NANTUCKET – The Housing Assistance Corporation’s lottery for affordable homes in the Sachem’s Path development on Nantucket resulted in 15 families on the path to potential homeownership.
The lottery took place Tuesday at the Cyrus Peirce Middle School.
Housing Assistance Corporation Director of Real Estate Gael Kelleher said it was an emotional time for participants.
“When [those selected] were crying and being emotional, they were saying they never thought they would have an opportunity to buy a house on Nantucket, to stay on the island and be a homeowner,” she said.
Kelleher said, HAC received over 75 applications from people wanting to buy one of the 15 homes in the first phase of the development. Of those applicants, 48 were eligible by income and ability to be approved for a mortgage to be in the lottery.
The purpose of Sachem’s Path is to provide affordable housing for mid-income islanders. Homes are set aside for people making 80 percent of the Nantucket’s median income, as well as 100 percent and even 150 percent.
Kelleher said the homes are one-, two- and three-bedroom, with a price range of $224,000 to 515,000.
“This project clearly showed the demand and the need for affordable housing,” Kelleher said.
Those selected from the lottery will now have to remain financially eligible.
In the meantime, Kelleher said she believes HAC will move into Phase II of the project, with a total of 40 single-family homes as part of Sachem’s Path.
She noted some misconceptions she believes many have about who buys affordable homes.
“This is very much a workforce group here: we have a firefighter, nurses, school teacher, contractor, a golf pro, paralegal, a truck driver,” she said. “So it’s very much the regular people who work hard and want to live here on Nantucket.”
As for those who were not selected in the lottery, Kelleher said they took the negative news in strides.
“They understood that ‘luck of the draw’ was very much a part of the process; that it was very fair and very open,” she said.
