News

Under this Emergency Order, the City will only allow construction activity that complies with the provisions of the Order, the MA Sector Specific Workplace Safety Standards for Construction Sites, the MA Safety Standards, and the MA COVID-19 Checklist issued on May 18, 2020. Additionally, the City has established a new four-phased approach for resuming existing construction permits will begin on May 25, 2020, and approving of applications for new building permits will tentatively begin on June 29, 2020.

The City of Cambridge today announced that the Thomas P. O'Neill Jr./Fresh Pond Golf Course will open for the season on Thursday, May 21 and Riverbend Park will be opened for the next two Sundays as part of a pilot program.

The City of Cambridge announced that mobile testing will begin in The Port neighborhood today, Tuesday, May 19, and in all Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) senior buildings on Wednesday, May 20, expanding the City’s mobile testing capabilities among more vulnerable populations.

The Baker-Polito Administration released a comprehensive plan to safely reopen the Massachusetts economy, get people back to work, and ease social restrictions while minimizing the health impacts of COVID-19

The Baker-Polito Administration released Reopening Massachusetts, the Reopening Advisory Board’s report, which details a four-phased strategy to responsibly reopen businesses and activities while continuing to fight COVID-19. The Administration also released a new “Safer At Home” Advisory, which instructs residents to stay at home unless engaging with newly opened activities, as a way to continue limiting the spread of COVID-19.

The City of Cambridge is reviewing the plan released today by the Baker-Polito Administration for the reopening of businesses in the Commonwealth and has announced City-specific construction activity guidance.

The City of Cambridge announced that grant and loan applications are now available for Cambridge small businesses through the Mayor’s Disaster Relief Fund for small businesses and the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority (“CRA”) Loan Program. Grant applications will only be available from May 15, 2020 until May 29, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

Over the past three weeks, 20 employees with the City of Cambridge have contacted more than 7,000 senior residents throughout the community. This effort, which is being led by the City Manager’s Office, is intended to connect directly with seniors to determine if they have any questions, concerns or needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The City of Cambridge announced that it will further expand COVID-19 testing for Cambridge residents via a new mobile testing pilot program that will initially be launched in The Port neighborhood and in all senior housing buildings overseen by the Cambridge Housing Authority.

The Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program is a complementary grant program to the city’s Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant. It is a special program helping Cambridge’s U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) eligible for-profit retail, food, personal services, and creative businesses with a grant up to $10,000 per brick and mortar business. The program provides short-term working capital assistance to support businesses with inventory purchases (perishable and non-perishable), Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) purchases or upgrades, and rent payments to enable businesses to open and ensure the retention of jobs after the severe interruption of business related to COVID-19 social distancing requirements.