Housing Headlines

On Friday December 20, 2019, the state Dept. of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) issued a so-called "1.5 percent ruling" concerning an application by a developer for a Ch. 40B comprehensive land use permit in Watertown. DHCD found that Watertown is in compliance with the requirement that 1.5 percent of the town's land that is zoned for residential, commercial or industrial use is being used for affordable housing. Thus, the town has achieved Ch. 40B "safe harbor" status, meaning they can decline applications for Ch.40B comprehensive permits. This is the first community to achieve the 1.5 percent "safe harbor" since new regulations went into effect in 2008. Prior to this, towns that have achieved "safe harbor" have done so by having the state certify that 10 percent of its housing is classified as affordable.

PROVINCETOWN --- The startup Provincetown Independent online newspaper recently found that a fact sheet created by opponents of a 40-unit affordable housing proposal in Truro contained inaccurate information related to groundwater nitrogen levels expected to be produced by the project. According to the Independent, the fact sheet - used by a town official to oppose the project - incorrectly claimed that Germany has a stricter standard than the U.S. and also quoted the town's health agent as disputing the fact sheet's claim that the area around the housing proposal has the worst nitrogen contamination in Truro.

Using findings from MHP's Center for Housing Data recent work about the potential to build more densely around metro Boston's rail stations, the Boston Globe pens an editorial calling for the passage of two housing bills that would conceivably making multifamily housing easier to build - Governor Baker's Housing Choice legislation and a legislative Housing Committee bill that would require communities served by the MBTA to allow for multifamily zoning around stations as a "matter of right."

NEWTON --- It appears that local groups RightSize Newton and the Committee for Responsible Development have collected over 4,800 signatures, more than the 3,032 needed to overturn the city council's 17-7 approval of the 800-unit Northland proposal. If the signatures are certified, the question of project approval would go before the voters.

WEYMOUTH --- The commissioners of the town's housing authority is wary and seeking more information about efforts to attract a private developer to help revamp 60-year-old Lakeview manor, the town's largest public housing project. Among their concerns, commissioners are concerned that a joint venture could mean the housing authority would lose several maintenance and administrative positions, as well as $1 million from its budget.

BOSTON --- After a team of researchers studied three years of eviction cases, Mayor Marty Walsh is rolling out a plan that will commit more resources to eviction prevention, with a goal of reducing evictions by at least 25 percent over the next five years. Researchers found that over half of residents evicted from market-rate apartments were behind by at least $4,000. This is a significant amount for sure, but less than what the impact would be for providing funds for people who are homeless as a result of evictions. “We’re always blown away by how little back rent people owe. We can keep people in their homes for very short sums of money,” said Sheila Dillon, the city's housing chief.