Housing Headlines

ROCKPORT --- Harborlight Community Partners bid to work with the community to build a 23-unit Ch. 40B multifamily on Granite St. received a boost recently as the state's Community Economic Development Assistance Corp. is providing a $564,000 interest-free pre-development loan to help the nonprofit with acquisition and early design costs.

AGAWAM --- A week after the nonprofit HAPHousing of Springfield finalized the purchase of 12.5 acre property on Mill Street in Agawam with the intention of building low-income housing, residents have continued to voice objections about a yet-to-be defined housing development, now asking the town to buy the land back.

PROVINCETOWN --- One year after its series on Cape Cod's growing housing gap, Cape Cod Times reporter Lorelei Stevens checks in with people who were interviewed to see if there housing situation has changed. The answer: some were lucky to find housing but the overall crisis hasn't changed.

CHELMSFORD --- All but two of the 53 homeless families with children living in local hotels in November have been moved to other housing, due in part to state changes that have drastically reduced the number of homeless families in hotels and motels. As of July 6, the state says 1,075 of the 1,500 families housed in hotels in Jan. 2015 were moved -- a 72 percent drop.

BEVERLY --- The MBTA has chosen Barnat Development to develop an empty lot in front of its Rantoul St. parking garage into 70 mixed-income apartments. Barnat was selected over Windover Development. The garage will be used for resident parking.

BELCHERTOWN --- The state is seeking public comment on a Final Environmental Impact Report which outlines plans for the redevelopment of the abandoned Belchertown State School into a mix of senior assisted living, senior independent living and multifamily housing totaling 341 units.