Housing Headlines

NORTH ANDOVER --- The nonprofit Bread and Roses is continuing its work with communities to create affordable homeownership opportunities, this time once again with North Andover as the town's housing trust has put up $310,000 for the purchase of a home that will be sold to a first-time buyer.

BROCKTON --- The Planning Office for Urban Affairs' bid to transform a convent next to Massasoit Community College into 175 apartments is running into some headwinds as some city councilors who will vote on whether to rezone the site are voicing concerns that the number of units may strain the municipal budget and overwhelm the neighborhood, which is east of the city.

Saying that a 20-unit housing proposal with five affordable units sent some residents into "paroxysms of panic," a Cape Cod Times editorial criticized residents who questioned at a public meeting whether the housing would bring in people who use drugs and own pit bulls, saying the incident "revealed an enormous amount of misguided fear and confusion as to the nature of affordable housing (and) the people who need it."

HUDSON --- With its supply of affordable housing at 11.3 percent, the Town of Hudson is looking for ways to keep it that way when the 2020 census rolls around and has formed a committee that will study whether it is feasible to turn the former police headquarters into affordable housing. Keeping its supply of affordable housing over 10 percent will give the town greater control over developers proposing to build apartments with a Ch. 40B comprehensive land-use permit, which allows developers to build more densely in places that aren't zoned for multifamily and where the supply of affordable housing is below 10 percent.

HINGHAM --- Hingham's bid to keep its affordable housing supply over 10 percent received a boost recently as the 220-apartment Broadstone development can now move forward after the dismissal of an appeal that argued against the proposal being allowed to tie into existing private sewer lines that serve a nearby condominium complex.

AMHERST --- More than 30 people from nearby housing complexes came out to a Zoning Board of Appeals meeting recently to voice concern about a Texas-based company's plans to replace the Amherst Motel on Route 9 with a 131-unit apartment building. Residents expressed concern about the number of units and the possibility the development would add cause more traffic and crime.