Habitat Headlines The Quarterly Newsletter of Habitat for Humanity of Martha's Vineyard

Building Simple, Decent & Affordable Homes for Our Island Neighbors - Spring 2005

Habitat Headlines Editor/Designer: Dick Mezger Contributing Writer: Bud Macy HFH of Martha’s Vineyard BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ron DiOrio*, President Berkeley Johnson*, Secretary Al DeVito*, Treasurer Miki Badnek Tom Burke Toby Codding Jerry Fritz Lorna Giles Sonya Justus Hope MacLeod Andre Mallegol Ben Moore Greg Orcutt Mark Rasmussen Rick Reinhardsen Michelle Roberts Jack Ross Jack Street** Alan Wilson *member of the Executive Committee **on leave of absence COMMITTEE CHAIRS Executive: Ron DiOrio Building: Toby Codding Development & Communications: Mark Rasmussen Family Partnership: Miki Badnek Faith Relations: Jerry Fritz & Michelle Roberts Family Selection: Jerry Fritz Nominating: Berkeley Johnson Site Selection: Jack Ross & Alan Wilson Volunteer: Sonya Justus & Michelle Roberts STAFF Julie Willett, Executive Director Naina Williams, Director of Development Habitat for Humanity of Martha's Vineyard 346 State Road, Suite 21 Post Office Box 1093 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 Phone/Fax: 508.696.4646 Email: houses@habitatmv.org Web site: www.habitatmv.org

HFHMV Trying New Ways to Raze the Roof! Exciting news – subject to applicable approvals and permits, this house may soon be on its way to become the fourth HFHMV home on the Vineyard. While there are several levels of approval and permits that must be obtained before we take our first steps, success will mean moving this house that is scheduled to be razed to its new location and then thoroughly renovating and modernizing it to make it a simple, decent and affordable home for a deserving Island family! In association with the Island Housing Trust (IHT), we are pleased to announce that land has been obtained for the fourth Habitat home on the Vineyard. This land is easy to find, as it is located at the blinking light at the corner of Barnes Road and Edgartown/Vineyard Haven Road in Oak Bluffs. The Island Housing Trust has recently acquired this 1.6-acre parcel that is presently zoned for seven bedrooms. Plans call for there being three homes on this parcel: the Habitat 3-bedroom home and two other 2-bedroom homes. The developers of the 2^nd and 3^rd buildings have not yet been determined, but Habitat is certainly interested in these opportunities, as well! South Mountain Corporation is planning site and infrastructure development. (continued on page 3) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PLEASE REFER TO THE BACK PAGE FOR THE SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING HABITAT EVENTS!

Message from Board President Ron DiOrio 2004 was a major construction year for us!  Countless volunteers donated their time, skills and financial support to enable the two houses on Bennett Way to be built.  In addition, our Building Committee and the Bennett Way Construction Coordinator, Dick Mezger, did a great job in helping to complete the project, just in time for our families to move in before the holidays.  As a result of everyone's effort, two more Island families now live in safe, affordable, secure, simple and decent homes. This year, our goal is to build two more houses for Island families in need.  Once again, the business community has reached out to support our efforts.  We are most grateful to all organizations that have donated to us, in particular Hinckley's, the Farm Neck Foundation, the Rotary Club and the Island Affordable Housing Fund and the Permanent Endowment Fund for Martha’s Vineyard for their extremely generous contributions.  The benevolence from our individual donors is outstanding and while there are too many to name individually, I feel compelled to publicly thank two families who have been most kind with their financial support:  the Lewis Family and the Tookes Family.  We are successful because of everyone’s ongoing generosity! Our newest family selected for the next house to be built has already started to earn their sweat equity hours required as part of the agreement they make with Habitat in the purchase of their home.  As with every aspect of Habitat, it is a team effort.  The new family is eager to "partner" with Habitat to work on their own house.  Spring is right around the corner.  This is a season that many of us are anxiously awaiting as it conjures up thoughts of new growth, warmth and new beginnings.  This is exactly what we at Habitat strive for Island families in need of affordable and decent housing to have: the warmth from those who care enough to lend a helping hand and a new beginning for a deserving Island family in their own home!  We need your support!  To everyone who plays a part in making our successes measurable . . . yesterday, today and tomorrow, we thank you for your support.

