Housing Headlines

FRAMINGHAM --- Town officials are proposing a series of zoning changes that would allow multifamily developments in the downtown and other areas and allow a broader variety of uses in office parks. "Fundamentally we have a suburban zoning model that we're applying to what is essentially an urban area," said Arthur Robert, the town's economic development director. "We have to find ways to change that."

BOSTON --- Nearly half of the 2,461 apartments, condos, and homes permitted in the first half of 2015 fall into either the affordable housing category, for low-income residents, or will be priced as middle-class units, according to a report to be released by the City of Boston on Tuesday, July 7.

HARVARD --- The state Dept. of Housing and Community Development has OK'd an agreement between the town's affordable housing trust and the developer of Devens Green in which the trust will provide $140,000 in subsidy to ensure that 25 percent of the rental units in the 124-unit clustered development project will be affordable and count toward the town's supply of subsidized housing.

NEWTON --- The Massachusetts Housing Appeals Committee has rejected Newton's claim that 1.5 percent of its land is being used for subsidized housing, one of the thresholds a community can reach to gain more control over Ch. 40B housing proposals. The state committee rejected the city's assertion that a YMCA and three golf courses should excluded from the town's total land area.

TEWKSBURY --- With only 18 subsidized units in town large enough for families and waiting lists up to 10 years long, the selectmen and other town officials are planning to meet this summer to discuss ways to increase the town's supply of affordable housing by encouraging developers and/or utilizing town-owned land for housing.

ANDOVER --- A $35,000 study commissioned by the town found that residents would like to see smaller, more affordable independent living projects near downtown so they can downsize and remain in the community.