Housing Headlines

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.

A new report commissioned by the Boston Foundation has found that Massachusetts has experienced one of the highest increases in family homelessness in the U.S. and that it is one of just two states where more than half of of the homeless population is comprised of families.

NEWTON --- Facing stiff resident opposition and needing 75 percent approval from the Newton City Council, the developer of Washington Place has indicated he will instead seek a building permit via the state's affordable housing law, which he can do because less than 10 percent of city's housing supply is considered affordable. The decision to seek a Ch. 40B permit allows the developer to bypass city reviews. The developer said the new plan would be slightly larger and taller than the original 160-unit proposal.

BOSTON --- The Boston Housing Authority is seeking proposals from private developers to tear down 232 of the 804 units at the former Bromley-Heath public housing complex and replace it with the same amount of affordable units plus new units that would be rented at the prevailing market rate. The BHA hopes to eventually redo the entire complex - now called Mildred C. Hailey Apartments - as it is doing at Bunker Hill public housing in Charlestown and hopes to do at Mary Ellen McCormack in South Boston.

BOSTON --- In light of recent protests and community meetings over rising housing costs, a Bay State Banner review of recent one-bedroom rents in Roxbury zip code 02119 during a six-month period shows that a person making the region's average monthly income is likely using 50 percent of it to pay the rent.