Words from Executive Director Julie Willett We have started 2005 as enthusiastic as ever!  We are determined to accomplish our goal of building two more homes on Martha's Vineyard this year and with the ongoing support from our donors and volunteers, we will!  In an effort to streamline our operations, we have assessed what we have done in the past and analyzed how it could be more effective from a building stance in the future.  We are looking for the first time at moving a house that would otherwise be razed and renovating it to best serve an Island family.  We are aware of the financial donations given to us and are constantly looking at ways to be prudent stewards of your gifts. Three architects graciously offered their services pro bono to design the next house; we are working with Neal Sullivan to design a simple, practical and cost effective house.  New members from the community have joined our committees to ensure smoother operations.  Our Building Committee recently met with its newest members and many great ideas were shared by all.  Developing a course of action for the next project was discussed, so that time and funds are used in the best possible way.  The Development/Communications Committee is busy planning several events for the year.  Please refer to the back cover and add each event to your calendar!  All our committees are re-energized to work toward a common goal, to provide simple and decent housing for deserving Island families. It is this outpouring from the community that keeps us going! The affordable housing problem on Martha's Vineyard will not magically be resolved.  It takes the collaborative effort from our community to address this issue.  Our formula at Habitat is simple:  your financial support + your volunteer efforts + your in-kind donations + Habitat = more homes built on the Island of Martha's Vineyard.  All of us working together means there will be more families able to stay on the Island.  It means helping a family in need to better provide for their children.  It means enabling individuals to continue being productive citizens and a vibrant part of our community and economy.  It means a more diverse population, one of the many beautiful things about the Island...the cadre of people from all walks of life! With your support and concern for the health and well being of our Vineyard neighbors, we move forward to build a stronger community on our Island!  If you have a special interest or talent, we have the opportunity, so please call the office and get involved!  It takes a village to build a home!  Be a part of our village as you are able:  give your time, talents, and financial and in-kind donations to support us and know that together, we will make a difference!

Would you like to make a difference in your community?

If you are looking for a way to gain a greater sense of purpose and a way to give back to the community in which you reside or visit, why not consider getting involved with Habitat for Humanity of Martha’s Vineyard? Our work is done with the generosity of spirit from individuals like yourself. We need your support for doing administrative work, construction, and fundraising or by making a financial contribution or a donation of building material(s) and in so many other ways!

Just give us a call and we will definitely have a way for you to get involved: 508.696.4646.

New Ways to Raze the Roof! (continued from page 1) It is no secret that acquiring land on the Island for a Habitat home has become an extremely difficult process, as there is little available and it is extremely expensive to acquire. The Island Housing Trust (IHT) is now a key source of land on which to build Island affordable housing. The new Habitat homeowner will lease the land from the IHT; terms and conditions of the lease will maintain the land (and home) as affordable housing in perpetuity. Providing everything works according to plan, the house will be moved to the blinker site and refurbished as a Habitat home. A key initiative shared by the IHT and of some of its generous donors is that there is an emphasis on reusing buildings that would otherwise be torn down to make way for new construction. Habitat is pleased to support this endeavor and eagerly seeks new ways to get homes built on the Island as efficiently and cost effectively as possible. View of the new blinker light site in Oak Bluffs It is expected that there will be a “friendly 40B” application for the use of the blinker site. This may have to go before the Martha’s Vineyard Commission and will go before the Oak Bluffs Zoning Board of Appeals and other Oak Bluffs committees and boards. There are many ways for you to get involved with this project. You are encouraged to support this project as it moves through the permitting and approval process. We will also need assistance in preparing the house to be moved and then renovating it at its new location. Please contact Julie Willett at 508.696.4646 to find out more about how you can get involved. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Approaches to Affordable Housing Provides Opportunities for Habitat on Martha’s Vineyard There is much clamor about affordable housing on the Vineyard these days. The subject came to a forefront in May 2000, when affordable housing advocates, businesses and individuals from state and local government gathered at the Grange Hall in West Tisbury for a seminar regarding affordable housing on the Vineyard. Substantial attention to affordable housing started with the Dukes County Regional Housing Authority (DCRHA).

