Sand Road Site

Habitat suitable for humanity

First Falls Village Site Readied For Construction

Here are some pictures of the Sand Road site.  

Habitat suitable for humanity Falls Village family to donate sweat so they can have a home

By Gale Courey Toensing
© 1999 Republican-American

FALLS VILLAGE -- The building lot on Sand Road looks a little desolate right now with patches of crusty snow where the old dilapidated buildings were tom down and hauled away.
But by next spring the site will likely be renewed and bustling with activity. That's when Karen and Paul Bartomioli and their family hope to move into their not-yet-built Habitat for Humanity home.
The Bartomiolis were selected last week to be the purchasers of Habitat's first moderate-income single family home in Falls Village. Over the past few years, Habitat completed a house in Cornwall and one in Salisbury.
"It happened so quickly. We had one interview with the two of us and then Paul went back and interviewed a week or so ago. I'm just excited and grateful and anxious for the spring thaw," Karen Bartomioli said Saturday.
Habitat volunteers are working on a floor plan for the house "and beginning to gear up for building. We're hoping to break ground this spring," said Dale Azevedo, the president of Habitat for Humanity Northwest Connecticut, the local chapter of the international non· profit organization.
About two acres of a parcel of town-owned property were sold to Habitat for the nominal fee of $10 last summer.
The entire property, which was owned by the late Rose Alston, consists of about 30 acres of mostly wetlands.
The property was acquired by the town for $27,000 in March, 1995, after accruing $44,000 in back taxes and failing to sell at auction.
The Bartomiolis were chosen by Habitat's Selection and Nurture Committee, a standing committee responsible for selecting families as well as continuing an ongoing relationship with them. The committee was made up of three Habitat board members, two Habitat homeowners and a representative from Falls Village, Azevedo said.
The committee uses three criteria in its selection process: a financial need and a need for adequate housing; an ability to pay the mortgage; and a willingness to partner with Habitat not only through the housebuilding process but in the future to support the program, Azevedo said.
There were 15 applications, Azevedo said. Three of them ended up on a short list.
"The three families we selected - all were very qualified and looked to be wonderful families to work with. · So we were disappointed we could only select one family because we're only going to build one house in the next year or so. We chose the Bartomiolis because we really felt they were the best qualified applicants," Azevedo said.
The Bartomiolis have six children, ages 18, 14, six, five, three and two. The 18-year-old will be attending the Boston School of Music, Karen Bartomioli said.
The family has been in the community since 1990. Karen is a reporter for the local weekly newspaper, The Lakeville Journal. Paul works at the Interlaken Hotel, drives a school bus, and works at Hamilton Books.
The couple had planned for a home for many years, but things spun out of our control -- a car accident, a bad landlord situation. The family lost its apartment last July.
"It's frightening that that can happen to people and it's wonderful to have a group like Habitat come along and say, 'Hey, we want to give you an opportunity.' That's the way I see it -- it's not a handout, it's an opportunity. We'll be carrying our weight. We'll be paying our taxes. We'll be working as hard as the volunteers and to pay for the house," Karen Bartomioli said.
It's nice to think of the future when "we'll be sitting in our own house. The kids are talking about planting a pumpkin patch. I wanted to get my son a dog, but we haven't been able to," Karen said.
Habitat houses are built by volunteers. The Bartomiolis must contribute 400 hours of "sweat equity" into the house-building project, Azevedo said.
The families who purchase Habitat homes end up with mortgages in the $50,000-$75,000 range for houses that would cost $125,000 - $150,000 on the regular real estate market, Azevedo said.
"What makes it possible is the volunteer labor, donated materials and the support of the community," Azevedo said.
Once the house is built, homeowners contribute ongoing support to Habitat.

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First Falls Village Site Readied For Construction

Two years ago, the Falls Village Board of Selectmen, the Falls Village Housing Commission, and Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Connecticut began working on a plan to improve the neighborhood at 86 Sand Road and build an affordable single-family house there. Currently, the property has five collapsing buildings, two of which have asbestos shingles. Because the extant buildings are both eyesores and hazards, the Housing Commission and the Board of Selectmen unanimously agreed to recommend to the town that it donate to Habitat for Humanity a building lot for a single-family house at 86 Sand Road, if we: surveyed the property, showed that we could satisfy health code and zoning requirements for a house, and demolished the existing structures.
With the help of Mat Kiefer of Lamb-Kiefer Surveyors, we have completed the survey. As for satisfying the various code requirements, we did percolation tests on the site, and completed a feasibility study for a septic system, a well, and house placement with the help of soil scientist Ralph Stanton, Jr., and with backhoe work contributed by John Bates. We also secured a grant from HUD to cover the cost of the demolition. During the time we were doing all this, the Selectmen worked with the neighbors of 86 Sand Road to improve their lots, so that the resulting area will be better for everyone.
As a result of all this preparatory work, on August 27th the town of Falls Village enthusiastically voted to donate the land to Habitat. Attorney Jon Jadow prepared the deeds. In late October, asbestos removal and demolition were completed. Construction will begin in the spring of 1999.
The Site Selection Committee is pleased with the progress in Falls Village, and wants to remind friends of Habitat that we are always on the lookout for building lots, especially in Canaan, Norfolk or Sharon, where Habitat has not yet built any homes.
-- George Massey,
Chair, Site Selection Committee

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