October
18
2016
SUDBURY --- After a months-long hearing, the Zoning Board of Appeals slashed developer Chris Claussen’s Sudbury Station development from 250 apartments to 30. With decision in hand, Claussen said he will likely decide soon how to respond.
October
18
2016
SOMERVILLE ---- More than 250 residents signed onto a petition demanding a public hearing with the Board of Aldermen to address their concerns about displacement of residents as the billion-dollar renovation of Union Square takes shape.
October
13
2016
HARWICH --- The town is taking all the necessary steps to support Habitat for Humanity's plans to build six affordable homes, with approvals from the selectmen and the housing authority, a letter to support the developer's application to the state's Local Initiative Program and a decision to support the project with $240,000 from its affordable housing trust fund.
October
13
2016
FRAMINGHAM — Plans for 130 apartments and a retail building at Shoppers World are temporarily on hold after prospective commercial tenants Kings Bowl America and an indoor skydiving company known as iFLY have pulled out.
October
13
2016
ARLINGTON --- The town's claim that it has satisfied the state's affordable housing requirement by having devoted over 1.5 percent of its land will be put to the test this fall with Oaktree Development's application to the town for a Ch. 40B permit so it can build 219 units on the 17-acre Mugar site in East Arlington. Towns can gain safe harbor from 40B applications if over 10 percent of its housing is affordable or if 1.5 percent of its land is used for affordable housing. Oaktree is disputing the town's estimate.
October
11
2016
QUINCY --- First-time homebuyers who participated in a city-run loan program repaid thousands of dollars more when they sold their homes than what's described in the program's application form. The city reduced interest rates in some cases to 18 percent to avoid violating the state’s usury law, but the charges were still significantly higher than what the program application form says and, while not legal, much higher than other such area home-buying programs.