Cambridge Tenants Will Demonstrate For Better Housing

Cambridge tenants will rally at noon today at the office of Intergovernmental Relations to protest University housing policies.

At the same time a delegation from the Cambridge Housing Convention plans to meet with Edward S. Gruson, assistant to President Pusey for Community Affairs, to discuss University Housing plans.

The delegation will request that Harvard make 40 per cent of its proposed 250-unit middle-income project at Cambridge Highlands available at low-income rents.

The delegation is also likely to question Harvard's plans for three other proposed housing sites in Cambridge: the Shady Hill site, the Tree land site adjoining Peabody Terrace, and a vacant lot on Sacramento St.

Harvard currently intends to build 300 units of high-income faculty housing on Shady Hill but its proposal to rezone the sites for high-density structures necessary to contain that many units came under fire at a city planning board meeting Tuesday night. CHC spokesman William Joyce opposed the rezoning.

Citing the University's alleged reluctance to supply low-income units, Joyce explained last night that "Harvard has already shown willingness to build high- and middle-income housing: we'd like it to take a more balanced attitude toward building low-income units."

In a letter delivered Monday afternoon to Gruson. the CHC asked Gruson and two Corporation officials-George F. Bennett '33, Treasurer of Harvard College, and Albert L. Nickerson '33. Fellow of Harvard College-to meet with the delegation today.

Nickerson said last night that an unbreakable appointment would keep him from the meeting, and Bennett said that a recent death in his family would probably prevent his attendance. Gruson was reported by CHC spokesmen to have agreed to meet with them but was unavailable for comment last night.