Housing Headlines

FALMOUTH--During a strategic planning workshop, Falmouth Select Board Vice-Chair Onjalé Scott Price said the town must undergo radical changes because of the "dire" need for affordable housing. She suggests a possible Air B&B moratorium and tax benefits to property-owners who rent long-term.

BOSTON--September 1, the day when 60 to 80 percent of city leases turn over, is a logistical nightmare for residents and making things more complicated is the historic shutdown of the Orange Line and a section of the Green Line, along with surging rent and tight inventory.

DORCHESTER--Pine Street Inn is partnering with The Community Builders Inc. to convert the Comfort Inn hotel in Dorchester into a permanent, supportive residence for formerly homeless people. The two organizations will host a virtual community meeting and question-and-answer session at 6 p.m. Monday, August 29, to talk through project goals and hear from residents.

High prices and a shortage of quality listings are driving homebuyers to purchase properties in their hometowns. A new study from the US Census Bureau and Harvard University finds that nearly 6 in 10 young adults (those born between 1984 and 1992) live within 10 miles of where they grew up, and 8 in 10 live within 100 miles. Many find the prices more reasonable and lot size and home square footage meets their needs.

ARLINGTON--Claire Ricker, Lowell's director of real estate for Coalition for a Better Acre, has been appointed Arlington’s director of planning and community development. She will oversee planning, housing, economic development, arts & culture, zoning, and transportation initiatives. She begins her new role September 19th.

The story of Kimberly O'Connor puts a face on what happens to working people who have to leave behind their home because of no-fault eviction. An increase in rent made her apartment unaffordable. She, her husband and the two children---one on the autism spectrum--had to move from their 3-bedroom apartment in Weymouth, to a smaller 2-bedroom apartment costing $625 more.