A $250,000 grant for Island Housing Trust (IHT) was included in an economic development bill passed by the Massachusetts House this week, according to a press release. The money, which still needs Senate and governor approval, would finance a state-of-the-art wastewater demonstration project for the planned Kuehn’s Way neighborhood in Tisbury. State Rep. Dylan Fernandes, D-Falmouth, successfully negotiated for the IHT funding to be written into the bill late Tuesday night, according to the release.
“The lack of affordable housing on the Island has displaced lifelong residents and working families,” Fernandes said in the release. “The Keuhn’s Way apartments will help residents stay in the community they love, and this funding will ensure that this housing protects our Vineyard environment.”
“This demonstration project will provide a model for alternative wastewater treatment on Martha’s Vineyard and throughout Massachusetts,” Philippe Jordi, executive director at Island Housing Trust, said in the release. “This is a potential solution not just for this specific project, but for others of density that cannot be connected to sewer, and Island Housing Trust is tremendously grateful for the $250,000 to fund this state-of-the-art project.”
The planned neighborhood is for 20 affordable rental apartments, and will be built on a 15-acre parcel of land off State Road in Tisbury. The denitrification septic system will serve the entire neighborhood, using NitROE 2K WasteWater Treatment Systems, technology developed by KleanTu on Martha’s Vineyard. The economic development bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
