The South Portland Planning Board has approved a proposal by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland and the South Portland Housing Development Corp. to build eight affordable, energy-efficient homes off Sunset Avenue, near the city’s Thornton Heights neighborhood.
The freestanding houses will be sold through Habitat with affordable financing to qualified families, the nonprofit said in a news release. The board approved the plan unanimously on Jan. 22 after a “long, unique and thorough” proposal, according to Habitat.
The South Portland Housing Development Corp. is the development arm of the South Portland Housing Authority.
With engineering and planning designed and overseen by Acorn Engineering, construction of the first of the eight homes will begin this spring, for delivery starting next fall. Habitat will begin holding informational meetings and taking applications for the homes in the next few months.
Habitat homes are sold to deserving families with substantial interest- and principal-free financing, so that selected families pay no more than 30% of their income on mortgage payments, taxes and insurance.
Habitat recently completed a 13-home community in Scarborough. Each of those three- and four-bedroom homes are energy-efficient with total utility costs of approximately $120 per month.
