Housing Headlines

BOSTON --- The Citizens' Housing and Planning Association will hold an emergency virtual meeting on Friday, March 13 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., on the affordable housing sector's response to the coronavirus. The video conference is expected to include guidance from state Undersecretary for Housing and Community Development Jen Maddox and updates on current responses to COVID-19 in housing, including public housing, property management and shelters.

BOSTON --- In a move to continue important state activities, the Baker-Polito Administration announced an emergency order modifying the state’s open meeting law in order to allow state, quasi and local governments to continue essential functions during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. The order includes allowing state, local and quasi-public organizations like MHP to hold virtual board meetings, and more broadly, "to permit the convening of a public body through virtual means."

BOSTON --- Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Boston Housing Authority said Thursday it would stop pursuing all “non-essential” evictions while the public health emergency is ongoing. Additionally (not in this story), state Rep. Kevin Honan and Michael Connolly are drafting legislation that call for the halt of evictions during the coronavirus crisis.

EASTHAM --- Concerned about declining enrollment in schools and the inability to hire and keep teachers due to a lack of housing, town and school officials will be monitoring the impact of the new Village at Nauset Green, which has begun leasing up all of its 65 affordable apartments. Town and school officials for more than a decade have had their eyes on district enrollment figures, which have been in decline since 2007. That year, there were 232 elementary school students in Eastham. Last year’s enrollment of 171 students was the school’s lowest in 13 years.

What's under the covers of Governor Charlie Baker's $240 million economic development package? An unusual amount of focus housing, writes the Globe's Jon Chesto, who has regularly chronicled the Baker Administration's efforts to move the housing production needle. Chesto notes that in addition to proposing funding for everything from transit oriented development to climate resilient construction to more housing in gateway cities, Baker slipped in a version of his Housing Choice legislation, which his administration has been trying to pass for two years.

NEWTON --- Reaction to Newton voters okaying an 800-unit mixed-use project has ranged from developers applauding the coalition that pushed for the project and detractors wondering whether any of the mitigation built into the project will ease traffic on an already congested Needham Street corridor. One developer attempted to thread the needle between the two sides. "This vote is not a free pass for developers to ignore community concerns, even if those issues reflect the opinion of a smaller group of neighbors,” said Newton developer Robert Korff, who is developing housing on Washington Street and hopes to develop the Riverside MBTA station. "I still believe that the best results always comes from listening to the entire community and to do one’s best to address those concerns.”