Housing Headlines

BOSTON --- While the Boston Redevelopment Authority has dubbed the area "South Bay" with hopes to develop upscale apartments, hotels, and offices, Boston's Chinatown joins Chinatowns across the nation in the fight to preserve the affordability of their ethnic enclaves that have been home to generations of new immigrants.

ROWLEY --- With plans to build affordable housing, Rowley has purchased 102 acres of the historic Bradstreet farm property. It plans to use $2.75 million of Community Preservation Act funds, raised through a three percent surcharge to taxpayers, to finance the purchase of the land. The effort is notable because it is the first in which the land will be dedicated to all four uses of CPA funds. Portions of the land will also be preserved as open space, and the town plans to preserve a barn and farmhouse as well as create athletic fields for a nearby school.

BEDFORD --- Caritas Communities has completed Bedford Veterans Quarters, 60 units of affordable permanent housing for homeless veterans on Bedford Veterans Administration Medical Campus. The tenants will either be homeless, coming from a shelter or will come from transitional housing, and will be offered a 12-month lease upon moving in.

BOSTON --- Charlotte Golar Richie, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino's longtime director of neighbhorhood development, will step down next month and join Gov. Deval Patrick's administration as a senior advisor for federal, state and community relations, according to a story in the Dorchester Reporter weekly newspaper.

LEXINGTON --- The town's senior planner held a meeting last week to discuss solutions for the town's affordable housing need. Though Lexington has surpassed the 10 percent affordable housing requirement imposed by the state, officials recognize the need for more affordable housing for young families.

BOSTON --- Noting that Horace Mann, the nation's founder of public education, first outlined his ideas during a July 4 speech in Dedham, Globe columnist Steve Bailey takes Dedham to task for wanting to cede 40 acres to Boston so as to avoid having a housing project that would add children to its schools.