Housing Headlines

DORCHESTER --- A proposal for a mixed-use, five-story building at 1943 Dorchester Ave. in Peabody Square faced push back from community members at its first public airing Monday evening. Peregrine Group LLC has proposed to acquire and build a 64-unit apartment building on the site, which is now owned by Codman Square Health Center. Codman would have first rights on leasing commercial space which is also included in the project plans.

BURLINGTON --- In an effort to keep its affordable housing supply above the 10 percent state threshold so as to maintain control over future multifamily development, selectmen have endorsed a friendly 40B proposal by the Davis Companies to build 271 mixed-income units at Corporate Drive. Selectmen opted for this one over a similar friendly 40B proposal by National Development.

AMHERST --- A preliminary agreement between the owner of land in North Amherst's Mill District and Beacon Communities could lead to a ground-floor commercial, upstairs residential development on the site that currently hosts the Cowls Building Supply store and other structures.

BOSTON --- The ongoing debate over what to do with the downtown Hyannis homelesss shelter reached Beacon Hill this week as a group of Cape local leaders and legislators discussed the issue with Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash and Chrystal Kornegay, the state's housing undersecretary.

WEST ROXBURY --- The Boston Zoning Board of Appeals rejected a plan to build 40 condominiums at a LaGrange St. industrial site amidst concerns about the size of the project and that it would be built partly with prefabricated materials put together by non-union, out-of-state labor.

BOSTON --- City Manager Richard Rossi has filed a proposal with the city council that would require developers to set aside 20 percent of new buildings as affordable units, up from an average of 11.5 percent that the city now requires.