Housing Headlines

In the face of stiff opposition from neighborhood residents, the Tisbury zoning board of appeals (ZBA) at a public hearing last week recommended to representatives of the Island Housing Trust (IHT) that the housing organization reduce its proposed Kuehn’s Way affordable apartment project from 20 to 16 units. IHT executive director Philippe Jordi said any reduction would push up unit costs and hinder efforts to seek state financing for the $6.3 million project.

HYANNIS — After more than three decades, the Housing Assistance Corp. may soon be out of the emergency homeless shelter business. Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Fall River is negotiating with the agency to assume management of the NOAH emergency homeless shelter in downtown Hyannis, the two organizations announced Friday. It is uncertain how a takeover of the 55-bed shelter on Winter Street would affect plans by two committees to relocate the shelter away from downtown Hyannis.

SUNDERLAND --- A two-thirds majority of about 75 special town meeting attendees authorized the Board of Selectmen to convey a parcel of land at 120 North Main St. — purchased by the town in 2014 for $265,000 with help from Community Preservation Act money — for the purpose of seeking a developer to build senior housing.

BOSTON --- In a protest outside of the Walker Building in late September, about 10 members of the Fenway community voiced their opposition to Emerson’s plans to lease a residential building to house 115 students in the area for two years during the renovation of the Little Building. John Labella, one of the protesters, is a Fenway resident of 31 years. The rent hikes, according to Labella, were pushing long-time families and workers out of the neighborhood.

BARNSTABLE --- A shortage of year-round housing and the ability of landlords to make more money renting to tourists are two of the reasons why the Cape Cod wait list for affordable housing vouchers is 10 years and why only 50 percent of the residents who get housing vouchers can find housing, according to a new report released by the Housing Assistance Corp. of Cape Cod.

SOUTH DEERFIELD — The South County Senior Center director does not support a recently proposed senior housing condominium project near Mount Sugarloaf, if it is not affordable to local residents. The 72-apartment, 22-acre project was proposed preliminarily by developer Mark Wightman during a recent town Planning Board meeting.