Housing Headlines

MEDFIELD --- While affordable housing is becoming an acknowledged need throughout Greater Boston, it did not score well in a survey of town residents about what to do with the 134-acre Medfield State Hospital, now owned by the town. According to the Medfield Press, a survey found that sports fields and park space were preferred and 75 percent responded negatively to housing as an outcome.

BEDFORD --- Construction is proceeding on 70 units of permanent supportive housing for veterans age 55 and older on the grounds of the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital.

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.