Theodora Skeadas
2021 Candidate for Cambridge City Council

Home address:
988 Memorial Drive #185
Cambridge, MA 02138

Contact information:
Email: theodora@votetheo.com
website: www.votetheo.com
Twitter: twitter.com/theodoraskeadas
Facebook: facebook.com/theoforcambridge
Instagram: instagram.com/theodoraskeadas/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/committee-to-elect-theodora-skeadas/

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OR
Committee to Elect Theodora Skeadas
988 Memorial Drive #185
Cambridge, MA 02138

Background

I came to Cambridge in 2008 for college, and I stayed out of passion for the people that make up this diverse and progressive community. As the daughter, niece, and granddaughter of small business owners, I grew up understanding the importance of a strong local economy and civic community. In keeping with this, I have spent the last few years engaging with local business owners and workers. I also advocate for sustainable business practices and more equitable access to opportunity for all members of our community, including BIPOC and immigrants, LGBTQ+ members, and women.

Over the last few years, I have thrown myself into uplifting the local economy and community. As Executive Director of Cambridge Local First, I advocate for local and small business interests by engaging with the public and the government. I also joined the Harvard Square Neighborhood Association as an early board member to elevate community voices to advocate for policy change in our neighborhood. As a Board member for the American Independent Business Alliance, a national nonprofit dedicated to amplifying our country’s independent business alliances, I support inclusive, thriving local economies as a path to resilience and growth country-wide. And as Board Chair to the Cambridge YWCA, I work to ensure our programs are effective vehicles for eliminating racism and empowering women, especially women of color, and I oversee the financial health of an organization that serves as the largest provider of housing to single women in Cambridge.

In 2017, I served as Manager for the City Council Campaign of Sumbul Siddiqui, now the first Muslim mayor in Massachusetts. As City Councillor, I will continue to push diversity and progressive values for our city.

I hold a BA in Philosophy and Government from Harvard College, and a Master of Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. I am the proud partner of Wael, sister of Georgia and Dena, and sister-in-law of Ayoub, Camilla, Wiam, Claire, Teresa, and Catherine.

I believe that, if we work together, we can repair the worn social and economic fabric of our city and make it even better than before. Alongside other progressive candidates, I am working to build a diverse, progressive coalition on City Council to effect the changes that matter most to our community.

I won’t be accepting contributions from real estate developers, fossil fuel companies, corporate PACs, or the police. I want to represent the residents, and remain independent from corporate interests and the police, which already wield significant power in Cambridge. So instead, I intend to fundraise from individual donors.

Endorsements

I am thrilled to have received the organizational endorsements of the Sierra Club, Sunrise Movement, Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus, Run For Something, and the Blue Lab, as well as policy distinctions from NARAL and Ayanna Pressley, and individual endorsements from Andree Entezari, a community activist, Steve Kurland, owner of Za and EVOO restaurants, Kari Kuelzer, owner of Grendel's Den, Meichelle Ferguson, owner of Hilton Realty, Steven Adelson, owner of Teddy Shoes, Shelley Neill, previous Executive Director of Multicultural Arts Center, Manjulika Das, Membership and Marketing Coordinator at Sustainable Business Network of MA, Rachael Solem, owner of Irving House, Erika Salloux, owner of Living Harmony, George Ravanis, owner of Frank's Steak House, Val Shulock, owner of Basil Tree Catering, Mike Green, Executive Director of Climate XChange, and Alan Toda-Ambaras, co-founder of Eureka Ensemble.

Policy Priorities

Local Economy

Background
A vibrant local economy improves the quality of life for all residents and makes our city more attractive to tourists who bring revenue for further investment in our city.

Business owners today are facing an existential crisis. Some estimates suggest that 40% of our local businesses will fail to reopen following this crisis, and an additional 25% within the year. By November 2020, 37% of small businesses in Massachusetts had closed. For residents, this means a non-negligible loss of our Cantabrigian identity and the rich local character that makes this city ours. It’s easy to blame this tragic shift on the pandemic, but the truth is, it’s been going on much longer. Small-scale entrepreneurialism has been declining across the U.S. since the 1960s, a shift that also corresponds to rising wealth inequality. While the 1950s and 1960s saw over 150,000 new businesses created annually, this number was less than 20,000 in 2020. Given that small businesses employ nearly half of working Americans, it is an important tool both for employment and social equity as a route to upwards economic mobility for minorities whose loss we should not take lightly.

