Housing Headlines

Attempts by affordable housing advocates on Martha's Vineyard to get each town to contribute a portion of its Community Preservation Act funds into a regional housing bank hit a snag as Edgartown selectmen refused to add a nonbinding question to the annual town meeting warrant.

In a move that would provide an alternative to Harborlight Community Partners' plan to pay $4 million for 20 acres near Hamilton-Wenham High School so it can build 108 apartments, a group of residents are planning to push for a joint Town Meeting that would authorize a study of the land for new athletic fields.

METHUEN --- In response to resident and town official concerns about local impacts - which includes worries by the Board of Health about abutter stress during the long hearing process - the developer of a Ch. 40B housing proposal has agreed to cut the project from 175 to 156 apartments.

LUDLOW --- The town continues to discuss getting legal representation over HAPHousing's application for a Ch. 40B permit so it can build 43 rental apartments on a five-acre parcel on Fuller Street. With 2 percent of its housing considered affordable, Ludlow is below the 10 percent threshold needed in order to have greater latitude over 40B applications. The town is discussing whether to hire a private attorney or take advantage of 40B technical assistance provided by the state. One selectman is not enthused by the state option. "I'm skeptical we're going to rely on someone appointed to us by a state agency," said Selectman William E Rooney. "Call me crazy, but I'm very skeptical."

BOSTON --- The nonprofit VietAID's plans to build a four-story, 41-unit apartment building at 191-195 Bowdoin Street drew about 30 people to a discussion recently, with developers and the city outlining plans and answering questions about the proposal.

GREAT BARRINGTON ---The nonprofit Construct Inc. has named Jane Ralph as its new executive director. An ordained minister, Ralph has worked for the past nine years as executive director of the Nichols Center in Morrisville, Vt., which offers support services for victims of sexual abuse. Construct is currently finishing up planning and engineering work for Forest Springs on State Road. The $3 million project will feature 11 affordable one-, two- and three-bedroom rental units. Goundbreaking has been scheduled for April, Rosenberg said.