Housing Headlines

ASHLAND --- In what the town manager is hailing as an example of different parties working together, the town has reached a tentative agreement with developer Carlos Hanzi on a downsized plan that will demolish a home at 128 Main Street and replace it with a three-story mixed-use building that will include 12 mixed-income apartments and 3,000 square feet of commercial space. Three of the apartments will be affordable and the Town of Ashland will ask voters to OK $505,000 in Community Preservation Act funds to support the project.

WORCESTER --- On the same day Gov. Charlie Baker was meeting with business leaders regarding his Housing Choice legislation, Senate President Harriette Chandler told a Worcester Chamber of Commerce audience that expanding affordable housing and modernizing the state rail system would be two priorities the Senate will be emphasizing in its version of the state budget. Regarding housing, Chandler said, "One of our top priorities is a more comprehensive housing effort that would lower housing costs overall, allowing municipalities to acquire affordable housing as part of every housing development and provide stronger tools to prevent housing discrimination.”

HAMILTON --- Harborlight Community Partner's ongoing push to build affordable housing in Hamilton has inspired a local teenager to join the cause as 18-year-old Laura Miller has spoken at meetings and is working with others to build a housing advocacy group in that could "influence the future of her town."

BOSTON --- In anticipation of upcoming zoning changes for South Boston's Dorchester Avenue corridor, Boston Real Estate Capital is asking for permission to increase the height of its 55 West Fifth St. project from five to six stories and from 32 to 50 apartments. The request comes after the Boston Planning and Development Agency OK'd plans to increase building heights and density to promote more middle-income housing along Dorchester Ave.

BROCKTON --- Despite threats of eminent domain, his pre-development funding frozen and his partnership with Boston developer Ted Carmen kaput, Brockton Furniture owner John Monem remains defiant and hopeful that he will be able to turn his downtown store into 51 apartments as part of a $12 million renovation.

BOSTON ---The Department of Neighborhood Development (DND) and the Neighborhood Housing Trust (NHT) Fund have awarded more than $15 million in funds to seven rental projects across Boston. These awards will help fund the production and preservation of 354 units of affordable housing in Boston. Developments receiving awards include projects in Dorchester, the Fenway, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Mission Hill and Roxbury.