(continued from previous column) Its focus has been and remains primarily on rental housing. We welcome its new executive director David Vigneault. Financial support of staff and the executive director position was originally funded by the Island Affordable Housing Fund and is now transitioning to support from individual Vineyard towns. Another notable success is the Island Affordable Housing Fund (IAHF). It was founded in 1998 with the mission of supporting the development of affordable housing with assistance in both the purchase and rental of homes. Emily Graham is the Executive Director of the IAHF. Initially, the group sought to both raise funds and develop houses. Over the last several years, it has spun off an organization to own land and support development (new construction and rehabilitation). IAHF now focuses on fund raising. With its Raising the Roof and Houses on the Move fund raisers, it is grossing upwards of $1,000,000 per year. Habitat of Martha’s Vineyard is honored to have been a recipient of grant money from IAHF in the amount of $55,000 to assist with the construction of the two Bennett Way homes in Edgartown that were recently completed. The most current organization to assist with the problem of affordable housing on the Island is the Island Housing Trust (IHT). This organization has picked up the land acquisition, ownership and development activities of the IAHF. IHT is actively forming a partnership with the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank so that Land Bank acquisitions are examined to determine if there is an affordable housing opportunity. Philippe Jordi is the newly appointed Executive Director and it is with great support we welcome him to his position. A new measure implemented in Chilmark and Aquinnah is the use of a local program known as the Community Preservation Act (CPA). Funds are obtained for use by assessing a surcharge on local property taxes of 1 - 3%. The state provides matching funds which are to be used in a combination of affordable housing, land acquisition and historic preservation. The exact split of the proceeds is at town discretion. Efforts are underway to approve CPA programs in the other four Island towns at town meetings this spring. The Island-wide potential for affordable housing funding from CPA funds is about $2,000,000 annually. These funds can assist Habitat’s goals, so please support these efforts in your town. If the CPA is adopted in all six towns, there is also the possibility of proposing the Vineyard Housing Bank to the state legislature. This would apply a 1% tax on the seller of Vineyard property (first $750,000 of value is exempt). Habitat MV differs from other groups by providing affordable housing for those in the lowest 25% ($19,800 for a family of four) of Dukes County median income. Habitat MV is the only group on the Island targeting families at this income level. Collectively, all these groups are striving to solve the affordable housing needs on our Island. It is an ongoing issue, but great progress is being made!

DEVELOPMENTS IN DEVELOPMENT ~ 2005 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Have a great time while supporting a worthwhile cause!

Third Annual House Walk ~ Saturday, May 7^th Walk in honor of your mom and all mothers to celebrate Mother's Day and to support the efforts of HFHMV.  Registration begins at 9:00 am at Ocean Park in Oak Bluffs.  Walk 4.5 miles along the seaside bike path to the Edgartown Triangle.  Return transportation will be provided.  This will be a fun event for the entire family! 

Habitat's Third Annual Art and More Auction ~ Friday, May 27^th If you would like to acquire extraordinary art at ordinary prices, plan to attend this year’s Art and More Auction. The excitement, along with food and beverages begins at 7:00 pm at the Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown. 

First Annual Habitat Sunday ~ Sunday, July 3^rd While attending your place of worship, please contribute $1.00 to support Habitat to build simple, decent and affordable homes for Vineyard families.

Comedy Night ~ Saturday, October 9^th Mark you calendar for our Third Annual Comedy Night. It’s guaranteed to be an evening filled with hearty belly laughs erupting from the audience! 

Holiday Concert ~ Friday, December 9^th Hear the young and talented musicians of the Contemporary Music Center perform unique renditions of holiday music and join in singing familiar carols.  This will be yet another fun-filled evening for the entire family!

For additional information, please visit our website at www.habitatmv.org or call our office at 508.696.4646.

Will you help us? Have you considered including HFHMV in your will? You could be eligible for

tax-benefits by bequesting to HFHMV a certain dollar amount from or a percentage of your assets.

Please consult your attorney or a financial or tax advisor for details.