Housing Headlines

EASTHAM — Selectmen will begin negotiations with a Philadelphia-based company seeking to build 65 units of affordable housing on the so-called Purcell property.

SOMERVILLE --- A recent comparison of existing lots to current zoning shows that only 22 buildings are legal under current rules.

JAMAICA PLAIN --- Mayor Martin Walsh's regular routine of neighborhood coffee hours was described as having a distinct 'Jamaica Plain flavor' as about 20 activists surrounded him after his opening remarks to demand that the Boston Redevelopment Authority require more affordable housing in proposals before the city.

GREENFIELD --- Fifteen members of the new 17-member Rural Policy Commission turned out for a two-hour session on Friday, June 10. The panel set up four work groups to chart state policy on economic development, housing, infrastructure and services as well as key human-dimension issues like workforce, declining population and schools in communities with fewer than 500 residents per square mile.

SWAMPSCOTT --- The Swampscott Town Committee recently approved two zoning changes that will pave the way for the former Machon School to be redeveloped by B'Nai B'rth Housing into 38 affordable senior units and the former middle school into 28 units of mixed-income housing.

BOSTON --- Commenting on an article about reaction to the zoning reform bill currently winding through the legislature, Gov. Charlie Baker said he's waiting to see what passes in the Senate: "Massachusetts is famous for being one of the toughest states in the country to build a lot of things, and that's one of the reasons why we have trouble building less expensive things, like affordable housing," Baker said. "I want to make sure whatever we do with respect to this makes the situation better and not worse, and it's really complicated."