Six Homes Completed in a Year!
In early 2022, we first shared the exciting news that Habitat EJC had bought land at Landes and 18th Streets in Port Townsend and would be developing six permanently affordable homes. Permanent affordability means that even if the original homeowner sells the home, a new income-qualified buyer will be able to buy the home at an affordable price – a new strategy we have implemented to help us meet our goals and mission to increase affordable housing in our community.
With early design blueprints of our first permanently affordable, multi-family development, we asked you to step up to support “Landes North,” a unique, cost-effective, and energy-efficient development of six paired homes. And step up you did. Thanks to your generosity, we successfully raised the funds needed to start the project and exactly one year ago in September 2022, we gathered as a team and community to officially break ground on the Landes North project. What a fun day that was!
In the Spring, many of you attended our Landes North Open House and toured the new two-bedroom and three-bedroom homes. Visitors enjoyed a first-hand look at the innovative architectural designs and learned that while paired homes appear to touch, like duplexes, each home has separate walls and lots. It’s the Advanced Framing, use of single-pitched roofs and added insulation between the two homes that make them more cost-effective, faster to build and better insulated. Together, these architectural distinctions mean a more cost-effective housing solution without sacrificing quality.
And, thanks to our team at the Habitat EJC store, the home was staged beautifully with furnishings – many of which were then bought by guests attending the Open House!
By summer 2023 families began to take occupancy. Once again, we gathered as a community for home dedication ceremonies to bless and celebrate the transfer of keys to our new Habitat homeowners: Donita, Kari, Neil, and Alicia.
Today, we are overjoyed to share that the last two home dedication ceremonies were held this week. We gathered together and welcomed home Garnett, as well as, Taylor, Karim and their children. For this, our amazing community of volunteers and donors deserves special recognition. The six Landes North homes stand for the generosity of our community through volunteer hours and in-kind donations, contributed cash, and donated talent.
Each home was sponsored by an individual, group, or organization. Heartfelt appreciation and gratitude go to the Dream Weaver Foundation, the Habitat Board & Board Alumni, the “Truck Guys” and their spouses, the Estate of Ted Rogers (and his family), and the Cross Charitable Foundation. Their generosity bridges a significant gap to cover the cost of building these six homes.
When combined with the permanent-affordability policy that Habitat EJC has instituted, and the affordable mortgage taken on by our partners – it is our volunteers, donors, and sponsors who stand out – as the key to the six new homes at Landes North.
More appreciation goes to the donors whose substantial generosity underwrote the land purchase and infrastructure needed for building these homes: First Fed Foundation, the L.S. (Sam) Shoen Foundation, SiteWise (Marc Errichetti), Terrapin Architects (Richard Berg), and several anonymous donors.
Your invaluable involvement has undeniably enriched our community forever. Today, we build permanently affordable homes that ensure sustainable community growth in East Jefferson County, Washington – and we are immensely grateful for all of it.
