Housing Headlines

WEYMOUTH - The Weymouth Housing Authority could take over administrative oversight of its counterpart in Hull under a proposal being considered by the Weymouth public housing board of commissioners. The Hull authority, which has been managed by consultants after a state audit led to the firing of its executive director in 2006, picked Weymouth after soliciting interest from other towns. Weymouth manages 475 public housing apartments while Hull has 68.

CHELSEA --- A local family's legal battle to negotiate a more modest rent increase from its new landlord is an example of recent clashes between existing apartment dwellers and Boston-area real estate investors who are buying foreclosed properties and raising rents to cover acquisition and/or repair costs.

WALPOLE - The 174-unit apartment complex proposed for Moosehill Road would designate a quarter of its units as affordable and wouldn't include any three-bedroom units that could attract children, a spokesman for Framingham-based Barberry Homes told Walpole officials recently.

CHELMSFORD --- With a purchase and sale agreement for a Littleton Road property in place, Chelmsford Housing Authority Executive Director David Hedison recently told selectmen of plans to apply to the town for a Ch. 40B comprehensive permit so it can build 115 units of affordable housing in a new development that is being called Chelmsford Woods.

PLYMOUTH --- The town's planning board has OK'd Kingston developer Rick Vayo's plan to turn the Plymouth Armory into some commercial space and 18 rental apartments, as well as the developer's decision to contribute $100,000 to the town's housing trust rather than make two of the units affordable. To go forward, the developer must also get the OK from the zoning board of appeals.

CANTON --- While concerned with how AvalonBay's 196-unit 40B proposal and two other 40Bs could impact municipal services, Canton officials are weighing carefully these proposals given that any one of them could boost the town's supply of affordable housng way above its current 10.0 percent, giving it greater ability to control 40B proposals down the road.