Housing Headlines

DORCHESTER --- At its recent annual meeting, the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance honored former state deputy banking commissioner Thomas Curry for his role in making sure that the state's banks offer services and locate branches and ATMs lower-income neighborhoods

MILTON --- Residents of Fuller Village - a 319-unit senior village on 60 acres - joined other concerned neighbors, town leaders and Sen. Brian Joyce to voice their opposition to a plan by Mill Creek developers to build 300 units on 22 acres across the street. Joyce, who is president of the Fuller Village board, moderated the event. He explained the Ch. 40B law and said while he disapproves of this proposal, he supports the 40B law in general and says the town hasn't done enough to gain more control of how to handle 40B proposals.

WILLIAMSTOWN --- In the wake of a movement by some residents to remain at the flood-ravaged Spurces mobile home park, Town Manager Peter Fohlin met with tenants to ask for their collaboration on a town plan "to re-create the Spruces community" to pre-Tropical Storm Irene conditions on a nearby 30-acre site known as the Lowry property. Fohlin told residents that the town's plan, centered on its application for a $6.25 million Federal Emergency Manage ment Agency (FEMA) grant, was "worth fighting [for]," and that FEMA sees it as an opportunity "to really do some good here" by helping to fund low-cost cottage-style homes on the Lowry property.

DENNIS --- With a study saying year-round rental costs are up 32 percent and the town manager saying many families in Dennis may have to move because of soaring housing costs, the town has passed a bylaw permitting its Affordable Housing Trust greater powers to spend money without needing town meeting approval.

WORCESTER - The city has reached agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the state on steps it must take to address ineligible expenditures associated with a private developer's attempt to rehabitate a May St. building into 13 affordable apartments. The city will repay $100,000 to HUD for ineligible expenses for the project that were paid through the Worcester Lead Abatement Program.

WORCESTER --- Governor Patrick put the issue of housing supply and job growth on the front burner last month when he announced a statewide goal of producing 10,000 multifamily units per year for each of the next three years. Speaking on Nov. 13 at a state housing conference in Worcester, Patrick said the goal of keeping young professionals and working familes in Massachusetts hinges on creating more multifamily housing.