Housing Headlines

WELLESLEY --- Town Meeting is expected to consider a bylaw that would formalize a review process before historically-significant buildings can be torn down. Members of the historical commission are behind the effort as they have grown concerned as teardowns have increased in Wellesley. According to the town, there have been 772 teardowns since 2002 and 317 in the last four years.

MEDFIELD --- Residents recently got a chance to look at four options about what to do with the 134 acres the town owns in and around the Medfield State Hospital site, two of which included using part of the land for mixed-income homes and apartments. A committee tasked with coming up with a plan for the land hope to get residents to build consensus around two of the options.

NATICK --- Town Meeting this spring is likely to consider two zoning proposals that will create assisted living overlay districts in response to two proposals and a feeling in the community that there is a need for assisted living and memory care housing.

An editorial in the Salem News acknowledged progress on affordable housing in Salem and Beverly thanks in part to the nonprofit Harborlight Community Partners while chiding Peabody for rezoning a property so it wouldn't be used for affordable housing.

MEDFIELD --- This spring's Town Meeting will vote on two articles designed to help the town increase its affordable housing as voters will be asked to OK the formation of a local affordable housing trust and appropriate $1 million for the trust's use.

GREAT BARRINGTON --- The nonprofit Construct Inc. says it's expected to begin construction on the 11-unit Forest Springs affordable housing development as early as this spring. Funded in part by the Baker Administration and $200,000 in local Community Preservation Act funds, the development will feature our one-bedroom units, five two-bedroom apartments and a three-bedroom unit, The rents will range from 30 percent of the average area income to 60 percent of the average area income. The project is being built at 314 State Road, which was the headquarters of Hi-Fidelity Magazine, which published from 1950 to 1989.