Building Resilient Local Economies
Cambridge is home to an estimated 900-1100 small businesses, many of whose struggles I have seen firsthand as Director of Cambridge Local First*. As City Councillor, I pledge to:

1. Compile and publish a list of available economic resources for small business loans and grants.
2. Publish clear and detailed information on the Cambridge website to help small business owners navigate available grant and loan application processes and apply for federal financial relief.
3. Increase city contracts with local and independent businesses
4. Reduce red tape for small businesses seeking different kinds of operating licenses and permits to make it cheaper and easier for small businesses to get up and running.
5. Support the state-wide initiative to cap app-based restaurant meal delivery commissions and fees.

Addressing Disparities in Funding
Small business ownership is the primary vehicle for upward economic mobility for working Americans, especially for immigrant, minority, queer, and women business owners. However, these groups routinely face discrimination and are left severely underfunded. As a Councillor I will

1. Form partnerships with local banks to offer small business loans and offer programs intended to improve access to credit for traditionally marginalized groups, including BIPOC, LGBTQ+ people, and women.
2. Collect demographic data for financial institutions and work to increase the diversity of bank executives, investors and other roles that oversee capital.
3. Establish City grant programs for entrepreneurs of color.
4. Support calls for a statewide public bank.

To read more about my family’s own experiences, click here.

Supporting Workers
Cambridge must take action to center the needs of workers in our economic policy and strengthen worker protections. As a Council you can count on me to fight for worker dignity, address the root causes of wealth inequality and support the right to collectively bargain. Some actions include:

1. Developing support systems for creating new cooperatives and employee-owned companies.
2. Expanding enforcement of workplace standards, including anonymous feedback from workers to mitigate the fear of retaliation.
3. Securing hazard pay for essential and frontline workers in both the public and private sectors.
4. Growing and diversifying our transportation infrastructure to accommodate the needs of essential workers.
5. Prohibiting the City from contracting with companies with a history of worker safety violations and/or wage theft.
6. Opposing any contracts that would replace union jobs with private contractors.

Youth Empowerment
Building a strong, resilient city begins with investing in our youth and ensuring all generations feel the benefits of economic empowerment. Explicitly investing in our city’s youth is a pathway to greater community safety, lowering wealth inequality and boosting a more equitable economic system. As a Councillor, I will put a concerted focus on expanding year round youth employment opportunities with the City. Additionally, I will work to grow apprenticeships and vocational training opportunities for students entering the workforce after high school.

*To learn more about my work in this area for CLF, check out our website.

Housing Justice

Cambridge, like so many other areas around the country, is facing a crisis. Land is being hoarded by a few wealthy, multinational corporations fueling displacement, increasing rent, and limiting regular people’s ability to buy homes. Safe, secure housing is a human right. As a Councillor, I will fight for policies that put Cambridge residents, renters, and families first.

Cambridge as a Housing First City
Housing is a human right and is at the foundation of all opportunities to thrive. Cambridge should fund permanently supportive housing for those who are chronically homeless.

I will work to enact a Housing First policy that does not force unhoused people to meet unrealistic requirements to receive services and care. Together, we can become a national leader for other metro areas in truly making housing equitable for all.

Delivering Fair, Affordable Housing
Housing sits at the intersection of many issues important to Cambridge, including public health, community safety, environmental justice, and education. We must develop short-and long-term solutions to deliver fair, affordable housing for all Cambridge residents. Any long-term plan to solve the current housing crisis must ensure the replacement of segregated living patterns with fully integrated and balanced neighborhoods with equitable access to educational, economic, cultural, and recreational opportunities. As a Councillor, I will:

1. Advocate for new zoning based on Boston’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Rule that requires cities to provide new housing opportunities while considering impacts on local communities that have historically been discriminated against.
2. Explore possible effects of development plans on residents and businesses before plans are approved- giving first preference to contractors who use union labor, hire locally, and pay a living wage.
3. Support the adoption of a real estate transfer tax up to 6% on new sales of real estate above the city-wide median sale price of $1.1 million and direct proceeds to the Cambridge-only Affordable Housing Trust.
4. Advocate for a vacancy tax on individuals and corporations who buy housing without the intent to occupy those units to discourage commercial speculation- adding additional fees for owners who fail to register their properties as vacant, and for properties that are left vacant for multiple years.
5. Develop and advocate for policies at the city and state levels that prevent displacement and set goals for the amount and mix of market and non-market housing.
6. Increase the amount of affordable housing stock by prioritizing projects near transit corridors.
7. Engage all relevant stakeholders, including residents, city departments, tenant organizations, and trade unions, to prepare a long-term, equitable plan for affordable housing.

