Housing Headlines

BILLERICA --- The town's efforts to revitalize the Middlesex Turnpike area took a major step forward as the zoning board of appeals OK'd a "friendly" Ch. 40B comprehensive land use permit, allowing Alliance Residential to proceed with building a 200-unit mixed-income apartment complex on a site where an office building has been vacant for eight years. The project will be built under the state's Local Initiative Program, which encourages affordable housing by providing assistance to communities and developers who are working together. When complete, the project is expected to net $218,400 in tax revenues.

WORCESTER --- MassDevelopment has issued an $8.2 million tax-exempt bond to help support the renovation and modernization of Abby's House, an apartment building which provides 53 single-room apartments for women who need of financial and emotional support. The 100-year-old building on High St. is one of four that the nonprofit operates in the city. All told, it offers 70 single-room apartments and seven two-bedroom apartments.

BELLINGHAM --- Faced with over 30 abandoned houses, the town has used a state Attorney General's office program to bring 17 homes up to code. In some cases, a letter from the AG's office motivated the owner to clean up the property. In one case, the AG''s office went through the receivership process. The non-profit Worcester Community Housing Resources was appointed as receiver and fixed up the home so it can be sold at auction and put back on the tax roll. "We’ve done over 300 of these in Worcester County," said Dominick Marcigliano, WCHR's executive director. “For the most part, the houses end up in the hands of a responsible owner.”

BREWSTER --- Voters will be asked to establish an affordable housing trust and transfer $86,000 in funds from a defunct housing trust into the new entity. The new trust would have seven trustees and would be able to purchase, lease, sell and convey property, and borrow funds for the purchase of property for affordable housing.

BOSTON --- The president of Carney Hospital will soon leave his position to begin a new role as president and CEO of Rogerson Communities, a non-profit that specializes in providing health care and affordable housing to low-income elders and families Greater Boston. Walter Ramos will succeed James F. Seagle, who led Rogerson for 45 years.

PLAINVILLE --- Due to a decline in golf business, the owners of the 27-hole Heather Hill golf course have drawn up preliminary plans to convert the property into a 435-unit senior village. The planning board is reviewing the plans and is considering recommending that zoning for senior villages be amended to require more open space.