 Summer Street Residents Make Case to Williamstown Planning BoardNeighbors of a proposed subdivision off Summer Street last week asked the Planning Board to take a critical look at the project, which the residents say is out of scale to the neighborhood.  Construct to Host Designer ShowcaseSlated for the entire month of June 2024, the Designer Showcase will highlight the work of more than a dozen local and regional designers, as well as landscape architects and visual artists.  Williamstown Residents Concerned over Impact of Habitat DevelopmentDrainage was the chief concern of the residents who turned out for Wednesday's informational meeting about a planned five-home development off Summer Street.  Pittsfield CPA Committee Funds Half of FY24 RequestsThe projects not making the cut were in the historic preservation and open space and recreation categories and though they were seen as interesting and valuable projects, the urgency was not prevalent enough for this cycle. Pittsfield's Former Polish Club Eyed For $20 Million Condo ProjectWhile utilizing the former club, the plot at 55 Linden Street would have five buildings of one to three-bedroom condominiums for first-time homebuyers. Berkshire Nonprofits See Housing, Recruitment as Critical NeedsHousing was a top topic during a virtual legislative town hall hosted by Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires.  Williamstown Community Preservation Committee Advances Funding RequestsThe first break the CPC got on Wednesday was when its total number of applicants dropped from six to five. Pittsfield Council OKs Incentives for Housing ProjectCouncilor at Large Alisa Costa loves that there is an affordable housing aspect to the project. Construct Receives $2M for Renovation of Cassilis Farm in New MarlboroughThis award is a step toward providing New Marlborough with its first affordable housing units.  Developers Drop Williamstown Housing After Threat of AppealStone asked the board of town's Affordable Housing Trust whether it thought Williamstown was free of the provincial concept known as "NIMBY-ism."  Collaboration Key to Housing, Hunger Solutions Say Local LeadersPignatelli said housing and food insecurity are hot topics in the State House and recognized the individual needs of Berkshire County.  County Stakeholders Push for Housing Solutions from State SenatorsThat was the message to state Sen. Paul Mark and his colleague Lydia Edwards of East Boston, Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Housing, who is on a listening tour of the state to better understand the issue.  Habitat for Humanity Making Plans for Williamstown's Summer Street LotNorthern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity is making plans to develop four single-family homes on a Summer Street residential lot the Affordable Housing Trust acquired in 2015.  Pittsfield Affordable Housing Trust Plans Further OutreachLast week, the panel recapped testimony it heard from residents and planned to conduct another community meeting.  Windrush Commons Opening Small Step for Area Affordable HousingCommunity leaders, local officials, project partners, and residents celebrated this first crucial step in addressing the housing crisis in the area. Brushwood Farm Housing Project To Receive State AssistanceIncluded in this list is Brushwood Farms, a new construction project for families to be built in Lenox. Williamstown Housing Trust Exploring New IdeasIn the former, they talked about following models in other communities that allow higher grants for income eligible homebuyers or pursuing partnerships with homebuilders that might have more capacity than the non-profit Habitat for Humanity, which relies on volunteer labor for much of the work. Pittsfield Affordable Housing Trust Looks to ResourcesEstablished last year with an initial $500,000, the Affordable Housing Trust soon expects to see additional resources to aid its mission. Affordable Housing Trust Talks Preservation of Pittsfield UnitsAffordable Housing Trust member Michael McCarthy asked his colleagues: How do we leverage trust fund monies for quality affordable housing? Pittsfield Affordable Housing Trust Hears Ins & Outs of DevelopmentThe panel is early in its work. It met for the first time in the fall after being established by the City Council over the summer. Construct Closes on Windflower Inn to Expand Workforce HousingThe historic 10.5 acres property, built in 1850, at 684 South Egremont Road, will help local businesses find housing for their staff. Pittsfield, Williamstown Developments to Receive Housing Tax CreditsThe Baker-Polito Administration announced $93.4 million in direct funding and $33 million in state and federal housing tax credits to support the development of 790 housing units across 14 projects  Letter: Affordable Housing ProposalUnits of affordable housing in Berkshire County need not be created with a one size fits all mindset. Affordable for who? Very often affordable housing is very costly, even excessively so for its creators or municipalities. Pittsfield Conservation Commission OKs Supportive Housing ProposalBerkshire Housing Development Corp. intends to build a 28-unit permanent supportive housing complex. Williamstown Board's Try to Make Housing Affordable Called 'Madness'Ernest-Jones was speaking in response to a draft warrant article that would essentially replace the term "mobile home" in the zoning bylaw with the more contemporary term "manufactured home" and allow said structures in all residential areas subject to the same rules as any other home. |
