The Buzzards Bay Area Habitat for Humanity (BBAHFH) will hold a virtual public information session on Wednesday, October 28 to advise the community of its plans to construct two affordable condominium units in a duplex building on a parcel of land on Sodom Road purchased from the Westport Affordable Housing Trust.
The Trust conveyed the 5.3-acre parcel on Sodom Road to BBAHFH, a non-profit organization that helps working families buy their own homes at an affordable price. In addition to securing a home mortgage, the families will put in the sweat equity needed to help keep the purchase price well below market rates.
The nominal $1,000 “sale price” of the land will help BBAHFH convey the new condominiums to income-eligible buyers at an affordable price. In addition to the discounted conveyance price, the Trust will also contribute up to $195,500 in infrastructure costs for site work, septic system, water supply and legal costs needed for the creation of a condominium association for the prospective owners of the housing units.
In their proposal to the Trust last winter, BBAHFH committed to oversee the construction of the two three-bedroom affordable housing units to be sold to income-eligible families willing to contribute about $170,000 in financing and additional sweat equity towards each home.
Housing Specialist Leonardi Aray noted that the BBAHFH responses to the Trust’s Request for Proposals were “most advantageous” for every evaluation point, prompting him to recommend Trust acceptance of the proposal. The Trust voted unanimously this spring to negotiate with BBAHFH to develop the Local Housing Initiative project to help increase the town’s inventory of affordable housing units.
Deed restrictions attached to the property will ensure that the condominium units remain affordable in perpetuity, or to the extent permitted by law.
The information session is planned for 6:00 pm on Wednesday, October 28 via ZOOM presentation. BBAHFH will present preliminary design plans, the maximum income levels which apply to potential purchasers earning 30 to 60 percent of the town’s median income, and other details about this housing opportunity and BBAHFH.
To get the ZOOM meeting access code, contact Housing Specialist Leonardi Aray via email to Leonardi@larayarchitects.com or WestportHousing@outlook.com.
For questions or more information, email BuzzardsBayAreaHabitat@yahoo.com.