Housing Headlines

WEST ROXBURY --- The Boston Zoning Board of Appeals rejected a plan to build 40 condominiums at a LaGrange St. industrial site amidst concerns about the size of the project and that it would be built partly with prefabricated materials put together by non-union, out-of-state labor.

BOSTON --- City Manager Richard Rossi has filed a proposal with the city council that would require developers to set aside 20 percent of new buildings as affordable units, up from an average of 11.5 percent that the city now requires.

BOSTON --- Michael Goodman of the Public Policy Center at UMass Dartmouth debates the proposed multifamily housing law with Mass Municipal Association's Geoff Beckwith on WBUR's Radio Boston, an afternoon public affairs show hosted by Meghna Chakrabati.

NEW BEDFORD --- A $7.2 million tax-exempt bond by MassDevelopment will be used to make repairs and preserve affordability at Verdean Gardens, a 110-unit mixed-income apartment building in the South End that features seven one-, 87 two-, 10 three- and six four-bedroom units for families.

PROVINCETOWN --- Not wanting to risk defeat that would have prohibited the town from putting forth an inclusionary zoning bylaw for two years, the planning board has withdrawn the article from spring town meeting.

EASTHAM --- In reaction to a developer's bid to acquire and develop a former Rt. 6 driving range into 115 mixed-income apartments, selectmen have voted to support a petition that would ask town meeting voters to borrow funds to acquire the site for the town, so it could potentially pursue a smaller affordable housing development. The cost of the land, owned by Stop & Shop, is estimated at $1.4 million. (Cape Codder).