Housing Headlines

EASTON --- The town's OK of two multifamily housing proposals by Rick Lincoln of Coneco Building will yield 152 apartments and $1.8 million in mitigation payments to the town to support public health, safety, public works and historic preservation.

WESTON --- The town's attempt to stop 200 apartments has been turned down by the state's Housing Appeals Committee, which ruled that only 0.29 percent of the town's developable land is being used for affordable housing, below the 1.5 percent threshold that would allow the town to reject developer applications for Ch. 40B comprehensive land use permits. In arguing against the Hanover Weston proposal, the town claimed 1.64 percent of its land was being used for affordable housing but the state found fault with its calculations.

FRAMINGHAM --- A proposal by local businessman Vinod Patel to build a 36-unit apartment building on property owned by the state's Department of Corrections is drawing mixed reviews, with some residents saying it will bring much-needed energy to the south side and others saying it will further compound the high traffic problem in that part of the city.

AMHERST --- With the continued use of two churches for homeless shelters up in the air, Town Manager Paul Bockelman is forming an advisory committee to help identify suitable sites for a permanent seasonal or year-round shelter, as well as reviewing surplus town buildings or land suitable for providing such services to the homeless.

BRAINTREE --- The town has selected WinnDevelopment and Arch Communities to redevelop the former Braintree Electric Light Dept. into a $15.4M development that will include 44 mixed-income apartments, 54,000 square feet of open space and a walkway along the Monatiquot River. The developers have agreed to pay the town $1.5 million for the property, which has been vacant for a quarter century.

BOSTON --- In one of his final acts, Mayor Martin J. Walsh recommended investing $3 million to support the acquisition of YW Boston by Beacon Communities and the Pine Street Inn. The funds will support the acquisition and redevelopment of the iconic Back Bay Building from 118 apartments and a hotel into 210 affordable rental units, with 111 prioritized for the homeless.