Homes to Rise in Fall

Cape Cod Times Images by Merrily Cassidy, Images of Volunteers and Homeowner shingling at Phoebe Way
Habitat homeowner Bernalynn Sargent right works with volunteer Bob Lodi as they put shingles on her new home This Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod home has three bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms The home will be ready to be moved into in the fall Two new Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod homes are being built on Phoebe Way The homes are constructed on property that Elizabeth Finch subdivided Finchs home remains on the nearly 58000 square foot lot Merrily CassidyCape Cod Times

Cape woman asked Habitat for Humanity to build

affordable homes on her land. It worked.

By: Zane Razzaq, Cape Cod Times

April 17, 2024

BREWSTER − Two three-bedroom homes under construction on a quiet stretch of land along Red Top Road are part of Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod‘s efforts to bring more affordable housing to the region.

Two families who grew up on Cape Cod will move into the houses when they are completed. One family is made up of a landscape and Marine Corps vet, his wife who is an educator, and their two young children, with the project representing Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod’s first veterans build.

The other home will be for a Cape Cod Hospital pediatrician nurse and four children.

“We’re expecting these houses to be done this fall,” said Habitat for Humanity’s Director of Resources Tara Cronin. “Right now, they’re finishing up shingles and then they’re going to start shoring up flooring.”

Habitat for Humanity acquired the land in 2020, but conversations first began several years prior. Elizabeth Finch approached the organization with a proposal to subdivide her nearly 58,000 square-foot-property into three lots with affordable homes built on two of them. She will

continue to live in her current home.

Finch has named the new road Phoebe Way, in a nod to the phoebe birds that frequent the land and prefer open woods, yards and woodland edges, according to Habitat for Humanity.

The project is also supported with a $50,000 donation from Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club in Brewster.

Cape Cod Times Image by Merrily Cassidy; Volunteer Coordinator Nancy apple measures wood
Volunteer coordinator Nancy Apple prepares to cut a piece of cedar shingle to fit around a window Two new Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod homes are being built on Phoebe Way The homes are constructed on property that Elizabeth Finch subdivided Finchs home remains on the nearly 58000 square foot lot Merrily CassidyCape Cod Times

Brewster homes to have solar systems, heat pumps

The homes, like all homes by Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod, will be extremely energy-efficient, said Cronin, typically equipped with features like solar systems, bamboo flooring, and more.

Ecologically-friendly and drought-resistant landscaping will provide all native plants, fruits, vegetables, and a mix of clover and grass in the yard, so fertilizers will not need to be used.

“A lot of our homeowners do not get an energy bill. One of the features that we use is a heat pump which not only heats the home but cools the home,” said Cronin.

Image by Merrily Cassidy/Cape Cod Times; Volunteers shingle the back of the Veterans Build home at Phoebe Way in Brewster
Cedar shingles were going up on Bernalynn Sargents new home Two new Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod homes are being built on Phoebe Way The homes are constructed on property that Elizabeth Finch subdivided Finchs home remains on the nearly 58000 square foot lot Merrily CassidyCape Cod Times

Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod has built over 180 homes on the peninsula.

Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod has built over 180 homes in all 15 towns on the Cape since its 1988 founding, according to its website. The first home was dedicated in Wellfleet in November 1989.

Local families help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. They must be willing to complete 250 hours per adult of “sweat equity” working on construction of the homes.

The homes are deed-restricted to remain affordable in perpetuity.

What’s next?

Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod is currently accepting applications for eight affordable homes for purchase soon to be built.

The deadline to apply is Monday, May 13.

This new construction includes four three-bedroom homes on Jack Delaney Lane in Dennis and two three-bedroom and two two-bedroom homes on Old King’s Highway in Wellfleet. The land in Dennis was bought from the Friends of Dennis Senior Center with the Community Preservation funds used to cover the purchase.

Meanwhile the property in Wellfleet was purchased with Community Preservation funds from Wellfleet, but Habitat owned the land since around 2009. Plans were tied up in litigation for almost 15 years before the organization received approval to begin building this past year.

Cape Cod Times Images by Merrily Cassidy, Image of Volunteer Bob Lodi and Future Homeowner Bernalynn Sargent shingling at Phoebe Way
Habitat homeowner Bernalynn Sargent left works with volunteer Bob Lodi as they a board in place to continue to install the next row of cedar shingling Two new Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod homes are being built on Phoebe Way The homes are constructed on property that Elizabeth Finch subdivided Finchs home remains on the nearly 58000 square foot lot Merrily CassidyCape Cod Times

Applicants have to meet certain criteria in three key areas — need, ability to pay and willingness to partner — to be considered. For instance, the applicant’s total household income should be no higher than 80% of area median income by household size.

AMI for a family of four in Barnstable County is $108,700. So, 80% of AMI in Barnstable County for a family of four is $86,950.

The typical price to the homeowner for a Habitat Cape Cod home is $154,750 to $247,000, according to the website.

More information about the application process is available on Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod’s website.

The permitting process is also underway for two homes in Marston Mills and four homes in Falmouth. Habitat for Humanity is also pursuing an opportunity for up to 13 homes in North Falmouth, seven homes in Orleans, and six in Yarmouth.

“We’re always seeking land … these are years out, we fill our pipeline four, five, six years out,” said Wendy Cullinan, president and CEO.

Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com. Follow her on X @zanerazz.

Cape Cod Times Images by Merrily Cassidy, Interior image of one home at Phoebe Way, Plaster has been installed on the walls
Wallboard has just been put up in this new three bedroom Habitat home Two new Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod homes are being built on Phoebe Way The homes are constructed on property that Elizabeth Finch subdivided Finchs home remains on the nearly 58000 square foot lot Merrily CassidyCape Cod Times
Cape Cod Times Images by Merrily Cassidy, Images of Volunteer sorting shingles at Phoebe Way.
Sharon Dixon of William Raveis Real Estate selects a cedar shingle to hammer into this Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod home A group of realtors from William Raveis Real Estate were volunteering their time Thursday for the house build Two new Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod homes are being built on Phoebe Way The homes are constructed on property that Elizabeth Finch subdivided Finchs home remains on the nearly 58000 square foot lot Merrily CassidyCape Cod Times
Cape Cod Times Images by Merrily Cassidy, Images of Volunteers sorting through shingles
Helen Malone left and Chris Manning both of William Raveis Real Estate choose cedar shingles to put onto the new home A group of realtors from William Raveis Real Estate were volunteering their time Thursday for the house build Two new Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod homes are being built on Phoebe Way The homes are constructed on property that Elizabeth Finch subdivided Finchs home remains on the nearly 58000 square foot lot Merrily CassidyCape Cod Times