by Kitty Mayo

Providing homeowner access to those who might otherwise be denied, 1Roof’s land trust program brings two more new homes to Two Harbors.

Last week One Room Community Housing gave a tour of the two new-construction homes on 10th Avenue in Two Harbors, showcasing how work has been coming along since they acquired the property from the county about a year ago.

The two homes are open-concept designs with in-floor heat that maximize efficiency of space, and are nearing completion in the coming months. They expect to be listed for sale at less than market rate very soon.

The three bedroom home at 419-10th Ave. is a two-story building with an existing garage in good condition and a spaciously light feel.

The two bedroom house at 907-10th Ave. has a generous yard, expansive windows to the backyard and exudes a sense of cozy and manageable comfort.

Both homes have a gas-heated boiler system with on-demand hot water, with the unit small enough to hang on a wall.

While the homes built with panelized construction to save cost are small, they fit well into the neighborhoods.

One Roof’s community land trust program will be part of the sales of the homes, with an eligible buyer having a reliable but lower income.

One Roof has been a leader in the state with land trust properties, a scenario that keeps the ownership of the land with One Roof and requires any homeowners to sell their home below market price to another income-qualified buyer. Land trust home owners can chose never to sell their homes, and they can be inherited.

Since 2013 One Roof has been active in Two Harbors. To date there are ten One Roof land trust properties in Two Harbors, with six of those old construction that was rehabilitated by One Roof and then sold. Two more rehab project homes are currently underway, along with the two new construction homes on 10th Ave.

One Roof has resold over 218 land trust homes around the region, recycling over $15 million in subsidies.