Housing Headlines

SOMERVILLE --- City officials have agreed to help fund a $9 million plan to turn the 1.4 acre Mystic Valley Water Works property into 25 one-bedroom units for financially insecure and homeless residents. The city's housing trust recently voted unanimously to spend as much as $500,000 to support the project and more support is expected through funds raised through the Community Preservation Act.

BOSTON --- To cope with the city's growing need for senior affordable housing, the Boston Housing Authority is planning to file a request asking the federal government to up its required ratio of seniors in elderly-disabled housing from 70 to 80 percent.

NATICK --- Town Meeting this spring is expected to debate two citizens petitions aimed at controlling growth, including one that would impose a two-year moratorium on multifamily developments so that the town could measure the financial impact of development on schools, services, traffic and parking.

NORTHAMPTON --- The Valley Community Development Corp. efforts to redevelop the former Northampton Lumber Company site into a mixed-use development with 55 affordable apartments received more city support recently as the city council OK'd a $300,000 grant in Community Preservation Act funds to support the CDC's effort.

WAYLAND --- The task force charged with conveying a Board of Public Works site to a developer for 150 to 190 rental units is hopeful that an RFP will go out this spring, even as it differs with the BPW on whether an RFP can be issued while the land is still under BPW control.

HARWICH --- A developer who has proposed two different housing plans to redevelop the former middle school says the town's wish to limit development to 40 units is not feasible. Stratford Capital Group made this comment after proposing 62 senior units. A previous plan for 56 units was turned down.