Protecting Tenants
The majority of Cambridge residents, including myself, are renters. For too long power in Cambridge has been skewed in favor of wealthy developers and private interests. This has contributed to rising rental costs and a lack of protections for tenants. We need immediate action to lower the rent and prevent mass evictions while planning for long-term housing stability. As a Councillor you can count on me to:

1. Fight for rent control by working with advocates in Cambridge, neighboring cities and across the state to lift the ban.
2. Push for community land trusts and publicly-funded social housing focused on permanent affordability, social equality, and democratic resident control.
3. Establish a Tenant Bill of Rights including a tenant’s right to counsel.
4. Coordinate with shelters to expand emergency housing options to ensure safe housing is always accessible for our residents.
5. Push the city to establish a Department of Housing Stability to help residents.
1. Navigate existing city resources.
2. Find and maintain stable, safe, and affordable housing.

Permanent Affordable Homeownership
Homeownership is a crucial part of closing the racial wealth gap, building generational wealth, stabilizing our city and fighting displacement. However, due to rising costs the option to own a home is out of reach for far too many residents.

I support the Council’s recent policy order to:

1. Increase the supply of affordable homeownership units.
2. Ensure that the city gives preference in purchasing affordable units built by this plan to first generation, first-time home buyers who grew up in Cambridge, to redress past racial discrimination.

However, we must go further and provide a better pathway to homeownership and address the disparity of Black and Brown homeownership. As a Councillor I will:

1. Provide City funds for down payment assistance for low and middle income renters, first-time homebuyers, and other residents who have been excluded from building generational wealth.
2. Support and grow educational and financial coaching programs for aspiring buyers to prepare for ownership.
3. Reform zoning standards to make it easier for homeowners to make small property modifications and better accommodate the needs of multigenerational households.
4. Push the policymakers on the state and federal level to support homeownership programs for historically marginalized communities.

As your City Councillor, you can count on me to fight for truly fair housing for all Cambridge residents.

Racial & Criminal Justice

Community Safety
It is unacceptable that any members of our community be made to feel unsafe by the very institutions meant to provide for their safety. I support the HEART proposal for an unarmed, community-based team trained in nonviolent de-escalation tactics that would operate fully independently from the Cambridge PD. This team would serve as first responders for all incidents not involving armed violence, such as non-violent mental health crises or domestic disputes.

It is time to demilitarize the Cambridge Police Department. According to the City of Cambridge Police Department Report of Materials, Tools, and Property as of June 30, 2020, the CPD currently has 300 officers and over 100 assault rifles and higher caliber weapons. Rather than funding weapons, I will push to reallocate police funding to address more pressing community needs such as affordable housing, education, and public health. I will advocate for the CPD budget to be proportional to spending on housing, education and public health to ensure we are funding true community wellness. Furthermore, I plan to protect our most vulnerable community members by pushing to remove student resource officers (SROs) from schools.

I will protect Cambridge’s immigrant population, both documented and undocumented, by rejecting compliance with ICE. To facilitate immigrant inclusion in Cambridge, I will expand programs that provide legal services, like the Greater Boston Legal Services and the HLS immigration clinics. To complement local efforts, I will pressure the state to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.

I pledge to support the right to vote in local elections for non-citizens that are on a path to citizenship because everyone should have a voice in their community.

Taking a Holistic Approach to Wellness
I also want to help foster meaningful public dialogue around reparations for racial injustice and make sure racial equity is centered when making policy decisions around topics such as housing, education, and the environment. I will ensure Black and Brown community members are not left behind in Cambridge by:

1. Advocating for expanding after-school programs that benefit Black and Brown youth.
2. Collaborating with community leaders, youth groups, families and other stakeholders to establish and fund safety initiatives for young people.
3. Pushing for policies that expand Black homeownership.
4. Expanding access to credit to bolster minority business ownership and address the racial wealth gap.
5. Proactively addressing environmental racism.

