Housing Headlines

BOSTON --- In a recent op-ed piece in Banker & Tradesman, B'nai B'rith Executive Director Susan Gittelman discusses the merits of House and Senate bills aimed at streamlining regulations for communities that want to build more housing.

PROVINCETOWN --- Town Planner Gloria McPherson has warned selectmen that trying to claim safe harbor from Ch. 40B permits by proving that 1.5 percent of the town's developable land is used for affordable housing may discourage other developers and prevent the town from reaching its affordable housing goals.

BOSTON --- When it comes to opposing housing, Banker & Tradesman columnist Scott Van Voorhis sees a lot of bipartisanship.

MANCHESTER --- Facing the reality that one needs an annual income of at least $182,000 to afford a home in this upscale seaside community north of Boston, some in town are brainstorming on how they can use locally-collected Community Preservation Act funds to increase the supply of affordable housing.

BOSTON --- Sparked mostly by the production of low-income and luxury housing, Boston is off to a good start at reaching Mayor Martin Walsh's goal of creating 53,000 units by 2030 but some nonprofit leaders worry that the city needs to do more to create housing for middle income people and families.

GREENFIELD --- The executive director of the Greenfield Housing Authority says that the 13.2 million renovation of the 74-unit Oak Courts public housing development is near completion and that some of the units could go to homeless families living in Greenfield motels.