Housing Headlines

DORCHESTER --- The MBTA recently picked the development team of Preservation of Affordable Housing Inc. (POAH) and Nuestra Comunidad to develop a mixed-use project in an underused parking lot next to Mattapan Station. The team has proposed to build 135 apartments or condos and 10,000 square feet of commercial space. POAH's bid offers less housing and more commercial space than the one put forth by the other bidder, Trinity Financial.

BROOKLINE --- To mark the grand opening of the Brookline Housing Authority adding 32 new affordable apartments at its 86 Dummer Street site, the Brookline Tab profiled three people who were picked from a lottery process that attracted more than 1,900 applicants - a youth pastor, a mother of two and a grandmother.

FRAMINGHAM --- Town Meeting defeated a measure that would have allowed buildings up to 10 stories tall in certain parts of town in order to conserve open space elsewhere in the community.

SWAMPSCOTT --- Town Meeting voters approved a measure that would grant B'Nai B'Rith housing a 99-year ground lease so it can transform the 96-year-old Machon Elementary School into 38 one-bedroom units for seniors.

BROOKLINE --- With its news pages frequented by stories of residents protesting any of the five 40B proposals before the town, the Brookline Tab editorializes that while there's a lot not to like about the law, developers should continue to use it to create moderately priced housing until something better comes along.

ARLINGTON --- Months after the town declared it had achieved "safe harbor" from Ch. 40B housing proposals because over 1.5 percent of its land is used for affordable housing, Oaktree Development has indicated it will challenge the town's claim. Oaktree has proposed to build 219 units on the Mugar property in East Arlington.