Future affordable homes arrive at Perry Street via semi-truck

LAKEVILLE — After years of deliberation, grant applications and remediation, the affordable housing site at the top of Perry Street in Lakeville took tangible form Wednesday, April 2, when modular housing units were trucked in for placement by crane.

The units were stored temporarily at the Town Grove. Bright and early Wednesday morning the semi-trucks rumbled down Ethan Allen Street to the Grove, loaded up the first components and headed over to Perry Street, accompanied by a couple of escort cars with flashing lights.

The Perry Street site once had a dry-cleaning business. The town eventually took possession of the property for back taxes in May 2014. The Salisbury Housing Trust then took over ownership of the property after approval from town meeting in 2022.

By summer of 2014, the site had been subjected to asbestos abatement and testing for any remaining hazardous materials, and the main demolition began.

The building and garage were visibly deteriorating, with one wall of the laundry partially collapsed, which made the demolition tricky.

It’s been a long haul. In 2008, First Selectman Curtis Rand asked the state Department of Economic and Community Development for technical assistance to investigate the property. The department received a $200,000 grant from the federal Environmental Protection Agency for testing and remediation, and the town received a $500,000 state Small Town Economic Assistance Program grant in August 2013. To get the grant, Rand put “workforce housing” in the application as the probable future use.

Two foundations were poured on the 0.65-acre site in March.

The 1,500 square foot, three-bedroom, two-bathroom homes will be available for purchase at a price range between $250,000 and $280,000 which includes a $25,000 forgivable down payment assistance loan. Eligible buyers must be first-time homeowners with a gross household income below the area median income.

There will be an information session for prospective buyers Thursday, April 10, 7:30 p.m. on Zoom.

For more information and the Zoom link, go to www.salisburycthousing.org/current-homes-for-sale