Mayor Menino is pushing for hyper-small studio apartments in the Seaport (“Innovation”) District.
We’re talking way small. As in 375-square-feet small. Will it work? Will there be a demand? The administration thinks so. Some developers agree. They may well be right.
But what if they’re wrong? That’s the problem with government-dictated policies. They may get it wrong, [...]

The Boston Globe has a big story that looks at all the different apartment-building projects around the city.
The bottom line: About 5,000 units have been proposed, or work has already started on new units,  since the start of the year. The article has a link to an excellent graphic showing all the projects. It’s pretty [...]

The Globe impressively adds up all the recent construction projects announced or under way in Boston, and concludes we’re seeing an apartment construction boom.
The numbers back up the claim: 850 units now under construction. Another 295 as of Monday when developers start yet another project. Those numbers don’t include the approximate 1,000 housing units, mostly [...]

Developers across the city are unveiling plans for new apartment buildings. Notice what’s missing: new luxury condos.
No big surprise. But it is curious to see how completely the market has changed.
Luxury condos will make a comeback one day, probably sooner than people think. But it’s not going to happen this year or next.
File under: Time [...]

The Boston Business Journal is reporting that the ownership structure of the Archstone Boston Common, 660 Washington Street, and Archstone Avenir, 101 Canal Street, could soon be changing. The nation-wide Archstone also owns eight other apartment properties in Massachusetts, including three in Cambridge.
From the BBJ:
“According to a Wall Street Journal report Thursday, Archstone’s owners — [...]

Four new Boston luxury rental/condo developments will add over 1,000 new apartments to our Boston rental inventory.
Boston West End: 500 rental units will be added at the Garden garage.
Boston Chinatown – 295 apartment units will be added. Construction will begin early 2012.
Boston Downtown Crossing – 263 apartments and condos will begin this summer 2011.
Boston Financial District/Midtown – 385 rental [...]

The old Chinatown development at the corner of Hudson and Kneeland — right at the gate of Chinatown — got the greenlight from the city and will start construction in 2012. The new $130 million, 20-story development will feature 295 apartments and 50 condos, a 13,000 s/f park, and a community center. A whopping 40 [...]

Yesterday Millennium Partners revived the “old” Hayward Place condo development in Downtown Crossing. Millennium filed revised plans with the BRA after essentially shelving plans in 2008. The revised plan actually calls for  256 condos and apartments, and 200,000 s/f of retail space. The location is right on the edge of Chinatown, right in front of [...]

Boston has some of the most tenant-friendly laws around. Boston Landlords can’t leave problems unfixed, barge in without an appointment, or keep your security deposit for no good reason. You can protect yourself as long as you pay attention and know your rights before, during, and, especially, after you sign a lease.
Read more from the [...]

Fenway News Online reports that the owners of Burbank Apartments have their way, the Fenway neighborhood may lose 173 affordable homes – nearly 10% of the subsidized housing in the Fenway – beginning on April 1, 2011.
The mortgage of Burbank Apartments was financed by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) 40 years ago [...]