Housing Headlines

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.

CAMBRIDGE ---Rising up across the street from Fresh Pond Reservoir is a six-story project is designed to simultaneously address two problems: affordable housing and climate change. Called Finch Cambridge and developed by Homeowners Rehab Inc., the development will offer 98 affordable apartments and is being designed for "Passive House" certification, the most energy-efficient standard in the world. "This building is a thermos; it's airtight," said Icon Architecture's Michelle Apigian. "It holds temperature no matter what is happening inside the building."

HOLYOKE --- A plan by the Holyoke Housing Authority to develop 66 apartments and 24 homeownership units in South Holyoke received a significant boost recently as Gov. Charlie Baker came to the city to announce a $6.56 million MassWorks grant for street improvements. “It was important for us to get this grant because, without it, I don’t think we are able to afford the vertical construction,” said Matthew Mainville, executive director of the Holyoke Housing Authority.

WORCESTER --- December's early snow put an early spotlight on Worcester's homeless situation as the Hotel Grace shelter has been filled beyond capacity, causing City Manager Ed Augustus to request that it expand its hours to provide more time for the city's 1,500 homeless to get out of the cold.

QUINCY --- The local nonprofit that has built a strong reputation building work-force housing and smaller projects for veterans and people with disabilities has another project in mind, this a plan to knock down four homes on Winter Street and replace them with a three-story building and 20 studio apartments. NeighborWorks Southern Mass. unveiled its plans recently and has already scheduled one meeting with neighborhood residents to get their reaction.