Date: Fri 25-Apr-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Habitat-for-Humanity-P&Z

Full Text:

Agreement Reached Over Habitat For Humanity Houses

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

After years of planning, a joint effort between the town and Housatonic

Habitat for Humanity (HHH) to create affordable housing is approaching

fruition.

On April 17, Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members modified their past

approval of HHH's subdivision plans for affordable housing off Philo Curtis

Road in Sandy Hook, thus settling a pending lawsuit and allowing HHH to

proceed with plans to build two affordable houses there.

P&Z acting chairman Thomas Paisley told P&Z members an agreement had been

worked out between HHH and a couple that lives next door to the site planned

for development, resolving that couple's lawsuit, which sought to block the

two-house project.

"I think it's a pretty good solution to the problem," Mr Paisley said.

P&Z members approved the amended two-lot subdivision plan without opposition.

In September, P&Z members approved the subdivision on Philo Curtis Road for

the construction of two owner-occupied, single-family houses for low- and

moderate-income families. The municipally owned land on which the houses will

be built will be transferred to HHH. The land is on the west side of Philo

Curtis Road, just south of that road's intersection with Riverside Road.

Although a formal application for the subdivision wasn't submitted to the P&Z

by HHH until last August, the town's Local Housing Partnership had been

working on creating such affordable housing at Philo Curtis Road since 1991.

In an attempt to block the project, John and Carina Stefanko of 71 Philo

Curtis Road sued the P&Z and HHH last fall over the P&Z's subdivision

approval.

The modified subdivision approval granted April 17 provides the Stefankos with

ownership of about one acre on which they formerly held only a passage

easement from the town. The transfer of land to the Stefankos provides them

with a buffer zone between their house and the planned HHH houses, but doesn't

materially affect HHH's development plans, according to Thomas Gissen, a HHH

board member.

The town's land transfer to the Stefankos leaves about 2.5 acres that the town

will transfer to HHH.

"This is somewhat of a win-win situation," Mr Gissen said.

HHH is able to provide two affordable houses, while resolving the concerns of

a neighbor, he said.

The land the Stefankos will get is excess land that HHH wouldn't have been

able to use for home construction due to local development regulations, Mr

Gissen said. There was no opportunity to create a third HHH house at the site

due to the town's land use rules, Mr Gissen noted.

HHH is awaiting the town's transfer of land to it for the affordable housing

project, according to Mr Gissen.

Of HHH's finally being able to proceed with its affordable housing project,

First Selectman Robert Cascella said Wednesday, "I think it's great."

"We've been working on this for quite a while," he said.

"This isn't a free ride. This isn't welfare," he said. The affordable housing

project involves the new homeowner helping to construct the new home, he said.

Mr Cascella said he probably will put on his tool belt and contribute some

labor to the project.

The first selectman said he has signed the paperwork, which will transfer the

2.5 acres to HHH. The town's land donation is a good use of public property,

he said, adding the town wouldn't have put the land to any other use.

Newtown's Community Development Director Elizabeth Stocker termed the HHH

project "a great opportunity for the community to pull together."

Groundbreaking ceremonies at the site are tentatively scheduled for May 18.

Elizabeth Yoho, head of HHH's family selection committee, said Wednesday a

prospective homeowner has been chosen for the first home to be built. It is a

single-parent family, including a mother and two children. A second family

will be chosen to own the second house to be built, she said.

The HHH subdivision was one of the last subdivisions to be considered

involving controversial one-acre, rear-lot zoning. The P&Z repealed one-acre,

rear-lot zoning on August 12, 1996. The commission accepted HHH's development

proposal for review on August 1, 1996, thus allowing the application to be

considered as a rear-lot development project.

At past public meetings on the HHH proposal, John Stefanko had expressed fears

that if the affordable housing is built near his home, his property's value

would decrease.

Other people at past public meetings, however, stressed the need for local

affordable housing. Nancy Gossling of Country Squire Road has said the

development project provides an opportunity to build two affordable houses, an

opportunity which should be seized because it's unclear when another such

opportunity might arise again.

HHH is an independent, non-profit affiliate of the international Christian

housing ministry Habitat for Humanity based in Americus, Georgia. Volunteers

and low-income families work together using tax-deductible donations of money

and materials to build new homes. Volunteers, churches, businesses and civic

groups donate or help raise funds to purchase, materials, tools, services and

labor.

Houses are sold at no profit to families, and no-interest mortgages are issued

over a fixed period. The cost of the homes built is significantly lower than

market value. The small monthly mortgage payments made by participating

families support continuing construction. Homeowners volunteer their labor to

build the home they will live in, according to HHH.

The new homeowner makes a one percent down payment and contributes 400 hours

of "sweat equity" toward the project.