Housing Headlines

BELMONT--- Despite a recent setback in state court, neighbors and environmentalists will continue to fight a plan by O'Neill Properties Group to build 298 units of rental housing on privately owned land amid the 120-acre Alewife Brook Reservation.

YARMOUTH --- A small nonprofit organization called Our First Home plans to renovate seven existing houses within the next couple of years and sell them for $129,000 to $149,000 to people of limited means. The nonprofit is working in partnership with the town's BuyDown Program, which hopes to renovate and sell 25 to 30 houses over the next three years. The town has supported Our First Home's efforts with $430,000 from its affordable housing trust fund.

WORCESTER --- Despite data showing that rental apartment vacancy rates for Worcester have dropped from 6 percent to 3.8 percent in the last four years, housing developers say they are facing stiff resistance from towns when trying to gain approvals to build multi-family housing.

BOSTON --- In response to a 2010 state law mandating that each administration develop and publish an economic development strategic plan, the Patrick Administration has released its plan for growing the state's economy through strategic investments investments in education, innovation and infrastructure. The full report can be found at: http://www.mass.gov/hed/docs/eohed/economicdevpolicystrategy.pdf

GROTON --- Rather than risk the possibility of a Ch. 40B proposal that could result in more units, the Groton Planning Board has approved private developer Robert France's plan to build 15 market-rate and three affordable townhouse-style homeownership units on a site within the town center's designated special overlay district. Known as Boynton Meadows, the town is also supporting the project with a $412,000 loan from its affordable housing trust.

BOSTON --- Two nonprofit housing organizations - Madison Park CDC and Nuestra Comunidad - are among four developers who are publicly airing plans to develop vacant parcels along Melnea Cass Boulevard, the major artery that cuts through Boston's South End and Lower Roxbury neighborhoods.