Housing Headlines

VINEYARD HAVEN --- The Island Housing Trust (IHT) has signed a purchase and sale agreement with Ronald and Margaret Jackson to purchase a six-unit apartment building, one of four in the Village Court complex on State Road in Vineyard Haven. IHIT has until the end of the year to finance the $600,000 acquisition. IHT Executive Director Phillippe Jordi said additional funds - possibly from the Community Preservation Act - will be used to renovate the units and he expects the one-bedroom units will rent for $700 a month and the two-bedroom units for $840 to qualified low-income working Island families and individuals.

LAKEVILLE --- The state's Department of Housing and Community Development has concluded that not all of the 204 units at Lakeville Station will count towards the town's affordable housing inventory because the development cannot be viewed as one project but rather astwo apartment buildings that operate separately, with all of the affordable units located in the 104-unit Kensington Court phase.

WILLIAMSTOWN --- Almost two years after floodwaters sparked by Hurricane Irene destroyed more than 200 residences in the Spruces Mobile Home Park, selectmen voted last month to buy the property, which would be the first step toward the town finding new, safer affordable homes for the 66 families that still live there. Town meeting must still OK the $600,000 purchase as the town continues to pursue several sites in town for affordable housing development.

BOSTON --- Following up on his springtime goal of seeing the City of Boston build 30,000 new homes by 2020, Mayor Thomas Menino is putting forth a plan to help the city get there. The plan includes allowing taller structures with smaller units, selling public land to developers at a discount, and using subsidies to spur development of more affordable housing.

NORWOOD --- After negotiating with the developer to reduce the size of the development and make other changes, the Norwood Zoning Board of Appeals reluctantly granted Campanelli and Thorndike Development a Ch. 40B comprehensive permit so it can proceed to build Upland Woods, a 260-unit apartment complex.

FALMOUTH --- Friends and colleagues had nothing but praise for Bob Murray, who died on Sept. 5 after spending more than 25 years of his "retirement" spearheading affordable housing developments in Harwich and Falmouth as well as starting an annual walk from Provincetown to Falmouth to raise funds and awareness for affordable housing.