Housing Headlines

BOSTON --- Dozens of protesters from a group called Dorchester Not For Sale brought a city community meeting in Dorchester to a dramatic halt on Nov. 29, taking the microphone and crowding the meeting with signs to call for "development without displacement." The group called for a slowdown in development planning for projects like DotBlock until more data can be assembled about demographics and potential impacts on the neighborhood.

HYANNIS --- By an 11-1 vote, the Barnstable Town Council recently voted in favor of allowing CapeBuilt Development of Amesbury to turn a nine-lot mixture of old homes and parking lots into 60 units of market-rate condominiums and apartments along Pleasant and South Streets, know locally as "Sea Captains Row."

BOSTON --- The next chapter in National Development's efforts to develop the South End's Ink Block district is the planning of a 14-story "co-living" 245-unit apartment building that will feature smaller apartments and luxury amenities with lots of social activities. National Development is teaming with Ollie, a New York-based real estate company that has been eyeing this concept for Boston because it has the highest rate of people renting out spare rooms on Craigslist than any big market in the country.

BOSTON --- The Boston Planning and Development Agency has approved WS Development's Seaport Square plan, which aims to transform a 12.5 acre site into 700 housing units, three performing arts facilities and a grand staircase from Summer Street into the Seaport District. A day prior to the vote, WS pledged to invest $7.5 million to support performing arts and civic spaces, $2 million for the Northern Ave. Bridge and $1 million toward the maintenance and Martin's Park.

BOSTON --- Responding to concerns that its plan to build a complex of towers over Back Bay Station would cast shadows on two historic churches, Boston Properties has agreed to pay into a preservation fund and has also agreed to pay $3 million into the city's affordable housing fund.

HAMILTON --- Following the defeat of two bylaws that would have encouraged housing development, Wicked Local Hamilton praised various town boards and officials for preparing clear presentations that fostered discussion but criticized what it described as a "toxic undercurrent of suburban snobbery that bubbled up at Town Meeting."