To the editor:

Since A Better Cambridge was founded in 2012, we have fought to preserve and expand the supply of long term rental housing in our Cambridge so that all families may have access to affordable homes in our city.

Earlier this year, ABC joined the Welcome Home Coalition, working with other progressive organizations from across the metro Boston region to advocate for regulations on Airbnb and other short-term rentals that put the supply of long-term rental housing for Cambridge families at risk.

As the discussion has developed over the past several months, it has become clear that many stakeholders in Cambridge share our concern about the reduced supply of long-term rental housing supply. Most recently the conversation has focused on allowing short-term rentals to only owner-occupied units.

While ABC supports the emerging consensus on short-term rental regulations, we think the overall impact of limiting to owner-occupied units versus owner-occupied plus one adjacent unit will have a minimal impact on preserving the supply of long term rental housing in Cambridge.

The most meaningful way that Cambridge can impact the supply of long-term rental housing is to modernize our zoning and allow for the creation of abundant housing for Cambridge families. Over the past five years, ABC has stood almost singularly among Cambridge community groups on the side of creating new rental homes in our city.

We hope this debate over short-term rentals will shift the conversation and that our friends in other community groups will join us in supporting increased supply of long-term rental homes in new developments like Wheeler Street near Alewife, the Volpe site in Kendall Square and other projects to come.

� Jesse Kanson-Benanav, Willow Street, founder and chairman of A Better Cambridge