Housing Headlines

WILLIAMSTOWN --- After flood waters from Hurricane Irene wiped out much of a trailer park and rendered over 200 homes unfit for occupancy, Williamstown is eyeballing four sites as possibilities for affordable housing development.

MIDDLEBORO --- After two years of seeking permits, the Heritage Companies are ready to move forward with the renovation of the historic 19th century Winthrop-Atkins Mill Complex into a 71-unit apartment complex that will include some affordable units and an office building.

WORCESTER --- Calling the public housing system a "well-intentioned failure", Worcester Housing Authority Executive Director Raymond Mariano is hoping to wean tenants off public housing with a proposal that includes requiring all able-bodied residents younger than 50 to go to work or to attend school full time to continue to receive housing benefits.

CHILMARK --- A school teacher, a town employee, a medic, a nurse's aid and children - lots of children - are about to move into the town's first town-owned affordable housing project. Known as Middle Line Road, workers are putting the finishing touches on the first phase, which features three duplexes with two rental apartments each. The second phase features six one-acre homesites with deed covenants to ensure that they stay permanently affordable. The owners of these sites will build their own homes and lease the land from the town on a long-term basis.

SPRINGFIELD --- The $10 million renovation of 396 units of public housing is proceeding as planned, with both the Duggan Park and Reed Village receiving badly needed repairs that will benefit the tenants and the city, according to William Abrashkin, executive director of the Springfield Housing Authority.

LENOX --- The Community Development Corp. of South Berkshire has posted plans to develop 22 affordable condominiums on historic land. According to recent news reports, selectmen have OK'd a plan to have the town take out a loan to purchase the property but the CDC still has to obtain public and private financing in order to move the $20 million development forward.