Housing Headlines

LOWELL --- A residential project that will be completed in April has set a schedule to field applications and host a lottery for 130 units of affordable housing units that will cater to the local artist community. Applications for the $60 million project will be accepted starting in November with the lottery being held in early January.

BERLIN --- The developers of the Riverbridge project recently began work on the 470,000 square foot development that will turn 26 acres of a former farm into commercial and residential space. The completed project will include 130,000 square feet of commercial space for offices, retail shops, and restaurants, 115 apartments and condominiums, and a 175,000 square foot continuing-care retirement community.

FRAMINGHAM --- The town recently completed renovations on three homes and are inviting the public to enter lotteries to purchase these properties. Two three-bedroom homes, with prices ranging from $217,000 to $225,000, are included in the lottery as well as one condominium unit, available for $75,000. A public information session is scheduled for Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Building's Blumer Room and all applications are due by September 29.

SOMERVILLE --- The state legislature recently passed a bill allowing the Somerville Housing Authority (SHA) to turn an unused piece of land into 26 units of affordable senior housing. The proposed development space is adjacent to the Visiting Nurse Assocation (VNA) senior assisted living facility and SHA's Capen Court project.

SPRINGFIELD --- WinnDevelopment recently completed a $21 million redevelopment of the former Longhill Gardens condominium development into a new affordable rental project. The project, now called Forest Park, contains 112 units with 80 percent of units affordable to families earning up to 60 percent of the area median income ($40,000 per year).

FALL RIVER --- After pulling back $1.5 million in federal HOME funds and demanding that the YMCA pay back a $262,000 city loan, Mayor Will Flanagan now says he's willing to forgive the city loan and refund the $30,000 building permit fee the Y paid to rehabilitate its top two floors into 42 units of affordable rental housing. Flanagan said the project's 11 units for Section 8 tenants making less than $15,000 was a "deal killer" for him as he wants to decrease "low-income housing" downtown. "I put the ball back in their court," said Flanagan, referring to his objection over the Section 8 part of the project.