CAMBRIDGE ASSOCIATION OF NEIGHBORHOODS
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
March 10, 2026 6:00 PM
Board Members Present: Chuck McFadden, Judd Vickers, Alison Kennedy, Andre Duerinckx, Amy Craig, Chuck Fadely
Board Members Absent: Roman Jesien, Mary Ellen Jesien, LaShon Foster, Sheila Jones
Attendance: 42 attendees, 7 new members added to CAN
Press: WMDT
Introduction
Chuck McFadden, President of CAN, welcomed community members. Amy Craig introduced the speakers, Ed Crosby and Doris Mason from the City Housing Department and JoAnn Hansen, Jenny Schmidt, Jennifer Shorter and Kate Gibson from Habitat for Humanity.
Presentation
Housing accessibility is a hot button issue all over the state of Maryland and the same is true within the City of Cambridge. The affordable housing meeting, hosted by the Cambridge Association of Neighborhoods (CAN), saw a packed room with residents hoping to hear about creative ways to expand housing in Cambridge and how to get residents to house within the city.
Representatives said one of the strategies they are turning to increase housing is to revitalize distressed homes by using a combination of financial literacy education and lessons in home maintenance. For residents, some said these kinds of conversations empower them with knowledge and help foster community.
“It brings people together and just things that you probably would never hear about that were giving, getting information and you can make decisions, you can ask questions and just kind of look at volunteering opportunities and that kind of thing,” Cambridge resident Beth Kline said. Kline is retired and edits CAN’s newsletter and has lived inn Cambridge for over 20 years.
One of the biggest concerns from leaders and residents alike was how to use housing and economic development as a means of getting more people to stay in Cambridge. One of Habitat for Humanity Choptank’s main points was to try to bring in more educators to live in the city, allowing them to become more integrated in the community. CAN President Charles McFadden said housing will increase with good paying jobs.
“Our biggest problem is that our average income is $48,000 a year,” he said. “Average income in the state is like $96,000, we’re almost half. So, we need jobs.”
McFadden stressed that it will also take revamping the city’s education system and having highly trained and skilled people to revitalize the city’s job market.
Habitat for Humanity Choptank will host a financial literacy workshop on Wednesday, March 25 at 6 p.m.
Notes taken by A. Kennedy, Secretary of CAN