Housing Headlines

QUINCY --- Five months after uncovering dozens of health and safety violations at Quincy Housing Authority apartments, state housing officials have announced they will fund more than $1.7 million worth of repairs to hundreds of public housing units.

NORWOOD --- The town has issued building permits to two affordable housing development proposals, thereby pushing it closer to having 10 percent of its housing considered affordable or the threshold that grants towns greater latitude if 1.5 percent of its land is being used for affordable housing.

SOMERVILLE --- Aldermen are charging the city's planning department with watering down a proposed affordable housing law that is designed to add affordable units. The city's planner has suggested a change that would absolve smaller property owners from the law if their rehab projects aren't adding or subtracting affordable units but aldermen say the new language will create loopholes that will hurt the city's attempt to add affordable units.

WORCESTER --- In an effort to help residents move on from public housing, the Worcester Housing Authority (WHA) and the Chamber of Commerce have announced an initiative that would encourage the chamber's 2,500 members to hire public housing residents who are enrolled in the Better Life Program, a life and work skills program run by the WHA.

BOSTON --- The Allston-Brighton Community Development Corp. held a community meeting Saturday to discuss the growing impact of students in their neighborhoods. According to Valerie Frias, associate director at Allston-Brighton CDC, the percentage of housing in the area occupied by someone other than the owner rose from 68 to 75 percent over the last two years.

BERLIN --- A groundbreaking was recently held for the third and fourth phases of the Riverbridge Village development. These two phases consist of a 105-room hotel and a 205-unit multifamily housing component. Of the 205 housing units, both condo and rental, 21 will be designated as affordable rental apartments.