Housing Headlines

LOWELL --- A ribbon-cutting ceremony was recently held to celebrate the conversion of the former St. Joseph's High School into 22 units of affordable housing. The $7.5 million project was developed by the Coalition for a Better Acre (CBA) with funding assistance from MHIC, Enterprise Bank, the city of Lowell, and the state Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).

CHARLESTOWN --- The Boston Redevelopment Authority recently approved an $18 million mixed-use complex that will include affordable housing and a community center. The Bridgeview Apartment Development will consist of 60 rental units, all of which will be affordable to residents earning at or below 60 percent of the area median income (AMI).

SOUTH BOSTON --- The Public Facilities Commission recently approved a project proposal that will convert the old South Boston Police Station on D Street into 24 affordable rental units for veterans. The developers will now spend the next year applying for funding from neighborhood development, state funding, low-income housing tax credits, and assistance from the Veterans Administration. The project is expected to break ground in the spring of 2012.

LEE --- A pair of local developer have plans renovate a former nursing home into 24 apartments along Prospect Street. Details about how affordable the units will be is still being decided.

FALL RIVER --- Back in November, Mayor Will Flanagan reversed an earlier decision to pull city funding from the downtown YMCA's housing project, saying he'd support the measure now that the new housing will show preference to single veterans and veterans with families.

SOUTH BOSTON --- Developer Colm Dunphy recently presented his plan to convert the South Boston Tribune Building into rental apartments and retail space to neighborhood residents. The complex will consist of eight one-bedroom apartments and 16 two-bedroom apartments with three of the apartments designated as affordable. The complex would also include two retail spaces on the first floor of the building.