Housing Headlines

LENOX --- With August's approval of the town's zoning board of appeals in hand, HallKeen has notified residents that it is moving ahead with plans to convert Cameron House from 44 assisted living apartments into 38 affordable independent-living units for people 55 and older. This means that current residents will have to relocate to other assisted living facilities in the area. HallKeen President Andrew Burnes said his company is working with residents and families to find new apartments for current residents.

ASHLAND --- Similar to when Provincetown used a drone to show residents the height or a proposed apartment building, the Ashland Zoning Board of Appeals and Capital Group Properties will use balloons to illustrate the height of a proposed 140-unit Ch. 40B development. The proposals has been in discussion for a year and one neighbor to the property says 700 people have signed a petition opposing the subdivision.

MARBLEHEAD --- A Salem News editorial takes Marblehead residents to task for their resistance to a proposed 87-unit assisted living facility, asking the town whether it would be rather be known for preferring to shuttle seniors out of town to maintain property values.

WORCESTER - The City Council Tuesday night unanimously approved a tax-relief deal that will help finance the planned $7 million redevelopment of the vacant El Morocco Restaurant property on Wall Street into market-rate housing. Branded Realty plans to demolish the former restaurant building and construct a new 60-unit apartment building. A local company, Branded has already invested more than $10 million in renovating properties, including at Harrington Corner and the former Edward Buick property on Shrewsbury Street.

FOXBORO --- With the recent approval of a 248-unit rental apartment building, Foxboro's supply of affordable housing will jump from 8.9 to 12 percent.

WALTHAM --- The Waltham City Council passed a resolution that would transfer $4 million of Community Preservation funds to the Waltham's Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Fund to acquire additional affordable housing with permanent deed restrictions. That's not the only proposal on how to address affordable housing with CPA. There is currently a rental voucher proposal before the City Council that aims to use $2.1 million in CPA funds to assist 50 families by providing rental subsidies to landlords. The Waltham Housing Authority would administer that program.