Housing Headlines

ARLINGTON --- In an attempt to end a stalemate over how much money should be paid to buy out of the town's affordable housing requirement, the new developer of the former Symmes Hospital site has said he would abandon the 115-unit townhouse proposal and would instead build 200 rental apartments.

FITCHBURG --- The state college continues its effort to connect its campus with the downtown by demolishing or rehabilitating buildings. A commercial building has been torn down, an apartment building is next and another apartment building has been turned into office space for the school's exercise and sports programs.

FALL RIVER --- There is no change in the city's decision to pull back $1.5 million in city HOME funds to support the downtown YMCA's $11 million plan to renovate its top two floors into 42 units of single-room housing for working adults with incomes of $18,000 to $30,000 per year. "We're doing all we can to breathe life into the city's downtown and waterfront and (this project) is not going in the direction that's in the city's best interests," said Mayor Will Flanagan, two months after he reversed a decision by the previous mayor to support the project.

SOMERVILLE --- Governor Patrick recently announced that the state has issued $10 million in funding for the Assembly Square project. When the completed the "Assembly on the Mystic" project will revitalize a 66.5 acre neglected industrial site into a mixed-use, transit-orientated development with 18 buildings, 2,100 residential units, 1.8 million square feet of office space, 1.1 million square feet of retail space, and a 160-200 room hotel.

HINGHAM --- Without debate, Hingham voters at April's annual town meeting unanimously OK'd spending $250,000 in Community Preservation Act funds for a veteran's home. The home at 111-113 Fort Hill St. will house six veterans and will be managed and owned by Father Bill's Place and MainSpring, Quincy-based non-profit. Further funding for the $1.3 million project includes $825,000 in government grants and loans, a $90,000 mortgage with a private lender and $50,000 from Hingham's affordable housing trust. Father Bill's still needs to raise a little more than $135,000 for the project.

WORCESTER --- The city council has OK'd new building codes that will require future residential and commercial construction to adhere to higher energy-efficiency practices. The new codes, signed into law by Gov. Patrick in 2008, give communities the local option to adopt more stringent energy-efficient codes.