Housing Headlines

FITCHBURG --- In an effort to promote more housing downtown and near its commuter rail, the Fitchburg City Council voted recently to extend the city's 40R Smart Growth zoning overlay district on the River Street corridor to include downtown. By extending the 40R district downtown, the city is also reducing the parking requirement for housing developers from 2 spaces per unit to 1.5 spaces.

Citing data from 2019 Boston Foundation Housing Report Card, Boston Globe suburban correspondent John Laidler looks at some of the 15 Greater Boston communities that accounted for more than half of the building permits issued in the state between 2013 to 2017. Besides Boston, the list includes Cambridge, Plymouth, Watertown, Everett, Weymouth, Somerville, Burlington, Chelsea, Framingham, Hopkinton, Middleborough, Quincy, Arlington and Canton.

A study of nearly 200 Boston area apartment buildings inside Route 128 found that about 30 percent of their parking spaces go unused, even in the evening when most residents are likely home. Commissioned by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, experts say the study is indicative that parking requirements are often too high and needlessly drive up the cost of new housing, as each space adds approximatelhy $15,000 to the project cost, according to the report.

EASTHAM --- Over 100 people packed the Eastham Elks Lodge recently to get information about the Village at Nauset Green, a 65-unit mixed-income housing complex currently in construction and due to begin the lease-up process very soon. MHP has committed a $4.4 million in long-term (40 years) financing to the project. Also noteworthy is the level of local support: In addition to providing the land to Pennrose through a 99-year ground lease, Eastham put in $1.45 million in local funds while Orleans and Wellfleet contributed $100,000.

BRAINTREE --- Braintree's claim that it has met one of the "safe harbor" provisions of the state's Chapter 40B housing law was denied by the state, which ruled that less than 1.5 percent of the city's general land is used for affordable housing. Braintree had claimed it had met the 1.5 percent threshold and could deny Ch. 40B applications.

AMHERST --- Despite neighbor concerns about level of services, Amherst OKs $500,000 in Community Preservation Act funds to support the Valley Community Development Corporation's plan to build 28 single-room apartments for low-income individuals. According to the plan, eight rooms will be for individuals who make under $32,000 per year and 10 will be for individuals who make under $19,000 per year.