Housing Headlines

WORCESTER --- The Historical Commission has denied a Brooklyn-based development company's request to waive the one-year requirement on demolishing historic buildings, but the developer says he can wait one year before knocking down the 68 Gardner Street building and replacing it with market-rate multifamily housing.

WASHINGTON --- Last week, the Department of Housing and Urban Development unveiled a proposal and asked for comment on a new rule that would remake the Housing Choice Voucher Program, adjusting the maximum value of vouchers in many major markets to account for the wide variation in what it costs to live in different neighborhoods. Instead of setting "fair market rent" standards at the metropolitan level, in about 30 major metros including Washington, New York and Chicago, HUD will set them by ZIP code instead.

SOUTH DENNIS --- The head of the mid-Cape's housing program for summer workers here on temporary J-1 student visas described this summer's situation as a fiasco while U.S. Rep. Bill Keating said he is concerned based on inquiries to his office that sponsors who request visas for workers "are not fulfilling their responsibility to provide housing."

WORCESTER --- While some people see the city's $110 million, 20-year Urban Revitalization Plan as a way to push downtown Worcester further as a destination location, others believe city officials left out one major piece west of Main Street between Madison and Hammond Streets.

NORWELL --- Selectmen have approved an agreement authorizing the nonprofit Metro West Collaborative of Waltham to do pre-development work on whether it's feasible to build up to 18 units of senior housing at the old police station site at 40 River St.

NORWOOD --- The future of Ch. 40B apartment proposals by Avalon Bay and the David-Marcus Partnership hang in the balance as the town awaits the state's decision on whether 1.5 percent of its land is being used for affordable housing, which would give it the power to turn down 40B proposals.