Home > Video Channel > Discussing Falmouth's Model for Affordable Housing

Discussing Falmouth's Model for Affordable Housing

Bob visits with John Druley of Quaker Homes in Falmouth, Massachusetts. Druley is developing a parcel of land in Falmouth that will have eight homes, two of them affordable for families earing a modest income. Bob and Druley discuss the reality of housing in Falmouth, where one-acre building lots are required for new housing. A lot, Druley explains, will sell for around $300,000 with no construction. For this development, Druley has invoked Massachusetts' Act 40B to gain relief from zoning restrictions such as the one-acre minimum lot size. In return, Druley must make 20 percent of the homes available as affordable homes, for those earning up to 80 percent of the area's median income. The lots are 10,000 sqaure feet with a 40-foot setback from the road, 10-foot sidelines, and a 45 to 50-foot backyard. The homes are 1,800-square-foot Capes with attached garages, clad in white cedar shingles, with skylights, architectural-style roof shingles, and no-maintenance, energy-efficient vinyl windows. Druley explains that the affordable and market-priced homes must be indistinguisable in design, materials, and layout. The state assigns a 40B auditor to monitor the project and assure that no corners are cut on the affordable homes, and that the developer earns no more than 20 percent profit from the development. Druley explains that the market-priced homes in the neighborhood will sell for between $375,000 and $400,000, which will help offset the $119,900 selling price for the affordable homes.
Get Adobe Flash Player to see this content.

Clip Transcript For:

Discussing Falmouth's Model for Affordable Housing

  computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" We're just a mile or two from the center of downtown Falmouth second biggest town on cape Scott and yet there's plenty of undisturbed land generally you've managed to assemble a package here for development. Is it easy to still find untouched land. And -- is a was a few years ago but there are still some parcels that are available now was it somebody's summer camp kind of thing -- what. On the parcel. I had two parcels here though one weren't doing the affordable housing on was a fellow that passed away. And he had a small ranch outside and then his. Land out behind and some of the land was actually strawberry farms and stuff right that's correct OK now the town requires that you have a one acre minimum lot size. To put up -- house. And that obviously creates a serious problem for a lot of young people who are trying to buy land -- my house is a big parcel like that is expensive right. Well one acre parcels today if you're gonna build a home. In the town of Falmouth they start at around 300000 all of -- for a lot just for the lot so if you buy a lot for 300000. And you go to -- homeowner it's not exactly affordable -- you're up over 500000 dollars sure. So that's the story all up and down Cape Cod but also on almost any desirable coastal or resort destination where people have trouble finding housing. There are lots of governmental regulations and approaches to try to bring the price down and change things here we're talking over -- forty B right. That's correct. The standard subdivision. State of Massachusetts is 48. And that would meet all the guidelines of the local community lot size. Dimensions for the frontage on the road right and when you -- forty B development which is for affordable housing first time homebuyers. You can ask for relief. From the board of appeals unit on all the local zoning laws and may not get all of that relief -- you can ask for so what size lots are we talking about here these are 10000 square foot lots about a quarter to 40000 correct. And so in the package that you've assembled there will be atop a total of how many houses it. And how many of them are designated affordable houses and how many of them are market rate 45%. So. Has to be affordable which is two of the eight homes. OK so this is one of one of the affordable once that's correct sir you're allowed to build on a quarter acre -- still feel like there's a lot of wild land around you here now. The nearest house is. Fair ways away what do -- is there another parcel in between yes there as -- a lot OK so you will have another house and what are the setbacks from lot line to lot line. On the sidelines you have to be ten feet or about seventeen feet from its side. We're about forty feet from the street itself and then 45 to fifty feet of backyard OK now. In terms of affordable and what the prices are you've got two out of the eight that are affordable. What's. The range of prices was this -- after the the houses -- about being sold -- first time homebuyers who are 11990. Basically 10020 out well. -- and the market rate houses 375 to 400 felt wow that's great but there is a big gap there how do you factor that in as the as a developer. Well I think the loss that I'm gonna have on the two affordable homes and add those -- the costs of the overall development. And then I can price out what the market rate homes will sell for in his or some sort of regulation or audit that takes place by the government the state the call Waltham Massachusetts assigns an auditor to each forty B development unit and we're limited to a 20%. Profit margin. So there are limitations to your prophet I correct OK. Now in terms of the appearance of these houses. This is nice this is vacate these are white cedar shingles that this doesn't look any different and it doesn't look like there any kind of inexpensive materials in use. While an -- Forty B development. Part of the guideline is that the market rate homes and the affordable homes are very similar in design and look. Yeah well the white cedar shingled exterior is pretty ubiquitous on Cape Cod but it's expensive it's it's hand labor right. It is very labor intensive OK and you've got other features on the house that I mean the shingles are nice the roof shingles. Obviously architectural design shingles. I kind of of warranty. This thirty year but they've just extended it to fifty years OK and you've got skylights up there and you've got what look to be pretty good windows. We have this a skylight in each bedroom on the second floor -- it is -- nice natural light and air. They open up. And we use the high density. Vinyl windows others in the maintenance than it. They can fill that in Washington inside yet there's no painting to be done. No painting full screens and in terms of the of the house itself what's the footprint of the house how many square feet the the house when it's finished inside is about 1800 square feet. Plus you get a garage plus the garage one car garage."

