If you are facing eviction, your first step should be to consult a lawyer. Depending on your income, you may be able to secure a free lawyer. Contact either DeNovo at 617-661-1010 during business hours or Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services at 617-603-2713. Another resource includes Homeless and Eviction Prevention Services. 

For more information about applying for Public Housing, contact the

Cambridge Housing Authority
362 Green Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone: 617-864-3020
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf: 800-545-1833 x112
www.cambridge-housing.org

For more general advice and assistance, contact:

Cambridge Multi-Service Center
362 Green Street, 1st floor
Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone: 617-349-6340
www.cambridgema.gov/MultiServiceCenter

To learn about the City's Inclusionary Housing, how to apply, and for information about other affordable housing options in the Cambridge, please visit the City's Community Development Department Housing Division website: www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/housing

The following Cambridge based organizations offer civil (non-criminal) legal aid to low-income individuals and families:

Cambridge/Somerville (Greater Boston) Legal Services
60 Gore Street, Suite 203
Cambridge, MA 02141
617-603-2700
gbls.org

De Novo (formerly Community Legal Services and Counseling Center)
47 Thorndike Street, SB-LL-1
Cambridge, MA 02141
617-661-1010
clsacc.org

Harvard Legal Aid Bureau
23 Everett Street, 1st Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138
617-495-4408
harvardlegalaid.org

The City provides weekly curbside pickup of household trash, recycling, and compost. Curbside collection is generally one day behind schedule following a holiday. Street cleaning makeup dates for holidays vary, so please check the Department of Public Works website for the latest information.

Use the "Get Rid of it Right" tool on the Curbside Collections webpage to find your curbside collection and street cleaning schedule, search for how to dispose of items, schedule a mattress pick-up and more.

Overview of Weekly Curbside Collection

• Recycling
• Compost
• Trash Collection
• Yard Waste (April 1 - December 31)

Schedule a Curbside Pickup

• Clothing and Textiles
• TV, appliances, furniture, other bulky waste disposal
• Mattress Recycling

Drop-Off Locations/Events

• Recycling Center
• Household Hazardous Waste Events

Additional links

• The City’s "Get Rid of it Right" tool and free Zero Waste Cambridge app (iOS and Android) allow you to find your curbside collection and street cleaning schedule, report a missed pickup, search for how to dispose of items, schedule a mattress pick-up and more,
• Order supplies for curbside collection through the Compost, Recycle, and Trash Supplies Request Form
• Register here to receive news, tips, and updates about recycling and composting from Cambridge Recycling
• SeeClickFix helps residents reach the City online or via their smartphone to request services or get help fixing issues

If your curbside collection was missed, please submit a report at CambridgeMA.gov/311 after 4 p.m. on your collection day. Typically, collection trucks go back for missed pickups after completing the current day’s route. Please leave the missed items at the curb to ensure collection. Learn more at Cambridgema.gov/curbsidecollections.

Ice needs to be removed within 6 hours from the time it forms, per City Ordinance. Snow needs to be removed within 12 hours after snow stops falling during the day and before 1pm if it snowed during the night, per City Ordinance.

Public Works and the Traffic Department work together to enforce this Ordinance. Parking Control Officers in the Traffic Department conduct enforcement on priority pedestrian routes throughout the winter, and Public Works Compliance Officers investigate all complaints received of uncleared sidewalks.

The fine for failing to comply with the City’s sidewalk clearance ordinances is $50/day for each day of non-compliance. Even if you aren’t around, it is your responsibility to ensure someone clears sidewalks and ramps next to your property.

We all have a shared responsibility for keeping our community safe and accessible during winter weather. For you, your neighbors, people with strollers or using wheelchairs, and the many people in Cambridge who walk, please do your part.

Public Works mechanically sweeps each street in Cambridge once per month, April through December (weather permitting). Signs are posted on each residential street indicating the schedule. In order to ensure that streets are properly cleaned, cars must move off the side of the street being swept to avoid being ticketed.

Citywide street sweeping includes twice yearly vacuum sweeping to improve stormwater quality.

In addition to neighborhood sweeping, City squares are cleaned daily: on weekdays from 7 am to 3 pm, weekends and holidays from 4 am to 8 am (street sweeping) and 6 am to 10 am (hand-cleaning crew).  Litter barrels in squares are emptied twice daily on weekdays and three times daily on weekends.

