They just want their neighbors to have housing and they know it’s really difficult.”

Jamie Maciejewski executive director Habitat for Humanity of East Jefferson County

Habitat for Humanity of East Jefferson County has finalized the purchase of 17 acres on Mason Street in Port Hadlock for the development of a new neighborhood that will provide more than  100 permanently affordable single- and mixed-family homes for low- to modest-income residents.

The project came about when several community members brought forward the idea to purchase theclear, flat parcel, previously owned by three individuals. The land had been used for private airplanes until two of the owners passed away and the land went up for sale.

It’s currently zoned as Rural Residential, meaning it’s able to have one home per five acres, but will be rezoned as Moderate Density before homes are built with the implementation of a sewer system and other horizontal infrastructure for the future community.

Once the sewer is in place, the land will be capable of higher density than land on septic alone.

The housing organization will spend the next three years planning and conversing with the community to ensure the neighborhood fits in with the wants and needs of the Hadlock community, and reflects its existing style.

“We really want to make it feel like a neighborhood that fits in with the folks that are already there and houses already there,” said Siobhan Canty, president and CEO of the Jefferson Community Foundation.

Jamie Maciejewski, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of East Jefferson County, said her team is “so inspired by the generosity of local people to make housing happen.”

“They just want their neighbors to have housing and they know it’s really difficult ... they’re my heroes,” she said.

Maciejewski said grassroots support has been abundant as her team brainstorms and plans.

“We’ve just been talking and visiting with people and they say, ‘I’m on board,’” she recalled.

Not only did the project come from community activism and foresight, but most of the $4.4 million to purchase and develop the land came from individuals. Jefferson County provided $500,000 through the American Rescue Plan Act and a remaining $600,000 is needed to complete the project.

Canty, too, has been thrilled to see strong community support for the housing project.

“It’s a demonstration of a growing commitment of the whole community for affordable workplace housing, brought to us by a group of concerned citizens, shepherded through the community and brought to Habitat,” Canty said.

While the project is still in early planning stages, Canty and Maciejewski said they are excited and grateful the land purchase has been completed.

They illustrated a commitment to making the area “feel like a real neighborhood,” which includes incorporating green space and taking notes from the community on architectural styles and other design choices.

Both said the project was only possible because of community engagement.

“I hope that everyone in our community celebrates this success and I hope it’s the next success of many, ‘cause we have a long way to go and this is a step in the right direction,” Canty said.

Volunteers and donations are still needed. To learn more or to make a donation, go to habitatejc.org or jcfgives.org.