KENNEBUNK, Maine — Finding an affordable housing unit these days in some parts of Maine has gotten increasingly difficult.
To help make a dent, Kennebunk Savings Bank is donating 12 acres of unused land in Kennebunk on Alewive Park Road, right by its Operation Center, for Avesta Housing to specifically make affordable units.
"We have 40 acres of land, our Operations Center covers about 20 acres of that property, so we have all that excess land back there," CEO and President of Kennebunk Savings Brad Paige said.
The piece of land will be divided into two lots, with two separate buildings, where a total of 70 units will be developed.
Paige said the project is specifically intended for senior citizens.
The land is zoned as industrial, so Kennebunk voters will need to decide in November whether the switch can be made, which would allow the land to be developed into senior low-income housing units in the near future, Paige told NEWS CENTER Maine.
"Next steps are, this is actually zoned industrial here, so we actually have to go to the town for approval for a contract zone to allow the project to be built for senior low-income housing," Paige said. "It'll go to a vote hopefully in November with the towns people, and if the voters approve the contract zone, we will be able to move forward and immediate donate the land to Avesta so the project can get going."
Another 12 acres near the construction site will be set aside for conservation.
"It'll be a great parcel back there for Avesta," Paige said. "They have a waiting list in Kennebunk for their existing three properties in excess of 300 people on that list, so we will be able to take maybe 70 or 80 of those people and put them into the housing over the next few years."
On top of the land donation, Paige says that Kennebunk Savings Bank has a foundation where they plan to donate $550,000 that will go towards the project, to help make it a reality, after it gets town and citizen approval.