Housing Headlines

QUINCY --- The National Grid lockout has put a halt to natural gas line work, leaving thousands of new housing units and businesses across the state empty and forcing some to turn to propane as a temporary fix as they wait for gas service to be installed.

BOSTON --- Saying change is needed to meet the region's housing shortage, the Boston Globe published an editorial urging passage of Gov. Charlie Baker's Housing Choice legislation now, with the promise that House leadership will tackle more systemic reform in the next session.

WEYMOUTH --- The woes continue to pile up for the master developer of the South Weymouth Naval Air Station as the local three-town board overseeing the redevelopment has issued a notice of default to LStar for its failure to attract development, provide necessary infrastructure and meet its financial obligations. This comes on the heels of the City of Weymouth saying it will not provide any more water or wastewater service until LStar demonstrates it can carry out the project and news that the developer has failed to meet the reporting requirements of a $30 million state bond.

FRAMINGHAM --- Noting efforts by other communities to rejuvenate its industrial parks, the Framingham City Council has voted to change its zoning rules for the parks on its western borders to allow a greater variety of businesses like restaurants and shops in places where only manufacturing or industrial uses have been allowed. However, unlike communities like Needham, Framingham maintained its existing ban on new homes and apartments, even though employers such as Staples had pushed for the ability to add workforce housing.

PLYMOUTH --- Longtime Plymouth reporter Emily Clark does a thorough deep dive explainer on affordable housing and why so much of what is built doesn't meet the area's housing needs. Int he course of telling her story, State Sen. Vinny deMacedo, R-Plymouth, said his office receives four or five calls a week about the lack of affordable housing in the area.

BOSTON --- Commonwealth Magazine's Michael Jonas looks back at a recent Boston City Council hearing in Roxbury through the eyes of district city councilor Kim Janey, who says she was not surprised that 350 showed up to voice their concerns about displacement and a 70 percent rise in housing costs.