Housing Headlines

NANTUCKET --- The Nantucket chapter of Habitat for Humanity has received a $4 million grant from the Select Board to go toward the construction of six affordable homes at 5, 7, and 9 Waitt Drive. The Nantucket chapter has already constructed 16 affordable homes across the island.

EASTHAMPTON --- The Easthampton City Council has signed off on two Community Preservation Act requests that could bring more than 180 affordable homes to the city. The council approved a $100,000 CPA request to fund predevelopment costs for the creation of 96 affordable housing units in the 1 Ferry St. Mill complex and an additional 87 units spread across three buildings available to those earning less than the median income in the area.

NEWTON --- Deborah Crossley, longtime Newton city councilor had spent years working on a plan to open the city’s village centers to new housing development. Residents turned against her in the city elections in November, Crossley and two other councilors who supported the zoning plan were voted out.

MILTON --- If in a referendum vote on February 13, town residents decide to overturn the MBTA Communities law, Attorney General Andrea Campbell and advocacy groups have said they will sue.

PEABODY --- City councilors are calling on the city’s zoning board to require all 40B developments to provide affordable units in perpetuity, rather than a minimum of 30 years as the board has allowed for multiple projects. The council voted to send a letter to the ZBA urging the board to request affordable housing in perpetuity from 40B developers, noting city councilors don’t have the jurisdiction to control that board’s actions.

WESTFIELD --- The Community Preservation Committee voted to fund the entire $410,000 to turn the historical Old Town Hall at 20 Broad Street into 18 affordable housing units for veterans. A request for initial funding of $150,000 was made by Domus, Inc., an affordable housing organization and development consultant Michael Cucchiara. After discussion at the meeting the committee voted to fund the entire $410,000, out of $575,000 currently available in CPA funds restricted for affordable housing.