Housing Headlines

WORCESTER --- Reporter Thomas Caywood looks into "toxic real estate assets" in the city and the difficulty facing city officials in attempting to find property owners to hold responsible for neglected properties.

BREWSTER--- The town's housing authority recently brought a proposal before the board of selectmen for a 50-unit, mixed-income rental development. The development would consist of 37 two-bedroom units and 13 one-bedroom units with up to 70 percent of units reserved for Brewster residents. The proposed project would be built with funding and development assistance from MHP and the state's Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).

BOSTON --- The Boston Redevelopment Authority recently approved a 15-unit condominium project located midway between Andrews Square and Perkins Square. All units will be either one- or two-bedroom residences, and two of the units will be designated as affordable.

WESTFORD --- The ZBA recently approved a comprehensive permit for the Graniteville Wood affordable housing project, ending three years of debate between residents and town officials. The project will consist of 208 units, with 41 designated as affordable, on 104 acres of land. Developer Chuck Emanouil told The Westford Eagle that construction should begin sometime later this year.

BOSTON --- The BRA recently approved a request by the owners of the Archstone Boston Common apartment building to change the designation of 16 affordable apartments from 120 to 100 percent of the area median income (AMI), which is $85,800 for a household of four. According to BRA spokesperson Jessica Shumaker, the owners requested the change after unsuccessfully trying to fill all of the units at the 120 AMI price point. In total, 46 units in the Archstone complex are designated as affordable.

PITTSFIELD --- The $12 million project to convert the former Clark Biscuit Co. building into affordable rental units is on budget and on schedule for completion in July. The buildings will consist of 10 one-bedroom apartments and 33 two-bedroom apartments, housing more than 100 people. In order to ensure that the project is environmentally friendly, all appliances, furnaces and windows are energy efficient.