Housing Headlines

ASHLAND --- Discussions have resumed on a plan that would have the town sell 13 acres of land to developers EA Fish and the Planning Office of Urban Affairs, who would then partner to develop 112 affordable homes in two phases, with the first phase calling for 64 homes for seniors.

HOPKINTON - The housing lottery for the 60 affordable one- and two-bedroom apartments at the 240-unit Legacy Farms has been cancelled because only two eligible applicants submitted applications. The 58 remaining units will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis, said Brian Engler, vice president of SEB LLC, the company handling the lottery. Engler said a similar project in Concord, which had 88 affordable units, took a year to fill following the cancellation of a lottery.

NORTH ATTLEBORO --- A developer's proposal to build 45 affordable rental homes with a Ch. 40B permit has had the unintended consequence of alerting residents to zoning changes the town made two years ago so that 274 lots would not have zoning boundaries running through them. Residents say they were not informed when lots were reclassified as commerical or residential but the town insists adequate notice was given via public meetings, forums and mailings to residents.

SOUTHBOROUGH --- After six years, a change in sites, a shift from rental to condo and 92 conditions set forth by the town, a Natick developer appears to have been granted a 40B permit to build 16 homeownership townhouses on a wooded street just off Rt. 9 near Walgreens.

UXBRIDGE --- A proposal by the non-profit Uxbridge Housing Associates to turn the Blanchard School into 25 affordable apartments has garnered significant political support as a recent tour of the building included Congressman James McGovern, state Sen. Richard Moore, state Rep. Kevin Kuros and and state Undersecretary for Housing Aaron Gornstein.

BOSTON ---The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) recently approved four projects totaling 1,114 new homes across four neighborhoods in Boston. In the Innovation District, Madison Seaport Holdins LLC will build 414 apartments in a 22-story tower at 399 Congress Street. In the Fenway, Samuels & Associates will build a 22-story residential tower with 320 residences and two levels of retail. Additionally, 184 units will be built on Mt. Vernon Street in Dorchester and 196 units will be built on Border Street in Easton Boston.