The state's Joint Committee on Housing recently gave a favorable recommendation of a bill that would temporarily funnel income taxes paid by occupants of housing units in smart-growth districts into a Smart Growth Trust Fund.
The trust fund was established to deliver payments to communities that create districts near public transportation and town centers where mixed-income housing can be developed under the state's Chapter 40R law.
Payments have been made to several communities, but state leaders have said any remaining money in the trust fund already has been committed to other towns that have adopted Chapter 40R.
The fund initially was supposed to be funded by the sale of surplus state property. But that funding mechanism has become unreliable because a law allowing for the expedited sale of state property has expired.
The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Kevin Honan, D-Brighton, and Sen. Harriette Chandler, D-Worcester, would allow income taxes paid by residents of Chapter 40R units to be placed in the trust fund. Any unused money in any given year would be returned to the state's general fund.
Homes for Families Hires Hayes as Executive Director
The board of directors of Homes for Families has hired Libby Hayes as its executive director.
Hayes, who will join Homes for Families on Nov. 5, replaces Stephanie Brown, who left the organization to become director of housing and homeless services at the state Department of Transitional Assistance.
Hayes currently serves as the director of Crossroads Family Shelter in East Boston. She has been the director of the shelter since 2004. Prior to that, Hayes served as the shelter's food pantry director and food service manager.
Homes for Families is a statewide nonprofit group committed to ending family homelessness.
Adams Property Owner Fined for Asbestos Violations
The state Department of Environmental Protection has fined an Adams resident $10,000 for violating state asbestos regulations.
The building inspector in Adams found that Kevin Filion had demolished an abandoned residential structure at 123 Columbia St. without following the necessary pre-demolition procedures. The inspector halted work at the site and referred the matter to DEP.
A DEP inspector found asbestos materials co-mingled in the building rubble and observed that some of the building rubble in the cellar hole had been covered over with clean fill.
Filion was ordered to retain a licensed asbestos abatement contractor to clean the site and to have an environmental consultant test the air during the work to ensure that asbestos was not being released to neighboring houses less than 10 feet away.
As part of the settlement agreement with DEP, Filion will pay $1,000 of the penalty and the remaining $9,000 will be suspended during a two-year probationary period.
Abbott Real Estate Development Creates New Venture
Boston-based Abbott Real Estate Development has created Abbott Holdings to streamline operations, consolidate reporting and help raise money for its residential projects.
Abbott Holdings will oversee the operations of Abbott Real Estate Development, Abbott Construction and Abbott Homes.
Principals James McAuliffe and Gerard Savard will still have primary ownership in Abbott Holdings. They also have appointed Robert Y. Wong president of Abbott Holdings. He previously served as chief operating officer of Abbott Real Estate Development.
Easthampton Project Honored by GBREB Association
The Greater Boston Real Estate Board's Rental Housing Association recognized an Easthampton apartment development with the Community of Excellence Award for Best Property in the Assisted Community/Garden-Townhouse Post-2000 category
Treehouse at Easthampton Meadow, developed by Beacon Communities and managed by Beacon Residential Management, houses those who adopting children in foster care.
The project, which opened last year, is the result of a partnership between Beacon Communities, The Treehouse Foundation, and Berkshire Children and Families. The Berkshire Center for Families and Children has worked closely with Treehouse and the Department of Social Services to provide foster/adoptive care placement and on-site social services to the residents of the community
Treehouse at Easthampton Meadow is part of a 46-acre, master-planned community that includes 33 homeownership units, nine of which will be available to first-time homebuyers; seven market-rate home lots that were sold to individuals; and 17 acres of open space that are permanently deed-restricted and conveyed to the city.