. We should do the same. Keeping our long-time residents in their homes is a priority to me.
We need thoughtful changes to our zoning to promote affordable housing. Many parts of the city, like Inman Square where I live, are zoned such that many existing buildings could not legally be built today. New buildings could be allowed to match sizes of neighboring ones in exchange for building 100% affordable housing. In areas with many single family homes, large homes can be divided and converted into affordable units.
Energy, the Environment, and Public Health
Climate change is the single greatest threat to our existence. We need to steadily convert as much of our energy infrastructure as possible to renewables and work to reduce energy use in our buildings as much as possible. We as a City can begin this process by following through with the targets and deadlines laid out in the Net Zero Action Plan.
I supported last year’s Climate Safety citizen petition (https://freshpondresidents.org/2018/04/06/cambridge-residents-file-climate-zoning-petition/), the purpose of which was, "to protect the health and safety of the residents and businesses of Cambridge from the serious threats of significantly increased flooding and extreme heat." I also supported the tree cutting ban that was implemented in March of this year, as we need to protect our tree canopy so that it can protect us from the oncoming floods and heat. Trees, parks, and open spaces also significantly contribute to quality of life as well as the health of the planet.
We have a public health crisis, brought on by the opioid epidemic. We need safe use sites for the safety of both the users and the general public. We should also increase beds and judgement free shelters for our growing homeless population.
Traffic, Parking, and Transportation
Biking and walking around the city are increasing in popularity as driving decreases. Whether commuting to work or exercising for recreation, Cambridge residents deserve streets that are accessible to everyone. There are protected bike lanes around the city, but they will remain safety islands until the planned bike network is fully built. Completion of this network as well as additional lit pedestrian crosswalks must be completed with due speed.
I think public transit should be free, however the MBTA is in terrible shape and cannot be depended upon. I am in favor of Cambridge having its own short minibus transit system parallel to the MBTA. Perhaps we could model it after Lexington’s Lexpress system. I believe many tight-looped bus-lines connecting key points in the city will increase use of public ridership as well as give greater access to mobility limited residents.
CCTV candidate video (2019)