Housing Headlines

SUDBURY --- Two apartment proposals - one by a local developer and one by National Development and Avalon Bay - could bring 500 apartments to the town, push its affordable housing supply over 10 percent and gain the town more flexibility in considering future development requests through the state law, Ch. 40B.

NEWBURYPORT --- A former metal plating factory site seized by the town has drawn the interest of the North Shore CDC and New Seasons Development, which have offered to buy the property and develop it into 34 apartments.

PROVINCETOWN --- Faced with intense push-back from residents which included flying a drone over the site to show neighbors how tall the building would be, developer Chris Wise has abandoned plans to build a 24-unit apartment building and will instead construct six duplexes and one single-family resident.

DANVERS --- At a regional housing forum in Danvers, a nonprofit developer from Beverly spoke of the difficulties of trying to build 60 units of housing for seniors in Wenham, highlighting the challenges many communities face in trying to create affordable housing.

TRURO --- A housing needs assessment recommends that the town needs to build 30 units of affordable workforce housing now, plus four to six units in each of the next 15 years to maintain its year-round population and combat the loss of year-round homes to seasonal property owners.

BILLERICA --- By a 4-1 vote, selectmen approved a 40B Local Initiative Project (LIP) that will bring 179 rental units and more than $1 million in mitigation to the town. The development, called Alpine Village, will be developed by Ray Cormier. Selectmen explained going this route was preferable to running the risk of Cormier building a much denser project.