Affordable home in Cornwall ready for residents

CORNWALL — Visitors gave rave reviews as they toured one of two new affordable houses on Town Street in Cornwall during an open house hosted Saturday, Nov. 1, by the Cornwall Housing Corporation.

The homes are part of a development overseen by the Litchfield County Center for Housing Opportunity through its Litchfield County Affordable Homeownership Program for scattered sites in four towns. In addition to Cornwall, homes have been completed or are underway in Salisbury, Norfolk and Washington.

Funding comes from the Connecticut Department of Housing, along with town and nonprofit contributions. Program facilitation and construction loans are provided through Capital for Change..

As Becky Hurlburt, the town’s social service director, was about to leave after taking the tour Saturday, she called out, “A big thumbs up!”

Ginni Block, president of the housing corporation, explained that a lottery was held for each of the two houses that were built near each other on Town Street and both have been approved for purchase. One will sell for $255,000 and the other for $280,000. The house prices are kept affordable to households below the area’s median income.

In both cases, the corporation will lease the land on which the houses sit, which is a little over one acre each.

Block, along with corporation members Beth Frost and Hugh Cheney, showed visitors through the house, which has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large area for the kitchen, dining room and living room, as well as another room that can serve multiple purposes. There is also a full basement.

An open house was held Nov. 1 at this Town Street house in Cornwall, which is part of the Litchfield County Center for Housing Opportunity’s Affordable Homeownership Program.Ruth Epstein

They were all quick to heap great praise on Ginny Potter who donated the two pieces of property for these houses.

Streams of visitors came throughout the afternoon. Heather Pelletier and her father, Douglas Pelletier, are neighbors of the property. “I think this is great,” said Heather Pelletier. “The house is really nice.” Her father said, “It’s a lot bigger when you get inside.”

“It shows what one person can do,” said First Selectman Gordon M. Ridgway, speaking of Potter. “It shows what a legacy she left for the future of two more Cornwall families. House by house, it makes a difference.”