Housing Headlines

Nine communities voted to adopt the Community Preservation Act this week, the local funding law that is used to support open space, historic preservation and affordable housing. The results boosted the number of communities with CPA to 186 or 53 percent of the communities in Massachusetts. This marks the third highest number approved in an election, just behind November 2016 (11) and November 2004 (10). Communities that OK'd the measure were Framingham, Franklin, Greenfield, Hopedale, Lancaster, Lee, Milton, Shrewsbury, and Whitman.

BOSTON --- With financial support from the City of Boston, the new owners of a 207-unit Mattapan apartment complex for working class renters in Mattapan has reached an agreement to make only modest rent hikes for at least the next five years. California-based Ananath Capital Management reached the agreement with tenants one month after closing on its $41 million purchase of Morton Village. The City of Boston put in $4 million, stipulating that the owners keep rents low for the long-term.

BOSTON --- The city's planning and development agency recently OK'd three fully-affordable housing proposals, two by the Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation and one by Travis Lee of TLee Development. CSNDC's approved projects were 19 units at 151 Spencer St., and is 23 units at 25 New England Ave. while Lee's proposal is for 21 rental units at 270 Talbot Ave., the area where CSNDC has done much of its work.

EASTON --- With an eye toward keeping its affordable housing supply above 10 percent, Selectmen voted 4-1 to allow developer Rick Lincoln to move forward with is bid to seek a Ch. 40B comprehensive land permit so he can build 108 mixed-income apartments. Selectman Rick Lamb was a no vote based on the site's location - "middle of nowhere" - and because he said the town's on pace to add over 1,000 units in 10 years. It's time to "pump the brakes," he said.

AMHERST --- Initiated by desire to have a round-the-clock shelter and a space large enough to social distance, the town's overnight homeless shelter has moved from the First Baptist Church to the Unitarian Universalist Society. Known as Craig's Place, the 24-hour facility will offer services, meals and laundry. The drawback is capacity is 16 guests, down from 28 during previous cold-weather seasons.

WINCHESTER --- After hearing Ian Gillespie's plans for the downtown Fells Hardware Building, the Select Board pushed the developer to use state programs to add a fifth story to the project and more affordable units. Gillespie and his architect, Ted Touloukian proposed to develop 36 units with five affordable units on the property, which is in an area Town Meeting voted to rezone in 2015 in an effort to "“energize the downtown, add residential housing, revitalize businesses, and encourage mixed-use with affordable housing.”