Falmouth Selectmen Approve Habitat for Humanity’s 12-Home Development Plan

FALMOUTH – A plan by Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod to construct 12 affordable homes off Barrows Road was approved by Falmouth selectmen at a meeting last week.

The development will classify as a 40B, earning it easier passage through local bylaws and allowing for greater density.

The 5.5 acres of land on which it will sit was purchased with $362,000 of Community Preservation Act funding at a recent Town Meeting.

Habitat for Humanity director of land acquisition and project permitting Leedara Zola said, unlike most land acquired for Cape-area projects, this lot is pristine.

A lottery system will determine which applicants from a pool of qualified applications will be allowed to purchase each home. The homes are targeted for families making at or below 65 percent of the median income.

As usual for Habitat builds, the prospective buyers will put in between 250 and 500 hours of “sweat equity” into building the homes.

They’re a mix of 2- and 3-bedrooms and will sell for between $131,750 and $147,500.

Selectman Doug Jones asked if there were any issues with the property that the 40B title would clear up.

Zola said there was a previous permitting issue regarding an access way not having an appropriate width.

“It was off by less than 10 feet, and that is something that is easily waived in a 40B process so there are no insurmountable hurdles,” she said.

Now that the plans have selectmen’s approval, the next step is to submit them to the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development for review.

If approved at the state level, the local Zoning Board of Appeals process will begin.

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