Housing Headlines

SOMERVILLE --- Building height, traffic and property values were some of the issues raised by residents at a community meeting held to discuss the non-profit Somerville Community Corporation's plan to turn the former Boys & Girls Club into 40 units of affordable housing for working families making no more than $57,000 a year.

HARVARD ---Trinity Financial officials faced a cadre of key municipal boards recently to explain its plans to develop 246 units of mixed-income housing on 19 acres at the former Fort Devens military site. Trinity must gain town meeting approval from Harvard, Ayer and Shirley in order to go forward with the project.

BOSTON --- The BRA recently approved the $11 million renovation and new construction of the Whittier School Apartments in Codman Square. The project will consist of the renovation of 14 units of existing affordable housing and the new construction of 15 units. The project is set to begin in December 2013 and construction is expected to last a year.

NEW BEDFORD --- Gov. Deval Patrick was in New Bedford recently to celebrate two housing events --- Preservation of Affordable Housing rehabilation of the 173-unit United Front Homes (now known as Temple Landing) and the beginning of construction on the Cliftex Mill, which will be turned into7 6 low-income and market-rate housing units for people 55 and older.

FALL RIVER --- Now that the renovation of the 131-unit Pleasant View public housing is complete, housing authority officials will be able to move nine families from the Corky Row project into new units at Pleasant View and begin the process of tearing Corky Row down.

BOLTON --- Voters at the Nov. 7 special town meeting will be asked to approve the expenditure of $125,000 from the town's local housing trust to help purchase and clean up the Smith Property, which is located in the town center. Voters will also be asked to OK to changes to the town's inclusionary zoning law.