Housing Headlines

WESTFORD --- With $2.2 million in state funding awarded this fall, the town's efforts to develop some of its public lands with housing will soon take another step forward as Common Ground Development Corp. of Lowell is preparing to break ground with phase II of Stony Brook Village. This phase will result in 36 affordable units, 12 of which will be affordable to households below 30 percent of median income. The rental homes will complement the 15 units built on the property back in 2006. The town is also supporting the project with $400,000 in local funds. This fall, the state's Department of Housing and Community Development awarded $2.2 million to an emergent Westford development called Residences at Stony Brook Phase 2. The funds solidified the construction of 36 additional housing units on the Stony Brook School campus where 15 residences already exist. One-third of the one-, two-, and three-bedroom rental units, housed among seven buildings, will be priced below market rates to make them affordable for those earning less than 30 percent of the area's median income. Read more: http://www.wickedlocal.com/westford/news/x1467740349/Stony-Brook-project-backs-Westford-s-affordable-housing-rates#ixzz2qTriqt5Q Follow us: @Westford_Eagle on Twitter | WestfordEagle on Facebook

WILLIAMSTOWN --- Continuing its progress toward finding safer affordable housing after Tropical Storm Irene damaged or destroyed 200 units, selectmen have approved two requests for proposals to develop affordable housing on a pair of town-owned "brownfields" parcels. By a 4-0 vote, the board OK'd the RFPs for the former town garage site and the former Photech mill property. The board also OK'd the hiring of a relocation specialist to help residents at the soon-to-be-closed Spruces Mobile Home Park, which was badly damaged in 2011 by Irene floodwaters.

WALPOLE --- After months of preliminary discussions with town officials, Barberry Homes of Framingham has officially filed to seek a Ch. 40B comprehensive permit from the town so it can build 174 one- and two-bedroom rental apartments on land known as Moosehill. As required with a 40B permit, 25 percent of the units (44) will be reserved for households making no more than 80 percent of the area median income.

NEWTON, Dec. 29, 2013 --- Local leaders in Needham and Newton are discussing ways to create an "innovation corridor" in the office park area near Rt. 128 on the Needham-Newton line. The area was recently enhanced by a major hotel and the decision by TripAdvisor Inc. to build an expanded headquarters in the office park. Local leaders hope to create a district similar to Boston's Seaport District and Cambridge's Kendall Square and indicate that housing for young professionals needs to be part of the equation.

MIDDLEBORO --- A developer who wants to build a 12 units of affordable housing in a subdivision of single-family homes has offered the town and residents a host of incentives, including intersection improvements, storm water run-off measures, $25,000 donations to local youth sports programs and a children's cancer organization, as well as creating an additional affordable unit that would be designated for a military veteran.

PITTSFIELD --- With an overnight cot shelter not operating this winter, a local non-profit is trying a different approach to providing affordable homes by turning homes into shared living spaces with monthly rents no higher than $350 per month. Berkshire Community Organizing for Acton has turned one donated house into homes for eight people and is now talking with the owners of three adjacent homes about doing the same thing.