Housing Headlines

The lack of affordable housing is one of the many things that the pandemic has exacerbated and assistance programs tailored for COVID-19 relief won't be enough to stymie the impending crises of homelessness and housing affordability, writes op-ed writer Abdallah Fayyad for the Boston Globe. Fayyad says what's needed is an ambitious long-term plan that includes building more affordable housing and increasing funding for housing vouchers.

BOLTON --- Selectmen seemed initially positive to a proposal by Wood Partners to develop part of an office park into 276 mixed-income apartments. A national developer that has built several properties in Massachusetts, Wood would develop the property by applying to the town for a Ch. 40B comprehensive permit. The project would be called Alta Nashoba Valley. Wood has built other projects with that brand name in Arlington, Boston, Hopkinton, Framingham, Melrose, Stoneham, Stoughton, Walpole, and Watertown,

MIDDLEBORO --- Concerns about health and safety are pushing town officials to take steps to enforce the occupancy permit for 28 seasonal homes at Woods Pond, where several residents are continuing to live past the vacation season, which ends Oct. 10. Town officials say the communal wells are not set up to be used year round and they are also concerned about fires burning to keep residents warm. It's unclear whether residents are staying due to a lack of housing or because they want to remain at the site through the fall.

MANCHESTER --- In preparation for negotiations with a developer on a 157-unit mixed-income rental project, the Manchester selectmen will be holding weekly virtual workshops to discuss the Ch. 40B land use permit process and strategies on how to shape the proposal submitted by Geoffrey Engler of Strategic Land Ventures, a Massachusetts-based development company.

WORCESTER --- Led by City Councilor Sarai Rivera, the City Council has called for a thorough examination of how the unique health and economic challenges caused by COVID-19 will impact the city's approach to homelessness. In a wide-ranging discussion, the council discussed adding more shelter space, how to deal with homelessness increases and health and safety concerns caused by apartment overcrowding due to loss of employment.

BOSTON --- The recent agreement between Morton Village tenants and its new out-of-state owner to keep rents affordable is an exception rather than the rule in Boston, where two previous large affordable developments were sold to out-of-state buyers who were less willing to keep rents low. Reporter Morgan C. Mullings takes a look at all three deals and the roles City Life/Vida Urbana and the City of Boston play in trying to keep tenants in their homes.