A house on Nantucket for $210,000? You bet
Beach Plum Village lottery information session on Jan. 10
BY PETER B. BRACE
Owning a home on Nantucket is, for many islanders, out of reach. Yet, many continue to throw their money down the black hole of rent, frustrated with their housing situation but too connected to the island community to purchase off island.

It looks good on paper and even better in real life, if you choose to check out the progress of the Beach Plum Village 40B Development from either Rugged Road or Scott’s Way. Ten of the units in this 40-unit development are going to be sold for $210,00 and $228,000 under the state’s 40B affordable housing laws while the other 30 are now on the market starting at $1,175,000.

There is, however, a way to solve these housing woes through the Nantucket Housing Office and one of the island’s two 40B residential developments — Beach Plum Village.

Although 30 of the 40 units to be built on 10 acres between Rugged Road and Scott’s Way are currently for sale through the Maury People, with market prices starting at $1,175,000, 10 of the houses will go for $210,000 for a three-bedroom, two-bath house and $228,000 for a four-bedroom, two-bath house under state housing parameters.

On Wednesday, Jan. 10, there will be an informational session on what it takes to apply for these houses, which will be doled out by lottery on Feb. 8. Before the meeting, pick up a copy of the application information package in the Town & County Building.

Regardless of what prospective buyers believe their chances are to qualify, former Nantucket Housing Office Executive Director Leedara Zola urges people to apply.

“One of the things that I suggest people look at is to read the application very, very thoroughly [and] get as much information as they possibly can,” she said.

Zola stresses that potential applicants get well acquainted with the information package, and then write up a list of questions to ask that night, prioritizing them by importance. Applicants can always call or visit the Nantucket Housing Office to get their questions answered.

“Income stuff, it can get fairly complex, so I say do as much work as you can that will help fill in the application as well as possible,” she said.

Though there are specific maximum income eligibility requirements for lottery participation for a variety of household sizes, Zola said applicants should leave the lottery selection to the Housing Office. The maximum household incomes are:

• One person - $47,100, • Two persons - $53,800, • Three persons - $60,550, • Four persons - $67,300, • Five persons - $72,650, • Six persons - $78,050, • Seven persons - $83,450,

• Eight persons - $88,800.

“I tell people not to bracket themselves out, fill them [the applications] out anyway,” said Zola. “There are a lot of different nuances. Every lottery has different ways of calibrating, so bring your questions and ask them.”

I
T
      he Beach Plum Village informational session
              is on Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 6 p.m. in
the   Large   Group   Instruction   Room   in
Nantucket High School at 10 Surfside Road.
Housing applications are available just to the
left of the door to the Town’s Clerk’s office in
the Town & County Building at 16 Broad St.,
must be received by Jan. 22 and should be
mailed to JTE Realty Associates, P.O. Box 955,
North Andover, MA 01845. The lottery is on
Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. in the same location as the
informational   session.   For   details   call   the
Nantucket Housing Office at 228-4422 or the
lottery telephone line at 978-258-3492.
                      LOTTERY
              INFORMATION