Downeast Maine Tiny House Project Unveiled

by maineseacoast | Jun 11, 2019 | Downeast Campus, Housing Rehabilitation, Maine Seacoast Mission, News

Architect’s drawing of the Downeast Maine Tiny House.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10, 2019

CONTACT: Sarah Nugent
Telephone No: 207-664-2424 Ext. 5944
Email – Sarah.nugent@downeastcommunitypartners.org

Downeast Maine Tiny House Project Unveiled

CHERRYFIELD, ME — Downeast Community Partners, in affiliation with Maine Seacoast Mission, Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School, and the C.F. Adams Foundation held a press conference on Monday, June 10th at the Weald Bethel Community Center, Weald Bethel Lane, Cherryfield, ME to unveil the Downeast Tiny House Project.

The four entities have a long successful track record of working together to make family homes safe and warm in rural Downeast Maine. The Downeast Tiny House Project has the four groups building a brand new tiny house to be located in Cherryfield, Maine , for a formerly homeless US military veteran with a disability. The veteran, who has asked to remain anonymous, is also helping with financing the Project.

Maine Seacoast Mission Housing Rehabilitation Program Manager Scott Shaw said, “The prior work of these four groups is in housing rehabilitation. That is, selecting Downeast family homes needing roofing, siding, skirting, wheelchair accessibility, windows, doors, flooring, exterior and interior painting, so the families living in these homes will be safe and warm.

“With our housing rehabilitation, the families involved have skin in the game. That criteria is true of the Tiny House Project too. What’s new with building the Downeast Tiny House Project — it is a brand new home for a local military veteran,” Scott Shaw said.

The 560-square foot Tiny House, designed by Maine architect Jeri D.W. Spurling of Spurling Design in Islesford, ME, will be set on private property.

As of this writing, Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School students in Massachusetts, under supervision of Director of Technical Programs Russell P. Mangsen and Lead Carpentry Teacher Bill Italiano, are constructing the home. Once finished, the home will be trucked to Maine, placed on a foundation, and finished for occupancy.

“Assabet Valley and Maine Seacoast Mission have been discussing the possibility of constructing a tiny home for years, to enhance construction programs teaching and learning for grade 9 and 10 students preparing for off-campus construction projects in grades 11 and Grade 12,” said Director Russell Mangsen.

“We are extremely excited about this excellent student learning opportunity which will provide an energy-efficient home for a deserving individual in Cherryfield, Maine,” Director Mangsen said.

“DCP has had a program to serve homeless veterans, currently has a program to provide housing to veterans, and employs several veterans, so this project has a strong personal connection for us,” said Bobbi Harris, DCP Housing Director and 22 year retired Navy veteran.

The Project is also a pilot project for, perhaps, tiny houses for other military veterans and/or Downeast senior citizens.

The Downeast Maine Tiny House Project is made possible through the generous funding of the C.F. Adams Foundation.

The Downeast Maine Tiny House Project blog, managed by DCP’s Sue Unger, will serve throughout the Project as the information center for Project news. https://www.downeastmainetinyhouseproject.com

For more information on how your company can support this program, call Scott Shaw at the Maine Seacoast Mission at 207-546-5869.