Housing Headlines

SPRINGFIELD --- Thanks to early financing from the state, Friends of the Homeless are moving forward on its plans to redevelop the former 5th Alarm exoctic dance nighclub into 36 supportive apartments for the formerly homeless. The $17 million dollar project has received $400,000 in pre-development funding from the Community Economic Development Assistance Corp. "“With this funding, it’s more likely other agencies where we have applied for funding will look favorably on our application,” said William Miller, vice president of housing and homeless services for Clinical & Support Options, the parent company of Friends of the Homeless.

BOSTON --- In an effort to draw interest in the redevelopment of city-owned lots, the City of Boston held an open house on Sat. Nov. 19 to gather community input and ideas to inform how 70 city-owned lots can be redeveloped. Most of these lots are north and south of Talbot Ave and are part of a city effort to use federal recovery funds to redevelop 150 city-owned parcels.

WORCESTER --- The city moved once step closer to adopting an inclusionary zoning law as the planning board voted unanimously that the city council adopt the measure. The draft ordinance would require developments with a net production of 12 or more units to reserve 15 percent of their habitable square footage for renters/buyers who earn 80 percent of the area median income for the city or 10 percent for those who earn 60 percent AMI.

ROCHESTER --- At a recent meeting of town departments, local officials said they believe that a Ch. 40R district at the corners of Routes 28 and 58 will meet the state's new multifamily zoning law for MBTA communities.

BOSTON --- While defendants who face prison time are guaranteed a defense lawyer, there is no such safety net in housing court, meaning tenants are severely under-repreented when battling potential eviction. According to a recent story in the Globe, 97 percent of defendants facing eviction represented themselves while 88 percent of landlords were supported by an attorney.

STONEHAM --- The town is considering rezoning a former 7.6 acre commerical site to allow housing, a move local officials say is designed to help the community comply with the state's new multifamily zoning law. "This article will bring the town, if not into compliance, then very, very close to compliance with (the new law)," said Kevin Dolan, a longtime planning board member.