Housing Headlines

AMHERST --- Senior Planner Nathaniel Malloy has said that the public comment period on Beacon Communities plan to develop six acres near the Cowls Building Supply store into 130 apartments will continue until Sept. 21. Information about the 40B proposal can be found on the Town of Amherst web site.

BEVERLY --- Nonprofit housing developer Andrew DeFranza of Harborlight Community Partners recently received the first Peter J. Gomes Award for his dedication to affordable housing. The award, established by U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, is named after the late Rev. Peter J. Gomes of Harvard University, a professor who stressed compassion and commitment to community service.

SOUTHBOROUGH --- One day after 20 residents asked a judge to toss out the Zoning Board of Appeal's decision to let Capital Group Properties build 180 apartments with a Ch. 40B permit, the Planning Board has sued the ZBA for exceeding its authority in granting waivers to the developer. Earlier this summer, ZBA chair Leo Bartolini voluntarily stepped down in response to a citizen petition asking selectmen to remove him for his handling of the permitting process.

NORTH ANDOVER --- The Board of Selectmen have unanimously OK'd the use of $115,000 from the town's Affordable Housing Trust to support the purchase of a rundown house on May St. by Bread and Roses, the nonprofit that last year bought and redeveloped another house on this street into two affordable for-sale units.

WORCESTER --- City reporter Nick Kotsopoulos writes about the City Council taking a look at how Airbnb and other home businesses are slowly changing the fabric of Worcester's residential neighborhoods.

CHELSEA --- The Baker Administration said today it will give $300,000 apiece to housing authorities in Chelsea and Somerville for design and planning work to help convert aging public housing complexes into larger mixed-income communities, with the help of private developers.