Housing Headlines

NORWOOD --- With its two-year safe harbor from Ch. 40Bs set to end on Sept. 4, town officials believe two land purchases of 83 acres for conservation purposes means that 1.5 percent of its "developable" land is being used for affordable housing and that the fulfillment of this state requirement will allow it to continue to have greater control over Ch. 40B applications. Norwood's land calculations are subject to review by the state.

SHERBORN --- In an article submitted to local newspapers, the Sherborn Citizens Action Committee said that a 36-unit Ch. 40B cluster development proposed by Trask Development for six acres of a 17-acre property on Washington St. represents significant health and safety risks for the town and nearby Holliston. SCAC did agree on the needs and benefits of affordable housing in town for elderly, veterans, handicapped citizens and workers but said this project is too dense.

SOUTHBOROUGH --- Having struggled to find a tenant to farm the land their family has farmed for decades, the Capasso family has signaled its willingness to work with the town on developing its 28-acre property for affordable housing.

WORCESTER --- By a unanimous vote, commissioners of the housing authority named Alex Corrales to succeed Ray Mariano as executive director when Mariano retires next summer. Corrales, 41, grew up in Worcester public housing, attended city schools and graduated from Syracuse University. Aside from a stint in Springfield, Corrales has worked for the WHA for 18 years and has served as Mariano's assistant executive director.

TRURO --- In its ongoing effort to increase its supply of year-round affordable housing, Truro has up to six Habitat for Humanity homes in the works on two Rt. 6 sites but three are on hold while an abutter takes the town to court saying that the zoning board did not issue proper notifications about plans to develop a property at 181 Rt. 6. If these homes are built, Truro's total of affordable housing will have jumped from 1 to 3 percent in four years. Seventy percent of the homes in town are second homes and the median sales price is $610,000, far out of reach of most local families.

NEW BEDFORD --- After a federal audit of 15 public housing authorities revealed that 100 residents living in the city's public housing are over income, the executive director of the New Bedford Housing Authority said kicking people out for making more money after they've qualified for public housing will take away the incentive of trying, although he did indicate families who are well over the income limits should be moved so that more deserving families on the waiting list can be helped.