Housing Headlines

Way Finders president and CEO Keith Fairey applauds Gov. Baker and the legislature's agreement on legislation that will use $600 million in federal recovery funds for direct housing investments. Fairey says it could help the Pioneer Valley address its housing challenges, which include an 11,0000units housing shortage, more than half of renters paying more than 30 percent on housing and a homeownership gap in which just 30 percent of Black and Hispanic households own homes compared to 70 percent of white households.

National zoning expert Salim Furth of George Mason University writes that Massachusetts' new multifamily zoning law guidelines can be a national model that will "strengthen local village centers" that will "put shoes onto sidewalks" and reinvigorate local businesses. The draft guidelines were released on Dec. 15, 2021 and public comment will be accepted through March 31, 2022.

BOURNE --- As the town considers a 42-unit mixed-income housing proposal, the developers received some good news as state legislation to spend federal relief money earmarked $1 million to support project. The funds will offset some of the financial impact of reducing the proposal from 51 to 42 units, said David Quinn of the Housing Assistance Corp of Cape Cod, one of the project's developers.

CHELSEA --- In early December, the city council OK'd the sale of the former Salvation Army building at 440 Broadway to Traggorth Companies, which is proposing to redevelop the site into a mixed-use building that will include 18 affordable rental apartments and 10 affordable homeownership units.

Following the release of draft regulations for a new law that requires as-of-right multifamily zoning near MBTA stations, Banker & Tradesman published an editorial praising lawmakers, state officials and the Baker Administration for working to issue regulations that could generate significant housing development near transit.

In a think piece for the Boston Globe real estate section, correspondent Jon Gorey talks to experts who argue that if single-family zoning prevents the development of condos, town homes and apartments, its elimination would be one way to be better able build multifamily housing and address our housing shortage.