Housing Headlines

Inside look at Chrystal Kornegay journey from growing up poor in New York City to a Boston non-profit to a key role in the Baker Administration to being named the first woman and person of color to lead MassHousing, the state's billion dollar housing agency.

DORCHESTER --- Want to get a sense of the developments percolating in Dorchester? Check out Jennifer Smith's review of the Columbia-Savin Hill Civic Association's calendar, which lists developments it will be watching and reporting on to its embers in 2018.

In an opinion piece for the Boston Business Journal, South Shore Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Peter Forman writes that Gov. Charlie Baker's recent legislative proposal to reduce local approval to change zoning for some types of zoning from 2/3rds vote to a simple majority as "a rare example of turning economic liabilities into opportunities." The South Shore Chamber in recent months as emerged as one of the stronger regional voices on housing, having launched a South Shore 2030 economic initiative that includes a call for 44,000 new housing units in the next 12 years.

Gov. Charlie Baker's proposed legislation to allow cities and towns to adopt certain zoning best practices by a simple majority vote, rather than the current two-thirds supermajority has drawn comment from the Massachusetts Municipal Association, which indicated Baker's Act to Promote Housing Choices is preferable to other zoning proposals it feels would take away zoning control from cities and towns.

BOSTON --- Acting Senate President Harriette Chandler laid out a series of priorities for herself and the Senate on Wednesday, Jan. 3, warning that Massachusetts is at risk of losing its reputation as a national leader unless it addresses its longstanding housing affordability problem. “We live in a state that has led the way on issues of health and wealth for all - yet as long as one family remains unable to afford adequate housing, or one innovative business leaves our state, we all suffer, together,” Chandler said. "“We are in danger of losing the next generation of business innovators and leaders -- and our reputation as a nationwide leader in the innovation economy -- if those innovators cannot afford to live in our state.”

BROCKTON --- Despite the city council's approval of zoning that would clear the way for 175 units on a convent site next to Massasoit Community College, residents against the project immediately filed a citizen's petition aimed at halting the development. To be successful, the petitioners would need to gather signatures from 12 percent of the voters (6,057 signatures) within 20 days of the Jan. 15 deadline.