Bar Harbor Housing Development Potential

Housing in Bar Harbor is increasing in price and decreasing in availability. More lots are turning into seasonal housing, catering toward tourists rather than year-long residents or seasonal workers. As this issue progresses help is needed. The Island Housing Trust is a non-profit that operates on Mount Desert Island. They "promote viable, year-round island communities by advancing permanent workforce housing on Mount Desert Island, Maine." Since 2003 IHT has completed over 47 homeownership projects. These projects have included everything from anonymous land donations to fundraising to allow people to purchase year-round housing on MDI.

IHT is trying to expand its tool belt. Marla O'Byrne is interested in GIS as a tool for potential local areas that IHT could develop into workforce housing. She believes that GIS could be used to enhance how they search for housing. They are primarily looking for data on the area, demographics, housing cost, household incomes, renting prices, and trends toward seasonal housing rather than year-round. Following are some basic infographics that highlight some of these trends.

Two parcels would suit the IHT to conduct another development project like Jones marsh. These parcels are clear of most wetland areas, are large enough to develop, and have prime septic potential. The final attribute of these parcels is that they are adjacent to land that MCHT has already conserved. The IHT could develop these parcels in a way that preserves more wildland than if it were privately developed. MCHT might be inclined to help the IHT purchase a portion of this land because it would buffer land they have already conserved.