The Division also has a power washer which is used to clean public trash and recycling receptacles, and to operate a graffiti removal program on both public and private property (with owner's permission).

A Parking ticket must be paid within 21 days of receiving it to avoid any additional fees.  If you feel that the ticket was received in error, you may dispute the ticket.

Options for paying a parking ticket:

• Pay by Web:
• Pay by Phone: 617 491-7277
• Pay by Mail: P. O. Box 399113, Cambridge, MA 02139
• Pay in Person: 
      344 Broadway
       Monday 8:30am - 8:00pm 
       Tuesday - Thursday,  8:30am - 5:00pm
       Friday 8:30am - Noon

Forms of Payment Accepted

MC/Visa accepted.
Cash, credit card or money order accepted for booted vehicles.
Cash, credit card or money order accepted for immediate clearance at the Registry of Motor Vehicles. If you pay by check, there is a 30 day waiting period before clearance.

Disputing a parking ticket:

Fill out the Parking Ticket Dispute form and submit either online, by mail or in person. You will need the ticket number and plate number when filling out the form. Completed forms can be mailed or delivered to:

Traffic, Parking & Transportation
City of Cambridge
344 Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02139
Attn: Hearing Officer

You will receive a communication regarding the disposition of the dispute.  If you feel the decision is not correct you may request a hearing.

Resident’s car

A resident parking permit is required to park on most residential streets in Cambridge Monday through Saturday. The resident parking permit program was created to ease parking problems in residential areas by making it illegal for non-resident commuters to park on residential streets.

Visitors

Each residential household can obtain one visitor parking permit good in the area in which they live whether or not that household has a car.  If you own multiple Cambridge properties, you must declare one as your primary residence.  Only one visitor permit will be issued in your name.

Consideration

If you are having an event with multiple visitors you can submit a request for consideration to prevent your visitors from receiving a ticket.

Eligibility requirements

To purchase a resident parking permit you must:

1. Submit  proof of residency as a Cambridge resident.

2. Have your car registered in your name at your Cambridge address

3. Principally garaged at your Cambridge address.

4. Pay all outstanding parking tickets and excise tax.

To purchase a visitor parking permit you must:

1. Submit proof of residency as a Cambridge resident.

Company Vehicle

To purchase a resident parking permit you must:

1. Submit a letter on company letter head stating that the vehicle is in your custody

2. Vehicle must be registered in MA and principally garaged in Cambridge through RMV.

3. Pay all outstanding parking tickets and excise tax.

You may apply for a resident and/or visitor parking permit by mail or by going to the Office of Traffic and Parking located at 344 Broadway -

Monday, 8:30am to 8:00pm, Tuesday - Thursday, 8:30am - 5:00pm, Friday, 8:30am - Noon.

For more information visit the Traffic and Parking Webpage

In the event of a snow storm, remember these general on-street parking guidelines:

• Always park at least 20 feet from the street corner. Parking this far away from the corner improves visibility and safety year-round and ensures compliance with Cambridge Traffic Regulations. In the winter, it also allows plows to push snow away from crosswalks.
• Think safety! Please do your part and dig out fire hydrants and street drains while digging out your car.
• When digging out your car, think about how you pile snow; don't create new problems in the street or on sidewalks.
• Please don't take it personally if Public Works plows accidentally push snow back into your driveway or parked car. It’s sometimes unavoidable in order to keep streets as passable as possible during all stages of the storm.
  
  During substantial storms, the City may declare a Snow Emergency Parking Ban which prohibits parking on streets signed “No Parking during Snow Emergency.”  When a snow emergency is declared, information is available on the City’s Snow Center website and on 22-CityView. Information can also be found by calling 617-349-4700 (Traffic Department during regular hours or recorded snow information line after hours) To receive notifications about snow emergencies via e-mail, text message, and/or phone call (for any landline or cell phone in the city or elsewhere), sign up for Code Red through the Cambridge Alert Network. Every effort is made to give residents as much advance notice as possible of an impending snow emergency.

To report a sighting of rodents you can call the rodent hotline (617) 349-4899 or email rodents@cambridgema.gov

The Police Review & Advisory Board provides a prompt, impartial and fair investigation of complaints brought by individuals against members of the Cambridge Police Department.

Learn more. 

Please call the Cambridge Police Department's Non-Emergency number at 617-349-3300.

If you have more general concerns about public safety, you can email the mayor at dsimmons@cambridgema.gov and the full Council at council@cambridgema.gov.