By KENNEDY GRIFFIN

(Montague, MA) Pioneer Valley Habitat For Humanity has submitted a proposal for low income housing on First Street in Turners Falls. Their proposal is to build six energy efficient, single-family detached homes that would be sold to low income, first-time home buyers.

The Town of Montague sent out a Request For Proposals (RFP) in December of last year for the Design and Development of Affordable Housing on First Street. Habitat For Humanity was the sole response. The RFP called for a plan to build five to twelve units of affordable housing on a lot with approximately 0.65 acres of land that would match the scale and architecture of surrounding structures. The property was assessed at $50,500.

According to the RFP, “On May 7, 2022, Montague’s Town Meeting voted to designate this property as 40R Smart Growth Overlay Zoning District and authorized the Selectboard to sell the First Street property for the purpose of developing low or moderate income housing. In effort to meet the housing production needs of the community, the Planning Board has identified this underutilized municipal overflow parking lot across from Town Hall as highly suitable for new downtown housing due to its proximity to Avenue A and the recreational amenities along the riverfront. The lot was historically used for worker housing through the early 1900’s. The Town has owned the lot since 1963 and has been used as an overflow parking area for Town Hall the last 50+ years.”

The RFP also states, “The addition of housing at this site was identified as a priority action item in the 2021 Downtown Turners Falls Rapid Recovery Plan. The plan concludes that more residents living downtown who are not cost-burdened by housing would have a positive outcome for the economic health and sustainability of the downtown.”

Habitat For Humanity’s proposal states “The final sale price of the home and mortgage amount will be set based on the income of the buyers so that their housing costs at the time of home purchase do not exceed 30% of their income. We will commit to a maximum sales price not to exceed $200,000 per home and for budget purposes have assumed a sales price of $125,000 and a down payment of $1,000 per buyer, for a net purchase price of $124,000.” They also state that they plan to fundraise for the cost difference between purchase price and the cost of construction.

If all goes to plan, three of the homes would be completed in the summer of 2025 and the other three would be completed in 2026.