Housing Headlines

ARLINGTON --- The Zoning Board of Appeals has voted to appeal the state's ruling that the town has not met its burden in showing that 1.5 percent of its developable land is used for affordable housing. The town has claimed safe harbor from 40B in its consideration of Oaktree Development's efforts to use a Ch. 40B permit to build 219 units on the Mugar Property in East Arlington.

MARSHFIELD --- A developer's bid to receive a Ch. 40B permit from the town so he can build a mix of duplex and single-family homes totaling 40 rental units seems to have stalled, with the Zoning Board of Appeals hinting that it will seek to extend the 40B hearing to give the developer time to submit the information they have asked for.

QUINCY --- In what has been a common observation during the development of Quincy Center, Planning Board member Coleman Barry told the team behind the 124-unit Chestnut Place that some of the units should be affordable to working-class residents. In response, developer Peter O'Connell said it would be difficult to include such units given the expense of constructing a 15-story steel-framed luxury apartment building.

BOSTON --- In the latest of a series of meetings between the city and residents to discuss the development direction of Dudley Square, residents have voiced concern that only 13 percent of the 2,000 units in the pipeline are required to be affordable. City Councilor Chuck Turner articulated that concern, stating that with the neighborhood's median income at $33,000, half of the population would not be able to live in the new housing.

LYNN --- The development arm of the Lynn Housing Authority joined other local and state officials recently to celebrate the groundbreaking of Gateway North, a 71-unit mixed-income apartment building on Washington Street near North Shore Community College.

TRURO - A week after a Land Court judge approved the $3 million agreement to end years of legal dispute over building permits issued in 2008 to construct a house at 27 Stephens Way, the Truro Housing Authority wants to use a "substantial" part of the money to buy land for affordable housing.