Haverhill

Councilors Seek Haverhill Residents and Businesses to Weigh-In on Five-Year Housing Plan

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Haverhill city councilors are looking for input from residents and businesses before giving their blessings to a draft five-year Housing Production Plan. After nearly an hour of discussion, councilors voted Tuesday, May 6, to send the draft, prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, to its Planning and Development Committee. Haverhill Community Development Division Director Andrew K. Herlihy, explained that while a Housing Production Plan is not required, it greatly improves the city’s chances of winning state and federal grants and makes Haverhill more attractive to developers. “This is going to be an aspirational document. It’s a guide.

Community Spotlight

Haverhill Council on Aging Screens P.T. Barnum Flick May 14

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The musical period drama “The Greatest Showman” about the life and times of P.T. Barnum will be shown by the Haverhill Council on Aging. The film starring Hugh Jackman in the title role will be shown Wednesday, May 14, at 11 a.m. in Room 45 at the Haverhill Citizen Center, 10 Welcome St. The showing is free. The film, which won a Golden Globe for best original song, traces Barnum’s early beginnings in entertainment. Reserve a place by calling Activities Director Paola Hussein at 978-374-2390, ext.

Haverhill

West Newbury Returns to Drawing Board as it Seeks to Comply with MBTA Communities Act

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West Newbury town officials say the town isn’t fighting a state housing requirement and will return to the drawing board after Town Meeting voters rejected a new multifamily zoning district to comply with the MBTA Communities Act. The vote on April 28 was 227 in favor with 302 against, according to Town Manager Angus Jennings. West Newbury has a population of 4,500 and 3,800 registered voters. “West Newbury is totally committed to remaining in compliance with the requirement,” Jennings said, noting that the town has until the end of this year to accept the act’s provisions. The MBTA Communities Act requires communities that have, or are adjacent to communities with, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority service to have at least one special housing district.

Haverhill

Haverhill Housing Advocates Press for Faster Solutions, Note How Shortage Harms the Local Economy

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Housing advocates this week urged city leaders to move more quickly on measures that encourage home ownership and reduce the cost of housing in the city. Haverhill Homes 4 All, a coalition of business owners, social service agencies, home builders and faith groups put the spotlight on how the national housing shortage is playing out in Haverhill during a forum Monday night. Some 50 people attended including Mayor Melinda E. Barrett and several members of the Haverhill City Council. Nate Robertson, a member of the Haverhill Planning Board, moderated the forum. He started out by noting that not long ago, Haverhill was considered an affordable community.

Haverhill

Haverhill Launches New City Website; Site Aims to Improve Information Access

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The City of Haverhill recently launched a new website intended to serve information faster and make navigation and maintenance easier. Douglas Russell, the city’s director of technology, said GovStack, a website design company based in Australia, won the bid to design the new site. The city paid $24,000 for initial site design and construction and will pay an annual maintenance fee of $3,840. He said the city signed a three-year agreement. The web address HaverhillMA.gov has not changed.

Community Spotlight

Groveland Council on Aging Plans EngAGEment Conference

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Val Walker, a nationally-recognized motivational speaker who advises on social connections later in life, will serve at the keynote presenter at the Groveland Council on Aging’s second annual EngAGEment Celebration and Symposium. The conference, which celebrates Older Americans Month, will be held Saturday, May 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pentucket Regional High School, 24 Main St., West Newbury. The event is free but registering at GrovelandMa.com/Council-On-Aging assures participants of a ticket to the lunch. Walker is the author of “400 Friends and No One to Call,” and writes regularly for Psychology Today. She will offer practical strategies for those seeking to expand their social networks and stay connected through life’s transitions.

Haverhill

Haverhill Pavilion Receives Special Permit for, What Were Deemed ‘Needed,’ Behavioral Care Beds

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Haverhill Pavilion won a special permit from the Haverhill City Council Tuesday night to proceed with plans to construct an addition for a 24-bed geriatric behavioral health unit at the hospital at 76 Summer St. Robert D. Harb, the Haverhill attorney representing the hospital’s owner, Acadia Health Care of New Jersey, said the need for the additional mental health beds is well documented. In a letter to the Council, he said Haverhill Pavilion is running at 97.1% capacity and “deflected” 1,354 referrals in 2024. The state Department of Mental Health has already approved the addition, he noted. “Do we have a fiscal impact on the city?

Haverhill

Podcast: Habitat for Humanity Plans 7 Affordable Housing Units in Haverhill’s Mount Washington

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Essex County Habitat for Humanity, currently in the midst of one Haverhill homebuilding project, is moving on to another in the city’s Mount Washington neighborhood. The nonprofit recently agreed to purchase a single-family home and property at 512 Washington St. for $650,000 and has the city’s blessing to convert it into seven affordable housing units. Director of Charitable Giving Kevin Hudson made the revelation while a guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. “We are currently raising funds to acquire property on Washington Street where we  plan to build seven new homes,” Hudson said, noting that in addition to the purchase price, Habitat must raise about $2 million to fund the renovation and construction.