Housing Headlines

Since moving to the Cape, Debby Wells has had to move three times because her apartment was sold. Now facing a fourth sale and another move, Wells represents what's happening in the red-hot Cape Cod real estate market, where the median home sale price has jumped 17 percent in a year and where the number of reasonably-priced year-round rentals are dwindling.

GLLOUCESTER --- A public meeting was held last week to discuss amendments to help the city provide affordable housing. Among the changes the city is considering are lowering the threshold for triggering its inclusionary zoning ordinance from eight to six-unit projects, having different percentage requirements based on project size and adding a payment-in-lieu option for small projects.

SALEM --- For the third straight year, Mayor Kim Driscoll is filing a proposal to broaden rules regarding accessory apartments, hoping it will pass now that Gov. Baker's Housing Choice law allows measures like this to be adopted by simple majority rather than 2/3rds super majority. Driscoll's plan to expand the city's law beyond its current limitation to relatives and caregivers was defeated twice despite getting 7 yes votes and 4 no votes, one yes vote short of what was needed.

SWAMPSCOTT --- The Select Board has sent a letter to the state Department of Housing and Community Development objecting to WinnDevelopment's plan to apply to the town for a Ch. 40B comprehensive permit so it can develop a commercial site into 128 mixed-income apartments near commuter rail. Reflecting feedback from residents - 650 who signed a petition - the letter cited concerns about traffic, building size, location near a rail trail, and the developer’s communication prior to a public meeting it held to gather feedback from residents.

BELMONT --- The Belmont Zoning Board of Appeals has decided not to argue that the town has met one of the state's affordable housing requirements, clearing the way for a developer to proceed with an application for a Ch. 40B comprehensive land use permit to raze a single-family home and build 12 four-bedroom apartments. Build Wise Belmont - an abutters' group - argued that the town had earned "safe harbor" from 40B because 1.5 percent of its developable land is being used for affordable housing. The town's analysis found it to be just over 1.2 percent.

KINGSTON --- Traffic, density, drainage, headlights, fire truck access, playground space, doing a survey for evidence of Native American activity, and questions as to why anyone would want to live there were among the concerns Zoning Board of Appeals members voiced during a hearing about a developer's bid to build 20 apartments. Members were encouraged that the plan now has four less units than originally proposed. "I think we’re headed in the right direction,” one ZBA member said. “If we continue to lose four units I think maybe in four meetings we might be able to get somewhere.”