Over many years there has been an awareness of the need for housing options that are affordable for people who live and work in Salisbury. These local housing organizations are hard at work trying to help our community.
Salisbury Affordable Housing Commission - In 2008, the Board of Selectmen (BoS) created the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee to study affordable housing needs in Salisbury. In June 2010, the committee published “Preserving Salisbury’s Vitality: Housing for Tomorrow” (see town website), which is still relevant today. As a result of their recommendation, the Salisbury Affordable Housing Commission was established. Commission members are volunteers who represent the entire town and work in an advisory capacity to the town government. The SAHC supports those considering building units of affordable housing here, especially the organizations listed below, serves as a referral source for people in search of such housing, and raises awareness of the need for housing and the ways the town can support the creation of affordable housing.
Salisbury Housing Committee - The Salisbury Housing Committee is a non-profit, volunteer organization that has been committed to building and managing affordable rental housing in the Salisbury area since the 1970s when local churches banded together to create Faith House. They now own and manage Faith House and Sarum Village I and II. They work with a managing agent who checks applicants’ financial and criminal backgrounds as well as manages rents and the maintenance of the buildings and grounds.
Salisbury Housing Trust - The Salisbury Housing Trust is a non-profit, volunteer organization that promotes affordable home ownership in the Salisbury towns. They raise funds, primarily through local donors; seek sites on which to build or homes to renovate; and seek qualified applicants. The Housing Trust builds single-family two and three bedroom homes and subsidizes the homes by retaining ownership of the land, allowing the homes to sell well below current median home sales prices. While owners can sell their houses, or gift them to family members, deed restrictions ensure long-term affordability when the homes are resold.
Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Connecticut (Habitat) serves housing needs in Sharon, Salisbury, North Canaan, Norfolk, Canaan/Falls Village and Cornwall. Habitat facilitates home ownership of simple but decent affordable homes for local workforce families who earn 60% of the area median income. Habitat’s proven formula, which keeps costs affordable, involves volunteers who provide most of the labor, individual and corporate donors who provide money and materials, and partner families who are required to work 400 hours sweat equity in building their homes. Once construction is complete, Habitat assumes the role of lender, making a zero-interest mortgage for a reasonable term that best suits the financial strength of the eligible partner applicant.
This article was published in The Lakeville Journal on 7/11/19.