Housing Headlines

On one hand, cities like Newton continue to weigh each proposal to add multifamily housing, especially near public transit. Meanwhile, the Legislature continues to weigh on Housing Choice, a proposal to lower the threshold for local zoning reform. And in between the two, Amy Dain's latest report ties it all together -- the state of multifamily housing in Greater Boston.

"Another report on the state of the Massachusetts real-estate market, another conclusion that stakeholders already know: Most commonwealth communities aren't willing to produce enough affordable housing units to meet the burgeoning demand," writes The Lowell Sun in an editorial on Amy Dain's new multifamily housing report.

From density restrictions to parking requirements and approval processes, Amy Dain's new multifamily housing report pinpoints the mechanisms used by municipalities across Greater Boston to avoid creating multifamily housing. The result, according to Curbed, is "an already dismal housing situation...that will only worsen as baby boomers age."

AMHERST --- Armed with data collected from similar projects and a petition with almost 50 signatures, residents near a proposed housing development for low-income individuals have won a delay as the town's Finance Committee has delayed a vote on using town funds for the project until a community meeting can be held.

SALEM --- Fearing that high home prices are threatening Salem's legacy as a diverse, welcoming city, Mayor Kim Driscoll and the City of Salem have partnered with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council to produce a four-part video series aimed at increasing public awareness about the need for affordable housing. The link above takes you to all four videos on You Tube.

In an assignment that had to be part reporting, part therapy, GateHouse's in-depth reporter, Eli Sherman, talks to commuters who are torn between living close to work and paying high prices, or moving farther away, which means cheaper housing costs but spending half one's life commuting.