Housing Headlines

FITCHBURG -- Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and the state's economic development director, Jay Ash, were the keynote speakers at the grand opening of Fitchburg Yarn Works, the redevelopment of an abandoned mill into 96 mixed-income apartments along the Nashua River. Developed by WinnCompanies, the property is already 98 percent leased up. State support includes a $2.8 million loan from the Massachusetts Housing Partnership's bank-funded loan pool.

BOSTON --- Repoters Kathleen Conti and Tim Logan take an in-depth look at The Beverly, Boston's first complex composed entirely of "workforce housing," which means affordable and mid-priced housing and wider income restrictions (up to $198,000 per year). Located near North Station, the 249-unit complex has drawn criticism from advocates that more units should be affordable while others say having units priced below luxury can only help alleviate the region's housing crunch.

GLOUCESTER --- City approval of the Fuller School redevelopment plan is not just about turning the site into a mixed-use development with 200 market-rate units, retail and a new YMCA as the approval would clear the way for Harborlight Community Partners to pursue plans to turn the old Y on Middle St. into 53 affordable apartments.

SOUTHBOROUGH --- Residents in a neighborhood that have been opposing a 180-unit apartment proposal because of its potential to add traffic and reduce safety on narrow rural streets have another complaint - the DPW recently added a single yellow line to Flagg Road one Friday night without telling residents, who discovered the new safety feature when they awoke in the morning.

RANDOLPH --- Citing demographic challenges such as modest population spike and doubling of the region's over-65 population, the South Shore Chamber of Commerce has released a housing report that urges rging towns and developers to shift residential development away from traditional single-family subdivisions, toward “more compact, walkable neighborhoods,” with condos, townhouses and apartments near MBTA stations and shopping centers.

The Cape and Islands United Way has awarded a $17,000 grant to support its efforts by two nonprofits to increase the region's affordable housing capacity. The funds will be used to support the Cape Community Housing Partnership, a new initiative designed to raise awareness about the need for affordable housing through advocacy training, a messaging campaign and a Housing Institute training series for municipal officials and volunteers. The initiative is a joint effort of the Community Development Partnership of Eastham and the Housing Assistance Corporation, which is based in Barnstable.