Habitat Planning East Harwich Project

 HARWICH – Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod is in the process of purchasing two parcels of land off Route 39 along Cypress Point in East Harwich to potentially build up to five affordable homes.

 Construction is not imminent, however, said Noreen Browne, director of land acquisition for Habitat. Habitat owns one of the parcels, but the second lot is in probate court, she said. The parcels were owned by the late Herbert Bassett of Chatham. 

 Habitat has a number of projects underway in Brewster, Orleans, Yarmouth and Falmouth, and no date has been set for the Harwich project, she said. Should the project come to fruition, Habitat will be seeking financial contributions from the town’s affordable housing trust and community preservation committee.

 Habitat has put the town on notice of the project. In a letter sent in mid-April, the nonprofit affordable housing organization informed the town that it would like to discuss the state’s Local Initiative Program for 40B permits and the new Starter Home Zoning District legislation as a path to permitting.

The two lots under consideration for the project are in the 40,500-square-foot range and located in a rural-residential estate zoning district within the Six Ponds Special District. The properties are within a natural resource nitrogen sensitive area and the Pleasant Bay watershed.

While there are major sewer projects taking place in neighborhoods in East Harwich, it appears a sewer connection to Cypress Point was not included in the town comprehensive wastewater management plan, according to the Habitat letter.

The site may require installation of private septic, water and electricity, according to Habitat. All the utilities and the dirt road leading into the lots need to be upgraded, according to the 1989 subdivision plan.

Browne said innovative/alternative septic technology will be necessary and will be the limiting factor in determining the number of homes that can be constructed there.

The Habitat letter describes the location as a residential section of East Harwich with a scattering of Cape and Colonial style homes. The letter highlights the property’s proximity to the nearby East Harwich commercial area.

Habitat builds modest homes, including ranch, colonial and Cape Cod style houses, Brown said. The plan is to build two- and three-bedroom dwellings, she said. Habitat homes are usually between 1,200 and 1,500 square feet, she added.

 “The style selected will be the one that best fits in with the character of the surrounding area or that might accommodate a buyer with mobility constraints,” Habitat’s letter reads. 

All the homes built on 19 and 31 Cypress Point will be sold to income-qualified buyers earning at or below 80 percent area median income (AMI), with some sales targeting households earning 60 percent AMI. Should the town request a local preference, applicants working in the town, employed by the town, or with children enrolled in Harwich public schools, will be given preference. 

As is usually the case, Habitat will require selected families to contribute "sweat equity,” devoting between 250 to 500 volunteer hours to the building of the houses.

In its letter to the town, Habitat wrote that should it be successful in obtaining permitting, the dwellings would add to the town’s subsidized housing inventory, and Habitat would be requesting funds from the affordable housing trust and community preservation committee to cover early construction costs.