Housing Headlines

BILLERICA --- After years of legal battles with abutters and a change in project ownership, a 26-unit Rangeway Road apartment complex called Eva Estates is finally shovel ready. When finsished, the complex will feature22, two-bedroom market-rate apartments and four affordable housing units. Tyngsboro developer Peter Cricones will develop the project after buying the property from the Arakelian family. The project is being built in accordance to town bylaws, and is not considered a Chapter 40B development.

DALTON -- The Dalton Board of Selectmen has voted 3-0 to move forward on turning the old Dalton High School into affordable housing.

ATTLEBORO - The city's housing authority is to get $417,510 from the state's Department of Housing and Community Development to rehab 18 vacant apartments and make them available for a long line of needy people looking for an affordable place to live. The cash is part of $2.2 million approved for 33 housing authorities across the state to fix up 167 empty units. "These additional funds dedicated to turnover costs will provide local housing authorities with new tools and funding to more quickly house seniors and families," said Aaron Gornstein, the agency's undersecretary. Meanwhile, the state is instituting a policy that will require vacancies to be filled within 60 days. Subsidies will be withheld if the apartments are not occupied.

ANDOVER - The Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously supported a 224-apartment affordable housing development on Lowell Street yesterday. The proposal calls for134 one-bedroom units, 70 two-bedroom units and 20 three-bedroom units.

BOSTON --- Housing authorities could lose their state subsidies for apartments that are unoccupied for more than 60 days or have their reserve accounts frozen by the Department of Housing and Community Development under a new policy that goes into effect Jan. 1.

SALISBURY --- The Salisbury Affordable Housing Trust is considering turning the former 12-room Spalding School into affordable housing and recently heard development proposals from four groups - North Shore Community Development Corporation, Harborlight Community Partners of Beverly, the Newburyport YWCA and a partnership of Caruso McGovern Construction and the Salisbury Housing Authority. Propoals ranged from 12 to 40 units for the 15,000-square foot building, which is nearly 100 years old.