Andover Community Trust (ACT) is a 501(c)(3), non-profit Massachusetts corporation, established in 1992 based on the strong belief that diversity is an important contributor to vital and livable communities. ACT advocates for and develops permanently affordable homes in Andover.
ACT builds modest three-bedroom homes to meet the needs of eligible households whose income is between 60 and 80 percent of the area median income. ACT gives preference to households with school-age children and with a member who works, lives, or has children in public school in Andover.
ACT completed its first permanently affordable, single family, owner-occupied home on Haverhill Street in 2001 in partnership with the Greater Lawrence Technical School. The land was donated by developer Willard Perkins.
The students from the Greater Lawrence Technical School, under the supervision of their teachers, also built ACT’s second home located on Heather Drive. The land was donated by Dikris Kazanjian who purchased the 15,000 square-foot lot in the 1950’s but never built on it. Construction was completed in 2006.
ACT’s third home, located on River Road, was donated by the developers of Casco Crossing (Steve Stapinski and King Weinstein). Andover Community Trust, with the help of a local contractor, volunteers and donations, made numerous improvements to the home and the selected family moved in January of 2007.
ACT’s fourth permanently affordable home was completed and occupied in August of 2008. The land was purchased from Peter and Suzanne Price and was built by Kevin Smith of Smith Construction.
ACT has received donations or pro bono professional services from local attorneys, architects and civil engineers. ACT has also received grants from the Abbot and Dorothy H. Stevens Foundation and the Nathaniel and Elizabeth P. Stevens Foundation, the Webster Family Foundation, the Essex County Community Foundation, the Smith Purdon Fund, The Rotary Club of Andover, UNICO and from several local banks including Butler Bank, Citizens Bank, Enterprise Bank and Trust Company, River Bank and TD Banknorth, as well as donations from individuals. This generosity makes it possible to develop and sell ACT homes to low to moderate income eligible families.
ACT’s greatest need, in addition to continued community support, is for land on which to build “homes people can afford”.
