Housing Headlines

SALEM --- The city is considering creating a new incentive program that would provide tax breaks to developers to build more downtown housing. The proposal is targeting five properties in the northern end of town, including a floundering condo proposal for the old district court building.

HARWICH --- Rising rents and a population that is increasing in the over-65 category were two highlights of a report presented by consultant Karen Sunnarborg to a working group that is being charged with updating the town's housing plan.

BOSTON --- Watermark Development and the nonprofit Horizons for Homeless Children have filed plans with the Boston Planning and Development Agency to build a seven-story building with social service tenants on Columbus Ave. at the Jamaica Plain/Roxbury line. Horizons would use the second and third floors of the new building to expand services from 175 to 225 homeless children, with the upper floors being rented to organizations with similar missions.

WAYLAND --- By a 5-0 vote, selectmen have decided to sell a former DPW storage site to Wood Partners so it can develop the parcel into 188 apartments that will include some affordable housing and some housing for seniors. The town has wanted to see this site developed so it would be cleaned up, add affordable housing and bring new tax revenue to the town.

TRURO --- As continued mansion construction gobbles up land on the bay side, the Planning Board is considering putting forth a bylaw at spring town meeting that proposes to limit the size of homes constructed within the town's Seashore District.

PEABODY --- Denied approvals to build 26 condos on the Elks Lodge property, Larkin Real Estate now hopes to apply to the town for a Ch. 40B permit so it can build 72 apartments and eight condos, which would be called the Residences at O'Shea Field. As it did previously, the city and neighbors have concern that the plan is too dense.