Housing Headlines

EASTON --- In an interview with the Brockton Enterprise, the chairman of the Easton Board of Selectman, made a strong case for more affordable housing, saying affordable housing is vital to the town's communal and economic health while arguing that concerns over cost impacts are overblown.

QUINCY --- Saying that five sober homes have opened up in the last five months in the area he represents, City Councilor Brian Palmucci has introduced a bill with two other councilors that would require sober homes to be licensed before they can open up.

BOSTON --- Trinity Financial, owners of the Treadmark building that was largely destroyed in a June fire, have won city approval to demolish the top five floors of the six-story Dorchester Avenue structure. The company said that it will begin the work soon with plans to rebuild the mixed-use structure over the next year.

SANDWICH --- In its first foray on Cape Cod, the Women's Institute for Housing and Economic Development is proposing to build 30 affordable apartments on a six-acre site behind George Fernandez Way. Selectmen received a presentation on the project earlier in August and voted unanimously to back the project.

BOSTON --- MassDevelopment has issued $9.4 million in bonds for Walker Park, a project from the Urban Edge Housing Corporation, a community development organization in Roxbury. Urban Edge is using bond proceeds to build Walker Park, a 49-unit affordable rental housing facility in the Egleston Square section of Roxbury. MHP has committed $2.1 million in long-term financing for Walker Park. Also, MHP’s community assistance team provided a $25,000 grant and significant staff time to work with Urban Edge, the city and development team on using lean design techniques, which emphasize collaboration, reliable workflows and resource efficiencies to hold down construction costs. The effort supported a 20 percent reduction in construction costs at construction document stage.

SALISBURY --- As part of the Baker-Polito administration's efforts to create and preserve affordable housing, the Residences at Salisbury Square has received crucial state funding that will result in 42 affordable apartments, with 16 units deeply affordable to households at or below 30 percent of area median income.