Mission and History

Andover Community Trust, a nonprofit land trust, advocates for, develops, and sustains permanently affordable housing that strengthens families and fosters healthy, livable and inclusive communities in Andover and the broader Merrimack Valley.

Through generous donations of time, finances and land, Andover Community Trust (ACT) is building quality and affordable places for families to live. Our homes are built by Greater Lawrence Technical School (GLTS) students as they learn skills and knowledge to prepare them for employment. This valuable collaboration provides education and training for high school students in the construction trades, including carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. Our focus is on preserving affordability over the long term and welcoming families to a strong, thriving community.

Part of that welcoming includes connecting homeowners and home seekers with services and opportunities for affordable housing including funds for mortgage, rental and downpayment assistance to Mass Save assistance to reduce utility costs.

In addition, we ensure that affordable homes stay affordable. When affordable houses and condos come up for sale, we inform homeseekers looking to find an affordable home in Andover. We work with the town to steward Andover’s affordable housing year after year.

Based on the workings of a community land trust, ACT acquires land and builds modest family homes to meet the needs of eligible households whose income is below 80 percent of the area median income and are first-time home buyers. ACT retains ownership of the land and leases the parcel to the owner at a nominal rate. We also retain an option to repurchase the house, thereby keeping the housing unit affordable for generations.

Since ACT built our first home, we have partnered with Greater Lawrence Technical School (GLTS). Hands on training is one of the most important ways to prepare for a trade career. Problem solving, materials knowledge and learning skills will allow these students to become the tradespeople for our community for decades into the future. We are grateful to be working with these skilled collaborators. 

For each home built, an open owner selection process is held, and ACT encourages applications from households with school-age children and from those with a member who works or lives in Andover. Currently all of the ACT homes remain occupied by their original owners, and there have been no resales.