Dracut Receiving First Habitat Home
The board of directors will have to apply Solomon's wisdom in deciding which of two families will be awarded the first home ever built in Dracut by Habitat for Humanity.

A decision was expected to be made on April 16, but according to Dana Owens, executive director of the Greater Lowell chapter of Habitat, one of the directors was absent and the vote was deadlocked at 4-4. Owens said the vote would have to be retaken when the absent member is available.

"When that will be, I don't know," said Owens, who would not disclose the names of the families but said both are from Dracut. "It's a difficult choice. They are both great on paper. They are both great in person, and it's been a lifelong dream for both families to be able to own a home."

Habitat received 37 applications, which was whittled down to five, then two. The choice has come down to a single mother with three children, and a mom and dad with six children.

"The obvious solution is to build another home," Owens said. "It's a shame we don't have two houses. They are both deserving."
The house will be built on Midwood Road in the Long Pond neighborhood. Two 5,000-square-foot lots were privately donated to Habitat. The undersized, nonconforming lots have been combined to make one good lot. The same donor has given Habitat another undersized lot next door. A fourth lot is located next to that.

"It was owned by a corporation that is now defunct and the deed is cloudy," said Assistant Town Manager Glen Edwards. "Until that gets cleaned up, it cannot be used."

Habitat is in the beginning stages of the permitting process, and the next stop is the Board of Zoning Appeals. Neighbors will be notified of public hearings and will have an opportunity to speak about the project.

"For now, we are very happy to have them build the single house," Edwards said, adding that the project will count toward the town's affordable-housing stock.

Owens said that house will cost $150,000, which has been donated by a financial service branch of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Chelmsford. The new homeowners will be expected to pay a $750 downpayment and set money aside throughout the construction to pay for closing costs. In addition, the family will have to donate at least 440 hours of sweat equity, take homeownership classes and keep in close contact with an assigned mentor.

Owens said if the permitting process goes smoothly, he expects the project to be completed by the end of the year. The donors, who have put up 100 percent of the funding, have said that they would like the family in by Christmas.