Housing Headlines

BOSTON --- Auditor Suzanne M. Bump has released an audit which as found significant issues with expenditures, rent assessment and documentation practices at the Wareham Housing Authority. The audit was requested by the housing authority board after it suspected the irregularities uncovered in the audit.

EASTON --- The town has learned that numerous general bylaws and zoning changes enacted by town meeting over the past eight years may not be in force as the town clerk's office failed to register these bylaws with the state Attorney General's Office. This would include historic and tax-increment district bylaws relating to the development of the historic Ames Shovel site into mixed-income housing.

WEST TISBURY --- The Island Housing Trust cleared another hurdle in its plan to develop nine units of affordable housing at Manter Field as the planning board unanimously approved a special permit for the project. Next step for IHT will be special town meeting, where voters will be asked to OK $900,000 in Community Preservation Act funds to support the development, which will be a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units affordable to households at or below 80 percent of median income.

GRAFTON --- Selectmen plan to send a strongly-worded letter to the state outlining several concerns regarding the impact of a 54-unit 40B proposal on the neighborhood. Concerns include the project plan's parking and snow removal space, emergency access routes, stormwater drainage, buffers to neighboring property, need for sewer extension, traffic impacts and an evacuation route that may be needed since the project is near a railroad that includes a propane loading facility.

NORTH QUINCY --- A businessman’s plan to replace an industrial facility near the Neponset Bridge with a six-story residential building would involve an extensive clean-up of toxic chemicals from the site. John McCormack, owner of Industrial Heat Treating at 31-39 Newbury St., has hired an engineering firm to remove contaminants from the site to pave the way for an 84-unit, four story apartment building.

QUINCY --- Mayor Thomas Koch is asking the city council to approve new transit-oriented" zoning districts at the North Quincy, Wollaston and Quincy Adams T properties so as to make the city more attractive for mixed-use development. The new districts would allow developers to build denser projects than what’s currently allowed near the three stations. For example, new buildings could go as high as 10 stories.