Housing Headlines

NEWTON --- In a recent budget address, Newton Mayor Setti Warren urged aldermen to take advantage of the state's 40R smart growth zoning law to create districts near public transportation that would allow for multi-family and mixed-use projects.

ARLINGTON --- The Housing Corporation of Arlington took to the streets recently for its 14th annual walk for affordable housing and raised close to $50,000 while also honoring a board member and past president who passed away in 2013.

TISBURY --- A standing-room only crowd filled the senior center last month to hear a community discussion on how to increase the island's supply of affordable housing. The Island Housing Trust had one of its best years ever creating units but citizens are concerned there isn't enough housing for working people and got together to discuss ways of finding land and building more housing. MHP's Susan Connelly represented the state on the panel and discussed the challenges that smaller, rural communities have at building housing at scale.

WINCHESTER --- Town land-use counsel Mark Bobrowski gave selectmen a heads up earlier this month that the firm of Stockard, Engler and Brigham are interested in buying a property on Cambridge St. near the Woburn line and asking the town for a Ch. 40B permit so it can develop 96 units of rental units.

WEYMOUTH --- The use of motels by the state as temporary shelters has resulted in 10 communities hosting 68 percent of homeless families receiving assistance, according to a report by the state auditor's office. The report also said the cost of transporting displaced children to the school system they came from (required by federal law) costs communities $13 million per year and may amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars in the 10 communities that host the most homeless families on motels - Weymouth, Brockton, Holyoke, Danvers, Allston-Brighton, Chicopee, Waltham, Malden, Leominster and Greenfield.

BOLTON --- A 150-unit Ch. 40B housing proposal that was first floated in 2002 has resurfaced again, this time as 42 detached homes that will be clustered together to create more open space. Known as Craftsman Village, selectmen have signaled their support for the smaller project, which will be developed by Mark O'Hagan.