Housing Headlines

BOSTON - Dozens of public housing apartments owned by the Quincy and Canton housing authorities sat vacant for weeks longer than the state-mandated 21 days despite lengthy waiting lists of prospective tenants hoping for a spot to open up, a recent state audit found. Housing Authority officials in both towns said they are releasing units as fast as they can and often have to delay reoccupancy while awaiting funds to do necessary maintenance.

WILLIAMSTOWN --- A proposal to relocate a flood-prone mobile home park to a 30-acre site has drawn some opposition from citizens who would like to see the former farm remain undeveloped. The town's Affordable Housing Committee has been taking steps to relocate The Spruces Mobile Home Park to the Lowry Property, a former farm that the town voted to preserve in 1987. Many homes at The Spruces were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Irene in 2011 and the town has been exploring whether it can use a FEMA grant to relocate the park, which is home to many lower income senior residents.

LOWELL --- The state Department of Housing and Community Development has approved the City of Lowell's plan to utilize a new tax-incentive program to boost creation of market-rate housing downtown. The approval - made under the state's new Housing Development Incentive Program --- means developers of eligible projects in the city center can apply for state tax credits and city tax breaks for building market-rate units. Lowell is the second city after Pittsfield to have a zone and plan approved by the state.

NORTHAMPTON --- Soldier On is moving ahead with a project to develop permanent housing for homeless veterans at the VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System property. The nonprofit, known for providing shelter and support to homeless veterans, and the Department of Veterans Affairs are partnering to build 44 units in a four-building cluster that will serve as long-term housing for male veterans and a 16-unit transitional center for women veterans and their children.

YARMOUTH - A motel that was closed by court order because it was illegally housing long-term renters has been reopened by the new owners. The former West Yarmouth Lodging on Route 28, which was purchased by Village Center Group at auction last February, has reopened as the Sepnessett Village Motel. Village Center Group project manager Brian Braginton-Smith said the owners need cash flow while they seek funding for their plan to build 20 new apartments in five buildings on the site, plus a mixed-use building to be called Hyannis Park Village.

LEE --- Renovations to a Main St. building are proceeding as planned and the Berkshire Housing Development Corp. says the 16 rental units and three retail spaces should be ready for occupancy by spring, 2013. When complete, 15 of the 16 units will be affordable. The six one-bedroom and 10 two-bedroom units will rent for $650 to $950 a month. One unit is handicapped accessible. BHDC bough the building in 2008 from the Consolata family, which expressed in interest in seeing the building turned into affordable housing.