Housing Headlines

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.

ATTLEBORO - Noting that housing is a priority of Governor Charlie Baker and that North Attleboro’s affordable count is 2.6 percent, the town's economic development coordinator wants attracting affordable housing added to his job description. Town Administrator Michael Gallagher agreed with Lyle Pirnie's suggestions, saying, "Housing and economic development go hand in hand."

NEWTON --- Citing what the Lynn Housing Authority is planning to do with its local armory, Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller is proposing to convert the historic armory in West Newton into affordable housing. To move this idea forward, Newton would have to buy the armory from the state at a cost of 25 percent of the property's $4.3 million assessed value.

MALDEN --- The former 17.6 acre Malden Hospital site remains in limbo, with a private corporation vying to build 250 homeownership units and a local group hoping to get local funds so it can preserve 16 acres as open space. The private group - best known for developing Pinehills in Plymouth - has a purchase-and-sale agreement to buy the site and the developer - Tony Green - says the development would mean $1.5 million in tax revenue to the City of Malden annually. But the developer needs the city to approve a zoning change to move forward.

WESTON --- With at least three housing proposals totaling 600 apartments before the town, the Weston School Committee is looking at what the impact might be, saying declining enrollment would enable the system to handle some increase in students due to new housing, but that all three proposals would have considerable impact on town finances.