Read more on my plans for equity in education, housing justice, stronger local economies and environmental action.

Climate Action

Background
The 2021 Resilient Cambridge Plan, and the 2015 & 2017 Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments for the City of Cambridge have affirmed what we already knew: climate change is already impacting our city, and the impacts will become much more severe in the future if we do not take immediate action. As a Councillor, I would take bold action to directly address the climate crisis by reviving our tree canopy, investing in green infrastructure, and bringing Cambridge a Green New Deal.

Reviving the Tree Canopy
As the climate crisis worsens, urban areas that are historically void of tree canopy will suffer the most. By 2070, Cambridge areas like East Cambridge, Kendall Square, Riverside, and Alewife-Fresh Pond may find themselves partially underwater due to intense flooding. To combat impending rising temperatures and flooding, I pledge to invest in both protecting and expanding the tree canopy. Furthermore, I support City Councillor Quinton Zondervan’s efforts to establish a more permanent policy that disincentivizes the cutting of existing trees.

Environmental Justice as Housing Justice
It is also critical to recognize the intersection of the housing and environmental crises. Climate change disproportionately impacts lower-income communities, and Cambridge is no exception. In June, residents in public housing were left without access to AC in the midst of a heat wave. This is unacceptable. With temperatures rising and heatwaves becoming the norm, we are obligated to care for our most vulnerable by working towards systemic solutions to climate change. As a Councillor, I will work with citywide stakeholders at the intersection of the environmental and housing crises to ensure that all residents are cared for, especially those in the elderly, disabled, and low-income communities. Read more on my housing policy here.

Green Infrastructure
An increase in extreme weather events and flooding is a very real problem communities are going to face, especially along the coast. The areas most affected by flooding will be the Alewife-Fresh Pond area, East Cambridge, Kendall Square, and low-lying areas of Riverside. Inland flooding close to Charles River’s juncture could cause river water to back up through storm drainage pipes and discharge into the streets, causing damage to surrounding infrastructure. Investing in our city’s infrastructure now, we can mitigate the current impacts of climate change and build for a more resilient future. Here is a map that outlines the areas that will be affected by flooding:

I will push to incentivize the implementation of greener infrastructure through the following actions:

1. Transform underutilized and vacant spaces in Cambridge into climate solutions by installing rain gardens, bioswales, and permeable pavement.
2. Create more green spaces.
3. Increase the availability of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
4. Support of the 2019 Cambridge Climate Change Preparedness and Resilience Plan that will prepare the community for the impacts of climate change while also fighting back against these impacts.

Environmental Justice as Racial Justice
In recognition of the critical intersection of environmental and racial justice, I plan to ensure that communities and workers most affected by climate change lead the transition to a green economy. This issue hits home in Cambridge. Our most vulnerable neighborhoods, like the Port, already regularly experience the adverse effects of climate change. I am a proud signatory to Councillor Zondervan's Green New Deal Zoning Petition. Further, I recognize the importance of considering neighborhood demographics, including race, when making decisions around polluting facilities, housing segregation, public health policies, such as those around COVID-19, and public transit system design. I aim to ensure that residents traditionally left out of decision-making processes can access environmentally-related processes and benefits.

A Green New Deal for Cambridge
By 2070, Cambridge may experience nearly 3 months of 90°F temperatures. Addressing the climate crisis is urgent, and we have the power to act. Cambridge needs a Green New Deal.

As a Councilor I will:

1. Move the city to net-zero carbon emissions by adopting building electrification requirements, increasing green building design requirements, and pushing for adopting the Net ZeroEnergy Stretch Code.
2. Advocate for electrification of public transportation vehicles and additional bike lanes as an alternative to cars (read more on my transportation policy here).
3. Craft sustainability guidelines for Cambridge workplaces and small businesses.
4. Develop a job training program to maintain new sustainable infrastructure and ensure all Cantabrigians reap the benefits of a green economy.

Equitable Education

Equitable Early Childhood Education
At the grade school level, outcomes for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds - estimated to be around 28% of students in the Cambridge school system, or around 1,800 children - are still failing to match those of students from more privileged backgrounds. While Cambridge has the resources, allocation remains inequitable. COVID has only exacerbated these differences, and we need to take action now before we fail these children any more than we already have. As a Councilor, I pledge to:

1. Allocate funding for universal pre-K.
2. Partner with local childcare providers to ensure that children are being screened in a timely and consistent way on childhood development milestones, so that meaningful action can be taken before a child has the chance to fall behind.
3. Create easy-to-use informational resources to help parents make informed choices about their children’s education and navigate public schools’ school choice and lottery systems.

