Housing Headlines

BOSTON --- Dedham hopes that the City of Boston will agree to annex a 40-acre parcel of land where developers plan to build 1850 housing units. Dedham officials say the town can't support the number of students which may result from the family-friendly units, and the city of Boston is in need of more affordable housing.

NORTH ANDOVER --- On June 7, town meeting approved Osgood Landing, a 530-unit 40R effort by Avalon Bay that will bring the town closer to meeting the state's required 10 percent affordable housing. Ozzy Properties will pay the town $2,000 per housing unit and the state will provide $3,000 per unit, totaling $2.65 million if all the units are built.

SHREWSBURY --- This town just east of Worcester will be weighing three large 40Bs next month including a 444-unit proposal from Avalon Bay and two bids to turn the former Rt. 9 Spag's department store site into a mixed-use development that would include commercial, retail and over 300 apartments.

EASTON --- Easton-based developer Charles M. "Nick" Mirrione says he wants to build so-called cottage housing and address the shortage of affordable homes for first-time buyers, young professionals and single parents: so-called cottage housing. Testifying recently at the state house at the request of the legislature's joint committee on housing, Mirrione said the one and two-story bungalows of less than 1,000-square feet would sell for between $240,000 and $350,000. Recently voters in Easton and Bridgewater nixed special bylaws that would've allowed Mirrione to build upt to seven cottages on an acre.

DORCHESTER --- A local developer has proposed to build a three story, mixed-use building on a long-vacant lot on Savin Hill Avenue, prompting commercial and residential abutters to raise concerns about the proposed height of the project and the potential increase in traffic.

HARWICH --- Harwich selectmen turned down a written request from the town of Walpole to join an effort to suspend a state law that allows "unfriendly 40Bs." Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40B enables the construction of affordable housing developments to be streamlined under a special comprehensive permit issued by individual towns. Walpole selectmen have sent the request to every municipality in the commonwealth.