Housing Headlines

MILTON --- The town has received three applications by developers to build mixed-income apartments, totaling 363 apartments. All three developers are applying to the town for a Ch. 40B comprehensive land use permit. The applications include two by Cambridge-based Comprehensive Land Holdings to build 120 apartments at 582 Blue Hill Ave. and 132 apartments at 648 Canton Ave. The other application was submitted by Joseph J. Corcoran Co. and the Falconi Cos. for a 111-apartment building at the corner of Adams Street and Granite Avenue in East Milton Square.

NEWTON ---- For the second time this year, the group that calls itself the Committee for Responsible Development has filed a complaint against Mayor Ruthanne Fuller for using city resources to indicate her support for the 800-unit Northland mixed-use project, which is set to go before voters in a special election on March 3. This time, the group, which is urging a no vote, is complaining that Fuller's statements about seeking state grant funds to address traffic issues is an effort to use her office to make the project more palatable to voters and should not be done so close to the vote. A spokesman for Fuller said the mayor is doing her job and is seeking funds to address concerns voiced by residents who live near the proposed development.

SALEM --- Mayor Kim Driscoll's administration is preparing to bring two housing-creation programs before the city council - a revised version of an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance that was rejected by City Council last year and an inclusionary zoning proposal that would require new developments of six units or more to include affordable units in the project. The revised ADU proposal is already getting negative reaction as two councilors say they will vote against it because the law threatens the character of single-family neighborhoods.

BRAINTREE --- The town's Zoning Board of Appeals voted not to grant a Ch. 40B comprehensive land use permit for a 70-unit proposal by The Holland Companies of Boston. According to the Patriot Ledger, the ZBA reasserted that it has "safe harbor" from 40B because 1.5 percent of its developable land is used for affordable housing (the state has ruled it doesn't) and also voiced concerns that the design would make it hard for firefighters to access the site. Meanwhile, a neighborhood group that has voiced concerns said it is not "anti-project" but encourages projects that maintain parameters of current zoning.

ORLEANS --- To increase its ability to move quickly in the real estate market place, the Orleans Affordable Housing Trust Board has voted to pursue a $2 million revolving line of credit from Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank. The move is another step forward for the trust, which in 2018 - with guidance from MHP - received Town Meeting approval to reconstitute itself as well as $275,000 in town funds to pursue initiatives.

GREAT BARRINGTON — After more than two decades of attempts to develop a toxic waste site at the edge of downtown, the development team of The Community Corp. of South Berkshire and the Berkshire Housing Development Corp. has all the financing in place to move forward with developing 45 affordable apartments at 100 Bridge Street. Work is already well under way on cleaning up the site, which was the home to a factory that made logs for homes.