Investing in Our Future
Several wealthy universities operate within our city as nonprofits that are not held accountable to local government or community needs while wielding huge influence over local policy in other areas. The voluntary PILOT contributions these universities make are consistently lower than they should be. I believe that this cycle of representation-without-taxation needs to change. As a Councilor, I will take action to push private institutions, such as Harvard, MIT, and Cambridge-based corporations to create a start-up fund and competition to advance the initiatives of CRLS’ graduating students, with a focus on students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Transportation

Freeing the T
I will lead a local effort to bolster the national transportation policy goals of Senator Markey and Rep. Pressley to create a fare-free transit system that will reduce commute times and financial burdens that disproportionately affect underserved communities. Transit is an essential public service to which all should have access, bringing the community to our education institutions and businesses that are strengthening as we emerge from the pandemic.

Cambridge as a 21st Century City
Cambridge is growing, and we must ensure our transportation infrastructure is growing to meet the needs of all members of our community. Additionally, the largest portion of Massachusetts’ greenhouse gas emissions comes from the transportation sector. By diversifying, updating and improving our transportation infrastructure we can reduce traffic, improve pedestrian safety, combat climate change, and boost vitality of our small businesses. As a Councillor, I will:

1. Commission a traffic study to determine disparities by neighborhood and make concrete improvements to lower congestion and ensure equity.
2. Improve bus services by adding more dedicated bus lanes and upgrade existing bus stops where needed.
3. Push for the installation of additional bike lanes so all neighborhoods have access to safe cycling infrastructure.
4. Adopt a Smart Streets framework to create roads that are safe and accessible to all users.
5. Advocate for system improvements to accelerate updates to the T.
6. Invest in clean transportation by converting municipal vehicles to 100% electric by 2035.

Read more on my environmental action plan here.

Transit Justice and Accessibility
Transportation should prioritize service to and safety of everyone in Cambridge, especially seniors, students, workers and people with disabilities. As a Councillor, you can count on me to fight for greater equity in our public transit system including fare free paratransit as well as efforts to make current public transportation systems more accessible to disabled community members including:

1. Building and improving elevators in transit stations.
2. Implement a new standard of public transit that prioritizes disabled and elderly constituents.
3. Protect parking spaces for disabled/elderly community members while building up alternate modes of transportation.
4. Expand accessible infrastructure such as ramps, lifts, slip-resistant surfaces, handrails and straps and prioritize maintenance for existing infrastructure.

Bicycle Safety
I pledge to prioritize bicycle safety. Separated bike lanes make our streets safer. I plan to work with the City of Cambridge to implement separated bike lanes in order to create a safe, city-wide protected network that serves residents of all ages and abilities. This includes permanent protected bike lanes when streets are reconstructed and lanes using temporary materials outside of the reconstruction plan. I applaud Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s securing of federal funding to help Cambridge’s efforts to expand our network of separated bike lanes. I will work with community-led organizations like Cambridge Bike Safety to ensure we are advancing safety for all of Cambridge’s bicyclists.

Pedestrian Safety
I pledge to take a proactive approach to pedestrian safety and listen to residents’ concerns so safety improvement measures are implemented before tragedy strikes. I will work to expand sidewalks and maintain crosswalks, implement traffic calming measures and ensure that all streets have pedestrian friendly traffic signal timing so that all people can feel safe traveling the streets of Cambridge.

Arts & Culture
The arts are a central part of Cambridge’s identity and are critical to building dynamic, fuller communities. The arts support our neighborhoods and are a vehicle for economic security and growth. As a Councillor, I will be a champion for Cambridge’s vibrant arts community.

COVID-19
These are trying times. The same rules as before cannot apply in the context of unprecedented social and economic upheaval. Further, COVID-19 has further complicated all the issues listed here, including local business vitality and efforts toward racial and criminal justice. As such, my first priorities as your Councillor will be to pass a temporary moratorium on evictions as well as rent, mortgage, and utility payments, and to secure hazard pay for essential and frontline workers in both the public and private sectors.

CCTV candidate video (2021)     2021 MCNA Candidate Forum (Skeadas)