Housing Headlines

MARSHFIELD --- Mill Creek Residential, a national housing developer, came before the town's Zoning Board of Appeals recently to reveal details of its plans to build 270 apartments if it can secure a Ch. 40B building permit from the town. A spokesperson for the compan said 68 of the apartments would be affordable and that the development is estimated to bring in $400,000 in property tax revenue. The developers are proposing to build the apartments on a 22-acre parcel in Marshfield's Enterprise Park. Mill Creek other developments in Mass. include Concord Mews, Watertown Mews, and Modera Natick Center. In total, Mill Creek’s Boston-area portfolio comprises 2,524 apartment homes.

JAMAICA PLAIN --- The Jamaica Plain Development Corporation's plan to build 44 affordable apartments at 25 Amory St. cleared another hurdle last month as the JP neighborhood council OK'd the plan. The was passed by the Boston Planning and Development Agency last summer but still needs the OK of the city's Zoning Board of Appeals.

CONCORD --- With some residents questioning why the town is being asked to support an 83-unit development for seniors with $2 million in Community Preservation Act funds, town officials are reminding residents that if the development goes through, it will keep the town's percentage of affordable housing over 10 percent, the threshold needed to have greater control over developers seeking to override local zoning via Chapter 40B.

WORCESTER --- With a March 10 deadline having passed, it seems that four companies have signaled interest in redeveloping the Worcester County Courthouse. The four bidders are believed to be Oranmore Enterprises, Vision Development, Israel Real Estate Company and Trinity Development. Worcester Magazine has reported on details of the $35 million Oranmore bid, which is a mixed-use project calling for 330 market-rate apartments and commercial space.

BARNSTABLE --- In an effort to more effectively address homelessness on the Cape, the new chief executive of the Housing Assistance Corporation of Cape Cod (HAC) recently held a discussion with leaders from 20 social service agencies on how they can work together to provide housing and health-care related services. The meeting was organized by Alisia Galazzi, who recently replaced HAC founder Rick Presbrey. Galazzi previously served as chief operating officer at Gosnold, an addiction treatment center on Cape Cod. Prior to that she was executive director at Alzheimer's Services of Cape Cod and the Islands and development director for the Cape Cod Foundation.

MARLBOROUGH --- Fearing the city may not be able to handle the impact of more housing, the City Council and Planning Board have signed off on Mayor Arthur Vigeant's call for a six-month ban on special permits for home construction. Marlborough has approved more than 950 homes since 2010.