Housing Headlines

WEYMOUTH --- Mayor David Madden said he supports a request from a nonprofit group to collect $440,000 in community preservation money to spend on construction of affordable apartments in South Weymouth. The 24-unit building on Pond Street (Route 58) has for years been the subject of intense neighborhood scrutiny and legal appeals.

WORCESTER --- On the eve of the two-year anniversary when the site plan for the $563 million CitySquare redevelopment project was approved, the Planning Board last night voted to extend that approval for yet another year. It was the second such extension the board has voted for the project. The general development agreement reached by the city and the developer, Berkeley Investments calls for enough commitment of tenant space to provide tax revenues to pay for t,he bonds the city will issue for the DIF disbursements. Earlier this year, city officials said Berkeley Investments had about 150,000 feet of space committed in the first specialty office building of 260,000 square feet needed to trigger a release of funds.

WAYLAND --- If a 16-unit affordable housing effort on a former Nike missile site is to move forward, voters must approve to spend an additional $600,000 in Community Preservation Act funds to close the funding gap. In addition to the housing units, 12 acres of land will be conserved through the effort. If it stays on track, the project is expected to be completed by the spring of 2008.

DRACUT --- A housing consultant has been hired to help move forward an attempt by the Housing Authority, the town and the Community Preservation Committee to purchase a 38-unit apartment building on Mammoth Road. The town hopes to make the building totally affordable, with funding sources to include rents paid to the authority, as well as Community Preservation money and the town's general fund.

AMHERST --- If the town wants to maintain enough affordable housing that it can reject housing projects it does not want, officials should begin negotiations soon with the owners of the Rolling Green Apartments, Town Manager Larry Shaffer said Monday. A restriction stipulating that the 204 units at the 422 Belchertown Road complex must be "affordable" by state standards expires in 2013. (subscription only or paid archive).

SHREWSBURY --- Thanks in part to a $1 million grant from the state Department of Housing and Community Development, the Shrewsbury Housing Authority will be able to build five units of affordable family housing on land acquired from the town.