Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity’s site squad is always looking for the next location to build an affordable home. We often look for partners – local municipalities, organizations or private individuals – who can donate land or provide building lots at less than market value. This strategy works if the cost of development of the land is not going to be too high. We don’t look for perfect opportunities but do need to consider:
- Sewer or septic: Is the lot located on town sewer? If not, are the soils advantageous for putting in a simple septic? Habitat is willing to consider septic systems if there is sandy soil, but won’t do septic system projects if the soil and hydrology would require a complex (i.e. expensive) septic design.
- Town water or well: The cost of digging a well varies with the depth of the digging and can be a large expense. We prefer sites with town water.
- Topography: Is the site flat or on a hill? Is there rocky ledge? Will we have to put in a long driveway? Site work requires heavy equipment and can be expensive.
- Zoning: What type of housing is allowed by right in the zoning district? What are the required set backs? How many units are appropriate for the site? Is there enough acreage and road frontage to build homes by right or would we have to create a subdivision road? Subdivision roads can be very expensive, so we prefer sites with individual or shared driveways. As an affordable housing developer we can request waivers of some zoning requirements through a friendly 40B comprehensive permit if its the right project.
- Neighborhood: Is the land in a neighborhood suitable for residential development? Is it close to transportation and jobs?
- Timing: Will we be able to fit this project into our construction schedule in an appropriate amount of time?
Finding Smith Street
After several years of looking for a donated property in Franklin County, we hadn’t connected at the right time with the right project. But we did see a small lot for sale in a great residential neighborhood in Greenfield. It had town water and sewer, was relatively flat and there was enough frontage and acreage for a single family home!
We made an offer on the lot and did some due diligence – digging a test pit where a former swimming pool had been filled in (thank you Kurtz Construction!), checking the failing shed for asbestos, talking with town officials about zoning and doing a title search.
Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity has built over 37 homes in Hampshire and Franklin Counties since 1989. For the benefit of future volunteers, staff and community members who want to build their own home – we are starting this blog on the development process for a single family house in Greenfield, MA. Most people think about the framing of the walls as the start of construction – but planning a project often starts months or years before the first hammer is raised.