Peter Hsu
He/Him
Currently: Hospitalist; Pediatric Oncologist
Election history: 2nd-time candidate
He/Him
Currently: Hospitalist; Pediatric Oncologist
Election history: 2nd-time candidate
Dr. Peter Hsu is a practicing physician and second-time challenger for Cambridge City Council. He is on staff at Beth Israel and has lived in Cambridge for five years. Peter is running on a public health platform and wants to boost social services, including addiction and housing support.
As relative newcomer to politics, Hsu and his positions do not fit neatly into the main dichotomies of Cambridge politics. That said, Peter is running as part of the Repeal Slate to roll back the Multifamily Housing Ordinance.
Also with Zion Sherin, he has been endorsed by the Yankee National Party, a New England secessionist party that avows a "enter-left, social democratic" ideology and asks its endorsees to uphold its core values.
Peter is generally supportive of building more housing, though he holds some heterodox positions. He favors bringing back "density bonus" for inclusionary zoning (IZ), recurrent market feasibility studies, and bringing design review from unelected boards back for buildings over 3 stories due to concerns around parking and solar.
For years, while his family has lived out of town, he has sublet rooms in his own home to graduate students.
Public health involves more than just taking care of needles and insurance issues. It includes affordable housing, bike lanes, green space, environmental sustainability.
Cambridge is a very lucky city, and we are equipped with some of the best healthcare amenities and skillsets on earth.
| Organization | Cambridge? | Union? | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge Citizens Coalition | |||
| Cambridge Bicycle Safety |
Pedestrian and cycling safety, policy, infrastructure, governance
Pedestrian and cycling safety, policy, infrastructure, governance
Lengthy panel on progressive issues; largely yes/no questions; only 9 respondents. This is the first year this has appeared.
Lengthy panel on progressive issues; largely yes/no questions; only 9 respondents. This is the first year this has appeared.
Housing policy, development, governance
Housing policy, development, governance
Various questions relevant to interests of the MIT Grad Sudent Congress and broader community
Various questions relevant to interests of the MIT Grad Sudent Congress and broader community
Questions about how Cambridge can support Palestinians locally, divestment from Israel, and protesting and ICE.
Questions about how Cambridge can support Palestinians locally, divestment from Israel, and protesting and ICE.
Housing, zoning, governance, infrastructure
Housing, zoning, governance, infrastructure
Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association City Council Candidate Night 2025
Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association City Council Candidate Night 2025
Porter Square Neighborhood Association and Baldwin Neighborhood Council City Council Candidate Forum at Lesley University
Porter Square Neighborhood Association and Baldwin Neighborhood Council City Council Candidate Forum at Lesley University
"This year, we turned the traditional format upside down: community members with lived experience will speak first, and candidates will listen and respond. We heard directly about pressing issues like housing, mental health, and food security—and learn how candidates plan to act on them."
"This year, we turned the traditional format upside down: community members with lived experience will speak first, and candidates will listen and respond. We heard directly about pressing issues like housing, mental health, and food security—and learn how candidates plan to act on them."
Two second-time candidates have found things markedly different this time around. Peter Hsu said when he ran in 2021 he knew he wasn’t going to win. “I learned that I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t even know what I didn’t know.” This time around he feels like he is running a credible campaign, built on his belief in public health. Campaigning seriously has meant the loss of a lot of family time for Hsu, a physician at Beth Israel. Last month he had to sacrifice a vacation break with his wife and sons.
Oct. 27, 2025 — Michael F. FitzgeraldTwo second-time candidates have found things markedly different this time around. Peter Hsu said when he ran in 2021 he knew he wasn’t going to win. “I learned that I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t even know what I didn’t know.” This time around he feels like he is running a credible campaign, built on his belief in public health. Campaigning seriously has meant the loss of a lot of family time for Hsu, a physician at Beth Israel. Last month he had to sacrifice a vacation break with his wife and sons.
Hsu has particularly aligned himself with the CCC, an outspoken residents association focused on housing. The group vocally opposed the City Council’s February decision to abolish single-family zoning in Cambridge through citywide upzoning.
Hsu said that the move, which passed after years of heated public debate, is “too pro-developer.” Although he supports multifamily zoning and increased development along main city arteries, Hsu said that he is wary of the February upzoning.
Oct. 21, 2025Hsu has particularly aligned himself with the CCC, an outspoken residents association focused on housing. The group vocally opposed the City Council’s February decision to abolish single-family zoning in Cambridge through citywide upzoning.
Hsu said that the move, which passed after years of heated public debate, is “too pro-developer.” Although he supports multifamily zoning and increased development along main city arteries, Hsu said that he is wary of the February upzoning.
A “Repeal Slate” coalition of four Cambridge City Council candidates in next month’s election – Elizabeth Bisio, John Hanratty, Peter Hsu and Zion Sherin – hopes to replace some of the eight incumbents running with a platform of slowing down housing construction enabled by recent zoning changes.
“Repeal neighborhood upzoning,” says a page on Hanratty’s website asking voters to use their top four votes for the Repeal Slate candidates. In Cambridge’s ranked form of balloting, candidate votes can transfer; slates are a way to keep a transferred vote within a group of like-minded politicians, increasing the chances of seeing their positions represented after elections.
The slate members “announce that they are running under a unified message to take back neighborhoods that are already being decimated by a tsunami of developer tear-downs fueled by the neighborhood upzoning,” the candidates wrote in a press release. “Homeowners and others will be paying higher taxes in return for losing the neighborhoods they love, sunlight, fresh air, privacy, parking and simply their peace and quiet.”
Oct. 12, 2025 — Jane PetersenA “Repeal Slate” coalition of four Cambridge City Council candidates in next month’s election – Elizabeth Bisio, John Hanratty, Peter Hsu and Zion Sherin – hopes to replace some of the eight incumbents running with a platform of slowing down housing construction enabled by recent zoning changes.
“Repeal neighborhood upzoning,” says a page on Hanratty’s website asking voters to use their top four votes for the Repeal Slate candidates. In Cambridge’s ranked form of balloting, candidate votes can transfer; slates are a way to keep a transferred vote within a group of like-minded politicians, increasing the chances of seeing their positions represented after elections.
The slate members “announce that they are running under a unified message to take back neighborhoods that are already being decimated by a tsunami of developer tear-downs fueled by the neighborhood upzoning,” the candidates wrote in a press release. “Homeowners and others will be paying higher taxes in return for losing the neighborhoods they love, sunlight, fresh air, privacy, parking and simply their peace and quiet.”
Inclusionary housing, below-market-rate housing that prioritizes giving units to people in professions such as teaching, law enforcement, social work and nursing, was put forth by Peter Hsu, a returning challenger for the council. When asked how he would determine which occupations would qualify for priority, Hsu didn’t provide a concrete answer. He also didn’t explain further how he would craft a legal city program to achieve this goal.
Sept. 19, 2025 — Alvin BuyinzaInclusionary housing, below-market-rate housing that prioritizes giving units to people in professions such as teaching, law enforcement, social work and nursing, was put forth by Peter Hsu, a returning challenger for the council. When asked how he would determine which occupations would qualify for priority, Hsu didn’t provide a concrete answer. He also didn’t explain further how he would craft a legal city program to achieve this goal.