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In less than two weeks, about
330 people have taken applications for the Vineyard's first municipally
developed affordable rental housing, 60 apartments in Morgan Woods in
Edgartown, according to representatives in the offices handling the
applications.
"[Applications are] going like hot cakes," David Vigneault said Tuesday.
Mr. Vigneault is director of the Duke's County Regional Housing
Authority, which is distributing applications as well as receiving
completed forms. "It's exciting. People are really excited."
His office also has fielded questions about the applications from a
"huge amount" of phone calls and walk-ins, he said.
Two hundred applications were picked up at Edgartown Town Hall and about
130 at the county housing office. A total of 150 completed applications
have already been returned to either the housing authority office in
Vineyard Haven or to The Community Builders in Boston, the general
contractor, leaseholder and management company for the project, TCB's
senior property manager Melissa Nichols said Tuesday.
"We're getting a good response - better than average," she said. She
said she expects an even greater return in the next two weeks. TCB
manages more than 90 non-profit housing developments throughout the
eastern half of the United States.
Ms. Nichols' office also has fielded a lot of questions from potential
applicants. "They're very interested," she said. This initial phase of
the application process, which began Jan. 26, has been going smoothly
and will continue through Wednesday, Feb. 21, she said.
TCB also has had a big response to its advertisement for a property
manager, Ms. Nichols said.
Mr. Vigneault said a few of the applicants are already housed in some of
the authority's units elsewhere on the Island, but they would like to
live in Edgartown because they either work there or their children go to
school there. His office also sent the Morgan Woods applications to all
320 people who are on the authority's waiting list for affordable
housing.
"This shows - as does Middle Line (Chilmark's affordable housing
project) - that the will exists at the town level. When the town
decides, it gets done," Mr. Vigneault said.
The lottery drawing on Monday, Feb. 26, at Edgartown Town Hall - a first
on the Island for rental housing - will assign a number to every
applicant. The drawing is open to the public, but Mr. Vigneault noted
that applicants do not have to attend in order to get into the various
housing pools.
Following the drawing, TCB will begin screening the applicants with the
first 60 numbers. First priority will be given to Edgartown residents,
for whom 70 percent of the units have been allocated. TCB will screen
the applicants for income eligibility and ability to pay rent, as well
as criminal and credit records and substance-abuse history.
The complex of 21 buildings off Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road will hold
one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, some of which are handicapped
accessible. The apartments will be allotted to four income categories,
from 30 percent to 140 percent of Dukes County median income. Morgan
Woods is expected to be ready for its first occupants in May.
Applications are still available at Edgartown Town Hall, Dukes County
Regional Housing Authority, 346 State Road, Vineyard Haven, or by
calling The Community Builders at 1-800-618-6502.
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