Burhan Azeem hears you. More is possible, and he’s running for State Senate to improve your quality of life, not just maintain it. As a three-term Cambridge city councilor and now vice mayor, Burhan has brought an engineer’s eye to political problem-solving, and he’ll do the same to fight for you on Beacon Hill. Here’s what he’ll get done and how.
Burhan will push for a housing-by-right law near transit. Modeled after California’s SB79, it will override local zoning to allow taller, denser housing within a half-mile of transit stops. On the City Council, Burhan made it legal to build apartments in every neighborhood, expanded the Affordable Housing Overlay so 100%-affordable buildings get approved faster, and eliminated the parking mandates that added tens of thousands of dollars to every new home. As senator, he’ll take the fix statewide, starting with supporting the Starter Homes ballot question so modest houses are legal to build again.
Alewife is the newest heavy-rail station, yet it is in utter disrepair, from boarded-up storefronts to caution tape everywhere you look. Burhan has proven he can deliver ambitious projects within budget and in years, not decades. He’ll fix the funding formula for the T, hold the agency accountable to timelines, and finally build the pedestrian bridge Cambridge has been promised since 1979.
Millions of gallons of raw sewage flow into Alewife Brook every year through pipes built in the 1800s. The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority has approved a $1.3 billion “fix,” which would let the dumping continue for decades. In 2024, those pipes sent 13 million gallons of raw sewage into Alewife Brook, the most sewage-burdened waterway in Greater Boston. Burhan will push for a permanent solution: replacing the pipes, funding the fix, and putting a deadline on it so families can actually enjoy the Greenway.
Porter Square Station is often dirty and full of bird droppings. It also has frequently broken escalators, which is unacceptable for able-bodied people and those with accessibility needs. And its Gift of Wind installation shows the potential of public art but the peril of ignoring maintenance. Burhan will push the MBTA to treat maintenance as seriously as new construction, with public reporting when stations fall short.