Housing News Roundup

Sandwich: Court rules in favor of developer's 272-unit 40B SANDWICH --- A proposal to build the largest non-senior citizen affordable housing development on Cape Cod is back on track after a Barnstable Superior Court judge ruled recently in favor of developer Mark Wisentaner's 272-unit project. Wisentaner applied to the town for a Ch. 40B comprehensive permit back in 2004 and the town's zoning board of apeals approved the permit with 35 conditions. The Superior Court's decision upheld a previous ruling by the Massachusetts Housing Appeals Committee that the conditions set by the ZBA would result in a 35 percent loss for the developer.

Vineyard: Officials say residents can't afford affordable units MARTHA'S VINEYARD --- The number of affordable housing units available for rent or purchase on Martha's Vineyard is at an all-time high, but Island housing officials Philippe Jordi and David Vigneault say that fewer Island residents are financially qualified to buy, or even rent, housing priced as low as 50 percent of market home prices and rental rates

Lowell: Commercial phase of Hamilton revitalization hits snag LOWELL --- A commercial phase of Lowell's $800 million Hamilton Canal District revitalization project has hit a snag as a state nonprofit has turned down a developer's initial request for $5.4 million in grant funding. Trinity Financial, the Boston firm tabbed by the city to redevelop this 15-acre district, has already developed Appleton Mills into housing and had hoped to use MassWorks grant funds to rehab another mill into 55,000 square feet of commercial space.

Dorchester: Fields Corner building eyed for redevelopment DORCHESTER --- The O'Hearn Storage Building in Fields Corner is home to a post office and a handful of small businesses, but local historians and developers believe a renovation project that includes apartments could bring back an historic property and continue the neighborhood's recent revitalization.

Fall River: HA will borrow $6.2M to make housing energy efficient FALL RIVER --- Utiilizing a federal program, the city's housing authority will borrow $6.2 million to make its 2,500-unit public housing portfolio more energy efficient. The funds will be used to better insulate building exteriors, install energy efficient lighting, new boilers and a co-generation unit at Cardinal Medeiros Towers.

Devens: Trinity's Lowell project impresses Ayer selectman LOWELL --- Two weeks after touring three Trinity Financial housing developments in Boston, Ayer selectman Jim Fay visted the company's revitalization of Lowell's Appleton Mills into 130 apartments. Fay was impressed by the project and said he felt Trinity would do a good job with its proposal to build 246 apartments at the former Fort Devens military site. Trinity is in the process of convincing three abutting towns - Ayer, Shirley and Harvard - to OK the project.

Harvard: Town trust will pay mortgage on 2 properties HARVARD --- After a meeting with the state, the town has agreed to use its local housing trust to make mortgage payments on its two small affordable housing properties through March, thus delaying until April foreclosure proceedings on the loan supporting The Inn and Great Elms.

Roxbury/JP: Preservation, green renovation of 82 units ROXBURY/JAMAICA PLAIN --- Urban Edge developers recently began green renovations on the Urban Edge Apartments (UE Apartments) in Boston's Roxbury and Jamaica Plain neighborhoods. The complex consists of 82 units of occupied, affordable rental housing in 10 buildings on seven sites across the two neighborhoods.

Dorchester: Story & video on a neighborhood's progress DORCHESTER --- This past summer, the Hendry Street Neighborhood Watch held a block party to commemorate its activities and the neighborhood's success at revitalizing foreclosed and distressed properties. (Note: MHP missed this story when it was published on July 28 but felt we should bring it to your attention. The story includes a video about the neighborhood, once referred to by the Boston Herald as "ground zero" for foreclosures in Boston).

Easton: Expects Ames project to spark downtown growth EASTON --- Local officials are hoping that the redevelopment of the historic Ames shovel factory into 113 apartments will trigger downtown growth. The project, expected to begin construction on Feb. 1, includes a wastewater treatment plant and a sewer district that will cover the village business district.