Housing Headlines

NEWTON --- The developer of a proposed 68-unit mixed-income housing development for a municipal parking lot on Austin Street in Newtonville hopes to begin construction in the spring but that depends on the dismissal of the second of two suits brought by three abutters, this one questioning whether the City Council public hearing notices included necessary specifics.

BOSTON --- The developers of a 362-unit mixed-use development on a four-acre parcel at Dorchester and Hancock streets have a new financial backer and seem poised to begin construction on their so-called "Dot Block" project this summer.

WATERTOWN --- The Town Council approved a hike in the town's inclusionary zoning bylaw, now requiring projects of 20 units or more to make 10 percent of its units affordable to households at 80 percent of area median income (AMI) and five percent at 65 percent AMI. The requirement for projects between six and 19 units will remain at 12.5 percent affordable.

BOSTON --- A 5.5 acre state parcel on the other side of the highway ramp from Chinatown's new One Greenway mixed-income housing development is requiring any developer who bids to develop the property to make 20 percent of the housing affordable, a figure determined by the city's 13 percent affordable requirement and an additional state requirement for workforce housing.

QUINCY --- With the City Council's OK of leasing air rights over the North Quincy MBTA Station, Hingham-based Atlantic Development and the Bozzuto Group of Washington, D.C. can now pursue permits from the city to build 600 apartments and 50,000 square feet of commercial space.

CAMBRIDGE --- While proponents hope that boosting the city's inclusionary zoning ordinance from 11.5 to 20 percent will reverse "the hollowing out" of the city's middle class, builders say the increase will make projects uneconomic and threaten to grind housing development to a halt.