Council Passes Amendment to Condo Law

The Cambridge City Council last night eliminate a loophole in the city's controversial anti-condominium conversion ordinance that would allow the conversion of nearly 1000 units without the approval of the Cambridge Rent Control Board.

With Mayor Alfred E. Vellucci voting with the four liberal Cambridge Civic Association (CCA) councilors, the council passed an amendment to the original condo conversion ordinance clarifying which rental units can be removed from the market without a special permit granted by the rent board.

Barring reconsideration at next week's meeting, the law will take effect immediately. As amended, the ordinance prevents tenants who began occupying their apartments after the law was passed in August, 1979, from converting their unit without a removal permit from the rent board.

Earlier this year, a Middlesex District Court judge ruled that the intent of the ordinance was unclear, and allowed a Cambridge woman who moved into her apartment after the 1979 date to buy her unit as a condo He state the original law did not specify the 1979 date and added that the rent control board could not legally interpret the council's intent in denying removal permits to post 1979 tenants.

With Independent councilor Walter J. Sullivan returning from vacation by next Monday, his coalition, which opposes the CCA on the condo conversion issue, could move to reconsider the proposal. But councilors said last night it is unlikely Vellucci will use his swing vote to give the Independents the majority necessary for reconsideration.