Housing Headlines

BOSTON --- In an editorial, the Boston Globe criticizes a federal housing finance agency for selling at auction five multifamily residential buildings in Dorchester to the highest bidder rather than entertain other offers that would've kept the housing affordable.

EASTHAM --- Community development advocate Jay Coburn argues that local developer Rick Hayden's plan to turn a former Eastham Rt. 6 driving range into 130 apartments is a good one, given the region's desperate need for affordable year-round housing.

SUDBURY --- Two apartment proposals - one by a local developer and one by National Development and Avalon Bay - could bring 500 apartments to the town, push its affordable housing supply over 10 percent and gain the town more flexibility in considering future development requests through the state law, Ch. 40B.

NEWBURYPORT --- A former metal plating factory site seized by the town has drawn the interest of the North Shore CDC and New Seasons Development, which have offered to buy the property and develop it into 34 apartments.

PROVINCETOWN --- Faced with intense push-back from residents which included flying a drone over the site to show neighbors how tall the building would be, developer Chris Wise has abandoned plans to build a 24-unit apartment building and will instead construct six duplexes and one single-family resident.

DANVERS --- At a regional housing forum in Danvers, a nonprofit developer from Beverly spoke of the difficulties of trying to build 60 units of housing for seniors in Wenham, highlighting the challenges many communities face in trying to create affordable housing.