Housing Headlines

NEWTON --- The Boston Globe's Marcela García reports that a last-minute campaign to make the public aware of a city council candidate's past support for Trump proved to involve a made-up local pro-Trump political group, a veteran city councilor distributing flyers and concerns that if the targeted candidate won (he didn't), it would tip the city council's membership toward supporting affordable housing.

MALDEN --- Responding to a growing outcry about rising rents, the Malden City Council unanimously approved an inclusionary zoning ordinance requiring that new developments of eight units or more set aside at least 15 percent of the units as affordable to renters making 50 percent of area median income (AMI). The ordinance also requires that homeownership developments of eight units or more set aside 15 percent to households making up to 80 percent of AMI.

BELMONT --- Concerned about the building's size and aware of the neighborhood's concerns, the Belmont Zoning Board of Appeals OK'd a developer's application for a Ch. 40B comprehensive permit to knock down a home and build 12 mixed-income apartments on a half an acre. The approval came with 161 conditions as the board has been concerned about a lack of open space, poor parking availability, unsatisfactory storm water management, and closeness to abutters.

Debate around the proposed 10,000 unit development continues to center around how many of the units should be designated as affordable. “Twenty percent affordable housing is something I’d like to see the developer get to us,” said Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards. Developer Thomas O'Brien countered, saying “And so we really we just can't see a way that we can make that math work.”

Debate around the proposed 10,000 unit development continues to center around how many of the units should be designated as affordable. “Twenty percent affordable housing is something I’d like to see the developer get to us,” said Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards. Developer Thomas O'Brien countered, saying “And so we really we just can't see a way that we can make that math work.”

NANTUCKET --- As many as 25 neighbors and abutters of the proposed controversial 56-unit Surfside Commons 40B affordable-housing development attended a Zoning Board of Appeals meeting to voice their concerns about the development proposed by Atlantic Development.