Housing Headlines

PROVINCETOWN --- Seeing that the library had become a de facto "day shelter" for struggling residents, the town has had success in supporting a program that puts a social services staff person at the library to help connect people with mental health, substance abuse or housing services. Thus far, 36 residents have been helped by the "navigator" program, a regional health care organization is stepping up to fund a second staffer and other Cape towns are showing interest in joining the initiative.

BRIDGEWATER --- Thanks in part to a Bridgewater State urban policy scholars program, Zachary Wright is putting distance between his family's homeless past by attending college where he has a 3.8 GPA in physics.

BOSTON --- The $35 million renovation and restoration of the New England Center and Home for Veterans on Court Street in Boston was recently completed, creating new apartments for 37 homeless veterans. Thirty-three vets have already moved in and four are expected to be filled by the end of the year. “The goal was to get people homes for the holidays,” said Andrew McCawley, president and chief executive of the nonprofit.

PROVINCETOWN --- With a new $1.5 million housing trust that is focused on adding more year-round rental housing, Provincetown officials are wondering whether they should ask Town Meeting if they should bid on buying the 26-unit bankrupt Harbor Hill time share, which is valued at $6.8 million. "It's perfect for middle-income housing," said Selectman Tom Donegan. "It may need some new carpets and drapes but otherwise everything is in place."

FALL RIVER --- The Planning Department will hold a public meeting soon to identify southern sections of the city that could qualify for the state's Housing Development Incentive Program, which provides incentives to gateway cities to build market-rate housing. Of particular interest is the city-owned King Philip Mill, which the city has been trying to sell for years.

CHELSEA --- At the first of several working group meetings, residents seemed excited to be a part of the planning of the $100 million redevelopment of 96 public housing units and the addition of 222 mixed-income units at the Innes Public Housing on Central Avenue by the development team of Corcoran and Sun/Cal.