Habitat Starts Major Development In East Harwich

by William F. Galvin

            EAST HARWICH -- The sounds of hammers and Skil saws will fill the air over the next nine months as Habitat for Humanity Cape Cod volunteers work alongside sweat-equity homeowners to develop eight affordable housing units on Gomes Way off Depot Road.

            Habitat held a kick-off gathering on Thursday evening that drew more than 200 people to St Peter’s Lutheran Church. The eight families selected for the housing were present along with family partners and many of the volunteers and faith-based organization sponsoring the housing project. 

Phung Le Tran points to the location on the cluster development plan where she will work with Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod volunteers to building a new home along Gomes Way in East Harwich. WILLIAM F. GALVIN PHOTOS

           The cluster development will contain 13 units, with five of the structures built by a contractor chosen by HHCC. The development is located along Gomes Way on 8.75 acres donated by the town of Harwich.

            Work began on Saturday. Gomes Way is expected to be a hubbub of activity over the next nine months, with faith-based work crews working on several of the homes and volunteers providing additional assistance on Tuesday and Saturdays.

            “I’m so happy to get a house,” Phung Le Tran said. “I won’t have to move and move and move. This will be the fourth time.”

            Tran said she came from Vietnam 17 years ago and was living in Pennsylvania until four years ago, when she moved to Cape Cod. She is presently renting in Brewster though her two boys go to school in Harwich, where she owns Jacqueline’s Nails, a manicure business in Harwich Port.

            “It’s very important as a single mom to have them in the town where I work,” Tran said.

            Tran’s house is being sponsored by Apostles’ Build, a faith-based group from eight churches from the Lower Cape, which has committed $50,000 in funding, volunteer workers, devotions and meals among other forms of support. HHCC family partners, people who provide assistance to the family during the process, are John and Betty Ann Holman of Harwich Port.

            “We can do small things with great love and together we can do something wonderful,” HHCC executive director Victoria Goldsmith said, quoting Mother Theresa.

            She thanked the many people and organizations who made contributions, including the town of Harwich through its land donation, Community Preservation Act funds and the town’s affordable housing special fund. She also cited the involvement of 17 area churches in the development.

            Five of the homes have $50,000 sponsors and three of them are faith-based. They include the Church of the Holy Spirit, the Harwich Faith Communities and The Apostles’ Build. Two of the houses are sponsored by the Bennett Charitable Foundation and a matching $25,000 anonymous donor.

            Gary Mann of the Harwich Faith Communities cited the efforts of former State Representative Shirley Gomes, R-Harwich, and her husband Richard, for their work to develop affordable housing. Their efforts were recognized in the naming of Gomes Way, the road leading into the development.

            “You are the hands of hope,” the former legislator said. “This is a precious moment. What can be more precious than providing a family with a basis need – housing.”

.           The families chosen for these houses were emotional when speaking of the opportunity for home ownership. Several of those soon to be living on Gomes Way thanked God for making this possible.

            “It’s unbelievable,” Margaret Richardson said of the opportunity to own a home with her two daughters. “It’s going to be awesome to grow with this neighborhood and make great friends for life.”

            “No words can express what it means to my son and me,” Dawn Renee Granquist said.

            “I thank God, without whom this never would have been possible,” Tonya Gurley said of a home for her three daughters. “I’m so excited, I drive by the lot every day.”

            Those families selected for housing will provide between 250 and 500 hours of sweat equity, working alongside volunteers serving in various capacities.

            “We’re trying to build a community,” Michael Williams, construction supervisor for HHCC said.

            Some days there will be 50 to 60 volunteers on site, working next to the homeowners. Williams urged volunteers to socialize and learn the stories of these people and encourage them to be part of the Harwich community.

.           Williams said the houses will be constructed to conventional housing standards and they will be working to meet “green” energy standards, including placement of photovoltaic panels on roofs and extra insulation.

            “This is an opportunity to learn different (construction) aspects,” Williams told the volunteers. “We’re here to teach as well so you can go home and do this work.”

            “It’s an amazing experience you don’t get anywhere else,” volunteer coordinator Hilary Greene said of “working beside the homeowner to build their home.”

            There are special days set up for volunteers, including pre-arranged volunteerism on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Sue Daggett of HHCC said Thursday, May 7 will be women’s build day. 

            Goldsmith also said homeownership applications for the five structures to be built by the contracting firm will be available next week through the Housing Assistance Corporation in Hyannis.

            The development is 100 percent affordable, with the HHCC built structures issued to applicants at a maximum of 65 percent of the median income for Barnstable County. Applicants for the five sub-contracted homes must have a maximum income of not more than 80 percent of the county median.   

            “It’s a fabulous time with a fabulous outcome,” Goldsmith said of the Habitat experience.

4/23/09