SHARON – Members of the Sharon Housing Trust gathered Saturday, Oct. 24, for an official groundbreaking ceremony for their latest project—a two-story house at 160 Silver Lake Shores Road.
The ground was actually broken a few days earlier, with a large hole denoting the start of construction.
Several residents representing various boards were in attendance, many commenting on the beautiful views afforded by the location just across the road from Mudge Pond.
Richard Baumann, president of the trust, said an anonymous donor gave the land, which consists of 0.37 acres. An old bungalow was taken down and many large trees were removed in preparation for construction. The house, which will consist of three bedrooms, was designed by architect Christine Gray and is being built by Boulder Ridge Construction of Bethlehem.
The prospective owners will be chosen through a lottery system. They must secure a mortgage and will own both the house and land. The house will have a restriction in the deed to ensure it remains affordable. It is unclear how much the house will be purchased for.
As he stood looking over the site, Baumann said, “I’d love to build 100 more of these, but we just can’t afford it.”
The trust received a $150,000 grant from Capital for Change, a Connecticut community development financial institution, for the project. A local foundation offered a $25,000 matching grant, which was successfully met. There were also many private donations, said Baumann.
He noted that since the original cost estimate for the project was made, prices have risen. The cost may reach $500,000.
“Providing opportunities for families to own affordable housing is an important goal of the housing trust,” he said. “Our Silver Lake Shores project complements our continuing development of our four-building affordable rental housing campus on Sharon’s North Main Street. We are thankful for the continued support we receive from the Sharon community.”
The trust currently provides six units of affordable rental housing at 91, 93 and 95 North Main St.
An unexpected find during demolition was an old canoe beneath the bungalow’s foundation. Trust members are seeking ideas for what to do with it.
Those seeking information about the trust and its projects, can go to info@sharonhousingtrust.com or call 917-882-2727.
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