The Boston suburb of Boxford is on the verge of approving a measure that would allow residents to rent extra housing space at state affordable housing prices. Boxford and other suburbs are looking to reduce their low stock of affordable housing.
"Boxford would join a small number of other Massachusetts communities targeting what are commonly known as "in-law" apartments in efforts to diversify their housing."
"Traditional accessory apartments are separate units created within a home for immediate relatives. The Boxford bylaw would allow those units to be rented to nonrelatives at state-recognized affordable rates."
"In Boxford, where the average single-family home is valued at $675,000, just 0.7 percent of the housing stock -- or 19 units -- is affordable, well below the 10 percent figure required by the state to keep developers from bypassing local zoning rules for projects built under Chapter 40B, the affordable housing law."
"The town's percentage is the lowest in the region."
FULL STORY: Low-cost housing messages are mixed

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Oregon Approves Ambitious Framework for ’Microgrids’
Local energy “islands” within the larger power system ensure key facilities can remain online during emergencies and power outages.

A Historic Investment in LA County’s Parks and Open Spaces
Los Angeles County has launched its largest-ever competitive grant program, investing $58 million to expand park access, enhance climate resilience, and support community-driven projects in the areas that need them most.

San Diego Wins $14M for Affordable Housing
The funding comes via the state’s Regional Early Action Planning program and will help create close to 1,000 new housing units.
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