About Home Start

Founded in 2004, Home Start is a community-based, volunteer organization that is working to create and preserve perpetually affordable housing opportunities on Peaks Island, Maine.  Homestart is working to maintain the character and diversity of the Peaks Island community by both renovating existing homes and acquiring land to create permanently affordable housing opportunities for year-round island residents.

Like other islands off the coast of Maine, Peaks Island is a beautiful vacation destination. But with that distinction come challenges: rental housing that is expensive and often available only part of the year, many off-island homeowners, and increasingly high property values.  As the value of much-desired island property has begun to grow beyond what the average island resident can afford, economic and social diversity on Peaks Island has become threatened.  By creating permanently affordable homes for individuals and families with lower incomes, Home Start is helping our island community maintain a healthy, diverse, year-round population.

Home Start will use the Community Land Trust model to keep properties available and affordable to island resident families in perpetuity. The amount of appreciation on the house is limited by a covenant in the deed. When ownership of a house turns over, the homeowner is able to gain equity, but that equity is limited by restrictions on the selling price of the home.  This model ensures that future generations will have the ability to live on Peaks Island year-round. It is not just focused on the pressing issues of today, but it is insuring the island’s success and sustainability in the future.