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V O L . X X I N O. X V I J U LY 2 7 , 2 0 1 5 20 A n infl ux of new families on Great Cranberry Island prom- ises hope for a sustainable year-round community. eir move here was made possible by the development of aff ordable hous- ing in a real estate market that is other- wise outpriced for moderate incomes. "Great Cranberry is on a roll in terms of revitalizing this community," says Phil Whitney, president of the nonprofi t Cranberry Isles Realty Trust (CIRT), which developed and owns fi ve aff ordable rental units. "We had 53 year-round residents here this winter, up from 48 the previous winter. If things hold, this coming winter we'll be up over 60. ose are small num- bers, but they make a big diff erence." Great Cranberry is one of seven islands that shared a 2010 allotment of $2.7 million earmarked by the state for aff ordable, energy-effi cient new construction, renovation and replace- ment housing. e eff ort was driven by rising housing costs, says Rob Snyder, presi- dent of the Rockland-based Island Institute, which was part of a coali- tion advocating for the fund. Not long before, the Island Institute had urged the state to allocate more funding to preserve Maine's working waterfront. " e same pressures driving the loss of working waterfront were driving the loss of aff ordable workforce housing — rising valuation, and the fact that median family income on an island could aff ord only a portion of the aver- age price of a home back then," says Snyder. Island housing prices fl attened after 2008, but remained high, he says. "Many island communities feel they have a crisis in terms of aff ordable hous- ing," says Liza Fleming-Ives, deputy director of the Genesis Community Loan Fund, a Brunswick-based nonprofi t working with island groups on issues of senior housing, aff ordable housing and preservation of community facilities. According to Genesis, since the early 1900s, the number of islands with year-round populations has diminished from 300 to 14. Escalating property values, a scarcity of aff ord- able housing, a lack of jobs and con- cerns about schools are all factors that erode year-round island communities. Islands have been tackling these problems for some time now. In the 1980s, the nonprofi t Frenchboro Future Development Corp. received federal funding and a donation of 35 acres. e nonprofi t built seven rental houses and developed fi ve lots desig- nated for aff ordable house construc- tion. In the 1990s, the Isle au Haut Community Development Corp. built three aff ordable rental homes. Since 2002, the Monhegan Island Sustainable Community Association, among its initiatives, has developed fi ve homes and converted two apart- ments into aff ordable condos for year-round residents. Islesboro, Peaks Island, Vinalhaven, Chebeague and North Haven have obtained funding and assistance from a variety of coastal organizations to develop aff ordable housing options. Some target seniors, while others aim to attract young fami- lies to bolster island populations. In 2009, Genesis, the Island Institute, and the Southern Maine Aff ordable Housing Coalition (later the statewide Maine Aff ordable Housing Coalition) partnered to advocate for the bond fund, with money for islands, and worked with the Maine State Housing Authority to develop the design of the program and construction standards that included high energy effi ciency. Over the past decade, according to MAHC, the cost of purchasing a home statewide has been well out of the range for Mainers with modest incomes. According to their latest statistics, in 2008, a median-priced home was $180,000. e income needed to pur- chase the home was $61,714, but median household income was $47,000. Since state funding was issued in 2010, 18 units have been developed on North Haven, Islesboro, Chebeague, Peaks, Isle au Haut and Vinalhaven, with Great Cranberry the fi nal project to be completed. e grants included a 20% local match, met largely through cash donations and private and town donations of land. Most of the initiatives had funding gaps in construction costs, between $60,000 and $80,000 after the Islands in the mainstream Affordable housing key to sustainable island populations B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r connectivity point design & installation / ME - NH - MA / 866-782-0200 / connectivitypoint.com Connectivity is everything. Voice. Data. Video. Reliable access to technology is critical to your business. Connectivity Point is a Maine-owned company specializing in network cabling, audio/visual equipment, security solutions, wireless access and telephone systems. We design and install the connectivity for what's coming next. We're like IT guys. With tools. FREE ES TIMATES at connectivitypoint.com NET WORK C ABLING / AUDIO VISUAL / SECURIT Y / WIRELESS / TELEPHONE P H O T O / L A U R I E S C H R E I B E R Phil Whitney, president of Cranberry Isles Realty Trust, says new affordable rental units are helping revitalize Great Cranberry Island. R E A L E S TAT E / C O N S T R U C T I O N / D E S I G N F O C U S

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