Housing Headlines

QUINCY --- A revised plan by Falconi Companies to reduce its mixed-use development proposal from 71 to 50 mixed-income apartments drew little support from residents, who made it clear at a public meeting that they are opposed to a project of that size for East Milton Square. Despite the negative feedback, one selectman acknowledged there is a need for housing that will allow residents to downsize and the president of the local neighborhood association, Steve Rines, expressed a willingness to continue to work with the developer on a plan that is palatable to the neighborhood.

WORCESTER --- The city's new task force on homelessness heard a range of stories and ideas at its first public input session, ranging from the homeless talking about barriers to housing to dangers in shelters to business representatives talking about how panhandling impacts business to landlords offering help if building codes were updated and if wraparound services could be made available.

GLOUCESTER --- City officials and the partnership looking to redevelop the Fuller School site have cleared a major hurdle in their negotiations, with the developer, agreeing to build 30 affordable units on site. Windover Construction, the Cape Ann YMCA and Sam Park and Company have proposed to buy the 10.6 acre site for $4.1 million and redevelop it into a $70 million mixed-use project that will include 200 apartments, a new Cape Ann YMCA and 25,000 square feet of retail space. The developers had been asking that the affordable units not be included on-site. The two sides still need to resolve other issues before closing and breaking ground, such as upgrading the sewer system to handle the new development.

BOSTON --- The city has approved developer Travis Lee's plan to replace a small junkyard on Dorchester Ave. with a four-story building featuring a small commercial unit and 10 affordable apartments.

AMHERST --- Town Meeting voters will be asked this spring to OK more than $1 million in Community Preservation Act fund spending, $569,000 of which is being recommended for three affordable housing initiatives - $266,200 to acquire homes that will be sold to qualified first-time buyers, $190,000 to help the town's trust assess the feasibility of converting a school into housing, and $112,815 to support a stabilization program run by Amherst Community Connections.

WORCESTER --- The director of operations for the city's downtown Grid District apartments reports that apartments it has renovated into higher priced units are 95 percent occupied, defying some critics who said nobody would pay that much to live downtown. The Grid District's Steve Carter said the success of The Grid and other new apartments downtown are being driven by the city's 36,000 college students and young professionals who work in the area. Rent prices at The Grid vary by building, but range from $875 for a studio to $2,250 for a three-bedroom apartment.