 [-]


More Videos »Related Videos

Installing Custom-Style Insulated Cedar Faced Garage Doors
Installing Custom-Style Insulated Cedar Faced Garage Doors

Bob and Kevin take a brief tour of the project before Bob goes off to meet Kent Forsland of Designer Doors Inc. to look at the new garage doors.

Stage Your House for Resale
Stage Your House for Resale

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. Staging your home or creating a clean, well-presented space that draws positive attention can add 15 to 20 percent to the selling price. You can hire a professional stylist or do it yourself. Here are the basics. First, clear the junk. Ruthlessly trash clutter and pack away personal items like family photos and knickknacks. Rent a self-storage space for half your furniture. Empty closets and most of the kitchen cabinets and rearrange rooms to show more floor space. Re-paint areas that show wear and tear or where expressions of personal taste might be distracting, and make the obvious repairs like leaky faucets and cracked window panes. Extra storage space in sheds, attics, basements and garages is a very good selling point, so clear them out as well. Junk removal services can save a lot of backache and disposal hassles. Scrub everything, including the windows, and let in light and fresh air. open the drapes. If they re worn or outdated, take them down. Imagine you re taking photos for a magazine: Fluff the pillows, set the dining room table and never underestimate the power of fresh flowers. Don t forget the yard. Get rid of any piles of debris, re-seed the lawn, weed the garden and lose that old patio furniture. Who knows after all that, you might not want to move! Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

Completed Cabinets in the Basement Family Room
Completed Cabinets in the Basement Family Room

Back in the new basement family room, almost all of the new storage units have been installed. The units feature drawers, work surface, and space for a small refrigerator. The last touches are being put on as the shelves are put into place. These Slide-Lok units were originally designed for garages, but are perfectly suited for use in the basement family room. These cabinets are plywood-based and contain no particle board. Because this is an old house, the dip in the basement floor is visible. The storage units can accommodate uneven floors by using adjustable plastic legs.

Garage Storage Solutions
Garage Storage Solutions

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. Commonly used as the family dumping ground, the garage is undergoing a revival as a functional workspace. Installing a garage storage system that frees up some of this space can have the same effect as adding a room and it s a good way to increase your home s value. First, group the bins and bulky items you need to store by their use and measure them so you know how much space you need for each group. Tall cabinets with double doors are great, but be sure they come with enough adjustable shelves to optimize the space inside. Include at least one lockable cabinet to keep dangerous chemicals out of reach of children and pets. Add some low cabinets on casters, creating a work surface on top. With some pegboard or a vinyl slat wall system for tools, you ve got the beginning of a home workshop. For easier cleaning and less clutter, keep things off the floor: store sports gear and yard tools on heavy-duty, wall-mounted hooks and racks. If you ve got a lot of ceiling height in your garage, use it. Try an overhead storage rack for seasonal items or as a bike lift. There are lots of garage storage options, but organization hinges on consistency: choose cabinets and racks of the same color and type. Look for systems made of metal, plastic or wood specifically treated for garage use. And remember that bigger is not always better. You need a system that will allow you to find your stuff and still leave room for the car. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

More Content »More Content

Fire-Resistant Roof Shingles
Fire-Resistant Roof Shingles

…of clients who opt for asphalt roof shingles that will not resist fire. At…
…choose fiberglass-based asphalt shingles instead of organic-based asphalt…
…best solution is to select Class A shingles that will not ignite when exposed…

Tubular Skylights: Installation Basics
Tubular Skylights: Installation Basics

Tubular skylights bring natural light into…
…ultimate efficiency. Tubular skylights work on a reflective system…
…saw to cut through the shingles and roof sheathing. Begin…
… Step 4 Lift the shingles above and to the sides…

Home Skylights
Home Skylights

Designs Skylights are available in a variety of shapes…
…ventilation, others are fixed. Larger skylights that can be used as doors are sometimes…
…drainage on flat or low-slope roofs. Skylights can provide ventilation as well as light…

Velux Ventilating Skylights
Velux Ventilating Skylights

Homeowners want the design impact and sky views of skylights with the exceptional access to light and air that only…
…30 percent more light than from a vertical window with skylights and will be pleased with the visual impact, remote…

Browse Topics

Click on a letter to browse content by topic alphabetically.



About  | FAQ  | Contact  | Sitemap  | Privacy Policy  | Terms of Use  | Help

© BobVila.com 2009