Housing Headlines

BOSTON --- Gov. Charlie Baker met with over two dozen business executives and employer groups for about half an hour at the State House on Monday, after which they joined him for a press conference to show their support for his legislation aimed at creating 135,000 new housing units by 2025. Baker's bill would allow cities and towns to adopt certain zoning changes by a simple majority vote rather than the existing requirement of a two-thirds super majority. Among the companies and business leaders in attendance were John Hancock (Jim Gallagher), Putnam Investments (CEO Robert Reynolds), Boston Medical Center (CEO Kate Walsh) and Rockland Trust (CEO Chris Oddleifson).

FALMOUTH --- With an appraisal in hand, town officials are ready to move forward with a plan to purchase a controversial Main Street property from a developer who has proposed to build a hotel and then a 104-unit apartment building. The latter proposal was approved by the zoning board of appeals with conditions but the decision is being appealed by the developer. Meanwhile, the town OK'd $100,000 to prepare to purchase the property, which has been assessed at $2.5 million. The town says if it acquires the property, it will build a smaller affordable housing project more suitable for the site.

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.